Homestyle Mediterranean: Rustic Cooking from Around the Sea

By Jody Noel Cameron

There's nothing more satisfying than a rustic home cooked meal. This curated collection highlights the best of home cooking from the sunny islands and coastal towns of the Mediterranean. With over 100 authentic MEDITERRANEAN DIET recipes, Homestyle Mediterranean is full of inspiring di

• Language: English
• Publisher: Beneva Publishing
• Release date: Dec 10, 2022
• ISBN: 9780996626149

Book preview

Introduction

The Mediterranean Diet is considered one of the best diets for overall health. The guidelines are simple and nothing is forbidden. It encourages balance, moderation, and nourishing your body with a rainbow of whole foods. This healthy path may improve your mood, lower your risk of disease, and extend your life. Over time it can lead to gradual, but sustainable weight loss too.

The modern concept was inspired by Mediterranean dietary patterns observed in the 50s and 60s. But the cuisine has been evolving for thousands of years. Early home cooks didn’t have access to many ingredients. One of the most nutrient‐dense was the olive. Olive trees thrived where other crops wouldn’t grow.

"Except the vine,

there is no plant which

bears a fruit of as great

importance as the olive."

—Pliny (CE 23-79)

Diet is one way to improve your well‐being. But it’s important to manage stress and to be physically active too. Restorative rituals are also commonplace around the coast, like siesta (Spain), riposo (Italy), and fjaka (Croatia), to name a few. So enjoy a midday cat‐nap, or just pause to appreciate the beauty of the world around you.

The Mediterranean includes over 20 countries along the coastlines of Africa, Asia, and Europe. And it’s dotted with thousands of islands like Malta, Santorini, and Hvar—Each with a distinct cuisine that has been shaped by local flavors. Let the region be your endless source of inspiration for everyday healthy cooking.

WHAT TO EAT

Nourish your body with minimally processed REAL FOOD!

Eat an abundance of ripe, seasonal FRUIT & VEGETABLES. Dried fruit, like apricots, figs, dates, and raisins, are loaded with nutrients too.

LEGUMES—like lentils, beans, and peas, are an excellent source of plant‐based protein. Low‐sodium canned beans are handy for quick meals.

WHOLE GRAINS—Brown rice, barley, bulgur, farro, millet, and oats. Quinoa and wild rice are pseudo‐grain superfoods and they’re gluten free.

NUTS & SEEDS—Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, etc.

FRESH HERBS & SPICES—Explore spices and go overboard with fresh herbs.

OLIVES & EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL—Replace butter, margarine, and other refined oils with extra‐virgin olive oil.

EAT MODERATELY

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FISH & SEAFOOD—salmon, canned light tuna, cod, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, shrimp, mussels, etc. Enjoy a variety of seafood that’s low in mercury and high in omega‐3 fatty acids.

POULTRY & EGGS are convenient sources of quality lean protein.

DAIRY—unsweetened yogurt, ricotta, goat cheese, feta cheese, Parmigiano‐Reggiano, manchego, blue cheese, etc. Just a pinch of stronger tasting cheese goes a long way to boost flavor.

RED WINE—It’s fine to enjoy a glass of red wine with a meal. But you don’t have to drink wine to benefit from this lifestyle.

LIMIT OR AVOID

• Limit your intake of red meat. Choose lean cuts and use it to enhance the flavor and texture of a healthy meal. Meat is used sparingly in Mediterranean cooking.

• Processed meat and cheese, like hot dogs, sausages, and lunch meat.

• Butter, margarine, and refined oils. (Replace with extra‐virgin olive oil)

• Refined grains and sugars

• Heavily processed foods

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Beverages

Hibiscus Iced Tea | Karkade

Strawberry Watermelon Quencher

Salted Yogurt Drink | Ayran

Ginger Milk | Zanjabeel Haleeb

Spanish Honey Coffee | Café con Miel

Breakfast

Good Morning Graze

Strained Yogurt with Honey & Walnuts | Yiaourti me Meli

Greek Yogurt with Roasted Strawberries

Labneh Yogurt Spread

Tahini Honey Butter | Tahinomelo

Catalan Tomato Toast | Pa amb Tomàquet

Olive Oil-Basted Eggs

Tomato Harvest Scramble | Strapatsada

Spanish Zucchini Scramble | Zarangollo Murciano

Istrian Wild Asparagus Fritaja | Fritaja sa Šparogama

Balkan Spinach Eggs | Spinaq e Vezë

Portobello Baked Eggs

Tunisian Protein Bowl with Harissa | Lablabi

Turkish Poached Eggs with Feta-Yogurt Sauce | Çılbır

Quick & Cold Bulgur Cereal

Apricot, Almond & Dark Chocolate Granola Clusters

100% Whole-Wheat Pancakes with Red Wine Blueberry Compote

Milk & Honey Barley Porridge

Hibiscus Iced Tea

Karkade

Egyptian pharaohs loved Hibiscus Tea. It’s tart like cranberries and may help lower blood pressure.

This recipe makes one pitcher of antioxidant‐rich hibiscus tea.

2 quarts (8 cups) water, divided

½ cup dried hibiscus (food grade)

1 cinnamon stick

honey or preferred sweetener

fresh lime juice, to taste (optional)

ice (to serve)

1. Simmer five cups of water, hibiscus, and cinnamon stick for 10 minutes. Strain into a pitcher to

remove the petals and cinnamon. Sweeten to taste.

2. Add the remaining three cups of water (room temperature or cold).

3. Add lime juice. Chill and serve over ice.

For a single serving: pour one cup of boiling water over a teaspoon of loose hibiscus flowers or

one teabag. Season to taste with honey, lime, and ground cinnamon. Strain if needed. Chill or serve

hot in the colder months.

Strawberry Watermelon Quencher

Watermelons need time to sweeten on the vine. Choose one with a large creamy‐yellow patch where

it’s been sitting in the field.

6‐8 cups chopped seedless watermelon

1 cup chopped strawberries, hulled (very ripe)

a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime ice (to serve)

cold water or sparkling water (optional)

Variation: add some peeled cucumber or fresh mint to the blend.

1. Use a blender or food processor to liquefy the watermelon and strawberries. Pour through a fine

mesh strainer into a pitcher. Add lemon or lime to taste.

2. Chill and serve over ice. Or splash some into your everyday drinking water or sparkling water

for hint of fruit essence.

Salted Yogurt Drink

Ayran

This refreshing probiotic drink has been a source or nutrients, electrolytes, and hydration for

centuries along the eastern Mediterranean. Try it with savory filo‐based pastries, kebabs, and

grilled foods.

1½ cup plain yogurt

1 cup water

1 tsp. dried mint or a few fresh mint leaves (optional)

pinch sea salt ice (to serve)

1. Blend the yogurt, water, mint, and sea salt in a blender until frothy. Serve chilled

over ice.

Ginger Milk

Zanjabeel Haleeb

¼ cup