DASH Diet: Meal Ideas

Medically Reviewed by Kathleen M. Zelman, RD, LD, MPH on August 08, 2014
5 min read

The DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) diet helps you control your blood pressure. It's simpler, and tastier, than you may think.

The key to eating well isn’t banning “bad” foods, but embracing the good-for-you options, says Melissa Rifkin, RD, a bariatric dietitian at Montefiore Medical Center in New York.

“People hear the word ‘diet’ and want to run the other way, but DASH is great for anyone who wants to lower blood pressure and reduce their risk of heart disease.”

To get you started, here are a day’s worth of tasty DASH-friendly recipes shared by nutrition and fitness expert Janet Bond Brill, PhD, RD, in her book, Blood Pressure Down.

Ingredients:

2 cups vanilla soy milk

1/2 avocado, pitted and peeled

1 medium banana, peeled

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 individual packets Splenda

Instructions:

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Serve immediately.

Serves 2.

Nutrition per 12-ounce serving:

Calories: 252

Sodium: 102 milligrams

Potassium: 822 milligrams

Magnesium: 122 milligrams

Calcium: 390 milligrams

Fat: 12 grams

Saturated Fat: 2 grams

Cholesterol: 0 milligrams

Carbohydrate: 33 grams

Dietary Fiber: 8 grams

Sugars: 8 grams

Protein: 11 grams

Ingredients:

1 cup roasted soy nuts

1 cup roasted, shelled pistachios

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1 cup dried apricots, chopped

1 cup raisins

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Scoop into 1/4-cup portions, and place each portion in a zip-top snack bag.

Yields 5 cups.

Nutrition per 1/4-cup serving:

Calories: 198

Sodium: 4 milligrams

Potassium: 487 milligrams

Magnesium: 106 milligrams

Calcium: 40 milligrams

Fat: 11 grams

Saturated Fat: 2 grams

Cholesterol: 0 milligrams

Carbohydrate: 18 grams

Dietary Fiber: 3 grams

Sugars: 8 grams

Protein: 11 grams

Ingredients:

One 6.4-ounce pouch light tuna packed in water

1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced

1/2 small red onion, peeled and diced (about 1/4 cup)

2 ribs celery, diced

1/2 teaspoon dill weed

2 tablespoons olive oil

Juice of one lemon

1/2 teaspoon salt-free seasoning blend

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 slices 100% whole wheat sandwich bread

1 cup fresh baby spinach

Instructions:

Combine the tuna, cucumber, onion, celery, and dill weed. Drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice, and stir. Season with salt-free seasoning blend and pepper. Make the sandwich with 1/2 cup tuna salad and 1/4 cup baby spinach leaves. Press down to compact the tuna and the spinach.

Serves 4.

Note: This recipe will make 2 cups of tuna that will keep in the fridge for 3 days, long enough for more meals!

Nutrition:

Calories: 194

Sodium: 450 milligrams

Potassium: 410 milligrams

Magnesium: 79 milligrams

Calcium: 81 milligrams

Fat: 3 grams

Saturated Fat: less than 1 gram

Cholesterol: 14 milligrams

Carbohydrate: 27 grams

Dietary Fiber: 4 grams

Sugars: 1 gram

Protein: 17 grams

Ingredients:

Four 6-ounce wild salmon fillets

One lemon, cut into 4 wedges

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup minced fresh dill (from one small bunch)

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Coat a glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place the salmon fillets in the baking dish.

Squeeze juice from one wedge of lemon over each fillet.

Sprinkle the salmon with black pepper, dill, and garlic.

Bake until the salmon is opaque in the center, about 20 to 22 minutes.

Serves 4.

Nutrition per 6-ounce serving:

Calories: 251

Sodium: 78 milligrams

Potassium: 894 milligrams

Magnesium: 53 milligrams

Calcium: 36 milligrams

Fat: 11 grams

Saturated Fat: 2 grams

Cholesterol: 94 milligrams

Carbohydrate: 2 grams

Dietary Fiber: less than 1 gram

Sugars: less than 1 gram

Protein: 34 grams

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pounds broccoli, large stems trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 8 cups)

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt-free seasoning blend

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 450 F.

In a large bowl, toss together the broccoli and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with salt-free seasoning and pepper. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together 2 tablespoons olive oil, the garlic, and the red pepper flakes. After the broccoli has cooked 15 minutes, drizzle the garlic oil over the broccoli and shake the baking sheet to coat the broccoli. Return to the oven and continue baking until the broccoli starts to brown, about 8 to 10 more minutes. Serve hot.

Serves 8.

Nutrition per 1-cup serving:

Calories: 86

Sodium: 24 milligrams

Potassium: 232 milligrams

Magnesium: 16 milligrams

Calcium: 37 milligrams

Fat: 7 grams

Saturated Fat: 1 gram

Cholesterol: 0 milligrams

Carbohydrate: 5 grams

Dietary Fiber: 2 grams

Sugars: 1 gram

Protein: 2 grams

Ingredients:

2 pounds all-purpose red or gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into large chunks

6 cloves garlic, peeled

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon salt-free seasoning blend

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Place the potato chunks and peeled garlic cloves in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat and cook for about 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.

Remove from heat.

Drain the cooking liquid off the potatoes, reserving 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid.

Add the olive oil, salt-free seasoning blend, pepper, and reserved cooking liquid to the potatoes.

Mash with a potato masher or large fork.

Taste and season with more salt-free seasoning and pepper, if you like.

Serves 8.

Nutrition per 1-cup serving:

Calories: 145

Sodium: 7 milligrams

Potassium: 527 milligrams

Magnesium: 26 milligrams

Calcium: 16 milligrams

Fat: 7 grams

Saturated Fat: 1 gram

Cholesterol: 0 milligrams

Carbohydrate: 19 grams

Dietary Fiber: 2 grams

Sugars: 1 gram

Protein: 2 grams

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 large ripe banana, mashed (1/2 cup)

3/4 cup soy milk

1/4 cup canola oil

1 large egg

1 egg white

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup semisweet dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Coat an 11- by 7-inch brownie pan with nonstick spray.

Whisk together flour, brown sugar blend, cocoa, and baking soda in large bowl.

In another bowl, whisk together the bananas, soy milk, oil, egg, egg white, lemon juice, and vanilla.

Make a hole in the middle of the flour mixture, and pour in the soy milk mixture and chocolate chips.

With a wooden spoon, stir the ingredients together until blended. Spoon the batter into the pan.

Bake about 25 minutes until the center of the cake springs back when pressed lightly with fingertips.

Serves 18.

Nutrition per serving:

Calories: 150

Sodium: 52 milligrams

Potassium: 119 milligrams

Magnesium: 19 milligrams

Calcium: 23 milligrams

Fat: 4 grams

Saturated Fat: 1 gram

Cholesterol: 12 milligrams

Carbohydrate: 27 grams

Dietary Fiber: 1 gram

Sugars: 9 grams

Protein: 3 grams