Try reducing high blood pressure with this recipe for orange-glazed carrots

Battling high blood pressure can take many forms. This mouth-watering recipe for orange-glazed carrots is a great idea for both your heart and taste buds.

One of the causes of high blood pressure is abnormally high levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL, or the "bad" kind of cholesterol). Carrots contain a compound called calcium pectate, which is a soluble fibre believed to lower LDL levels. As well, they contain high levels of the healthy antioxidant beta-carotene.

As with any recipe, read through the preparation and instructions before starting so you can organize your time efficiently. This recipe for orange-glazed carrots will take about 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook, and you should be able to serve 8 by the time you're finished.

Ingredients

• 4 cups (2 lbs, or 1 kg) of carrots. For the easiest time, use peeled baby carrots. Otherwise, halve them lengthwise and slice them into 5-cm pieces. Each cup of (cooked) carrots gives you 300% of your daily recommended nutrient intake.
• 1 can (6 oz) of frozen orange juice concentrate. Make sure to it's completely thawed out before starting the process.
• 12 ml ground coriander
• Three-quarters of a cup of water
• 1 tbsp margarine or low-fat, low-sodium butter. Margarine tends to be the generally healthier option, but butter does provide more flavour. Just make sure it's low-fat and low-sodium for the best heart options.
• A third of a cup of fresh mint, chopped. If your local grocery store doesn't carry mint, feel free to substitute it with fresh basil, dill or cilantro.
• A dash of salt, just enough to taste

Instructions

• Add the carrots, orange juice concentrate, ground coriander and salt into a large skillet
• Pour in the water and bring everything to a boil, then reduce it to medium heat
• Once you've turned down the heat, bring it down to a simmer. Place a lid on the pot and angle it so steam can still escape.
• Let the carrots cook until they're between crispy and tender. This should take about 15 minutes.
• Take the pot lid off and turn the heat back up to high. Let the carrots cook until they're tender, which will take roughly seven minutes or so.
• Add the butter/margarine and mix it so the bottom of the pan is thoroughly covered.
• Keep stirring everything until the carrots look glossy and the sauce is creamy. This should take you only a minute or so.
• Lastly, add the mint. You'll want to leave the mint for last so it doesn't get soft and wilted, yet still adds a strong burst of fresh flavour.

Once you're finished cooking the orange-glazed carrots, transfer them to a serving dish and let them rest for a couple of minutes before serving. Serving them hot will taste best, so place hot towels (microwave damp towels for the quickest and easiest result) over dinner or side plates.