Mediterranean Diet Cookbook: Benefits, 7-Day Meal Plan, And 74 Recipes

By Celine Claire

This ebook gives the definition, benefits, and recipes in the Mediterranean diet.

Pros of eating a Mediterranean diet.

• It lets you eat only what you love. The Mediterranean diet comprises a variety of whole, fresh foods, making it easy for you to build some good food options from the diet. The foods that make up this diet just need minor tweaks. For instance, instead of a sausage and pepperoni pizza, you can choose one diet fully piled with veggies.

You are free to include a lot of food types in a meal. When you fill-up your meal with fresh foods like fruit and vegetables, they will help you build volume into your meals so that you can consume fewer calories.

• The diet is low in saturated fat. The Mediterranean diet saves you from constant hunger since it has a variety of healthy fats in it. The diet limits large amounts of red or processed meats, which helps you consume more monounsaturated fatty acids like nuts, avocado, and olive oil. These fatty acids reduce cholesterol intake, which is high in saturated fats.

• The Mediterranean diet lowers the risk of getting cancer. A growing number of studies indicate that people following a Mediterranean diet have a lower chance of getting colon cancer, prostate cancer, and some neck and head cancers. These studies were published in September 2016 in the British Journal of Cancer, in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention in September 2017, and in the Journal of Urology in February 2018

One skillet Mediterranean chicken recipe

This recipe is ideal for dinner. It's packed with veggies and proteins, and fresh herbs that will be ready in less than 30 minutes.
Course: Main Dish.
Cuisine: American.
Preparation time: 5 minutes.
Cooking time: 25 minutes.
Servings: 5.

Ingredients
- A tablespoon of olive oil.
- A teaspoon of olive oil.
- 1½ pounds of boneless skinless chicken tenderloins.
- One medium red onion, which is chopped.
- A teaspoon of minced garlic.
- A can of petite diced tomatoes (15 ounces with liquid)
- ½ cup of sliced California ripe black olives.
- A tablespoon of fresh oregano.
- A tablespoon of fresh basil.
- A cup of halved cherry tomatoes, which are either yellow or red.
- Pepper/salt to taste.

Instructions
- In a large cast-iron skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken tenderloins and sauté until it is browned through. Do this for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Remove the chicken and put it on a plate.

- Add the teaspoon of olive oil and onions to the skillet. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute. Add the canned tomatoes and olive sand spices. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes.

- Add the chicken tenderloins and tomato halves and heat through.

- Serve over rice or potatoes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tektime
• Release date: May 14, 2022
• ISBN: 9788835438472

Book preview

BOOK TITLE: Mediterranean diet cookbook

Subtitle: Benefits, 7-day meal plan, and 74 Recipes.

Author Name: Celine Claire.

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Conclusion

Chapter One

INTRODUCTION

What is a Mediterranean Diet?

It is a diet based on the traditional foods that people used to eat in the 1960s in Mediterranean countries like Italy and Greece. The Mediterranean diet is more like a plant-based diet as it emphasizes eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. This diet includes less meat and dairy foods as compared to a typical Western diet.

A Mediterranean diet incorporates the traditional healthy living habits of individuals coming from countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. These countries include France, Italy, Greece, and Spain.

The Mediterranean diet varies by region and country. This is why it has a range of definitions. But overall, this diet is rich in vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts, beans, cereals, grains, fish, and unsaturated fats including, olive oil.

Usually, the Mediterranean diet is associated with good health. Numerous studies indicate that the Mediterranean diet can lead to weight loss and help prevent heart attacks, strokes, type 2 diabetes, and premature death.

Is there a right way to follow the Mediterranean diet?

No, there is no right way. This is so because the Mediterranean diet is consumed by people in many countries around the Mediterranean Sea who eat different foods.

How can one make their diet more Mediterranean in nature?

• Eat more of starchy foods like pasta and bread.

• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.

• Incorporate fish and seafood into your diet.

• Consume less meat.

• Eat root tubers such as sweet potatoes, turnips, Irish potatoes, yams, and others.

• Choose food products made from vegetable and plant oils.

• Eat less poultry meat, eggs, yogurt, and cheese.

• Don’t consume sugar-sweetened beverages, added sweeteners, processed meat, refined grains, refined oils, and other highly-processed foods.

• Don’t eat Trans fats, which are found in margarine and various processed foods.

• Drink more water when on a Mediterranean diet.

• The Mediterranean diet includes moderate amounts of red wine. Drink about one glass of red wine every day.

What are the health advantages of eating a Mediterranean diet?

-Reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases. According to research, a Mediterranean diet may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. A detailed study published in The New England Journal of Medicine compared two Mediterranean diets with a control diet for about five years.

According to the featured study, the Mediterranean diet reduced the risk of cardiovascular issues such as heart attacks, strokes, and death by around 30% as compared to the control group.

More studies are needed to establish whether lifestyle factors such as more physical activity and extended support systems are partially responsible for reduced heart complications in Mediterranean countries compared to the USA.

• It improves sleep quality. In a 2018 study concerning the associations between the Mediterranean diet and sleep in older adults, researchers suggested that complying to a Mediterranean diet may improve sleep in older adults.

The Mediterranean diet didn’t seem to affect the sleep quality in younger people.

• Contributes to weight loss. The Mediterranean diet may be helpful to people who want to lose body weight. According to a systematic review of the Mediterranean diet for long-term weight loss conducted in 2016, overweight people lost more weight on a Mediterranean diet than on a low-fat diet.

The Mediterranean diet group achieved results similar to those of the other participants on different standard weight-loss diets.

7-DAY MEAL PLAN

Day 1

Breakfast

• A whole-wheat toast.

• One pan-fried egg. If you want more calories, add another pan-fried egg or some sliced avocado to the whole wheat toast.

• Grilled tomatoes.

Lunch

• Two cups of mixed salad greens plus cherry tomatoes and olives on top and a dressing of vinegar and olive oil.

• Whole-grain pita bread.

• 2 ounces of hummus.

Dinner

• One whole-grain pizza with tomato sauce, grilled vegetables, and low-fat cheese as toppings.

If you want additional calories, then adds some shredded chicken, ham, tuna, or pine nuts to the pizza.

Day 2

Breakfast

• A cup of Greek yogurt.

• ½ cup of fruits like blueberries, raspberries, or chopped nectarines.

In case you want additional calories, then add one or two ounces of almonds or walnuts.

Lunch

• One whole-grain sandwich with grilled vegetables, such as zucchini, eggplants, bell pepper, and onions.

If you want to eat more calories, spread hummus or avocado on the bread before adding the vegetable fillings.

Dinner

• A portion of baked cod or salmon with garlic and black pepper to add flavor.

• A roasted potato with olive oil and chives.

Day 3

Breakfast

• A cup of whole-grain oats with cinnamon, dates, and honey.

• Low sugar fruit toppings such as raspberries.

• An ounce of shredded almonds (not mandatory).

Lunch

• Boiled white beans with spices including; garlic, laurel, and cumin.

• A cup of arugula with an olive oil dressing and toppings of cucumber, tomato, and feta cheese.

Dinner

• ½ cup of whole-grain pasta with tomato sauce, olive oil, and grilled vegetables.

• A tablespoon of parmesan cheese.

Day 4

Breakfast

• A two-egg scramble with bell peppers, tomatoes, and onions.

• Top with an ounce of queso fresco or one-quarter of an avocado.

Lunch

• Roasted anchovies in olive oil on whole-grain toast with a sprinkle of lemon juice.

• Warm salads made of 2 cups of steamed kale and tomatoes.

Dinner

• 2 cups of steamed spinach with a sprinkle of lemon juice and herbs.

• A boiled artichoke with olive oil, garlic powder, and salt. Feel free to include another artichoke to achieve a hearty, fulfilling meal.

Day 5

Breakfast

• A cup of Greek yogurt with cinnamon and honey on top.

• Mix in one chopped apple and shredded almonds.

Lunch

• A cup of quinoa with bell peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives.

• Roasted garbanzo beans with oregano and thyme.

• Top with feta cheese crumbles or avocado (not mandatory).

Dinner

• 2 cups of