We are bringing nutrition education into the kitchen through culinary medicine-a blend of culinary techniques and nutrition science that makes food delicious and cooking accessible. Dive into a collection of tasty recipes and practical resources designed for maximum flavor without added salt. Our adaptable recipe frameworks democratize traditional recipes, celebrating personal food choices and encouraging readers to use ingredients they love or already have on hand. Whether you are a healthcare professional seeking culinary medicine content or simply looking for delicious recipes to elevate your home cooking, this book serves as a complete guide to inspire creativity, build confidence, and help mix things up in the kitchen.
This book doesn't teach strict rules-instead, it promotes flexibility and creativity. With 75 adaptable recipe frameworks, you can create thousands of variations based on your preferences and ingredients already on hand. One framework for a stir-fry recipe alone can yield more than 40,000 combinations! Use this book to enhance your own culinary skills and dietary pattern or as a textbook to teach culinary medicine to diverse populations spanning from community members to medical students.
To help you mix things up in the kitchen, this book offers:
- 75 recipe frameworks to enhance flavor and avoid added salt
- 50+ skill videos to improve culinary skills and enhance flavor and nutritional value
- Nutrition and culinary tips to create a learning experience out of every recipe
- A 10+-page substitution guide to expand ingredient options and maximize utility of the recipe frameworks
- A growing repository of free, printable teaching handouts and other resources to help you further learn and share your knowledge
About the Author :
Olivia Thomas, MS, RDN, LDN, is the Director of Nutrition Innovation and Implementation at Boston Medical Center, where she leads efforts to integrate food-based interventions into clinical care and develop community-driven, culturally affirming programs to prevent and manage diet-related chronic diseases. Olivia pioneered nutrition-focused training for healthcare professionals by co-founding Boston University's culinary medicine program. Additionally, she leads hands-on workshops nationwide and consults with institutions like Columbia University, Penn State University, and the Obesity Medicine Association, designing and implementing culinary medicine programs tailored to diverse audiences, including students, healthcare providers, and community members. Olivia is a PhD student at Australian Catholic University, where her research focuses on sports nutrition and supporting high-performing athletes through culinary medicine. Christina Badaracco, MPH, RDN, LDN, works as a healthcare consultant, author, and thought leader, seeking to advance the role of nutrition in healthcare. She applies her expertise in healthcare and public health research, policy, and practice to support leading institutions and organizations across the world to improve care delivery and health outcomes. She also regularly writes, teaches, and develops programs about nutrition, culinary medicine, and sustainable agriculture-including designing and directing award-winning and innovative culinary medicine trainings and programs for various healthcare institutions and professional associations and coauthoring The Farm Bill: A Citizen's Guide. Christina previously worked for Avalere, a healthcare advisory firm, as well as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Teaching Kitchen Collaborative, Oakland Unified School District, and NIH Clinical Center. Christina holds various leadership roles within the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Slow Food and she is actively engaged in her local food and healthcare systems. Carl S. Goldstein, MD, FACP, FASN, FISN, is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at Rutgers University School of Medicine in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He is the Chief of Nephrology and Director of Dialysis Services at Atlantic Health/Overlook Medical Center in Summit, New Jersey. He has authored or contributed to more than 20 publications, including book chapters, original research, and review articles. He has lectured extensively on topics of kidney and metabolic health, including the role of nutrition in the management of high blood pressure and kidney health. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, the American Society of Nephrology, the International Society of Nephrology, and the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.
Review :
"This is a rare cookbook that treats food as medicine without draining it of joy. It empowers patients to follow a low-salt diet while still eating meals that are approachable and delicious." - Jordana B. Cohen, MD, MSCE, Associate Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania
"One of the few conspiracy theories that I DO subscribe to is that the food industry really does know that too much salt is hurting us! That we crave it and seek it testifies to the centrality of sodium in the successful evolution of the kidney. The authors successfully seek to defeat this conspiracy by providing readers the tools needed to reduce our sodium intake and better protect our kidneys, hearts, and blood vessels." - David S. Goldfarb, MD, Professor of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine; Clinical Director, Division of Nephrology
"Mix It Up offers a powerful antidote to the many illnesses driven in large part by the modern American diet. By focusing on fresh, whole ingredients and flexible preparation, it can empower readers to break free from the cycle of factory-designed, hyper-palatable meals that hijack our brains. This book offers a roadmap to reclaiming health, one intentional, nourishing meal at a time." - David A. Kessler, MD, Former FDA commissioner
"We all know how important it is to eat a healthy diet. But sometimes, the hurdles can seem endless. Mix It Up knows that flexibility is key. With straightforward instructions, how-to video tutorials, nutrition and culinary tips, and recipes that balance both health and flavor, you'll easily find ways to adapt these delicious, plant-forward dishes to fit your lifestyle. Your body and your taste buds will thank you." - Nate Wood, MD, MHS, Chef, DipABLM, DABOM, Director of Culinary Medicine, Yale University
"This cookbook is an invaluable resource for healthcare professionals seeking to empower people of all ages and backgrounds with the skills to cook and eat more healthfully. The coauthors have distilled their extensive experience into a practical, engaging guide that makes nutrition education accessible and actionable." - Raeanne Sarazen, MA, RDN, Author of The Complete Recipe Writing Guide, chef, and culinary nutrition consultant
