(NEWSnet/Parade) — Our friends at Parade are out with Tuesday's 'Daily Dish', another favorite from Chef Jon Ashton, good for the body and the soul!

This easy sheet-pan pasta toss is full of bright color, big flavor and heart-healthy ingredients. 

  • Fiber-rich pasta made with whole grains helps lower “bad” LDL cholesterol and blood pressure to reduce heart disease and stroke risk. Want to keep it gluten free? Choose pasta made with brown rice, quinoa or buckwheat.
  • Tomatoes are chock-full of lycopene, an antioxidant that fights inflammation to help reduce stroke and heart disease risk. Cooking tomatoes makes that lycopene more bioavailable.
  • Monounsaturated fats and antioxidants in olive oil may help lower blood pressure. Olive oil also helps your body absorb more of the lycopene in the tomatoes.
  • Garlic may help lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol, thanks to a compound called allicin. Tip: Letting the garlic sit for a few minutes after mincing encourages the formation of more allicin.
  • Some studies suggest basil may help improve cholesterol and fight hypertension.

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