What the fuss about healthy Eating?
What the fuss about healthy Eating? Just some recipes.
Makes 1 cup.
2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves (remove and discard any dried or browned edges)
⅓ cup pine nuts
3 medium garlic cloves, chopped
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
½ cup olive oil
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
In a food processor, combine the basil and pine nuts and pulse for 10 seconds. Add the garlic and cheese and pulse several times to combine.
With the motor running, slowly stream in the olive oil, stopping as needed to scrape down the bowl of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Season with pepper. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Makes 6 cups, to serve 6 to 8.
Ras el hanout (Arabic for “head of the shop”) is a spice mixture used in many savory dishes, and it is generally associated with Morocco, although other North African countries use it as well. Each shop, company, or family may have their own blend. The mixture usually consists of over a dozen spices in different proportions, depending on the producer.
1 pound green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons ras el hanout
1 (15.5-ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 shallot, finely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook just until crisp-tender. Drain the green beans into a colander and rinse under cool running water to stop the cooking.
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and ras el hanout.
Add the chickpeas, green beans, shallot, and parsley and toss to combine. Serve.
Makes 6 servings.
1½ pounds small red or new potatoes
½ cup olive oil
⅓ cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh Greek oregano
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled, if desired, or 4 ounces grated Swiss cheese (for a less salty option)
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped (1¼ cups)
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced (generous 1 cup)
½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and add water to cover. Bring the water to a boil and cook until tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, and oregano.
When the potatoes are just cool enough to handle, cut them into 1-inch pieces and add them to the bowl with the dressing. Toss to combine. Add the cheese, bell pepper, onion, and olives and toss gently. Let stand for 30 minutes before serving.What the fuss about healthy Eating?
MARLA HELLER , MS, RD, is a registered dietitian, and holds a master of science in human nutrition and dietetics from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), where she also completed doctoral course work in public health, with an emphasis in behavior sciences and health promotion. She is experienced in a wide variety of nutrition counseling specialties and has taught thousands of people how to adopt the DASH diet. She has been an adjunct clinical instructor in the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics at UIC, teaching courses on food science and nutrition counseling. At the University of Illinois Medical Center, she was a dietitian working in the Cardiac Step-Down Unit, the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, and the Heart-Lung Transplant Unit. She was a civilian dietitian with the U.S. Navy and most recently worked for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including the Healthy Weight Collaborative.
In addition to writing the New York Times bestsellers The DASH Diet Action Plan and The DASH Diet Weight Loss Solution, Marla contributed the four-week menu plan for Win the Weight Game by Sarah, the Duchess of York. She has been a featured nutrition expert for many national print, television, radio, Internet, and social media platforms. She is a spokesperson for the Greater Midwest Affiliate of the American Heart Association and a past president of the Illinois Dietetic Association, from which she received their prestigious Emerging Leader Award.
Marla lives with her husband, Richard, and enjoys cooking, gardening, and finding exciting new restaurants.
Now we have arrived! You understand why the Med-DASH plan and many of its components are so healthy. It’s time to put the complete Med-DASH eating plan together.
In this chapter, you will find many sample menus to provide you with lots of ideas on how to put the Med-DASH plan together and make it your own. You can follow them exactly or adapt these ideas according to your personal tastes and food preferences.
Specifically, see for servings goals for the eating plan.
See for examples of what the eating plan looks like, adjusted for various appetite levels (which is an approximation of what would be appropriate for your body size). I don’t want to be overly prescriptive. I want you to learn what works for you. Then you will have a sustainable plan. One that you can live with for the long run.
The Med-DASH Eating Plan
Food Group: Fruits
Servings: 3–5
Food Group: Vegetables
Servings: 4–5
Food Group: Dairy
Servings: 2–3
Food Group: Lean, protein-rich foods: Meats and poultry Eggs Beans
Servings: 5–9 ounces per day of meat or meat equivalents; Up to 7 eggs per week; ½ cup beans = 1 serving
Food Group: Fats (omega-3 rich)
Servings: 2 or more 3-ounce portions per week
Food Group: Nuts and seeds
Servings: 5 or more 1 ounce servings per week
Food Group: Fats and oils
Servings: 6–10 1 tablespoon servings of added fats
Food Group: Grains
Servings: 4–6
Food Group: Added sugar
Servings: 0–3
Food Group: Alcohol (4 ounces wine = 1 fruit)
Servings: 0–2
Table 6. Typical servings of Med-DASH plans from 1,600 to 2,400 calories.
Daily Servings for the Med-DASH Plan
Vegetables, nonstarchy
Smaller Appetite: Unlimited, but at least 4
Moderate Appetite: Unlimited, but at least 5
Larger Appetite: Unlimited, but at least 5
Vegetables, high starch or sugar: potatoes, beets, sweet potatoes
Smaller Appetite: 1–2 or less per week
Moderate Appetite: 2–3 or less per week
Larger Appetite: 2–3 or less per week
Fruits
Smaller Appetite: 3–5
Moderate Appetite: 4–5
Larger Appetite: 4–5
Dairy
Smaller Appetite: 2–3
Moderate Appetite: 2–3
Larger Appetite: 2–3
Nuts, seeds
Smaller Appetite: 1
Moderate Appetite: 1–2
Larger Appetite: 1–2
Protein-rich foods: Lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, limit red meat to 2 or fewer times per week; include fish at least 2 times per week, ½ cup beans or other meat substitutes = about 3 ounces meat
Smaller Appetite: 5–6 ounces
Moderate Appetite: 6–8 ounces
Larger Appetite: 8–11 ounces
Fats
Smaller Appetite: 2–3
Moderate Appetite: 3–4
Larger Appetite: 3–4
Whole grains
Smaller Appetite: 2–3
Moderate Appetite: 2–3
Larger Appetite: 2–4
Wine (4 ounces = 1 fruit serving)
Smaller Appetite: 0–1
Moderate Appetite: 0–2
Larger Appetite: 0–2
Chocolate (about 1 cubic inch or ½ ounce)
Smaller Appetite: If desired, 3–4 times per week
Moderate Appetite: If desired, 3–4 times per week
Larger Appetite: If desired, 3–4 times per week
Refined grains, sugary foods
Smaller Appetite: Rarely, 2–3 times per week
Moderate Appetite: Rarely, 2–3 times per week
Larger Appetite: Rarely, 2–3 times per week
Table 7. Detailed serving sizes can be found on our tracking form on .
Keeping Track
You’re not counting calories, so how do you know if you are following the plan properly? You count servings from the various food groups. Once you get into the habit of paying attention to the foods in your meals, this will become second nature for you. The following form will help you, and you can download more at dashdiet.org/forms.What the fuss about healthy Eating?
Makes 4 servings.
If you are used to cooking pork until its internal temperature is 165°F, you will be surprised at how tender this dish is. The new guidelines from the USDA recommend cooking pork to an internal temperature of 145°F, and when you let it sit for 10 minutes after cooking, the temperature will rise further to about 155°F. By not overcooking the dish, you’ll make it much more flavorful and tender.
Nonstick cooking spray
1 (15.5-ounce) can small white beans, undrained
½ small white onion, sliced into half-moons
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons Roasted Harissa () or store-bought harissa, plus more for serving if desired
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Tabil ()
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, stir together the beans, onion, garlic, and harissa. Spread the beans in an even layer over the prepared baking sheet.
Brush the pork tenderloin with the olive oil and sprinkle it on all sides with the tabil. Place it over beans.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and registers 145°F on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the meat to a cutting board; let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.
Stir the parsley into the beans.
Serve family-style with more Roasted Harissa, if desired.
Entrées
What the fuss about healthy Eating?