DASHing The Night Away (1900-2100 kcal)

DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, but in this meal plan, it may as well mean Delicious Approaches to Stop Hypertension! This heart-healthy style of eating focuses on consuming a large variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat and nonfat dairy, healthy fats, and lean proteins while avoiding foods high in sugar, sodium, and saturated fat.

Below you’ll find tasty meals and snacks created entirely for you, so you can amp up your health with a satisfied stomach. No going hungry in this plan! Think of this guide as your compass to navigating a new, more healthful way of eating with quick and simple snacks and meals that make it easier for you to DASH out the door and get on with the rest of your day (all for 2000-2200 calories)!

BREAKFAST

Sinfully Tasty Banana Crepe

Ingredients:

• 1 whole wheat tortilla, warmed
• ½ medium sliced banana
• 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted peanut butter
• Dash of cinnamon

Nutrition facts: Cal: 327 Fat: 15g Protein: 10g Carbohydrates: 45g Sodium: 335mg Potassium: 345mg

SNACK:

• 3 cups homemade low-sodium air-popped popcorn
• Sprinkle of 1 tablespoon crumbled Parmesan cheese
• Fresh ground pepper –you can also try Mrs. Dash or Trader Joe’s 21 Salute

Nutrition facts: Cal: 141 Fat: 8g Protein: 4g Carbohydrates: 15g Sodium: 91mg Potassium: 63mg

LUNCH

Harvest Kale Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped kale, a cruciferous vegetable
• ¾ cup chickpeas or white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon chopped unsalted walnuts or hazelnuts
• 1/2 medium apple, diced
• 1 oz. feta, goat, or low-fat cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon dried cranberries or raisins
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon EVOO

Directions:

1. Rinse and drain chickpeas.
2. Mix 2 cups of chopped kale in bowl and add rest of ingredients.
3. Toss with lemon juice and EVOO.

Nutrition facts: Cal: 571 Fat: 30g Protein: 20g Carbohydrates: 63g Sodium: 276mg Potassium: 1006mg

SNACK

• 1 cup steamed shelled edamame
• Dash of garlic salt and pepper, to taste

Nutrition facts: Cal: 281 Fat: 12g Protein: 28g Carbohydrates: 21g Sodium: 14mg Potassium: 1006mg

DINNER

Sesame Stir Fry

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil or EVOO
• ½ cup sliced mushrooms
• ½ cup sliced red bell peppers
• ½ cup diced broccoli florets
• 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce, tamari, or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 4 oz. frozen and thawed cooked medium-size shrimp
• ¾ cup cooked brown rice
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Heat sesame oil or EVOO in a skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, bell peppers, and broccoli and cook until veggies are tender. Pour in the soy sauce (or other sauce) and the lime juice and remove from heat. Stir in shrimp.
2. Serve over brown rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Nutrition facts: Cal: 519 Fat: 25g Protein: 29g Carbohydrates: 50g Sodium: 600mg Potassium: 1003mg

SHOW ME YOUR MOVES: “I don’t have time to work out!” We get it. We live in a busy world with deadlines to meet, families to feed, and doctor’s appointments to attend. Many people associate working out with dedicating an hour or more of their day to sweating at a gym, which requires additional time to get to and from, but this doesn’t need to be the case! One of our favorite tricks is “commercial workouts” – while watching your favorite show, break into a small workout routine during the commercials. Try doing ab exercises during one commercial break, squats during the next (use a chair and right before your tushy touches the chair stand up again and repeat), then some jumping jacks with alternating lunges, and some pushups (modified count too –like against the stairs or resting on your knees) while finishing off with a nice, relaxing stretch. Bam! Work out in! Excuses out!

DESSERT

Kiwi Parfait

Ingredients:

• 1 kiwifruit, sliced
• ½ cup fat-free (0%) plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon sliced unsalted almonds

Nutrition facts: Cal: 170 Fat: 5g Protein: 16g Carbohydrate: 18g Sodium: 60mg Potassium 486mg