You crave fried plantains. You yearn for your grandmother's biscuits. And the mere thought of your aunt's chocolate cake makes your mouth water.

But you also know those dishes wreak havoc with your heart health. So how can you enjoy your food faves without killing yourself slowly?

Substitute, substitute, substitute. Making small changes can let you enjoy your favorite foods with less damage to your heart.

We all know that unhealthy eating habits can contribute to heart disease. Too much of the bad foods - french fries, for instance - can crank up cholesterol and load on extra pounds, so you want to indulge in foods that help lower bad LDL cholesterol and blood pressure, raise good HDL cholesterol and, of course, keep down the weight.

If this sounds like a tall order, take heart: You CAN cut fat, calories and trim your cholesterol while still savoring the dishes you grew up with.

"You can still enjoy old family favorites, but you have to change the way you cook them," explains Claudia Correa, a registered dietitian for the Florida Heart Research Institute. "And if you're going to eat something that you know is not good for you, do it in moderation."

Cardiovascular diseases are the No. 1 killer of Americans, claiming 36 percent of the people who die each year. An additional 79.4 million Americans live with some form of the disease, which includes stroke, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, congenital cardiovascular defects, hardening of the arteries and other diseases of the circulatory system.

Cardiovascular disease hits minority groups particularly hard. Forty-five percent of African Americans suffer from high blood pressure, one of the highest rates in the world. And Mexican American men are more likely to be overweight or obese, have diabetes and suffer from high blood cholesterol.

The good news: You can lower your odds of a heart attack or stroke by changing your lifestyle. Modifying your diet by replacing some of the ingredients in a recipe is one way to start.

"The typical American diet is toxic," says Dr. Michael Ozner, medical director of wellness and prevention at Baptist Health South Florida. "It's highly processed, calorie-dense and not very nutritional. And it's not just one thing, but a potpourri of deficiencies."

We eat too much red meat and not enough fish. We snack on chips instead of nuts. And we don't eat nearly enough plant-based foods.

For clients who tend to starchy and fried foods, common in Latin, African American and southern cooking, Correa makes easy suggestions that even the most neophyte cook can incorporate. Instead of using pork as seasoning, for example, she suggests turkey bacon. Bake plantains instead of frying them. And use Splenda and skim milk in your coffee.

"It's not only good for your heart, but these substitutions are also lower in calories," Correa says.

Susan Burke-March, a registered dietitian and a spokeswoman for the Florida Dietetic Association, advocates simple modifications to recipes because most people find it too difficult to give up their favorite dishes cold turkey.

One quick way: "Almost every recipe can be modified to lower saturated fat. You like your milk in the morning? Try skim. Or if a recipe calls for one-half cup of oil, use canola oil or olive oil and see if you can get away with one-third cup. It's mostly about getting your taste buds accustomed."

Because packaged foods are so common, Burke-March suggests that people also learn to read labels so they know what they're really eating. Breakfast foods can be especially confusing, as cereals tout all kind of miracles they don't deliver.

"Look for at least 5 grams of fiber per serving and no more than 8 grams of sugar," she says. She is partial to oatmeal or shredded wheat cereal with nonfat milk topped with blueberries.

Pamela Downer, a registered dietitian at Memorial Hospital West, tells her heart patients that it takes just a little bit of planning to whip up dishes that are both tasty and heart healthy.

"You can make any recipe healthy," Downer says. "It doesn't matter what kind of cuisine you like."

For cheese lovers, she suggests low-fat versions of their favorites - but warns these products are high in sodium so they should be used sparingly. She also suggests replacing butter with spreads like Smart Balance, Benecol or Take Control.

Like the taste of breaded meat? Try mashed-up corn flakes to make the breading and bake instead of fry, she says. Forget the junk food and indulge in fruit. Skip the table salt and use sea salt sparingly - or the sodium-free salt substitute. Experiment with applesauce instead of oil when baking. The American Heart Association and other groups offer recipes for baked goodies that use heart-healthy ingredients.

"You may need to get used to the flavor at first, but it can work," she adds.

When Emma Daughtry of Miami Gardens, Fla., began making changes to her diet about two years ago, she did it in increments. She switched from white potatoes to sweet potatoes, from white rice to brown, from white bread to whole grain. She settled on smaller portions and loaded up on legumes, particularly her favorites of black-eyed peas and red kidney beans. She also changed the way she seasoned her meats, using fresh herbs.

"Now I feel wonderful, mentally and physically," she says. "I know I'm doing something good for me."

But not everybody is as willing to change. Though most people know that junk food is bad and veggies are good, they don't always make the right choice. But don't chalk up bad choices to weak willpower.

"There's a lack of planning and organization because we're always in a hurry," Correa says. "It's so common for people to skip breakfast and then hit the vending machines in the office. Or they eat fast food for lunch instead of bringing it from home with cut-up fruit."

And one last thing: Recipe makeovers and diet changes aren't enough to ward off cardiovascular disease. You also have to include regular exercise. "It's really a whole lifestyle change," Ozner explains.

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Here are some foods that go the extra mile in helping you combat cardiovascular disease:

Nuts and seeds are high in plant sterols that help reduce bad LDL cholesterol. Just don't overdo it because nuts are also high in calories. If you're trying to drop pounds, limit yourself to one-quarter cup a day.

Apples help slow the oxidation of LDL cholesterol. They also prevent plaque buildup. So yes, an apple - actually two - a day keeps the doctor away.

Fruits and vegetables fill you up and don't have a lot of calories. Studies have shown that people who eat plenty of plant foods have lower blood pressure.

Oat bran is an excellent source of water-soluble fiber, which binds with bile acids in the intestine to block cholesterol absorption.

Tea, particularly oolong tea, can help lower LDL.

Grapefruit has phytochemicals that are cholesterol busters, but grapefruit can interfere with other medications. Check with your doctor.

Legumes are not only rich in fiber, but they also help lower risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.

Red wine is rich in polyphenols, which protect the lining of the coronary arteries. One or two 5-ounce glasses daily is believed to help raise the good HDL cholesterol.

Fish such as salmon, Spanish mackerel, light tuna and sardines help prevent blood clots and are good triglyceride busters.

Dark chocolate helps to dilate the large arteries, working to lower high blood pressure.

Source: "The South Beach Heart Health Revolution" by Dr. Arthur Agatston