The Mediterranean Diet: Best Summer Meals

Or, The Mediterranean Diet: if you don’t know, you better ask someone.  For those of you that need to ask, the Mediterranean Diet has been around since the 1960s and stemmed from some research into why people from that region had lower instances of cardiovascular disease when compared to say, America.  The answer, we now know, is due to their long-term diet.  This diet is NOT some quick fix to your cardiovascular problems.  Perhaps “diet” is the wrong term, this is more akin to a long-term lifestyle change which is required to derive its full benefits.

That diet is centered around copious amounts of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, nuts seeds, olive oil, fish, eggs, and a moderate amount of poultry and dairy products.  Red meat is greatly limited and a glass of red wine with dinner, surrounded with friends and family, is encouraged.  As evidenced by its main pillars, the Med Diet focuses on healthy fats, like those found in nuts, seeds and olive oil, and avoids unhealthy saturated and trans fats from processed foods.  It also emphasizes omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish such as mackerel, salmon, sardines, herring, albacore tuna and lake trout.

If you are now curious about the Med Diet, or if you’ve been following it religiously for years and are looking for some meal options, here are a few to spark your Pavlovian reflexes…

• Cauliflower couscous.  For those of you who have turned your nose up to cauliflower (including yours truly), this recipe will bring your nose back.  It is also the epitome of the Med Diet as it includes many of its staples, to include dates, olive oil, shallots, and is flavored with cinnamon and a dash of red wine vinegar.
• Eggplant Parmigiana and polenta with spinach and roasted peppers. MagicKitchen.com’s take on this Italian classic includes a delicious tomato pesto sauce, whole wheat flour and roasted red peppers, all staples of the Med Diet.
• Arugula salad with pesto shrimp, parmesan, and white beans.  This delicious salad can begin your dinner meal or serve as a stand-alone lunch.  It provides various vitamins, minerals and proteins in one dish and is a summer breeze (wonderful Doobie Brothers hit) to prepare.
• Easy Greek chicken kababs.Since summer is grilling time, this meal is the perfect Med Diet recipe for summer.  The chicken is marinated in a traditional Greek marinate of lemon, garlic, Greek yogurt, and oregano.  Intersperse the cubed chicken with chunks of peppers, onion, and zucchini and you’ve got yourself one awesome, heart-healthy Med Diet meal.
• Salmon caponata with orzo and spinach. We here at MagicKitchen.com can also help you experiment with or expand your Med Diet goals with pre-cooked meals delivered right to your door.  In addition to salmon, orzo and spinach, this meal also combines eggplant, tomatoes, onions, capers and basil to create a Med Diet tour de force.
• Spanish Moroccan fish.  The fish, in this instance, is tilapia and it is served on a bed of garbanzo beans, red bell peppers, tomatoes, olives and carrots.  The tilapia is broiled over the veggies which have been flavored with cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper.  My Pavlovian response just kicked in while typing.
• Greek turkey burgers with spinach, feta and tzatziki.  A great substitute for beef burgers this summer, this recipe features a sauce (tzatziki) that most have never heard of and can be a bit difficult to find.  Not to fear, tzatziki can be made by combining some plain Greek yogurt with a dash of lemon juice, some dill or mint, as much minced garlic as you like, and grated cucumber (Salt the cucumber after grating, and then squeeze all the water out before adding to the yogurt).  Top your burgers with a slice of cucumber and red onion and enjoy!

We hope you enjoy these Med Diet meals whether you’re an experienced veteran or a Med Diet newbie.  Just remember, if you’re serious about making a change to your current, somewhat unhealthy diet, make Med Diet meals part of your everyday eating routine.