The publicity machine is in high gear for American Heart Month: You can hardly turn on the TV or pick up a magazine without seeing a public service announcement or a plug for a heart-healthy product. Even a national department store chain is offering a discount to customers wearing red, the month’s signature color, on Feb. 1.

Of course, eating healthfully should be a daily concern, not something we think about during the shortest month of the year. Fortunately, more and more health-promoting products are on store shelves. Even more fortunately, scientists now believe that consuming reasonable quantities of red wine, dark chocolate and walnuts can promote heart health.

(The key word there, of course, is “reasonable” — but we knew that all along.)

Here’s a recipe that combines those ingredients in a rich dessert. It’s from the new “WomenHeart’s All Heart Family Cookbook,” by Kathy Kastan and Suzanne Banfield (Rodale). Here’s what they have to say about their Flourless Chocolate Cake:

“This rich cake is loaded with antioxidants from red wine and chocolate, as well as fiber and omega-3 fatty acids from walnuts. Together they help control cholesterol and blood pressure, reduce plaque buildup, and improve bloodflow.”

I must admit that I doubt the 1/3 cup of red wine in the recipe will make much difference in anyone’s health — if you cut the cake into the recommended 16 servings, the amount of wine in each slice works out to 1 1/3 teaspoons — and I suspect you could substitute red grape juice with fine results. Regardless, though, it’s nice to indulge now and then, and even it’s nicer when you can indulge without guilt.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE
Yield: 12 servings
1 1/2 cups walnuts
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60 percent cocoa content or more), broken into chunks
6 eggs, separated
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup dry red wine
Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Place walnuts and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in food processor; pulse until finely ground. Add chocolate; pulse until chocolate is ground.

In large bowl with electric mixer on high, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.

Place egg yolks in another bowl. Using the same beaters, beat on high until thick, about 4 minutes. Add cocoa powder and wine; beat until well blended. Fold in chocolate mixture. Fold in 1/4 of the egg whites, then the remaining egg whites in 2 batches, taking care not to deflate the beaten whites.

Scrape batter into pan. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack, about 2 hours. Run a knife around sides of pan; release and remove sides. Dust cake with powdered sugar just before serving.

Per serving: 159 calories; 8g fat (69 calories from fat); 3g sat fat; 79mg cholesterol; 28mg sodium; 21g carbs; 1g fiber; 19g sugar; 4g protein.