The Mediterranean Diet is considered by quite a few experts to be the best option for many of us. It focuses on the food practices of the Mediterranean region with an emphasis on heart-health. Usually this includes dishes that feature vegetables, whole grains, seafood, beans, nuts and seeds, and especially olive oil, while avoiding foods like red meats, processed sugars, and refined grains. Lowering cholesterol and blood pressure are great goals, but the its the unique flavors and vivid energy boost you get from healthy ingredients will keep you coming back for more.
If you’re not sure how to start incorporating the Mediterranean diet into your lifestyle, here are some recipes that provide the essential ingredients that’ll become your new best friend.
Delicious Mediterranean Diet Recipes
Pomegranate Marinated Salmon with Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Salmon is one of the top protein choices in a Mediterranean diet and it’s easy to see why. It’s packed with omega-3 fatty acids that help promote heart health through reducing cholesterol and blood pressure. Try it combined with the just as healthy and helpful pomegranate in this Marinated Salmon meal for a lovely blend of tastes and benefits.
Mediterranean Stew
There’s nothing quite like a hearty stew that’ll have your stomach full of fresh, flourishing ingredients. This Mediterranean Stew makes substantial use of farm-grown vegetables, homemade marinara sauce, and plenty of seasonings. Lose yourself in the comforting flavors of cannellini beans, carrots, tomatoes, onion, and kale, all key elements of the diet.
White Bean Tuna Salad Wraps
Beans are a satisfying part of a healthy meal. They’re rich in iron, protein, and dietary fiber. These White Bean Tuna Salad Wraps are not only delicious but are loaded with nutrients perfect for midday pick-me-ups. The tuna is also soaked in olive oil rather than water to increase vitamin D and selenium intake.
Skordalia with Salted Cod and Fermented Beets
A mixture of hearty potatoes, almonds, Greek yogurt, and other wellness ingredients make up the skordalia in this recipe. When combined on a wrap with salted cod and fermented beets, you’ll see why this dish is a winner for lunch and dinner. Plus, you’ll learn to make your own whole-grain pitas at home.
Jeweled Lentils
Inspired by Persian dishes like Jeweled Rice, this healthy vegetarian dish fuses the warm, savory appeal of lentils with fresh nuts, raisins, and pomegranate seeds. The addition of nuts and seeds bring in the proteins you miss from meat while also helping lower the risks of heart disease.
Simple Chimichurri Shrimp with Couscous
Couscous, made from whole wheat flour, contains plenty of protein and fiber. That’s why it’s part of the Mediterranean diet. It’s also a lovely platform upon which to build a meal like this Simple Chimichurri Shrimp with Couscous. Everything you need can be found at your local grocery store…and you can even pick up some store-bought chimichurri in case you don’t have time to make your own.
Salmon Poke with Yuzu
Bring a platter of this Salmon Poke with Yuzu to the table when you want to impress guests with a dinner that just happens to be part of your Mediterranean Diet plan. The ingredients–from the wafer-thin slices of lotus root and Fresno chile, to green pops of color from avocado purée–create a dazzling display of contrasting yet complementary flavors and textures.
Panelle (Sicilian Chickpea Fritters) with Ricotta and Anchovies
Chickpeas are another excellent source of protein and are used frequently in Mediterranean cooking. After frying up these fritters, you’ll slather them with a homemade ricotta and top with salty anchovies. They make a great snack or can be made as an appetizer for any party.
Italian Lentil Soup
Lentils are high in both fiber and protein, plus they offer up substantial amounts of iron, manganese, folate and phosphorus – all essentials to healthy human bodies. You’ll get your daily helping of lentils along with plenty of veggies in our Italian Lentil Soup. It’s not just great for your body but great for your taste buds too.
Coconut Curry Mussels
Seafood like mussels are one of the most important parts of a healthy Mediterranean diet. In this case we use them in a recipe for Coconut Curry Mussels. This dish also includes the goodness of olive oil, green chilis, Roma tomatoes, and unsweetened coconut milk. You can even replace the ghee for more olive oil to suit your needs.
Sopa de Mariscos
Speaking of mussels, this seafood stew takes advantage of fresh mussels, cod, calamari, monkfish, tuna, and shrimp. Our Sopa de Mariscos soaks these ingredients in a seafood stock alongside spices, carrots, fennel, tomatoes, garlic, and onion. This recipe is the perfect way to enjoy a special dinner without the guilt afterwards.
Wonton Noodle-Wrapped Prawn Lettuce Wrap
Prawns take center stage in this healthy recipe that’s perfect for lunch or a light dinner. We coddle Wonton Noodle-Wrapped Prawns into lettuce leaves and top with avocados, jalapeños, radishes, cilantro, toasted sesame, cucumbers, microgreens, and a drizzle of sesame ginger dressing. You’ll be completely satisfied when the end product tastes even better than it looks.
Story by Kylie Thomas
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