What are some tasty and healthy Mediterranean dishes?
March 14, 2023 6:54 PM Subscribe
Hi. I have gained quite a bit of weight this winter from eating too many chicken shawarmas and pizza, and I need to lose some weight (plus exercise more!). I know the Mediterranean diet is very healthy and tasty, and I am wondering what your favourite healthy dishes from this cultural cuisine are.
I like vegetarian, vegan, and meat dishes, so I am open to all kinds of this cuisine! I am sensitive to eggs, so I cannot have eggs though not sure if that is s staple in the cuisine or not.
I like vegetarian, vegan, and meat dishes, so I am open to all kinds of this cuisine! I am sensitive to eggs, so I cannot have eggs though not sure if that is s staple in the cuisine or not.
There is a lot of lean pork on the market. So I bought a flat of boneless sirloin chops, and put them in individual sandwich bags in my freezer. Last night's dinner.
Chop a clove of garlic
2 tsps olive oil in a pan
1/2 tsp dried basil, or 5 leaves of fresh
6 brussels sprouts cut in half or quarters
1/2 sweet red pepper chopped
Start this sauteeing on a low setting in a thick fry pan
Put a pork chop in the microwave for 1 minute to thaw. Cut it up on top of the sandwich bag, so it doesn't get raw meat all over the cutting board. Put the pieces of pork into the sautee. Add a few pre-cooked noodles to this sautee, maybe 1/2 cup or a cup. Stir this and add 2 tsps of soy sauce, and 2 tsps of lemon juice. At this point add a chopped roma tomato or a few halved cherry tomatoes, continue to sautee slowly. After a few minutes, when you see the meat is cooked through, taste the sauce and see if it needs anything for your taste. I add cumin a coupla shakes to almost every thing, If there isn't enough salt for you, add some, or a little parmesan. This makes a hearty smallish meal for one, or enough to save some for later.
posted by Oyéah at 8:36 PM on March 14, 2023
Chop a clove of garlic
2 tsps olive oil in a pan
1/2 tsp dried basil, or 5 leaves of fresh
6 brussels sprouts cut in half or quarters
1/2 sweet red pepper chopped
Start this sauteeing on a low setting in a thick fry pan
Put a pork chop in the microwave for 1 minute to thaw. Cut it up on top of the sandwich bag, so it doesn't get raw meat all over the cutting board. Put the pieces of pork into the sautee. Add a few pre-cooked noodles to this sautee, maybe 1/2 cup or a cup. Stir this and add 2 tsps of soy sauce, and 2 tsps of lemon juice. At this point add a chopped roma tomato or a few halved cherry tomatoes, continue to sautee slowly. After a few minutes, when you see the meat is cooked through, taste the sauce and see if it needs anything for your taste. I add cumin a coupla shakes to almost every thing, If there isn't enough salt for you, add some, or a little parmesan. This makes a hearty smallish meal for one, or enough to save some for later.
posted by Oyéah at 8:36 PM on March 14, 2023
I adore this cauliflower shwarma dish with tahini. Sounds elaborate but is an easy after-work dish to make.
posted by moonmoth at 8:53 PM on March 14, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by moonmoth at 8:53 PM on March 14, 2023 [2 favorites]
I love this pasta fagioli. I cook the pasta separately and keep the soup and pasta separate in the fridge so the pasta doesn't get mushy in the soup. Then I combine them to warm them up.
Also, pizza is Mediterranean! You can make it more healthful by either making a whole wheat crust or using whole wheat pita bread for a crust. Load up with whatever vegetables you like and either reduce the cheese or omit it altogether. (I had heard a vegan doctor say that cheese on pizza is an American thing, not Italian, and I thought that was vegan propaganda - I'm vegan - until a friend whose parents were raised in Italy in the 30s and 40s said his parents always thought it was weird that Americans put cheese on pizza.)
posted by FencingGal at 4:22 AM on March 15, 2023
Also, pizza is Mediterranean! You can make it more healthful by either making a whole wheat crust or using whole wheat pita bread for a crust. Load up with whatever vegetables you like and either reduce the cheese or omit it altogether. (I had heard a vegan doctor say that cheese on pizza is an American thing, not Italian, and I thought that was vegan propaganda - I'm vegan - until a friend whose parents were raised in Italy in the 30s and 40s said his parents always thought it was weird that Americans put cheese on pizza.)
posted by FencingGal at 4:22 AM on March 15, 2023
We like to do a Meze for dinner every now and then, which for us is usually hummus, pita, dolma (stuffed grape leaves), falafel, taboule, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes, and kalamata olives. We usually get the hummus, falafel, dolma, and taboule in the deli area of our supermarket.
posted by damayanti at 4:48 AM on March 15, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by damayanti at 4:48 AM on March 15, 2023 [2 favorites]
Fish. The Mediterranean is a Sea after all.
There are lots of vegetarian dishes on the Spain On A Fork YouTube channel and website.
Aside from the obvious cuisines from Spain to Greece, Turkish and Morrocan are easy to like.
posted by SemiSalt at 5:17 AM on March 15, 2023
There are lots of vegetarian dishes on the Spain On A Fork YouTube channel and website.
Aside from the obvious cuisines from Spain to Greece, Turkish and Morrocan are easy to like.
posted by SemiSalt at 5:17 AM on March 15, 2023
Italian bread salads are also really nice. My recipe isn't online, but Serious Eats has one. There are many other recipes for this online.
posted by FencingGal at 5:59 AM on March 15, 2023
posted by FencingGal at 5:59 AM on March 15, 2023
Salmon. Grilled or baked, with any strong sauce or marinade. Try Korean barbecue sauce, or soy & citrus, or, so many choices. Soy sauce, ginger, a little brown sugar, garlic if you feel like it, is my default.
Serve it on spinach; squeeze on some lemon. The hot salmon wilts the spinach and it's all delicious.
I was just revisiting goofyfoot's green bean Ask.Me, green beans have some starch and protein, and I like making a meal of them, esp. the dry-fried ones with any sauce.
posted by theora55 at 7:56 AM on March 15, 2023
Serve it on spinach; squeeze on some lemon. The hot salmon wilts the spinach and it's all delicious.
I was just revisiting goofyfoot's green bean Ask.Me, green beans have some starch and protein, and I like making a meal of them, esp. the dry-fried ones with any sauce.
posted by theora55 at 7:56 AM on March 15, 2023
Two Mediterranean-inspired recipes that are both delicious: Farro Salad and Cauliflower/Chickpea Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing. For the 2nd salad, I serve it over arugula for more greens and I use Annie's Goddess dressing instead of making my own.
posted by hydra77 at 9:06 AM on March 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by hydra77 at 9:06 AM on March 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
America's Test Kitchen has some articles and inspiration (check the links at the bottom as well as the main article). They are generally very reliable.
For something super simple and cheap, one of my classmates introduced me to this "recipe" at uni: buy a jar of marinara (or other vegetarian Italian) sauce and a tin of chickpeas. Combine the two in a bowl or pot. Drizzle with olive oil if you are fancy. Works fine both hot and cold. Because it is vegetarian, it keeps better, since there will enough for a few days (even outside the fridge, but don't say I told you).
We love a good minestrone all year round, with changing ingredients according to the season. So in summer, I'll be using fresh string beans or peas, and in winter, I'll use beans from a tin, or made from dry. In summer, there'l be lots of fresh stuff from the farmers' market. In winter, there will be root vegetables and tinned tomatoes. Never the exact same soup, sometimes spicy, sometimes mild. Always with a bit of tiny pasta in it, perhaps half a cup for four servings. I love alphabet soup, because I am childish that way, but it could also be vermicelli or tiny little macaroni.
Recently, I made something like this recipe, though I seasoned mine with bayleaves and cinnamon. It was very good and filling.
This blogger has lots of good recipes.
posted by mumimor at 10:55 AM on March 15, 2023
For something super simple and cheap, one of my classmates introduced me to this "recipe" at uni: buy a jar of marinara (or other vegetarian Italian) sauce and a tin of chickpeas. Combine the two in a bowl or pot. Drizzle with olive oil if you are fancy. Works fine both hot and cold. Because it is vegetarian, it keeps better, since there will enough for a few days (even outside the fridge, but don't say I told you).
We love a good minestrone all year round, with changing ingredients according to the season. So in summer, I'll be using fresh string beans or peas, and in winter, I'll use beans from a tin, or made from dry. In summer, there'l be lots of fresh stuff from the farmers' market. In winter, there will be root vegetables and tinned tomatoes. Never the exact same soup, sometimes spicy, sometimes mild. Always with a bit of tiny pasta in it, perhaps half a cup for four servings. I love alphabet soup, because I am childish that way, but it could also be vermicelli or tiny little macaroni.
Recently, I made something like this recipe, though I seasoned mine with bayleaves and cinnamon. It was very good and filling.
This blogger has lots of good recipes.
posted by mumimor at 10:55 AM on March 15, 2023
Both of the dishes you mention are Mediterranean! If you want dishes with a similar profile, a few of my favorite dinners:
- Whole grain pasta with marinara (I like Rao's if it's available where you are, it has a low sugar content), chicken Italian sausage, a few pieces of fresh mozzarella, and sautéed peppers, mushrooms, and spinach. Scratches the same itch as pizza for me but much more balanced.
- Grilled chicken breasts (marinated in a mix of olive oil, lemon, oregano, s&p, and garlic) with Greek salad and brown rice pilaf.
posted by lunasol at 3:39 PM on March 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
- Whole grain pasta with marinara (I like Rao's if it's available where you are, it has a low sugar content), chicken Italian sausage, a few pieces of fresh mozzarella, and sautéed peppers, mushrooms, and spinach. Scratches the same itch as pizza for me but much more balanced.
- Grilled chicken breasts (marinated in a mix of olive oil, lemon, oregano, s&p, and garlic) with Greek salad and brown rice pilaf.
posted by lunasol at 3:39 PM on March 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
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posted by mirepoix at 7:13 PM on March 14, 2023