DPG46 Food and Culinary Professionals (FCP)

  • 1.  Recommended Cookbook or Text for Heart Healthy Cooking?

    Posted 10-17-2025 04:04 PM

    Hello everyone,

    I am teaching a heart healthy University level cooking class in the Spring. I have students from hospitality, culinary, and nutrition and dietetics in the course.  I am looking for a good cookbook that we can use as a text for the course. I try to use popular press books that are inexpensive, trying to mimic what a a client or patient might buy if they are going to "start trying to eat healthy". I was kind of disappointed in the American Heart Association cookbook we tried last semester, so I'm looking for new ideas.  We have 5 weeks of class, including 3-4 weeks of cooking, with a 3 hour time block. I also aim to keep the book under $30, as our students often struggle to purchase textbooks due to cost.  Appreciate thoughts and ideas!

    Cheers,



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    Jennifer Watson, PhD, RDN
    Assistant Professor, Food & Beverage
    MSU Denver, Colorado
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  • 2.  RE: Recommended Cookbook or Text for Heart Healthy Cooking?

    Posted 10-18-2025 03:45 AM

    Hi Jennifer,

    I'd like to recommend Cooking a la Heart, a cookbook I co-authored with fellow RDN Linda Hachfeld. Published in 2023, Cooking a la Heart starts with two chapters on the science and strategies for cooking for improved cardiovascular wellness that are followed by 18 recipe chapters focusing on meal occasions as well bc as specified ingredients. The book includes 512 recipes! Many chapters feature "Simply Cooked" recipes that are building blocks for other recipes. These recipes can help beginner cooks develop kitchen competence and confidence.

    Linda and I focused messaging on healthful eating patterns. The only nutrient we limited intentionally was sodium, but we put a big emphasis on deliciousness and flavor. One recipe chapter Is devoted to sodium free spice blends and seasonings.

    The book is available in print and e-book formats on Amazon and, as the publisher likes us to say, "Anywhere books are sold."

    Warm regards,

    Amy



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    Amy Myrdal Miller, MS, RDN, FAND
    6th Year Delegate, Food & Culinary Professionals DPG
    Carmichael (Sacramento), California
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  • 3.  RE: Recommended Cookbook or Text for Heart Healthy Cooking?

    Posted 10-18-2025 05:40 AM

    Hi Jennifer,

    you might consider The 30 Minute Mediterranean Diet Cookbook by Serena Ball & Deanna Segrave-Daly.  I appreciate the quick prep times & tasty results.



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    Sally Ayotte, RDN & Chef

    Salida CO
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  • 4.  RE: Recommended Cookbook or Text for Heart Healthy Cooking?

    Posted 10-18-2025 06:10 AM
    Eating a la Heart. By Amy Myrdal Miller.
    Sent from my iPhone




  • 5.  RE: Recommended Cookbook or Text for Heart Healthy Cooking?

    Posted 10-18-2025 07:21 AM

    I recommend Cooking a la Heart by Hachfeld &Miller. Amy Miller,RDN, is a FCP member.



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    Jane Bennett
    Bloomfield IN
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  • 6.  RE: Recommended Cookbook or Text for Heart Healthy Cooking?

    Posted 10-18-2025 10:59 AM

    Yes!!  Here's one by RDN & Academy member,  who is also active in the FCP DPG, our own Amy Myrdal Miller:  "Cooking a la Heart" and it's terrific.   Cooking à la Heart, Fourth Edition: 500 Easy and Delicious DASH and Mediterranean Diet Friendly Recipes for Heart-Conscious, Healthy Meals: Hachfeld, Linda, Myrdal Miller, Amy, Rippe, James M.: 9781615197583: Amazon.com: Books  



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    [Keith] [Ayoob] [EdD, RDN, FAND]
    [Associate Clinical Professor Emeritus]
    [Albert Einstein College of Medicine]
    [New York] [NY]
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  • 7.  RE: Recommended Cookbook or Text for Heart Healthy Cooking?

    Posted 10-20-2025 12:56 PM

    I agree that Cooking a la Heart is a great book to consider for what you need! If you're looking for additional books to share with your group, I'll also suggest my cookbook, The Everything DASH Diet Meal Prep Cookbook. It is consumer-friendly and covers the DASH diet and the health benefits, while also focusing on meal prep tips. The cookbook includes 200 recipes, including freezer meals and staple meal prep components, along with a 2-week meal plan. The book is available in print and digital formats. Sharing a link to my site for more information about the book: Books by Karman Meyer | The Nutrition Adventure

    All the best, 

    Karman



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    Karman Meyer, RDN, LDN, RYT
    Nashville TN
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  • 8.  RE: Recommended Cookbook or Text for Heart Healthy Cooking?

    Posted 29 days ago

    Amy's book is wonderful.

    I can also recommend ours - DASH Diet For Dummies®. There are 45 recipes, but a lot of front matter about heart health as well as general nutrition education. Cindy Kleckner created the recipes (she teaches from it often as well) and the book is coauthored with a cardiologist.  There is also a CPEUs available for it. 

    We're actually working on a 3rd edition for next year.



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    Rosanne Rust
    Venice FL
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