Studies have linked Mediterranean diets to a reduced risk of Alzheimer, cancer, and cardiovascular problems. This is all due to the principles that the themed menus gravitate around – lots of foods that are low in fat, rich in healthy oils, and full of fresh vegetables and fruits. Other than being incredibly beneficial to our health, they’re also refreshing and delicious.
There are countless of directions that you can follow when choosing to cook in the Mediterranean style. With that being said, here are 10 Healthy Mediterranean Food Recipes that you can prepare for a change in taste and to impress guests and your family.
#1 Creamy Panini
A dish doesn’t have to be overly-complicated and exquisite. Sometimes, with the right touches and ingredients, even the classic sandwich can be reinvented. For this recipe, you need to pay a visit to your local grocery store to purchase lots of fresh vegetables. Roast some bright red peppers and put them on a slice of rustic bread alongside a few slices of zucchini, basil, black olives, and some provolone cheese. Sprinkle some olive oil and spread a small dose of mayo on top, then cover it all with another bread slice. Enjoy!
#2 Tuna Salad
The Mediterranean take on this classic salad frees it of the heavy fattiness of mayo. For this take, all that is required is either fresh or canned tuna (both versions are just as rich in omega-3 acids that are beneficial for our help) and a few other easy ingredients. Throw the tuna pieces on top of some whole-wheat bread or crackers and throw into the mix scallions, olives, and capers to create a mouthwatering explosion of tastes.
#3 Skewers with Bloody Mary Vinaigrette
Appetizers can be just as creative, if not more, as main courses. These interesting skewers leave room for many combinations and they’re as aesthetically pleasing as they are tasty. The spice and pepper of the recipe lie in the Bloody Mary vinaigrette, made from a bold mix of vodka, tomato juice, hot sauce, oil, and celery, among others. Thread on some steel sticks olives, bocconcini balls, artichokes, and tomatoes, then rest the skewers on the grill. Dip in at the end and let your taste buds be soothed.
#4 Seafood Grill with Skordalia
Get a small taste of Greek cuisine with this recipe, which heavily relies on the traditional Skordalia, a dip or a sauce that’s centered on potatoes, garlic, and olive oil, to name only a few of the ingredients that give it its unique consistency and sense-dulling taste. The sauce will coat the grilled fish of your choice (halibut is the one used in the recipe, but it can be swapped for anything else depending on personal taste).
#5 Detox Salad
Do we live to eat or do we eat to live? This Mediterranean salad proves that food can do more than just fill our stomachs, being even able to cleanse our organisms and make us feel light and healthy. The recipe is as simple as it is effective, being rich in fresh vegetables packed with good doses of vitamins required for a balanced life. Use cucumbers, red onion, artichoke, hearts, celery, and watercress, then add it some extra flavor with feta cheese and olive oil. It’s a guaranteed oasis of health.
#6 Portobello Mushrooms with Mediterranean Stuffing
For all those who wish to avoid meat of any kind, but can’t find solace within salads, here is a recipe that’s going to take you on a journey of the senses. The mushrooms are filled with a stuffing made of cubed French toast, mixed with veggies of the likes of red pepper, celery, carrot, and feta cheese, then seasoned with an Italian dressing. The Portobello Mushrooms recipe can instantly become vegan-friendly, all with the removal of the cheese from the ingredients.
#7 Mediterranean Shrimp and Pasta
Pasta joined by seafood isn’t that uncommon anymore, but you can give it a refreshing take by blending in some ingredients that simply scream of the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Boil some whole-wheat spaghetti, which are packed with fiber that gives any meal consistency. Add some shrimps in olive oil and create a mixture that contains basil, garlic, tomato, black olives, and capers. Toss everything well in a bowl and top with cheese that will melt and make your mouth water.
#8 Greek Salmon Burgers
Burgers can be healthy? Absolutely. The classic and beloved recipe is given a new twist with its salmon patty sandwiched between two halves of a ciabatta. The taste is completed by the cucumbers and feta cheese which are also scattered on top of the salmon fillet. Give this recipe a try and you’re undoubtedly going to see burgers in a different light.
#9 Mediterranean Pizza
There is nothing quite like a good pizza, especially if that pizza is homemade. Sprinkle on top of a crispy crust some crushed red pepper, tomatoes, kalamata olives, and season it all with dried Italian seasoning. Add some optional basil leaves for an extra fresh taste.
#10 Mediterranean Breakfast Couscous
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so get your necessary daily dose of fiber and protein through this breakfast recipe that has couscous as its undeniable star. Alongside it, we have dried apricot and cinnamon sticks to engulf it in a sweet and spicy taste. You can ensure that you’ll have a healthy breakfast for the rest of the week by preparing a large batch first.
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