Drum roll please…I’m very excited to see my new cookbook launch today. This is the first cookbook I’ve authored solo. It’s full of recipes that I have cooked for my family. You’ll enjoy 125 healthy recipes that can fit into a DASH lifestyle that helps lower blood pressure.

The simple, tasty recipes in DASH Diet for Two are specifically designed for two people. This makes it easy for you to keep your household healthy, work together as a team, and bonus – avoid food waste. If you’re cooking for two, this book is for you.

Adding Healthy Foods to Your Diet

The word “diet” may conjure up restrictive weight loss plans. That is not what DASH is about, nor this book. You may not be able to eat perfectly all of the time (nobody can!), but you can work at eating for your health most of the time.

I like using the 80/20 rule for eating well. My healthy eating philosophy has never included, you-absolutely-can-never-eat-that, type of food rules. Click To Tweet

You won’t see preachy food rules in this book. I just want you to try sticking to the eating style most of the time (meaning 80 percent or more). It includes a variety of food, including meatless meals, poultry, pork and beef recipes, sides, salads and dessert.

Dairy plays a role in the DASH eating plan. Shoot for 2 to 3 servings daily. Learn how to make a low-fat white sauce to create all sorts of tasty dishes, including these Creamy Italian-Style Scallops.

The Science

I wouldn’t support a dietary plan that isn’t backed by science. DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), a diet promoted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, is proven to help control high blood pressure.

Some people may perceive vegan diets as more effective for health, however a recent meta-analysis showed they didn’t lower blood pressure more than the plant-based DASH diet. The study, published in the journal Hypertension, showed that including small portions of animal products is fine in the context of a diet rich in plants (i.e. vegetables, fruit, grains). Instead, the study concluded that including small portions of animal products is fine in the context of a diet rich in plants (i.e. vegetables, fruit, grains).

Fun fact: I was diagnosed with high blood pressure 6 years after I wrote my first DASH diet book. So I know what it’s like to help manage blood pressure with diet. I really hope you enjoy my books!

These poppers are a family favorite, stuffed with a cream-cheese-shrimp filling.