As a doctor, I believe spices are our first medicine, and I like to think of a spice box as the equivalent of a doctor’s bag–containing the essential tools to use in the art of cooking. As a chef, I believe using spices is the best way to add flavor, interest, and vibrancy to simple home cooking.

Let food be thy medicine is a phrase we often hear; but until recently, most conventionally trained Western doctors had very little education in nutrition. But that’s changing–and Linda Shiue is at the fore. As an internist, her first passion is helping her patients achieve health and wellness; as a chef, her passion is bringing globally-inspired flavors and fresh ingredients to the table. And it’s the wedding of these two that takes her care to a whole new level: as one of the few MD’s who is also a trained chef, Dr. Shiue teaches her patients a critical lifelong health skill: home cooking, using an array of ingredients that burst with health and flavor.

Now in her first cookbook, Dr. Shiue shares 175 vegetarian and pescatarian recipes curated from her own kitchen, with fresh flavors ranging from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean. Including a comprehensive Healthy Cooking 101 chapter, lists of the healthiest ingredients out there, and tips for prevention, Spicebox Kitchen is a culinary wellness trip you can take in your own kitchen.