Mediterranean Diet   For Beginners

The ultimate guide and cookbook for weight loss, staying fit and live a healthy lifestyle.

Contains handpicked breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes (Bonus:7 day and  28 day meal plans for practice and recipes)

[JAMES GREEN]

Text Copyright © [JAMES GREEN]

All rights reserved. No part of this guide may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Legal & Disclaimer

The information contained in this book and its contents is not designed to replace or take the place of any form of medical or professional advice; and is not meant to replace the need for independent medical, financial, legal or other professional advice or services, as may be required. The content and information in this book has been provided for educational and entertainment purposes only.

The content and information contained in this book has been compiled from sources deemed reliable, and it is accurate to the best of the Author's knowledge, information and belief. However, the Author cannot guarantee its accuracy and validity and cannot be held liable for any errors and/or omissions. Further, changes are periodically made to this book as and when needed. Where appropriate and/or necessary, you must consult a professional (including but not limited to your doctor, attorney, financial advisor or such other professional advisor) before using any of the suggested remedies, techniques, or information in this book.

Upon using the contents and information contained in this book, you agree to hold harmless the Author from and against any damages, costs, and expenses, including any legal fees potentially resulting from the application of any of the information provided by this book. This disclaimer applies to any loss, damages or injury caused by the use and application, whether directly or indirectly, of any advice or information presented, whether for breach of contract, tort, negligence, personal injury, criminal intent, or under any other cause of action.

You agree to accept all risks of using the information presented inside this book.

You agree that by continuing to read this book, where appropriate and/or necessary, you shall consult a professional (including but not limited to your doctor, attorney, or financial advisor or such other advisor as needed) before using any of the suggested remedies, techniques, or information in this book.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1: WHAT IS A MEDITERRANEAN DIET

1.1)       WHAT IS ..

1.2)       THE HISTORY OF ..

1.3)       THE SCIENCE BEHIND..

CHAPTER 2: HOW DOES A MEDITERRANEAN DIET WORKS

CHAPTER 3: POTENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS

CHAPTER 4: IS MEDITTERANEAN DIET FOR EVERYONE

CHAPTER 5: START A MEDITERRANEAN DIET

CHAPTER 6: RELEVANCE IN WEIGHT LOSS

CHAPTER 7: LIFESTYLE AND FOOD PYRAMID

CHAPTER 8: FOODS IN MEDITERRANEAN DIET

Fruits and vegetables

Red meat and red wine

Eggs and dairy

Fish and seafood

Olive oil, herbs and spices

Nuts and seeds

Grains and legumes

Poultry

Lemon juice water

Lemon water

CHAPTER 9: MEDITERRANEAN MEALS:

9.1) BREAKFAST

Coconut oil coffee

Chocolate waffles

Lemon-ricotta cornmeal waffles

Gluten-free pancakes

Banana pancakes

Blueberry pancakes

Quiche

Eggs casserole

Eggy veggie bake

Mini frittatas

Peanut butter and banana french toast

Avocado toast with egg

Caprese avocado toast

LUNCH

Mushroom risotto

Italian shrimp and scallop risotto

Tuna spaghetti

Shrimp linguine

Mediterranean farfalle

Greek pasta salad

Avocado salad with lemon dijon vinaigrette, Kale, and quinoa,

Tuscan tuna and white bean salad

Greek chicken gyro salad

Fat greek salad

Cobb salad

Vegetable barley soup

Italian cannellini bean soup

Shakshouka

9.3) DINNER

Avocado Served with Gazpacho

California, Avocado and pasta salad

Energy Boosting Veggie Pita

Roasted Veggies

Pasta Bake with Tomato and Eggplant

Prawn Salad with Warm Rice

Mediterranean Chunky Tomato Soup

Potato Salad

Sweet Butternut pasta shells and Squash

Picnic Style Salad

9.4) SIDE DISHES

Neapolitan Cauliflower Salad

Greek Stewed Green Bills

Tabbouleh

Fig, Arugula and Quinoa Salad

Italian Sweet Corn Bread

Whole Wheat Pita Bread

Tunisian Harissa Beet Salad

Spicy Kale and Potatoes

9.5) DESSERTS

Honey-Pistachio Roasted Pears

Five-Berry Compote with Mint and Orange Infusion

Blueberry & macadamia flapjacks

Sherry, almond & orange pandoro

Sherry & almond Christmas cake

Honey yogurt cheesecake

9.6) SMOOTHIES

Stuffed Figs

Cherry Clafoutis

Strawberry Chia Pudding

Frozen veggie smoothie

Dolce Vita Smoothie

Breakfast Smoothie

Fig Smoothie

Almond Date Smoothies

CHAPTER 10: TIPS AND TRICKS TO HAVE SUCCESS

PLAN YOUR MEALS CAREFULLY

GRILL YOUR FOOD

LEARN TO SUBSTITUTE

TAKE NOTE OF THE QUALITY OF FOOD

EAT SMALLER, REGULAR MEALS

CONCLUSION

BONUS 1: 7 DAYS MEAL PLAN

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

DAY 5

DAY 6

DAY 7

BONUS 2: 28 DAYS MEAL PLAN

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

DAY 5

DAY 6

DAY 7

DAY 8

DAY 9

DAY 10

DAY 11

DAY 12

DAY 13

DAY 14

DAY 15

DAY 16

DAY 17

DAY 18

DAY 19

DAY 20

DAY 21

DAY 22

DAY 23

DAY 24

DAY 25

DAY 26

DAY 27

DAY 28

BONUS 3: RECIPES

RICE WITH SMOKED SAUSAGES AND BEER

BEEF MEATBALLS IN VEGETABLE BATH

SLOW BAKED BEEF

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN WITH 4 KINDS OF CHEESE

MEDITERRANEAN ROLLS

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN

MEDITERRANEAN RICE

BAKED FISH MEDITERRANEAN STYLE

MEDITERRANEAN FISH FILLET

MEDITERRANEAN BEEF CASSEROLE

MEDITERRANEAN SALAD WITH PASTA

MEDITERRANEAN FRITTATA

Introduction

The Mediterranean diet does not contain a lot of red meat. Nuts are a part of a healthy part of this diet. However, one should limit themselves to a handful or so a day. Nuts are high in fat but the majority of that fat isn’t saturated. Nuts are also high in calories so carefully monitor the amount you eat. You’ll want to avoid salted nuts and honey roasted or candied nuts.

This diet isn’t focused on limiting your total consumption of fat, instead, it focuses on making smarter choices about the kinds of fat you consume. This diet discourages people from eating trans fats and saturated fats, both of which have been linked to heart disease.

Grains used in the Mediterranean diet are preferably whole grain, which generally contain very little in the way of unhealthy trans fat. Bread is an important part of the Mediterranean lifestyle, however, the bread is not to be covered in margarine or butter. Instead, the bread is eaten either dipped in olive oil or plain. This cuts down significantly on a number of trans and saturated fats normally associated with eating bread.

Wine plays a large role in the Mediterranean diet. A glass of wine is normally included with each evening meal. Some studies show that alcohol in moderation is associated with a lower risk of heart disease. This means 5 ounces or less of wine for anyone over the age of 65 and for people under 65 no more than 10 ounces daily. If you have any history of alcohol dependency or abuse I suggest refraining altogether from consuming alcohol as part of your diet. The same goes if you already have liver or heart disease.

I often get asked how many times per week can eat certain types of foods. Well, on the Mediterranean diet you can enjoy foods like yogurt, cheese, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and fruits daily. However, fish, eggs, and meat should only be served once or twice each week. You’ll find that this is easier to do than you think, especially after a couple of weeks once you’ve readjusted to your new way of eating. I have a ton of delicious recipes you can try out in later chapters.

The idea behind the Mediterranean diet has to do with a healthy diet comprising of low saturated fat fruits, vegetables, cereals, nuts and legumes. This also comprises of dairy products that has a low consumption rate e.g. seafood, dairy products, red meat, poultry, and little to fair amount of wine. The Mediterranean diet happens to be among the most studied dietary models.

It is observed that people in the Mediterranean area, a region made of three continents, with different culture, food habit, and tradition but live almost the same way and share in common the same eating habit. It was noticed that the Mediterranean region recorded a small number of cases related to diabetes, chronic heart diseases, cancers and gallstones.

Fresh vegetables, cereals, fruit served as desert, whole grain breads, beans, pastas legumes and nuts cooked in olive oil are mainly Mediterranean diets. You can supplement these diets with low to fair use of milk, yogurt and cheese alongside red wine or water.

You can add seafood, eggs and poultry to the diet on a weekly basis, while you limit the intake of red meat to a few times a month. Dessert and sweet consumption is also restricted to a few days a week. The best kind of dessert is fruit.

The Mediterranean diet is properly balanced with the inclusion of vital minerals, vitamins, and low in saturated salt, fat, and sugar to guarantee good health. As we know, those in the Mediterranean region live an active live, but they as well create quality time for themselves to relax, socialize and enjoy over every meal. Observing this practice assists in the digestion of food and enables the body system function properly.

One amazing thing is that, the Mediterranean diet involves foods from diets that contain a significant amount of saturated fats. To be honest, the well needed nutrition required to lessen potential health hazards is the mixture of the food products found in the diet. This also takes away the risk of gaining additional unwanted weight. For example, in the Mediterranean diet olive oil is the major source of fat. Olive oil is also a “good” mono saturated fat that does not boost the level of blood cholesterol. So many people have attested to the fact that a well practiced Mediterranean diet can be used to tackle heart sicknesses and to keep the body fit and healthy.

Chapter 1: What is a Mediterranean Diet

1.1)       What is ..

Let’s start with what the Mediterranean diet isn’t: it isn’t a “fad” diet, nor is it a diet designed to let you drop weight quickly. Often if you lose a lot of weight quickly, you regain it quickly as well. Instead, the Mediterranean diet is a lifestyle--a way of eating and enjoying food that will help you lose weight steadily and lower your risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, and more.

1.2)       The history of ..

The Mediterranean diet did not get its start in a lab. Doctors or nutritionists did not create it; it's not a fad diet or "get thin quick" diet. Instead, the Mediterranean diet is a tradition, a cultural movement--one that emphasizes rich variety, hearty and filling meals, and sustainable harvesting practices.

Though the idea of the Mediterranean diet dates back to the 1960s, the diet actually has its roots much further back in history. The area in which it originated--the Mediterranean basin--comprises Greece, Crete, and Southern Italy; where southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle-East meet. Historians often call this area the "cradle of society," because it is where the Romans enjoyed a diet based on bread, olives and extra-virgin olive oil, and wine, supplemented with local vegetables and sheep's cheese. The rich also enjoyed fish and shellfish, as well as the occasional fowl. During the early Middle Ages, when nearby cultures started engaging in trade, Muslims from North Africa and the Middle East introduced new foods to the Mediterranean, including spices, new fruits and vegetables (such as eggplant, citrus fruits, spinach, and pomegranate), almonds, rice and cane sugar. During Europe's expansion into the New World, the Mediterranean started seeing, even more, new foods, including new grains, potatoes, tomatoes, corn, new varieties of beans, and peppers. These influxes of new and, at the time, exotic foods eventually later became what we now call the Mediterranean diet.

In the 1950s, biologist Ancel Keys and his wife, chemist Margaret Keys, noticed that while people in the Mediterranean basin ate a relatively high amount of fat, they had much lower rates of high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes than Americans. This led Keys to the beginning of a study called the "Seven Nations Study," to investigate the link between nutrition and cardiovascular disease. Keys first publicized the Mediterranean diet in 1975, but it wasn't until the mid-1990s, when presented at Harvard University’s School of Public Health, that it began finding a foothold in America.

In 2013, countries such as Spain, Greece, Portugal and Italy, just to name a few, were added to a list of cultural and scientific organizations. The Mediterranean Diet involves a set of skills and rituals that concern the harvesting and conservation of precious crops, fishing and animal husbandry, especially when it comes the consumption and sharing of such foods.

1.3)       The science behind..

Though the Mediterranean diet came from the lifestyle of the people of living in that indigenous area, the diet has only gained popularity in the recent decades in the West as a way to improve health and prevent disease. Since then, many scientific studies have been conducted with controlled variables to study the effects of this diet and the health benefits it can produce.

Here's a look at what some of the respected and peer-reviewed researches on the Mediterranean diet have found:

The PREDIMED Study: This study was conducted in 2013 and was made famous due to the results showing significant reductions in heart disease. It followed a large study of 7,447 individuals. They were randomized to one of three diet types: a low-fat control group, a Mediterranean diet with additional raw nut intake, and a Mediterranean diet with additional extra virgin olive oil. The study went on for almost 5 years and many papers have been written about the completed effects and reduction of risk factors. Here are some of the results that were found:

The Mediterranean + Olive Oil group had a 30% decreased risk of suffering from a heart attack or stroke, while the Mediterranean + Nuts group had a 28% decrease. These results were more significant in male subjects, not female. People who had obesity, high blood pressure, and lipid problems tended to respond better to the Mediterranean diet.

Individuals in both the Mediterranean diet groups had a decrease in oxidized LDL cholesterol while the low-fat control group did not have a statistically significant decrease.

The Mediterranean diet groups were less likely to become diabetic in comparison to the control group that followed a low-fat diet. In the Mediterranean diet groups, 10% and 11% of individuals became diabetic, while nearly 18% of individuals in the low-fat control group had diabetes at the end of 4 years.

After a 3-month study, the Mediterranean diet improved certain cardiovascular risk factors like high blood sugar levels, high HDL cholesterol ratio, high blood pressure, and C-Reactive Protein levels. The low-fat group again had no significant change.

After 5 years, more than 300 people had died related to cardiovascular or cancer-related deaths. The group that consumed more nuts had anywhere from 16-65% lower risk of death during the study period.

Lyon Diet Heart Study: This 1999 study enrolled 605 middle-aged men and women who had previously suffered from a heart attack. They were split into two groups made to follow either a Mediterranean diet supplemented with Omega 3 fats or a more "conservative" Western style diet. After 4 years of study, it was found that the group that followed the Mediterranean lifestyle were more than 70% less likely to have died from heart disease or suffered from another heart attack.

4 people in the low-fat group had a stroke. 0 people did in the Mediterranean group.

The Journal of the American Medical Association: This 2004 study tested 180 patients with metabolic syndrome who were either following a more conservative diet or a Mediterranean diet. After 2.5 years of study, about 80% of the patients still had metabolic syndrome in the control group compared to less than 45% of patients in the Mediterranean diet group.

The Mediterranean diet group also decreased their weight by nearly 10 pounds compared to only an average of 3 pounds weight loss in the control group.

The Mediterranean diet group had significantly less inflammatory markers.

The Mediterranean group followers had less insulin resistance than the control group followers.

The New England Journal of Medicine: 322 obese men and women were studied in 2008 to compare the Mediterranean diet to a low-fat and low carb diet. When total weight loss was assessed, the low-fat group lost only an average of 6 pounds while the Mediterranean diet group lost almost 10 pounds on average!

The diet also improved blood sugar levels and insulin levels in the group who followed the Mediterranean diet.

Losing weight on the Mediterranean diet also improves other diabetes risk signs like insulin resistance.

After 4 years, less than half the Mediterranean diet group needed diabetes medication. The low-fat group had more than 70% of participants needing medication despite having followed their diet.

A Mediterranean diet could delay the need for at risk diabetes patients to begin medication and prevent at risk patients from developing the disease. This is great news for people who have a family history of diabetes!

Even though the Mediterranean diet isn't necessarily prescribed for weight loss, it has been found that most participants tend to lose more weight compared to low carb or low-fat diets. This, coupled with reducing the cardiovascular disease risks, the Mediterranean diet could delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes, as excess weight is one of the symptoms of diabetes. The many research studies show that the Mediterranean diet is a more successful lifestyle change in controlling blood sugar levels than following a low-fat diet.

Chapter 2: How does a mediterranean diet works

In this chapter, you will learn about how the famous Mediterranean diet works in resulting in weight loss.

Mediterranean Diet Principles

Diet Composition

The Mediterranean diet is basically a vegetarian-like diet that has low carbohydrate contents. It encourages people to eat healthy and avoid skipping meals. Technically speaking, reduced calorie intake will lead to weight loss. Carbohydrates comprise at least 40% of our daily calorie intake. If we reduce carbohydrates, it will ultimately lead to weight loss.

The program is also considered to be safer than the strict vegetarian diet, because it allows the consumption of quality protein and healthy fats. Consumption of quality protein is emphasized because it promotes a lean body structure and boosts the body’s metabolism. A slower metabolic process is a common side effect of prolonged calorie restriction. But with quality protein like fish, lean meat, and dairy products, you have sufficient protein levels to keep your body going.

Healthy fats are also included in the Mediterranean approach. Fats are the basic ingredient that adds flavor to food. Vegetable oils, especially virgin olive oils are the basic source of healthy fat in the Mediterranean diet. The program promotes the intake of healthy fats because it adds flavor to the food, it prolongs satiety and makes you feel full after a few bites.

High Fiber Content

This diet program emphasizes on the consumption of more vegetables, which contain complex carbohydrates and fiber. These nutrients are actually “empty calories,” which means that it does accumulate in body fat even when taken in excessive amounts. Fiber is also good for digestion and metabolism. It even enhances the excretion of fat and cholesterol from the body. This is also the reason why Mediterranean diet has therapeutic roles in cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome.

Alcoholic Beverages in Moderation

Red wine is the only recommended alcoholic beverage in the Mediterranean diet. It contains powerful antioxidants and one of them is Resveratrol. These antioxidants are considered powerful and potent because it increases the level of good cholesterol in the body by up to 12%. The good cholesterol works by sweeping all triglycerides (fats) and bad cholesterol out of the body. Doctors and nutritionists also recommend the intake of red wine in moderation because of this healthy effect. With regular intake of red wine, people observed a reduction in total body fat composition and a decreased waist line.

Nutrient Content

The Mediterranean diet does recognize the vitamins and minerals needed by the body. That is why intake of fruits and vegetables is part of the diet program. Most people who go on a diet have restricted intake of vitamins, making them prone to common diseases. But taking lots of fruits and vegetables in the Mediterranean diet is enough to supply the body with needed nutrients and protect from common illnesses. Fruits and vegetables are rich in potassium and magnesium. These minerals, speeds up metabolism and promotes the use of body fat for energy.

Herbs and Spices

Different herbs and spices contribute to the delicious flavor of Mediterranean meals. Tomatoes, pepper, and spinach are noteworthy ingredients in Mediterranean dishes. These spices contain active ingredients that promote longevity and weight loss.

These principles of the Mediterranean diet works to support claims that it really is effective for weight loss. All components of the diet program enhance faster metabolism, body fat elimination, and cholesterol reduction. After knowing how the Mediterranean diet works, we will further discuss on meal plans that follow authentic and genuine Mediterranean culinary tradition.

Chapter 3: Potential health benefits

Incorporating the Mediterranean diet is quiet easy and inexpensive. For those who are not familiar with the health benefits they can acquire from the diet, looking at the bigger picture would help. Various health benefits are discussed by medical experts and health journals exhibiting the myriad of benefits the Mediterranean diet has to offer.

And because the diet is built in a foundation of whole grains, vegetables, fish, fruits and low-fat dairy products, the diet slowly gained distinction as an efficient way to promote longevity and avert chronic illness and prevent cognitive decline. Recently, the Mediterranean diet grabbed the 3rd place on U.S’ list of “Best Overall Diets” out of 29 place.

Why Mediterranean Diet is Beneficial

The usual Western diet is highly compose of preservatives and animal fats but has lower consumption of fruits and vegetables. Various scientific researchers have shown that the combination of it highly triggers cancers and chronic illnesses. On the other hand, the Mediterranean diet has shown to reduce the possibility of developing certain diseases such as type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer disease and heart diseases. Likewise, it can help prevent conditions like high blood pressure and obesity. For health experts, choosing Mediterranean diet over Western diet means choosing a healthy lifestyle. More than reducing your risks of having dreaded diseases in the long run, you can also be free from medications and avoid premature death. Likewise, you will also reap the following benefits by adopting the Mediterranean diet;

Fight several types of cancer - reportedly, those who adheres to the Mediterranean diet has significantly reduce their risk of developing stomach cancer. According to Spanish researchers, adding at least 10 tsp. of olive oil in a woman’s daily diet can help protect her from breast cancer. Studies show that olive oil ascends a pronged strike on cancerous tumors, stunts its growth, drive its cells to collapse and protects the DNA from any cancerous damage. The Mediterranean diet is associated with lower rate of cancer diseases as it is high in olive oil, fish and fruits.

Enhanced brain function - the Mediterranean-style diet is also rich in whole grains which may protect the brain from damage related with cognitive problems. In a study conducted, researchers found out from the MRI of those who follow the Mediterranean diet are less likely to exhibit brain damage from mild strokes.

Lowers the risk of heart disease and cholesterol levels - consuming the diet which is rich in low-fat dairy products, fruits and vegetables and has less saturated fat and sodium is an ideal diet pattern. Likewise, weight loss and regular physical activity contributes to a healthy lifestyle. The Mediterranean diet is great tool to avoid coronary heart diseases and manage its symptoms.

Helps fight chronic diseases - the Mediterranean diet is apparently high in plant-based food products and with the right ration of healthy, unsaturated fats. This combination is highly associated with the obesity in the lower abdomen. Moreover, the diet can help reduce all the health conditions causes mortality, myocardial infarction and non-fatal cancer versus those who adheres the Step 1 Diet of the American Heart Association.

It was also found out that the diet can play a vital role to aid people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma to manage their health condition. Likewise, the Mediterranean diet is said to help reduce the possibility to acquire dental disease, arthritis and macular degeneration.

Protection from diabetes - one can improve his insulin sensitivity by consuming a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids. The diet is associated to lower the risk of several diseases which also suggest that it can help reduce the risk of diabetes specifically after a myocardial infarction. The protective effect of the Mediterranean diet on type 2 diabetes and obesity can be explained on its consumption ratio of specific food type. It is high in legumes, cereals, fish, nuts, fruits, vegetables and olive oil and a moderate consumption of alcohol, primarily wine. Similarly, Mediterranean diet is characterized by a reduced degree of energy density which is considered essential in preventing weight gain.

Lengthens life - adopting the Mediterranean diet strictly is related with a notable health improvement due to the overall reduction in mortality. The results of previous studies conducted appear to be vital for public health. Moreover, incorporating the Mediterranean diet into your diet encourage primary prevention of chronic illnesses.

Keeps you agile – the essential nutrients you can gain with the Mediterranean diet are known to reduce the risk of developing weak muscles and slows down frailty for seniors at about 70%. In a study conducted in 2012, the elder residents of Tuscani, Italy who strongly adheres to the Mediterranean diet has found to decrease the odds of showing the signs of frailty such as slow walking and general exhaustion by 70% compared to those who adheres to a different dietary program. Thus, it helps them prevent falls that usually result to broken bones and fractures.

Reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease -likewise, the diet contains high levels of antioxidants which helps protect the cells from getting damaged by several factors and reducing the risk of having Parkinson’s disease among older people.

Reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease - researchers theorize that the Mediterranean diet may have a positive effect on the blood sugar and cholesterol levels as well as the body’s overall blood vessels. All of which can reduce the risk of acquiring dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

Lowers the blood pressure – the wide spectrum of whole grains that are included in the Mediterranean diet contain amino acid also known as glutamic acid. Studies have linked this nutrient to reduced blood pressure. You also get ample dose of soluble fibers that help sweep off bad cholesterol. It also makes you feel fuller for longer which prevents you from overeating.

Reduce the risks of colon cancer – a new study involving almost 2 million people found out that increasing their intake of whole grains that are high in fiber reduces their risk of acquiring colon cancer, the second most-leading cancer in the U.S. reports say that more than 50,000 people were killed by colon cancer every year in America alone. Consuming at least 3 ounces of whole grains per day is associated with 20% decrease in the risk.

Proper bowel movement – fiber improves digestion as well as the body’s ability to absorb nutrients. Hence, the Mediterranean diet helps in controlling your appetite and making you feel full most of the time. The amount of recommended fiber intake is based on your age. For men that are 50 years and younger must take at least 38 grams per day while for those who are over 50 should take at least 30 grams a day. Women that are 50 years and younger should have 25 grams of fiber daily while for those who are 50 years and older, 21 grams is required.

In planning for a Mediterranean-style meal, keep in mind that it is best to include plenty of variety. For an instance, using a range of vegetables and fruits offers the body maximum access to minerals, vitamins and other important nutrients. According to researches, those who strictly adopt the diet and increase their regular exercise can easily manage and control their weight. Furthermore, sticking to the diet and staying active is a good way to keep the body healthy. It helps reduce the many risk factors of chronic diseases.

Nonetheless, the Mediterranean diet is not just concern on what you eat but also focuses on how are you eating it. We should only adopt a diet that we can adhere with in the long run and not the diets that have expiration or can only be done in a certain period of time.

Chapter 4: Is Meditteranean diet for everyone

One of the best parts of The Mediterranean Diet is the fact that without drastically limiting your diet, you will still be granted the ability of incredible benefits. When you change your lifestyle, you will experience increased health and improve the quality of your life. As you stay on the diet, you will experience increase benefits for your heart, brain, and overall longevity of life. In the chapter to follow, you will learn all of the incredible benefits this diet has to offer.

Heart Health

I know, I sound like a broken record at this point. But, take a moment to realize how important your heart health is! Your whole system is based around your heart! Typically, heart disease is increased in populations within the United States compared to Mediterranean Countries. As you learned, this is widely attributed to the lifestyle that is focused around keeping the heart and body healthy.

On the Mediterranean Diet, the lifestyle change helps reduce cardiovascular mortality risks. As you will learn later in the diet section, the Mediterranean Diet food choices have a positive impact on bad cholesterol. Bad cholesterol is oxidized low-density lipoproteins that typically accumulate in your arteries.

Red wine is one of the major contributors to keeping your heart health. Of course, I am not recommending you drink a whole bottle, but red wine in moderation is positively associated with reducing heart disease risk. If you are over the age of sixty-five, you will be limited to five ounces of red wine. For those of you under the age of sixty-five, you will be limited to ten ounces for a day. No matter your age, you can jump for joy that wine is even included in your diet!

Type 2 Diabetes

While on the Mediterranean Diet, there is an emphasis on foods that are rich in fiber and monounsaturated fats. Some of these foods are olive oil, fish, vegetables, and fruits. These foods typically help individuals lower their cholesterol and blood sugar if they have diabetes. When you begin to replace the bad fats with good fats, this typically has a positive effect on insulin sensitivities.

The Mediterranean Diet has been tested against other diets such as high-protein, high-fiber, low-carbohydrates, vegan and vegetarian diets. It was found that this diet can be more beneficial compared to these diets when testing for high blood sugar. If you have Type 2 diabetes, this may be an excellent lifestyle choice for you.

Alzheimer’s Disease

The Mediterranean Diet helps improve an individual’s nutrition. When this happens, it can help improve the overall health of the blood vessels. This happens when blood sugar levels become regulated, and cholesterol becomes controlled. When you put everything together, it is thought that the diet can help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

Studies have shown that the Mediterranean Diet may be able to protect individuals against a decline in their cognitive thinking. When this happens, it helps those who are aging to preserve their quality of life both socially and economically. Due to these ideas, doctors will typically encourage people to eat healthier and more along the lines of a Mediterranean Diet.

Cognitive Health

While the Mediterranean Diet can help reduce the risk of degenerative cognitive conditions, it also increases and improves cognition. Studies have found that this diet and lifestyle change can help enhance focus, attention, and memory. This stands especially true for older adults who are looking to avoid dementia. It is also fantastic for younger people who are looking to increase their job performance and brain function throughout their life. Overall, this diet change can truly enhance the quality of your life.

Staying Agile

When you increase the nutrients in your diet, you will also be increasing the vitamins and minerals your body needs to function properly. As we age, we begin to develop muscle weakness that leads to increasing frailty. As you can imagine, seniors are at even higher risk of weak muscles. When you consume the proper nutrients, this can help reduce your risk of developing muscle weakness.

If you are looking to stay active in later adulthood, your diet is going to be key. As we stated earlier, the Mediterranean Diet is filled to the brim with lean proteins, healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables. With your healthy heart, you are going to want a healthy body. When you put these two factors together, it’s no wonder why individuals are living longer and healthier on the Mediterranean Diet.

Parkinson’s Disease

Along the lines of having a healthy body, the Mediterranean Diet can help fight against the development of Parkinson’s Disease. This is thought to be attributed to the fact that this diet is filled with healthy antioxidants. Studies have shown that by following the Mediterranean Diet, you may be able to cut your risk of developing this disease in half.

By following the diet of fruits, vegetables, and seafood dishes, the antioxidants can help keep your cells from going through oxidative stress. When this happens, the process causes a lot of damage to the system and leads to the development of degenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s.

While scientists are still researching the exact link between nutrition and neuroprotection and neurodegeneration, it has been found that a healthy diet can help improve the given situation. This is a good reason why people who have a genetic susceptibility to these conditions should eat healthily. While it may not necessarily stop the disease from developing, it could help with other aspects of your life.

Cancer

Through scientific research, studies have shown that the Mediterranean Diet may play a major role in cancer prevention. It is thought that certain eating plans can help reduce the risk of cancer-related mortality and developing cancer in the first place. There seems to be a positive correlation between cancer sites and lifestyle choices. As for the Mediterranean Diet, it seems to be most effective in preventing the development of postmenopausal breast cancer. This is excellent news as this type of breast cancer often is linked to poor prognosis.

For men, studies have shown that eating foods within the Mediterranean guidelines can help lower the risk of colorectal cancer. In a survey of eight hundred people, scientist found that individuals who reported advanced colon polyps reported an increase in red meats and a decrease in foods relative to Mediterranean approved foods.

Along these lines, it was reported by the World Cancer Research Fund along with the American Institute for Cancer Research that if individuals were to consume ninety grams of whole grains each day, it could slash their chance of developing colon cancer by seventeen percent. It is thought that fiber helps people stay regular and in return, decreases the chances of developing cancer mutations within the digestive tract. On top of the diet, it is always suggested to get a colonoscopy if you have a family history of colon cancer.

Weight Loss

Weight loss is typically the main reason any of us begin a diet in the first place. The good news is that while the Mediterranean Diet does offer other incredible health benefits, weight loss is among the benefits. The main reason behind this being that this diet is a lifestyle. Individuals are more likely to lose weight and keep weight off when they stick to a long-term diet compared to restrictive diets. On the Mediterranean Diet, you are more likely to feel satiated by your favorite foods and will stick with the diet.

If you want to see major changes, you will need to stick with this diet for at least six months. Of course, it is a lifestyle you should stick with for the rest of your life, but change can be hard! On top of this, physical exercise on a daily basis will be encouraged. Through diet change, exercise, and portion control, this will quickly add up to the weight loss you are dreaming of.

Relaxation and Mood Enhancement

Life can be hectic and overwhelming. As you begin to practice the Mediterranean Diet, you will also be adapting to the Mediterranean lifestyle. With the food changes, you will also be learning how to make your mealtime more meaningful. This means increasing your social experience during your meals. You may be surprised to learn how much of an impact this change will have on your life. As you eat more nutritious food, you will benefit from a healthier lifestyle and begin to feel more relaxed.

The Mediterranean lifestyle will offer beneficial tools to manage the stress caused by life. As you practice more and begin to slow down, you may begin to feel refreshed, relaxed, and more upbeat. You may already know this, but chronic stress has a major impact on your well-being and health. On this diet, you will sleep better, build relationships with loved ones, and fight off any negative energy you may be experiencing at this moment.

With the brain-boosting power of the Mediterranean diet, people who have depression, anxiety, and ADHD can truly benefit from the change in lifestyle. Typically, these occur when your brain is not getting enough dopamine. This is the chemical that is responsible for your mood regulation, body movement, and thought process. As you increase probiotic foods and healthy fats in your diet, you will help your body naturally produce this chemical. As you do this, your brain will be happy, and you may experience an elevation in your mood!

Of course, if you are on medication, it is suggested you remain on your regular treatment while adopting the Mediterranean lifestyle. Over time, you will find a balance between medication and diet. If you have mood disorders, this may be just what the doctor ordered!

Skin Health

It is no secret that eating healthier can do wonders for your skin. Why is this important? The health of your skin has a major role in protecting your body from the outside world. By eating healthier foods following the Mediterranean Diet, you will enjoy gorgeous skin!

One of the benefits of this diet is the increase in olive oil. Olive oil is full of antioxidants and vitamin E that can help nourish and hydrate your skin. What else is full of antioxidants? You guessed it; red wine! Red wine also had resveratrol which helps the stop the growth of bacteria that causes bacteria. Tomatoes will also help along the way by protecting your skin cells.

Inflammation

As if you haven’t been prevented with plenty of benefits to convince you to start the Mediterranean diet, this diet can also help with inflammation with the body. Studies have shown that this specific diet has helped high-risk individuals regulate and control the inflammation within their body. Not only these, but these individuals were able to prevent conditions that could arise with chronic inflammation.

What causes inflammation in the first place? Scientists believe that one of the major triggers of inflammation is dependent upon the oxidative stress you put your body through. Luckily, a high concentration of antioxidants can fix this issue. You will want to take advantage of this factor by eating goods that contain choline. Mostly, this can be found in soybeans and egg yolks. Betaine is another chemical that can help with inflammation; these are found in vegetables such as spinach and beets; all part of the Mediterranean Diet!

Fertility

With a healthier body, comes overall health benefits; especially for women who are looking to grow another human. There was a study done on five-hundred women where research proved that there was a positive correlation between increased fertility and those who consumed more vegetables, fish, fruits, and whole grains. While doctors admit they still need to do more research on the impact of diet on fertility, it is recommended for women to eat a healthy diet that is along the guidelines of the Mediterranean eating plan.

Chapter 5: Start a mediterranean diet

Any lifestyle change can be a challenge. We don’t like change, especially when it affects big chunks of our daily routine. That’s why it’s so easy to find excuses and reasons not to do it. There are quite a few misconceptions about the Mediterranean diet as well; the two I hear the most are:

it’s too expensive and

it takes too much time to cook that way.

If you do it the right way, and the smart way, neither of those things have to be true. Apart from seafood (and only in some parts of the world), the groceries that make up most of the Mediterranean diet are easy to find. You can hunt for sales or buy in bulk to save money. It doesn’t have to be too time consuming either. In fact, most of the Mediterranean meals are raw, and you can prepare them in minutes. If you want to cook as well, using Sunday mornings for meal preparation can set you up for the entire week. Remember, there is always a way, so there is no need to make excuses.

Another thing I love about this diet is that there are no side effects (if you don’t have any allergies, and please check that before starting any diet), nor does it require a specific adaptation period. What that means is that you don’t have to ease yourself into it. You have probably eaten most of these foods before, now it’s just more of the good stuff.

Some other diets come with this sort of caveat. For example, people who start the Keto diet sometimes suffer from “Keto flu,” with lovely side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever and dizziness. That inconvenience can make people reluctant to even try a diet, let alone stick to it. With the Mediterranean diet, you don’t have to worry about any of this. You can feel a bit hungry at first, and you might crave sugar, especially if it was a large part of your previous diet, but those symptoms will subside and pretty soon, you will be on your way to adhering to this new eating regimen.

Chapter 6: Relevance in weight loss

How can you begin the steps to embark on this diet and see positive results? Here are some tips on how you can begin.

Change Your Lifestyle: The Mediterranean diet is about making changes in your lifestyle to see beneficial long-term results. That means changing your diet, decreasing your portions sizes, and incorporating regular exercise into your routine. By being consistent with these changes, you will lose weight and be able to keep the weight off compared to other “quick fix” diets that offer only a temporary solution. What are some steps to begin this journey?

·        Quit other diets you may be on. If you're convinced that the Mediterranean diet is right for you, commit to it in order to see the long-term results. If you see it as a quick solution, or you have other diet fads you fall suspect to, then you won't be able to truly follow this lifestyle.

·        Set realistic goals. You have to be able to set goals and achieve them so you can make progress. This means that that you are ready to do things like cleaning your pantry of processed foods and unhealthy oils, and incorporating more fish into your diet. Also, this includes trying new Mediterranean recipes so you become familiar with the ingredients, and that you aren't continuing to eat dinners full of red meat. You want to steadily make progress so you can see measurable goals such as losing a couple pounds or a decrease in your cholesterol numbers. Achieving these small goals will properly motivate you to continue your journey and see what other health benefits you could gain.

·        Stick to the changes. Use these goals as a way to build upon the diet. You don't want to end up going backward! Remind yourself how far you’ve come and how you want to continue to stay healthy to avoid the risk of heart disease, diabetes, or other health conditions that you may be battling or have a family history of.

Be Aware of Your Calories: If you've tried a variety of diets before settling on the Mediterranean one, then you're familiar with the concept of counting calories and staying calorie deficit. That is a crucial concept of losing weight. How fast your body burns calories daily depends on your individual metabolic rate. Factors such as gender, body frame, age, genetics, and physical fitness level all play a role in how fast your body will burn calories. In order to lose weight, you must be burning more calories than you consume. That means if you lead a sedentary lifestyle, you're not burning as much as you're taking in which will not allow your body to burn excess fat. You must be calorie deficit.

·        Eat more filling foods. One of the things about the Mediterranean diet is that it allows you have to more filling foods that consist of fewer calories. That sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? But by eating more low-calorie vegetables, like broccoli, brussels sprouts, or cabbage, you can eat a bigger quantity compared to very high-calorie foods like red meat. These vegetables and fruits often contain a lot of fiber which allows you to feel fuller longer. Hopefully, you will be less tempted to reach for a snack right after your meal. Less snacking means less calories!

·        Keep an eye on your fat calories. Even though the Mediterranean diet recommends healthy fats such as olive oil and nuts, you still want to be aware of how much of those fats you are including in your diet. If you are unknowingly consuming too much fat, even if they are healthy fats, you won't see weight loss. Remember, don't use 2 tablespoons of oil when 1 will do! Though it's important you switch from trans fats like butter or margarine, you should still remain aware of how much of your daily calorie intake is coming from fats.

·        Get moving! Exercise is important in the Mediterranean diet because it reflects how the people of the Mediterranean live(d). The people whose diet we are trying to emulate lived a very active lifestyle well into their old age. You'll never truly achieve weight loss until you burn some of the calories you're eating! Otherwise, they will simply be stored away as extra fat reserves. Exercise lets you burn those calories and has lots of other side effects like managing stress, releasing endorphins to improve your mood, increasing your energy level, and helping you have a better night's sleep. Whether it's a bike ride around your neighborhood or half an hour at the gym, incorporate physical activity into your week more regularly so you can see weight loss results.

Control Your Cravings (Don't Let Them Control You!): Food cravings are a natural part of dieting. Whether they're actual physical reactions in the body or a psychological reaction to being deprived of certain foods, it is still important that you learn to control your cravings and distract yourself so you aren't tempted to cheat on your new Mediterranean lifestyle! There is no simple answer to solving those cravings, but it's still important that you try different things to control them and suppress your appetite.

·        Try not to skip meals. Have a meal or snack every 4 to 5 hours. If you end up skipping a meal or waiting until you are extremely hungry, science proves that you will end up eating an excessive amount of calories. To prevent overeating, set your meal times and follow that routine no matter how busy your day. Plan your meals in advance or meal prep so you know what you have to cook and aren't tempted to grab an easy, non-Mediterranean diet meal!

·        Load up on fiber. As we mentioned in the previous section, eating fiber-rich foods will allow you to feel full longer. You don't have to eat these foods all at once, but try and incorporate vegetables or whole grains in your meals as a side or as a snack. Whether it's a quick chopped salad, some saluted veggies or whole grain cereal, spread these snacks throughout your day so you will stay full until your next meal. This will keep you less likely to reach for unhealthy snacks.

·        Eat protein-rich foods. Though you still want to avoid filling your diet with red meat, you can incorporate other protein-rich foods that will slow down your digestion and keep you full. That includes food like lentils, beans, fish, eggs, and nuts. Try having a handful of raw nuts as a snack, or make a quick lentil soup. These foods tend to be low in calories but still have a high protein content so you feel like you've had a filling meal.

·        Manage the stress in your life. Stress hormones will disrupt your health no matter how strictly you are trying to follow a new diet! Cortisol is the natural stress hormone the body releases when it feels stressed. Too much cortisol in the bloodstream can cause mood swings, weight gain, irritability and trouble sleeping. Be aware of the stressful factors in your life and do your best to control your reaction to them. You can try incorporating a routine of meditation, deep breathing, or a spa day to help yourself relax. You may want to try getting regular exercise, enough sleep, and staying hydrated to help you feel more relaxed, and able to cope with any upcoming stress. Getting enough rest is also important so be sure you have a bedtime routine that includes no screens, and relaxing or meditating before bed to help you have a good night’s rest. With the Mediterranean diet, you should be having less artificial sugar which means your blood sugar levels will be stable enough to help you remain calm before bed.

Remember, how far you want to see long-term results depends on how steadfast you are about following the diet. If you see it as only a temporary method, you may be disappointed to see weight gain. If you embrace it as a true lifestyle change, you could see some of the health benefits we described and keep weight off in the long-term.

Chapter 7: Lifestyle and food pyramid

Adopting a Mediterranean lifestyle is easier than you may think. In order to get started, it’s best to have a look at the Mediterranean diet food pyramid which is universally considered the “gold standard” way of eating for a long and healthy life.

The Mediterranean Diet Food Pyramid

An overview

The Mediterranean diet pyramid is set up to provide a general sense of the proportions and frequency of food group servings that make up the dietary pattern of Mediterranean eating .

The pyramid intentionally does not specify recommended weights of foods or calories. It is only meant to provide an overall look at healthy food choices and the relative proportions.

Note :   The fact that the pyramid does not specify weights or calories does not mean that you are allowed to eat as much as you want of each category. There are recommended serving sizes per category that will be discussed in further chapters.

Components of the Mediterranean diet pyramid

Stay hydrated

Drinking the recommended amount of water for your weight is highly recommended on the Mediterranean diet in order to stay hydrated as you flush toxins out of your body.

In order to determine how much water your body needs, divide your body weight in half. If you weigh 150 pounds then your body requires 75 ounces of water per day. If you weigh 180 pounds then your body requires 90 ounces of water per day.

Drinking plenty of water will flush your kidneys and bowels and keep your skin looking younger.

Exercise

Daily exercise is a very important part of the Mediterranean diet. Regular daily exercise (30 minutes a day) strengthens the cardiovascular system, builds muscle, boosts the immune system, maintains healthy bone density and joint mobility and releases myokines that promote tissue repair, the growth of new tissue and anti-inflammatory effects that help prevent diseases caused by inflammation.

Exercise also helps to prevent Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cardiovascular disease and obesity.  It also enables your body to burn calories which reduces body mass index levels.

Wine in moderation

Some research studies suggest that consuming red wine in moderation can reduce the risk of heart disease.

In the Mediterranean diet pyramid a moderate amount of wine, typically one or two 5 ounce glasses of red wine served daily with a meal is suggested for men.

One 5 ounce glass of red wine served with a meal is suggested for women.

Moderation is the key

The Mediterranean diet encourages moderation and wise choices when it comes to food. For example, it’s fine to enjoy a small piece of cake on occasion or a slice of steak and a glass of wine with friends and family because that’s part of being human. The key is to be wise about the frequency and quantity of what you eat.

The Mediterranean Diet Food Pyramid - Daily, Weekly, Monthly

Whole grains such as barley, bulgur, polenta, buckwheat, brown rice, farro, millet, whole wheat couscous, quinoa, wheat berries, breads, pasta and oats should be consumed at every meal in moderate amounts.

In the traditional Mediterranean diet, bread without butter or margarine was a key part of every meal.

A typical meal would include pasta, polenta, potatoes or rice along with fresh vegetables and legumes and in other Mediterranean regions it was common to have bulgur and rice served with vegetables, chickpeas and various beans.

Nowadays the commercial processing of whole grains makes them less nutritious. Sugars and salts are added to packaged pasta and whole grain products to extend shelf-life. Though they appear to be nutritious, the processing they undergo depletes most of their nutritional value and fiber.

It’s best to buy wholegrain flour and make your own bread and pasta. That way you can determine how much salt and sugar is added.

Whole grains are a good source of dietary fiber that prevents the absorption of unhealthy fat in the arteries.

8 servings of whole grains, non-refined cereal, brown rice, pasta and breads are suggested daily

Tier two: Fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds

Fruits and vegetables have always been consumed daily by people living in Mediterranean regions. The vegetables are normally cooked or eaten raw drizzled with olive oil.

In the traditional Mediterranean diet, plant foods accompanied every meal.  Fresh vegetables, fruits, salads, nuts, seeds and olives were consumed regularly along with fresh herbs, garlic and onions. Seasonal use of local or home grown vegetables would provide an abundance of antioxidants, dietary fiber and micronutrients naturally found in plant foods.

Many Mediterranean households typically have a vegetable garden and fruit trees in their yard. Even people that live in cities have window boxes in which they grow their own foods.

For Mediterranean people, eating food in season when nature intended, creates anticipation and allows them to live mindfully and enjoy the moment. The richness of this experience has been obscured by the American mega-marts availability of anything you want, whenever you want it.

In order to follow the Mediterranean tradition it is best to shop for local produce or grow your own vegetables and fruits. Seasonally fresh produce maximizes the nutrients that help fight heart disease.

Traditional Mediterranean diet vegetables include: carrots, cabbage, eggplant, fennel, artichokes, mushrooms, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, shallots, radishes, leeks, kale, lettuce, okra, peas, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, peppers, scallions, rutabaga, arugula, celery, collard greens, dandelion greens, cucumbers, mache, eggplant, chicory, potatoes, spinach, turnips, zucchini,  pumpkin, purslane, nettles, lemons, celeriac.

A variety of fresh plant foods should make up the bulk of your meals. Fruits in Mediterranean regions are normally eaten daily for dessert although having both fruits and vegetables as snacks throughout the day is encouraged.

Fruits common to Mediterranean tradition include: grapefruit, oranges, apricots, apples, oranges, pears, strawberries, peaches, avocados, cherries, figs, grapes, tomatoes, nectarines, olives, dates, melons, tangerines, pomegranates, clementines, melons.

The primary vegetarian sources of protein on the Mediterranean diet are beans and legumes. These include chickpeas, white beans, green beans, peas, lentils, butter beans, fava beans, cannellini beans, kidney beans and split peas.

Nuts, seeds and legumes that are common in the traditional Mediterranean diet include: walnuts, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, sesame seeds, pistachios and pine nuts.

Herbs and spices are also traditionally used in Mediterranean cuisine to replace salt and increase flavor. They have an intriguing place in Mediterranean culture as both medicine and food.

Salt is allowed on the Mediterranean diet but in smaller quantities than you might be used to.

Common herbs and spices include garlic, basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, mint, cloves, cumin, sage, pepper, fennel, bay leaf, anise, savory, rosemary, tarragon, lavender, marjoram, chiles, zatar, sumac and pul biber.

Chapter 8: Foods in Mediterranean Diet

Unlike with some other diets where the rules are clear and set (sometimes even too strict), with this way of eating you don’t have to worry much. There is an abundance of ways to follow the Mediterranean diet. The beauty of this way of eating is the liberty it provides when it comes to food choices. There are guidelines, but they are not as strict as some other diets. Let’s list the main foods and drinks you will eat if you go Mediterranean:

Fruits and vegetables

You can’t imagine a Mediterranean meal without vegetables, and if you see someone from the Mediterranean snacking, it is probably on fruit. Fruits and vegetables might be the main reason this diet works so well. Not only are they rich in fiber and therefor satiating and gut-friendly, they also carry a plethora of vitamins and minerals.

You should stock up on leafy greens that will be the base for most of your salads. There is lettuce, spinach, arugula, and watercress, and you can also try corn salad and Chinese cabbage.

For fruit and other vegetables, you can’t go wrong, as long as it is fresh and has no added sugar. There is no fruit that is less Mediterranean than another. However, people in the Mediterranean usually eat seasonal fruit and vegetables, so you might want to consider that if you are someone who craves tomato in December and ends up eating something that vaguely resembles a tomato at a huge price. Not only are seasonal fruits and vegetables more budget friendly, they are usually healthier, tastier and easier to find.

Red meat and red wine

People from the Mediterranean have never eaten much pork or beef. This might be because they did not have much cattle, or because bovines were more useful working in the field than as food (the terrain was pretty unforgiving), but regardless of the reason, people ate less meat from pigs, cows and goats.

For this reason, people from the Mediterranean have a much lower risk of developing diabetes or cardiovascular diseases. Red meat contains saturated fats and is high in calories, especially when compared to seafood, fish and legumes.

Before you ditch the red meat altogether, it is not all bad. Red meat is higher in creatine than other meats, and it contains minerals that are otherwise difficult to consume in large quantities. Just keep your consumption moderate.

Red wine is pretty much the same deal. It is not inherently bad, but people tend to misuse it too often for doctors to recommend it in good conscience. It is understandable why people think that wine is an irreplaceable part of the Mediterranean diet. After all, almost every movie or picture showcasing this part of the world has somebody reaching for a bottle of good old red.

Like with most things, the takeaway with red wine is not that alcohol is bad in and of itself, but rather that you should limit the amount you consume if you want to reap the benefits without the adverse effects. The general guideline is to keep your alcohol consumption under 14 units per week.

Eggs and dairy

Eggs and dairy are not forbidden in the Mediterranean diet, but they are to be eaten in moderation. I am not saying eggs and dairy are bad for you, but people on the Mediterranean diet curb them because their fat requirements are already met through olive oil, oily fish, seafood, avocado, seeds and nuts. However, you can still eat them from time to time. Eggs are versatile, affordable, and a complete protein.

Milk is another thing we try to consume in smaller quantities when following this diet, but there are some milk products that are quite common in the Mediterranean diet, such as Greek yoghurt, kefir and fresh cheese.

Fish and seafood

Fish and seafood are an amazing source of complete protein that comes cheap calorie wise. They are also a rich source of healthy fatty acids, most notably omega-3s. Depending on where you live, some fish may be easier or more difficult to find, but remember to include both white fish (richer in protein) and red fish (richer in healthy fats) in your diet.

It’s difficult to say how much of a good thing is too much, and the main reason for caution when it comes to seafood is the possibility of mercury poisoning. For most people this is not a problem, but it can be dangerous for pregnant women or women who are breastfeeding, as well as for the children. The rule of thumb is: try to eat seafood at least twice a week, and try to limit fish that is highest in mercury (tuna, halibut, shark, swordfish, etc.).

Another thing to look out for is allergies and food sensitivities. Some people react to seafood strongly, and their stomachs give them hell after a meal. This doesn’t necessarily mean that there was something wrong with the shrimp or that the squid has gone bad. It’s more likely that you lack the enzymes needed to digest certain types of seafood. What’s worse is that you can be totally fine eating clams, and then experience stomach discomfort after eating oysters. Go easy on yourself and figure out what works best for you. If you are trying something for the first time, trust me, try it at home.

Olive oil, herbs and spices

Olive oil can fit into the previous category as it is another source of healthy fats, but it deserves a place of its own, due to its popularity and prevalence in this diet. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine a single Mediterranean dish that doesn’t include olive oil.

Oleic acid, the largest part (3/4) of olive oil has many proven health benefits, most famously, reducing inflammation and decreasing the risk of cancer (it has beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer, and a high amount of antioxidants). Additionally, olive oil can promote brain health and improve cognitive function, and it has antibacterial properties.

Herbs and spices are in this category because they go hand in hand with olive oil. Also, they are part of the reason the Mediterranean diet is so healthy. One thing we don’t lack in this day and age is sodium. Yes, we need it, but not nearly as much as we tend to consume. Replacing salt with spices and herbs can make a big difference, not only from curbing the amount of sodium we consume, but also because of the health benefits of herbs and spices such as basil, parsley, sage, saffron, rosemary, thyme and oregano.

Nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds are a staple food in many diets, due to their high protein and healthy fat content. Almonds, walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds and Brazil nuts all make excellent allies in the fight for brain health and longevity.

Not only are they rich in antioxidants and fiber, they are also rich in vitamins and minerals that most of us lack. For a long time, nuts and seeds had a bad rep due to the misconception that fats make you fat. Now that we know caloric surplus is what makes us gain weight, healthy fats are back in the game. It’s always a bad idea to exclude an entire food group from your diet, and fats have been banished for far too long. Fats are important for our general health, but especially our heart, brain and eyesight.

However, fats are more calorie expensive (yes, even the good kind). As we established earlier, in comparison to 4Kcal per gram for protein and carbs, a gram of fat holds 9Kcal. Even though there is no mechanism that changes nuts to belly fat immediately, we have to be aware of the fact that it can be easy to overeat on nuts and seeds.

Grains and legumes

I combined these into one category because they work best when together. Combining grains and legumes will in most cases give us a complete protein (containing all or most of the nine essential amino acids). We all need protein to gain muscle and lose weight the right way.

Most people rely on meat, eggs and dairy for their main protein sources. However, people from the Mediterranean found that it’s best to limit their meat intake and opt for grains and legumes instead.

Nowadays you can choose from a myriad of grains, but some of the most popular are:

Oats – a cheap and healthy option for a healthy gut, rich in protein and antioxidants. (Whenever you can, make your own oatmeal, instead of eating the pre-made ones, as they tend to be much higher in sugar). Oats can taste great with both sweet and savory foods added.

Quinoa – not only is quinoa rich in protein, it is also among the most complete plant proteins. It can be expensive in some parts of the world, so feel free to trade it for something else if you are on a tight budget.

Buckwheat – if you suffer from a gluten intolerance or sensitivity, buckwheat is the way to go. Not only is it gluten free, its protein profile is similar to that of quinoa, making it a powerful tool for building muscle. Buckwheat flour is a great replacement for wheat flour, so be sure to give buckwheat crepes a try.

Millet – rich in vitamins and higher in healthy fats than other grains, millet is also a clear choice for anybody with respiratory issues, such as asthma, as it doesn’t contain the common allergens found in other grains. One interesting way to include millet in your diet is in a soup. Trust me, it’s fantastic.

Barley – as it contains beta-glucan, a simple carb that our body can’t digest, barley has long been known to keep insulin from spiking after big meals. Barley tea is popular in Italy, but you can use it in your cooking as well.

Combining grains with legumes can provide you with a complete protein, but it can also be an interesting cooking experience. You can’t go wrong with choosing legumes you like, but it’s important to change them up a bit once in a while, so you don’t end up always eating the same thing. There are so many choices:

Peas – rich in protein and fiber, peas are as healthy as they are cheap, versatile and tasty. They also promote gut health, especially in elderly people. When buying fresh peas, look for the ones that are colored light green; they are younger and often tastier. Dark green old ones can be chewy and bitter.

Beans – they are all highly satiating, rich in protein and low in calories. Most of them are cheap, too. So don’t scratch your head over choosing the best bean among navy, pinto, black, or plain old kidney beans. Find that ones that are the most affordable, or the ones that you like most. Eventually you can try them all, see what you like, and mix them up every now and then.

Chickpeas – there is not a big difference between chickpeas and other legumes when it comes to health benefits. They, too, can help lower cholesterol, promote weight loss, and support gut health and insulin sensitivity.

What makes chickpeas special is their texture. They taste quite different from other legumes, and as such they make a great choice for salads, or when you get tired of eating the same thing over and over again.

If you want a healthy spread and are growing tired of peanut butter, give hummus a try. You can make it on your own or buy some in the whole foods store.

Lentils – One cup of lentils contains 90% of your daily vitamin B9 requirements. This vitamin plays a crucial role in turning food into energy (it helps us convert carbohydrates into glucose that our body can use as fuel) and keeping our insulin levels in check. This makes them a useful tool for weight management. They are tasty and can be cooked in various ways, so you won’t get tired of them so easily.

Poultry

Poultry, such as chicken and turkey, is not a huge part of the Mediterranean diet. This doesn’t mean that you can’t have chicken at all; you can eat more of it than red meat. It’s lower in calories and unhealthy fats, and is a good source of protein with a high biological value.

Given that the meat industry is not the most responsible (especially in developing countries where laws are less rigid and regulations are not followed as closely), I always encourage people to find cage-free, organic, grass-fed chicken or turkey.

Lemon juice water

One of the simplest ways in which you can enrich your daily eating and exercise plan is to drink more water. The body often confuses when it is actually craving water rather than food. If you drink more water, then your stomach is going to feel fuller and you will be more hydrated, particularly in the summer months more than anything else.

The advantage of drinking water to other carbonated drinks and even fruit juices is that you are not giving your body more calories than are needed. You could add some squash to your water which can apparently help to rehydrate you quicker but generally it is better to stick to water. You can always add some ice and lemon for a fresher taste or even some lime. There are some associated health benefits to adding lemon or lime to your water which is a latest craze. The citrus fruits can give your body some Vitamin C and the potassium is another health benefit. This allows the body to be able to absorb vitamins and give your immune system a kick start in the morning in particular. It will help to absorb your breakfast.

Lemon water

You can cut up some lemon pieces and put them in with some cold water in a bottle which you can sip throughout the day for a comforting and refreshing drink. You could also consider drinking some herbal drinks instead of tea and coffee which could slowly reduce your need for caffeine, particularly in the morning. Caffeine is good to have before exercise as it can stimulate the body and again give it the kick start it requires.

You will need to incorporate some rest days in your exercise regime if you really want to see the benefits. You could allocate every Sunday as a rest day and do some reading or chill out in your lovely garden or take your dog for a short walk (if you have a dog of course).

Even when you go to the local supermarket to stock up on all your healthy food alternatives, you can park the furthest away from the entrance which will mean that you walk for longer. These may seem small and petty changes but they all contribute to a healthier lifestyle.

You will feel fitter and leaner than ever before, once you engage in the programme of healthy eating and more exercise. It is just a question as to how long you can meet the changes and keep the commitment required.

Chapter 9: Mediterranean meals:

9.1) Breakfast

Coconut oil coffee

Serves: 2

Time: 5 Minutes

Calories: 226

Protein: 0.4 Grams

Fat: 26 Grams

Carbs: 0 Grams

Ingredients:

☐     2 cups hot coffee

☐     2 tablespoons coconut oil

☐     2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:

Blend together coffee, coconut oil and butter in a blender until the oil and butter melt and the coffee is frothy.

Chocolate waffles

Serves: 6

Time: 25 Minutes

Calories: 226

Protein: 5 Grams

Fat: 8 Grams

Carbs: 36 Grams

Ingredients:

☐     160g flour 0

☐     20 g cocoa powder

☐     200ml lactotosis-free milk (or skim milk)

☐     2 eggs

☐     60g coconut sugar

☐     50ml seed oil

☐     1 pinch baking powder

☐     Strawberries, just enough

☐     Cherries, just enough

☐     Lemon juice

☐     Greek yogurt, just enough

☐     Oat flakes, just enough

Directions:

Prepare the cocoa waffles by mixing the coconut sugar with the eggs in a food processor (or in a bowl with a whisk).

Stir until foamy and add the milk and oil.

Sift the flour with the cocoa and baking powder and add it to the mixture a little at a time, mixing all the ingredients well.

Lightly oil the waffle plate and heat.

Pour into the center of the hot plate 3-4 tablespoons of dough (adjust the amount according to the size of the plate, being careful not to overdo it so as not to let the mixture out of the sides).

Close the plate and cook for about 4-5 minutes.

Repeat until all the mixture is exhausted.

Prepare a fruit salad of strawberries and cherries by cleaning both fruits, cutting them into pieces and spraying them with lemon juice.

When serving the cocoa waffles pour over each a tablespoon of Greek yogurt and top with strawberries, cherries and oatmeal.

Lemon-ricotta cornmeal waffles

Serves: 2

Time: 30 Minutes

Calories: 406

Protein: 12.8 Grams

Fat: 17 Grams

Carbs: 53 Gram

Ingredients:

☐     1 cup flour 00

☐     1 tbsp coconut sugar

☐     1 teaspoon baking powder

☐    1/2 cup milk (or rice, soy milk or almonds)

☐     1 tbsp seed oil

☐     100g ricotta

☐     1 egg

☐     1 pinch of salt

☐     Grated zest of half a lemon

Directions:

Mix the flour, baking powder, pinch of salt, coconut sugar.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg with the ricotta, milk, oil and grated lemon zest.

Add the liquid mixture to the solid mixture, then mix well to dissolve lumps.

Heat a waffle plate and pour a spoonful of mixture for each waffle when it is hot.

Follow the Directionss of the appliance or, anyway, cook them until they are golden brown.

Continue to the end of the dough, then arrange the waffles on a plate by hand and decorate them to taste with sauces or berries.

Gluten-free pancakes

Serves: 4

Time: 40 Minutes

Calories: 147

Protein: 3 Grams

Fat: 5.8 Grams

Carbs: 20 Grams

Ingredients:

☐     150g rice flour

☐     50g coconut sugar

☐     100ml milk

☐     1 teaspoon vanilla yeast for sweets

☐     1 egg

☐     1 pinch of salt

☐     Fresh fruit, just enough

☐      Maple syrup, enough

Directions:

First sift the flour, baking powder, coconut sugar and salt ina large bowl.

Break the egg and start mixing with the help of a whisk. Add the milk flush to obtain a homogeneous batter free of lumps.

At this point you are ready to bake your pancakes: heat a non-stick frying pan well – if necessary grease it with a few butter bows – then pour a ladle of batter on the bottom. Brown on both sides and continue this way until you finish the batter at your disposal.

Serve the pancakes warm, making them with red fruits, maple syrup and other wonderful ingredients.

Banana pancakes

Serves: 10

Time: 25 Minutes

Calories: 213

Protein: 12.8 Grams

Fat: 9 Grams

Carbs: 27 Grams

Ingredients:

☐     140g ripe banana pulp

☐     250g flour 00

☐     250g whole milk

☐     80g hazelnuts

☐     30g coconut sugar

☐     1 medium egg

☐     15g butter

☐     1 pinch of salt

☐     1 teaspoon baking soda

☐     Maple syrup, enough

☐     Grain of hazelnuts, just enough

☐     Bananas (decorate slices), just enough

Directions:

Melt the butter in a saucepan or microwave and let it cool.

Peel the bananas that need to be ripe, cut the flesh into small pieces and place them in a bowl (you will have to use 140 g), then crush the pulp with a fork to obtain a puree.

Add the egg, milk, melted butter left to cool and mix the mixture with a fork. Mix the liquids well and set aside.

In another bowl pour the flour, coconut sugar, baking soda and a pinch of salt. Pour the liquids over the powders and mix well with a whisk to obtain a homogeneous batter without lumps. Roughly chop the hazelnuts and set aside.

You don't need time to rest for the batter so you can switch to cooking: take a large non-stick frying pan and turn on the medium heat. Then grease lightly with the butter, scattering it on the bottom of the pan with the help of kitchen paper.

When it is hot, take some pasta and pour it into a pan, without distributing the mixture. Sprinkle the surface with chopped hazelnuts and cook for 2-3 minutes: when the spatula is comfortably infused under the pancake it will be a sign that you can turn and cook it on the other side for another 2 minutes or so, until it is golden on the surface.

As they are ready, stack them on a saucer.

Season with the maple syrup and garnish to taste with slices of banana and the remaining hazelnuts.

Blueberry pancakes

Serves: 4

Time: 60 Minutes

Calories: 146

Protein: 5.8 Grams

Fat: 2,9 Grams

Carbs: 25 Grams

Ingredients:

☐     50g butter

☐     2 eggs

☐     250ml milk

☐     60g coconut sugar

☐     a pinch of salt

☐     200g flour

☐     1/2 sachet of vanilla yeast

☐     125g blueberries

Directions:

First melt the butter then let it cool. I usually melt the microwave at 400 W, it only takes a few seconds.

Now put the eggs in a bowl and mix with a handwin add the milk, coconut sugar and pinch of milk. Stir until smooth.

Now add the melted, melted, sifted flour and vanilla yeast and continue to stir until the batter is well mixed.

Now let the batter rest for about 1 hour at room temperature.

Meanwhile gently wash the blueberries under running water after which you dry them well with kitchen paper.

After the rest time, add the blueberries to the batter.

Place a diapered scottex with seed oil on a dodgy frying pan, even better if you have the pancake pan, then put it on the heat and heat it.

Now pour the batter with the blueberries into small ladles on the pan, let it be republished then turn the pancake and cook the other side for about 1 minute. Adjust the flame of the heat well depending on the pan you use to cook them without burning them.

Repeat until the batter is exhausted.

Place your pancakes still warm and spray them according to your liking with acacia honey, maple syrup or cherry syrup.

Quiche

Serves: 8

Time: 30 Minutes

Calories: 291

Protein: 17 Grams

Fat: 19 Grams

Carbs: 13 Grams

Ingredients:

☐     1 roll of Brisé Pasta

☐     3 eggs

☐     1 leek

☐     1 small carrot

☐     1 small courgette

☐     1 fresh spring onion

☐     1 small eggplant

☐     1/2 red peppers

☐     1/2 yellow peppers

☐     100g Grana Padano to grate

☐     150g smoked bacon

☐     200ml fresh liquid cream

☐     2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

☐     Salt, just enough

☐     Black pepper, just enough

☐     Nutmeg, just enough

☐     40g butter

Directions:

Prepare the vegetables: take the carrot, peel it and cut it into rather small cubes; take the courgette and aubergine and, removing the excess white part, cut them into cubes; take the peppers now and, after removing the seeds and inner filaments, cut them into small cubes; cut the leek into slices.

Now chop the spring onion and put it in a pan with two tablespoons of oil; When it is golden brown, add the chopped vegetables (all but leek), salt, pepper and cook for about 10 minutes (the vegetables should be scalded and not cooked completely). While the vegetables are cooking, put the butter in another pan and melt it; add the leek, let it then wither for 5 minutes after which add the diced bacon; cook for another 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, put the cream and the three eggs and, with the help of a whisk, start whisking by mixing the ingredients; Add the grated Grana Padano, stewed vegetables, leek and bacon mixture, pepper and nutmeg. Mix everything well, taste and, if necessary, season with salt.

Put the dough brisè a cake tin (or pan): make sure, with the dough, to cover the side edges of the cake tin. Turn on the oven at 356 degrees F (180 degrees C). Hole the bottom of the brisé paste with a fork and fill with the previously obtained compound; With the help of a spatula level the mixture and then lower the edges of dough not covered by the filling forming a frame all around the quiche, which you will brush with egg white. Bake the quiche with vegetables and bacon for 50 minutes and serve it lukewarm!

Eggs casserole

Serves: 6

Time: 30 Minutes

Calories: 992

Protein: 48 Grams

Fat: 80 Grams

Carbs: 16 Grams

Ingredients:

☐     12 eggs, beaten

☐     1 1/2 pounds ground breakfast sausage

☐     16 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

☐    7 slices white bread, torn into pieces

Directionss:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)

Put the sausage in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.

Drain the fat and set aside to cool.

Pour the eggs into a lightly oiled 9x13-inch baking tray.

In a large separate bowl, add the sausage, bread and 12 ounces of cheese.

Mix well and pour into the egg mixture.

Cover with the remaining 4 ounces of cheese and cover with a sheet.

Bake at 175 degrees C for 15 minutes, uncover and bake until the casserole turns golden brown and sparkling.

Eggy veggie bake

Serves: 4

Time: 45 Minutes

Calories: 175

Protein: 15.8 Grams

Fat: 9.8 Grams

Carbs: 8 Grams

Ingredients:

☐     8 eggs

☐     4 tbsp Parmesan cheese

☐     1 sprig of thyme

☐     1 carrot

☐     1/2 eggplant

☐     1 celery

☐     1 tomato

☐     1 courgette

☐     1 small potato

☐     1 onion

☐     1 red pepper acorn

☐     Extra virgin olive oil

☐     Butter, just enough

☐     Salt, just enough

☐     Black pepper, just enough

Directionss:

Carve the tomato, blanch it in boiling water about 30 seconds, deprive it of the seeds and vegetation water. Cut all the vegetables into thin strips.

Cook the vegetables steamed for 5/6 minutes outside the tomato.

Sprinkle a 26 cm diameter baking dish, put the steamed vegetables inside and the tomato kept aside, salt. Add the beaten egg with parmesan salt and pepper.

Mix and distribute the vegetables evenly.

Switch to a hot oven at 356 degrees F (180 degrees C) static for about 25 minutes plus 3 of maximum power grill.

Mini frittatas

Serves: 7

Time: 25 Minutes

Calories: 225

Protein: 17 Grams

Fat: 15 Grams

Carbs: 5.4 Grams

Ingredients:

☐     4 Medium eggs

☐     100ml Unsweetened natural yoghurt

☐     40 g Parmesan cheese

☐     Salt, pepper

☐     1 Zucchini

☐     1 Carrot

☐     1/4 Pepper

☐     Basil leaves, just enough

Directions:

Put the shelled eggs, yoghurt, parmesan, salt and a sprinkling of pepper in a bowl. Mix with a spoon or hand whisk.

Peel the carrot and wash the courgette and cut both into julienne.

Also cut the pepper into tiny dice.

Put a little vegetables on the bottom of the buttered and floured mould. You can prepare different tastes: zucchini, carrot, peppers or mixed vegetable.

Pour the omelet dough into the tin, filling it in three quarters, then sprinkle a little more vegetables on top.

You can make the omelashes even with chopped basil leaves.

Bake in the static preheated oven at 356 degrees F (180 degrees C) for about 25 minutes.

Peanut butter and banana french toast

Serves: 10

Time: 60 Minutes

Calories: 346

Protein: 9.8 Grams

Fat: 23 Grams

Carbs: 27 Grams

Ingredients:

☐    Quality wholemeal bread from 8 to 10 slices

☐     2 bananas

☐     4 large eggs

☐     2 cups milk

☐     1 teaspoon cinnamon

☐     2 teaspoons vanilla extract

☐     1/4 teaspoon salt

☐     1 tablespoon butter

☐     1 tbsp honey

☐     2 teaspoons coconut sugar

☐     1/2 cup maple syrup

☐     1/3 cup peanut butter

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C). Arrange the whole bread slices on a large baking pan and bake for 8 minutes, turning halfway. This dries the bread a little so that it absorbs more of the egg mixture.

Melt the butter in the microwave or on the stove. Beat the honey in the melted butter before pouring it into the egg mixture.

Halve the slices of bread and the last couple of slices into quarters. Arrange the slices cut in half in the tin in rows, to create an even layer of bread. Fill the empty dots with the smaller pieces of bread.

To rain the peanut butter, heat the maple syrup in a small frying pan over low heat (you can also do this in the microwave). Add peanut butter, until it suits your tastes (keep in mind that French toast is sweet enough already). Remove from heat. Allow the toast to cool French for 5-10 minutes before slicing 6 large or 8 small portions. Serve with the peanut butter maple sauce.

Avocado toast with egg

Serves: 2

Time: 10 Minutes

Calories: 321

Protein: 11.8 Grams

Fat: 22.9 Grams

Carbs: 20.8 Grams

Ingredients:

☐    1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and reduced to mush

☐    1 drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

☐    A few slices of well-toasted or toasted bread (depending on taste)

☐    2 fresh eggs (calculate one egg for each slice of bread)

☐     Lemon juice

☐     Salt, just enough

☐     Black pepper, just enough

☐     Little chilli (option)

Directions:

First peel the avocado, remove the core and reduce the pulp to mush, helping you with a fork or mixer if it should be hard. Add salt, pepper and add a little chilli if you want. Also spray a little lemon juice, mixing everything well.

Toast the slices of bread (prefer a sourdough or wholegrain white bread) to the desired degree of cooking. Remember that the criss-crunchy and toasted the bread, the better the end result.

Spread the avocado on the slices of bread and cook the egg serving a saucepan with a little water that you will bring to the boil.

At this point gently place your egg in the saucepan keeping in mind these cooking times to have a more or less soft egg à la coque. Remember that if the eggs are very fresh, you should consider 30 more cooking seconds at the indicated times.

For quicker and easier cooking, you can cook the fried egg in a pan with a drizzle of oil, being careful not to harden the yolk too much.

As soon as your egg is ready, lay it on the slice of bread sprinkled with avocado cream.

Caprese avocado toast

Serves: 2

Time: 20 Minutes

Calories: 209

Protein: 12.8 Grams

Fat: 10 Grams

Carbs: 25 Grams

Ingredients

☐     2 slices of sloppy bread

☐     1 ripe avocado

☐     4 cherry tomatoes

☐     buffalo mozzarella

☐     juice of 1 lemon

☐     salt, just enough

☐     black pepper, just enough

☐     2 basil leaves

☐     extra virgin olive oil

Directionss:

Start preparing your goats with avocado version toast by abbrutoasting the slices of bread.

You can roast using a dodgy pan and leaving the slices of bread about 2 minutes on each side.

Cut the avocado in half, cut the flesh into small pieces and store it in a bowl with the squeezed juice of the lemons. This will not only serve not to darken the fruit but also to emphasize its flavor.

Cut the cherry tomatoes into slices, the mozzarella into diced and put everything in a container, salt, stir and keep in part.

When the bread is well toasted start to compose your toast by bathing the slices of bread with a thread of extra virgin olive oil. Spread all the ingredients in this order : on the bottom put the avocado and lemon pulp, tomato slices, mozzarella, and basil leaves.

Lunch

Mushroom risotto

Serves: 4

Time: 50 Minutes

Calories: 488

Protein: 12 Grams

Fat: 26 Grams

Carbs: 50 Grams

Ingredients:

☐     240g rice

☐     200g mushrooms nails

☐     200g mushrooms champignon

☐     1/2 onion

☐     80g butter

☐     60g Parmigiano Reggiano

☐     Salt, just enough

☐     Parsley to chop, just enough

☐     50g white wine

☐     1 l of water

☐     White pepper, just enough

☐     Extra virgin olive oil, just enough

Directions:

Start by cleaning The Champignon mushrooms.

Remove the end of the stem, then peel them using a knife, to make it start from the base of the hat and gently pull the fur to the center. Then also remove the stems and keep the waste aside that will be needed to make the broth.

Now also take care of the nails mushrooms. Remove the final part of the stem, which will be too earthy, and take only the central part that will serve to make the broth along with the stems of the Champignon mushrooms, while for the risotto you will use only the top that you will have to reduce to cubes with a knife.

At this point take care of making the mushroom broth. Pour the waste into a pan, add the water and let it simmer for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the heads of the Champignon mushrooms into cubes and finely chop a half onion. Take a large saucepan that will serve for cooking the risotto, add half the butter (40 g) and let it melt gently.

Add the onion and let it brown before adding the mushrooms.

Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and ensuring that the mushrooms do not release liquids.

At this point add the rice and stir often to toast it.

After a few minutes blend with the white wine and only when the alcoholic part has completely evaporated add a couple of ladles of broth, filtering them with a strainer directly inside the pan.

Season with salt and continue cooking for about minutes, bathing occasionally with the hot filtered broth, until cooked through. Then turn off the heat and keep the risotto: first add the remaining 40 g of butter and stir until it melts completely; then add the Parmesan cheese and stir again.

Now finely chop the parsley; season the rice with ground white pepper, parsley and a drizzle of oil.

Stir to mix the flavors and adjust the density of the risotto adding more broth if necessary, stir again and serve your mushroom risotto still warm.

Italian shrimp and scallop risotto

Serves: 4

Time: 25 Minutes

Calories: 207

Protein: 10 Grams

Fat: 2 Grams

Carbs: 40 Grams

Ingredients:

☐    1 litre of vegetable stock or fish stock

☐     150-200g scallops

☐     100g prawns

☐     300g rice

☐     1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

☐     Pepper, just enough

☐     1 pinch of salt

☐     Half a glass of sparkling wine

Directions:

First boil the broth

Meanwhile, in a very hot pan brown the scallops with a drop of extra virgin olive oil, then blend with a portion of sparkling wine (optional) and continue cooking for a couple of minutes over a moderate heat.

Add the prawns and cook slowly for another minute.

Cut the scallops into small pieces, which will then be added to the risotto, just before serving.

Toast the rice in a saucepan for a couple of minutes, over a rather high heat.

When toasted, blend the rice with the sparkling wine; Next, add a few misdeeds of broth and, stirring occasionally, slowly moisturise the rice.

Do this for 10 minutes. It is important to mix often to make the rice creamy: in this way, it will not be necessary to add butter.

Continuing to stir (the risotto should not lose the boil!), add the scallops, shrimp and sauce that formed in the pan in which they were browned.

If necessary, turn up the heat and dry the risotto to give a creamy note.

Pepper to taste.

Tuna spaghetti

Serves: 4

Time: 15 Minutes

Calories: 398

Protein: 20 Grams

Fat: 5 Grams

Carbs: 70 Grams

Ingredients:

☐     320g Spaghetti

☐     150g tuna in oil (drained)

☐     400g peeled tomatoes

☐     Extra virgin olive oil, just enough

☐     Salt, just enough

☐     Black pepper, just enough

☐     Basil, enough

☐     1/2 Golden onions

Directions:

Start by heating a pot full of water on the heat, to the salted boil to taste: it will be used for cooking pasta.

Drain the tuna fillet from the storage oil.

Meanwhile, soak the onion, slice it thinly.

Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the sliced onion. Let it wither over a low heat for a few minutes stirring often; fray the tuna with your hands and add it in the pan when the onion is softened and let it sauté for a couple of minutes always stirring.

Now, crush the peeled with a fork and pour them into the pan with tuna; cook the sauce for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile boil the spaghetti, cook them al dente: in the time of cooking the pasta, the sauce will also be ready. Drain the spaghetti directly in the pan with the tuna, season with the ground pepper, turn off the heat and fragrant with the leaves of fresh basil.

Mix and serve your hot tuna spaghetti.

Shrimp linguine

Serves: 4

Time: 30 Minutes

Calories: 511

Protein: 22 Grams

Fat: 19 Grams

Carbs: 58 Grams

Ingredients:

☐     320g Linguine pasta

☐     400g shrimp

☐     2 cloves garlic

☐     1 Lemon

☐     10 cl dry white wine

☐     Chili

☐     Fresh parsley

☐     4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

☐     Salt

Directions:

Wash and shell the shrimp by removing the black fillet on the back; rinse them well.

Peel and finely chop the garlic and fry in a pan with oil.

Now add the prawns, salted slightly, blend with the wine over a high flame, season with the chilli and continue cooking for about 10 minutes, moving the pan from time to time.

Meanwhile, boil the linguine in plenty of freshly salted water.

When the linguine are cooked, drain them and transfer them to the pan with the shrimp.

Grate a little lemon zest over the preparation, add a little of its juice, a sprinkling of chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Mediterranean farfalle

Serves: 4

Time: 1 7 Minutes

Calories: 566

Protein: 28 Grams

Fat: 23 Grams

Carbs: 64 Grams

Ingredients:

☐     320g farfalle pasta

☐     250g cherry tomatoes

☐     20 fresh basil leaves

☐     40g pitted black olives

☐     200g tuna in oil

☐     200g buffalo mozzarella cheese

☐     1 pinch of salt

☐     1 pinch of pepper

☐     Extra virgin olive oil, just enough

Directions:

Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them into small pieces.

Also cut the pitted olives into slices and the diced buffalo mozzarella cheese, which you will put in a colander to make you lose the excess serum.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of plenty of salted water to the boil and toss your farfalle pasta.

Go back to the dressing: in a large bowl place the tuna together with your own oil and with the rebbi of a fork crushed to reduce it to a thread.

Add the chopped cherry tomatoes and chopped basil leaves to the bowl together with the tuna. Mix well to mix all the flavors together.

Drain the pasta and transfer directly to the bowl along with the dressing.

Also add the black olives and mozzarella, which will have lost excess liquid.

Mix well and if you prefer season with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Let your Mediterranean pasta salad rest at least half an hour before bringing it to the table.

Greek pasta salad

Serves: 2

Time: 25 Minutes

Calories: 307

Protein: 5.4 Grams

Fat: 23 Grams

Carbs: 20 Grams

Ingredients:

☐     160g short pasta

☐     100g Greek Feta cheese

☐     12 cherry tomatoes

☐    10 black olives (baked Greek olives would be perfect)

☐     Extra virgin olive oil, just enough

☐     Origano, enough

☐     2-3 basil leaves

☐     Salt, just enough

Directions:

Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water.

Meanwhile, prepare the dressing in a large bowl.

Crumble the feta cheese, cut the cherry tomatoes into four parts and add the black olives.

Toy with olive oil, salt up and oregano.

Drain the pasta al dente and pass it under the jet of cold water.

Add the pasta to the dressing and stir.

Place in the film-covered refrigerator and take it out at least 10 minutes before serving so that it is diluted.

Avocado salad with lemon dijon vinaigrette, Kale, and quinoa,

Serves: 4

Time: 40 Minutes

Calories: 342

Protein: 9 Grams

Fat: 9 Grams

Carbs: 36 Grams

Ingredients:

☐     2/3 cup quinoa

☐     1/2 avocado

☐     1 1/3 cups water

☐     2 tablespoons chopped red onion

☐     1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper

☐     1 tablespoon crumbled feta cheese

☐     1/4 cup olive oil

☐     2 tablespoons lemon juice

☐     1 bunch kale

☐     1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

☐     1/2 cup chopped cucumber

☐     3/4 teaspoon sea salt

☐     1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

Bring the quinoa and 1 1/3 cup of water to the boil in a saucepan.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.

Set aside to cool.

Put the kale in a steaming basket over 1 inch of boiling water in a saucepan.

Cover the saucepan with a lid and steam kale until hot, about 45 seconds.

Transfer to a large plate.

Cover the cabbage with quinoa, avocado, cucumber, pepper, red onion and feta cheese.

Tuscan tuna and white bean salad

Serves: 4

Time: 65 Minutes

Calories: 336

Protein: 27 Grams

Fat: 12 Grams

Carbs: 34 Grams

Ingredients:

☐     120g tuna in drained oil

☐     250g dried white beans

☐     170g Tropea red onions

☐     30g extra virgin olive oil

☐     Salt, just enough

Directions:

Put the white beans in a bowl filled with water and leave to soak for 12 hours.

Once this time has elapsed, drain and rinse under running water.

At this point transfer them to a pot with water (unsalted): the water must completely coat the beans.

Cook the beans for 50 minutes with a lid, checking the cooking from time to time: the beans should be tender, but they should not spread.

When 3 or 4 minutes are left until the end of cooking, add the salt.

Once the beans are cooked, drain them well and let them cool.

Switch to the Tropea onion: cut the ends, peel it and cut it into very thin slices. If you prefer a more delicate flavor of the onion, you can soak it in cold water for at least 1 hour (better if a few hours); otherwise continue with the recipe.

Pour the cold beans into a large bowl, add the onion and the drained tuna. Season with extra virgin olive oil, salt to taste and mix well, helping you with a fork and a spoon.

Transfer to a serving dish.

Greek chicken gyro salad

Serves: 4

Time: 25 Minutes

Calories: 427

Protein: 28 Grams

Fat: 15 Grams

Carbs: 50 Grams

Ingredients:

☐     400g chicken breast

☐     15 cherry tomatoes

☐     250g feta cheese

☐     1 yellow pepper

☐     1 red onion

☐     1 cucumber

☐     4 tbsp taggiasche olives

☐     Basil, enough

☐     Mint, enough

☐     Extra virgin olive oil, just enough

☐     Salt, just enough

Directions:

First grill the chicken on a hot nonstick plate or pan without adding fat. Cook the chicken well first on one side and then on the other.

When cooked, place the chicken on a plate, salt and let it cool.

Wash the pepper, remove the seeds and inner filaments then cut the pepper into small pieces.

Wash the cucumber, peel it and cut it into chunks.

Continue washing the cherry tomatoes and cutting them in half.

Finally, peel the onion, cut it very thin and drain the olives from their liquid.

Take the cold chicken and cut it into morsels.

Wash basil and mint then chop finely.

At this point you are ready to assemble your salad.

Add all the ingredients in a large bowl, toy with olive oil, a pinch of salt and herbs.

Mix well and serve immediately.

Fat greek salad

Serves: 2

Time: 10 Minutes

Calories: 527

Protein: 20 Grams

Fat: 44 Grams

Carbs: 14 Grams

Ingredients:

☐     200g feta cheese

☐     150g iceberg lettuce

☐     8 Greek black olives

☐     1 red onion

☐     2 cucumbers

☐     2 small copper tomatoes

☐     Origano, enough

☐     4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Wash the salad, dry it well and cut it.

Continue with the cucumbers: wash them, peel them with a potato peeler and cut them into slices of half a centimeter.

Peel, wash and cut the onion into thin or thick slices, to your taste, wash the tomatoes and take them away from the pigeon and cut them into quarters.

At this point take the feta cheese and cut it into cubes.

Place the salad and cucumbers in a large bowl first.

Then continue with the Greek onions, tomatoes and black olives.

Finally add the feta cheese, oregano and oil.

If you prefer, you can add a little vinegar as well.

Cobb salad

Serves: 2

Time: 50 Minutes

Calories: 525

Protein: 32 Grams

Fat: 40 Grams

Carbs: 10 Grams

Ingredients:

☐     1 whole chicken breast

☐    Salads, icebergs, Roman lettuce, watercress and pundit, small stumps.

☐    Cheese roquefort, or cheddar or monterey jack

☐     1 ripe avocado

☐     1 tropea onion

☐     1 egg each

☐     50ml red wine vinegar

☐     100ml extra virgin olive oil

☐     1 pinch of salt

Directions:

Grill the chicken breast, which is always deep cooking for the chicken.

Wash and cut salads, tomatoes and onions.

Arrange the vegetables in the dishes harmoniously.

Boil the eggs, let them cool and then cut them and put them in the dishes, so with the avocado.

Add the bacon after making it crisp on a grill and then cut into strips.

Prepare the vinaigrette and pour it on the salads, onion and tomatoes. Cut the chicken breast into strips and put it in its place, so the diced cheese.

In short, arrange everything according to your taste, with harmony and then bring to the table with slices of toast.

Vegetable barley soup

Serves: 2

Time: 55 Minutes

Calories: 101

Protein: 3.3 Grams

Fat: 2 Grams

Carbs: 17 Grams

Ingredients:

☐     2 glasses of pearl barley

☐     2 small potatoes

☐     1 celery coast

☐     Half an onion

☐     1 carrot

☐     1 courgette

☐     Extra virgin olive oil

☐     Salt, just enough

☐     Pepper, just enough

☐     500ml vegetable stock

Directionss:

Wash and mundane all the vegetables, cut them into small cubes and let them wither in a high-edged pan along with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and half a glass of water.

Then, once they are wilted, add the barley and cover everything with vegetable broth. Cover with a lid and bring the soup to the boil.

Simmer for about 20 minutes, so the barley is cooked.

Finally, taste from time to time to check the cooking and season with salt.

Once ready, serve the barley and vegetable soup with a sprinkling of grated parmesan and a pinch of black pepper.

Italian cannellini bean soup

Serves: 4

Time: 5 0 Minutes

Calories: 245

Protein: 12 Grams

Fat: 5 Grams

Carbs: 36 Grams

Ingredients:

☐     2 boxes of 400g cannellini beans.

☐     1 garlic cleg

☐     1 celery coast

☐     Parsley

☐     1 carrot

☐     Rosemary

☐     1 onion

☐     2 medium potatoes

☐     150g bacon

☐     500g vegetable stock

☐     Extra virgin olive oil

☐     Salt

☐     Pepper

Directions:

Peel the onion and chop finely.

Peel, wash and dice the carrot and celery, roughly chop the bacon.

Grate the potatoes after washing and peeling.

In a fairly large pan, heat a little evo oil and fry the garlic peeled and crushed.

When the garlic is yellowish, remove it and pour in the chopped vegetables, stir, then add the chopped bacon.

Leave to season briefly, then add the grated potatoes, stir and pour the beans.

Add the vegetable stock, cover and cook over a gentle heat for about 10 minutes.

After 5 minutes, take half the beans and pass them with a medium-hole green pastry, then add to the rest of the soup.

Stir quickly, season with salt and pepper and season with rosemary.

Remove from the heat and leave to rest for a few minutes before serving.

While the soup rests, toast slices of Tuscan bread or semolina.

Spread the slices of bread in to the individual bowls, then pour in the soup.

Shakshouka

Serves: 4

Time: 40 Minutes

Calories: 209

Protein: 8 Grams

Fat: 15 Grams

Carbs: 13 Grams

Ingredients:

☐     4 eggs

☐     400g tomato purée

☐     1/2 onion

☐     1 clove Garlic

☐     1 red pepper

☐     1 teaspoon sweet Paprika

☐     1 teaspoon cumin powder

☐     3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

☐     Chopped parsley, just enough

☐     Salt, just enough

☐     1 Chilli

Directions:

Put the oil in the pan with the onion, cut very finely, the garlic clove and the chilli engraved for the length and free of seeds.

Cook for a few moments, then add the pepper cut into very small dice, put a glass of water and cook for 15 minutes until they are very tender.

Then add the tomato purée with cumin and paprika and continue cooking for another 15 minutes. Salt fix.

When the sauce is ready, shell the eggs, lower the heat, cover with the lid and cook for another 5 minutes.

Turn off the flame, decorate with chopped parsley or coriander and bring to the table immediately.

9.3) Dinner

Avocado Served with Gazpacho

Serves: 4

Time: 30 Minutes

Calories: 309

Protein: 15 Grams

Fat: 10 Grams

Carbs: 9 Grams

Ingredients:

One 15 ounce can of tomatoes, diced

1 pound tomatoes, chopped

Half cup red vinegar

1 cup water

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 california fresh avocado, peeled and cut into cubes

1 cucumber, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt as needed

Directions

Add vinegar, diced tomatoes, chopped tomatoes, garlic, water, cucumber, olive oil and bell pepper to the blender and blend until smooth.

After that add some salt as needed.

Now place it in refrigerator overnight and serve cubes of avocado.

California, Avocado and pasta salad

Serves: 2

Time: 20 Minutes

Calories: 200

Protein: 15 Grams

Fat: 10 Grams

Carbs: 10 Grams

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp salt

3 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp fresh dill, loose packed

Half pound orecchiette pasta, cooked, drained and cooled

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut into quartered

1 fresh avocado, peeled, seeds are removed and cut into cubes

Half medium cucumber, cut longitudinal and quartered

¼ cup kalamata olives, pits are removed and cut into half

1 cup artichoke hearts, marinated, drained and cut into half

Directions

Mix salt, olive oil and lemon juice in a blender and blend until give smooth and cream liquid.

Add dill and give it few more pulses.

Pour the mixture over the pasta and coat it well.

Add avocados, cucumber, olives, artichoke and tomatoes.

Mix well and serve this delicious recipe.

Energy Boosting Veggie Pita

Serves: 2

Time: 20 Minutes

Calories: 240

Protein: 7 Grams

Fat: 10 Grams

Carbs: 20 Grams

Ingredients:

4 pita bread, whole wheat

¼ cup cream cheese (non-fat, vegetable flavored)

2 cup raw vegetables, shredded

2 tsp dried oregano

4 Tbsp vinegar

Directions

Warm pita bread and spread softened cream cheese over each pita.

Mix oregano with vegetables and vinegar.

Place ¾ cup of vegetables on each pita and serve delicious recipe.

Roasted Veggies

Serves: 2

Time: 50 Minutes

Calories: 250

Protein: 7 Grams

Fat: 6 Grams

Carbs: 30 Grams

Ingredients:

1 red large bell pepper, sliced into half wide pieces

1 yellow bell pepper large, sliced into half, wide piece

1 garlic head, unpeeled and divided

¾ pound carrots, sliced into 3 pieces

2 sprigs of rosemary, fresh

2 sprigs of thyme, fresh

1 red onion, sliced into eighths

5 Tbsp of olive oil

Black pepper as needed

Salt as needed

2 Japanese eggplant, small unpeeled and cut into 1 chunk

2 small zucchini sliced into 1 round

Directions

Set oven temperature to 300 Degree F.

Place thyme, onion, rosemary, carrots, garlic and peppers on the baking sheet.

Mix 3 Tbsp olive oil and shake salt and pepper on the baking sheet for 15 minutes.

Take another small bowl and mix zucchini and eggplant.

Toss salt, pepper and 2 tbsp of oil.

Mix them altogether.

Add zucchini and eggplant into the pan and mix everything for 25 minutes until vegetables are softened

Now mix the roasted garlic and squeeze it over vegetables.

Mix them together and you have done the recipe.

Pasta Bake with Tomato and Eggplant

Serves: 3

Time: 48 Minutes

Calories: 410

Protein: 20 Grams

Fat: 6 Grams

Carbs: 10 Grams

Ingredients:

1 pound small tomatoes cut into half

1 pound eggplant, cubed

1 large onion, chopped coarsely

1 red large bell pepper, chopped coarsely

8 ounce quinoa

4 Tbsp basil fresh leaves

¼ cup basil pesto

¼ cup parmesan cheese grated fine

Directions

Take the broiler and turn it on.

Place tomatoes on the baking sheet and cut the side up.

Add the onion, bell pepper and egg plant.

Spray olive oil cooking spray on everything.

Sprinkle with black pepper and salt.

Broil them for 18 minutes, vegetable should be tender and soften.

Now preheat the oven to 375 Degree and use the package instruction to cook quinoa.

Drain and then place in the bowl with vegetables, 2 tbsp of basil and pesto.

Mix them well and place in baking dish.

Sprinkle cheese for topping.

Use aluminum foil to cover the dish and let it bake over it for 20 minutes.

Add 2 tbsp basil and it is ready to serve now.

Prawn Salad with Warm Rice

Serves: 4

Time: 50 Minutes

Calories: 300

Protein: 10 Grams

Fat: 8 Grams

Carbs: 30 Grams

Ingredients:

1 red bell pepper, large, sliced into half wide pieces

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into half wide piece

1 garlic head, divided and unpeeled

¾ pound carrots, sliced into 3 pieces

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

2 sprigs of thyme fresh

1 red onion, sliced and eighths

5 Tbsp olive oil

Black pepper as needed

Salt as needed

2 japanese eggplants, small and unpeeled

2 zucchinis, small sliced into 1 round

Directions

Set oven to 300 Degree.

Add peppers, carrots, garlic, onion, thyme rosemary on baking sheet.

Add 3 tbsp oil, shake pepper, salt and bake for more 15 minutes.

Take another small bowl and mix zucchini with eggplant.

Add salt and pepper with 2 tbsp of oil and mix them altogether.

Now combine zucchini with eggplant and mix them well in the pan.

Let them bake for 25 minutes until vegetables get softened and tender well.

Take roasted garlic and squeeze over vegetable and mix them altogether until completely done.

Mediterranean Chunky Tomato Soup

Serves: 4

Time: 30 Minutes

Calories: 190

Protein: 5 Grams

Fat: 10 Grams

Carbs: 7 Grams

Ingredients:

1 3/4 frozen grilled vegetable mix, i.e (onion, aubergine, peppers, courgettes)

2 Tbsp of garlic, finely minced

Basil leaves, as needed

One 14 ounce can of tomatoes, chopped

Two 14 ounce can of water

1 cube of vegetable stock, with reduced salt

¼ cup ricotta, beaten with some basil, snipped chives, spread over rye bread)

Directions

Take a large pan and add garlic, half vegetables to the pan.

Cook with high heat for 5 minutes, frequently stirring until vegetables get softened

Add water, vegetable stock cube and basil.

Mix the ingredients with hand blender until they are smooth.

Add remaining vegetables and cover it for 20 minutes until they are tender.

Now pour in 4 serving bowls.

Serve with rye bread and ricotta.

Potato Salad

Serves: 2

Time: 20 Minutes

Calories: 250

Protein: 7 Grams

Fat: 6 Grams

Carbs: 30 Grams

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp of olive oil

1 small onion, finely sliced

1 garlic clove, finely minced

1 tsp dried oregano

14 ounce can of cherry tomatoes

4 ounce of red pepper, roasted sliced

11 ounce of new potatoes, cut into half

1 ounce of black olives, sliced

Basil leaves, torn as needed

Directions

Take a pan and heat oil over medium high heat.

Add onion and toss. Mix for 10 minutes.

Add garlic and oregano and cook for 1 minute more.

Add tomatoes and pepper and sauté it for 10 minutes.

Take another pan of boiling water and cook potatoes for about 15 minutes until get softened.

Remove water and mix them to the sauce.

Add basil and olives as topping and its ready to serve.

Sweet Butternut pasta shells and Squash

Serves: 4

Time: 35 Minutes

Calories: 300

Protein: 15 Grams

Fat: 6 Grams

Carbs: 12 Grams

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp of olive oil

Half cup of yellow onion, finely chopped

4 cups of butternut squash, half cubes

4 cloves of garlic, finely crashed

Half cup white vinegar

2 ½ cup vegetable broth

6 ounce pasta shell, whole wheat, uncooked

¼ cup parmesan cheese, fine grated

2 Tbsp fresh sage, finely minced

Directions

Take a large pan and place it over medium high heat.

Add oil and mix it well.

Add onion and squash and onion and cook for 5 minutes.

Add garlic and simmer for 1 minute more.

Now add the broth and cover the pan, let it boil.

Reduce the heat to medium low and continue simmer for 8 minutes.

Add pasta and cover again.

Cook for more 15 minutes until pasta become soften.

Place evenly in serving bowls.

Top with some cheese and sage.

Picnic Style Salad

Serves: 4

Time: 45 Minutes

Calories: 182

Protein: 20 Grams

Fat: 6 Grams

Carbs: 12 Grams

Ingredients:

2 cup white rice, uncooked

¾ cup sun dried tomatoes, oil packed

1 cup boiling water

1 ½ tbsp olive oil, divided

1 cloves of garlic, finely minced

8 cup spinach, rinsed and washed

2 cup feta cheese (reduced fat, crumbled)

¼ cup kalamata olives (pits are removed and chopped)

Half tsp of salt

Half tsp of fresh black pepper, finely crashed

1 tsp dried oregano

1 15 ½ ounce can of chickpea, rinsed and drained

3    Tbsp toasted pine nuts

10 lemon wedges

Directions

Cook rice according to package Directions and don’t add fat or salt.

Let it cool and set aside.

Take an approximate bowl and mix together tomatoes with boiling water.

Let it be there for 30 minutes, when they are soft.

Cut them into pieces and drain the remaining water. They should be 1 inch size.

Take a large pan and place over medium high heat.

Add 1 ½ tsp of oil and add garlic with spinach and let it simmer for 3 minutes.

Let it warm until spinach become limp.

Add tomatoes, cheese, spinach mixture, salt, pepper, olives, chickpeas and oregano.

Now add cooked rice and mix it well

Sprinkle with remaining oil and mix well.

Be sure that everything is coated well.

Topping with lemon wedges and pine nuts.

9.4) side dishes

Neapolitan Cauliflower Salad

Serves: 4

Time: 15 Minutes

Calories: 300

Protein: 10 Grams

Fat: 7 Grams

Carbs: 15 Grams

Ingredients :

½ lb cauliflower, chopped into small florets

1 carrot, peeled and julienned

½ celery rib, julienned

½ sweet red pepper, roasted and julienned

6 large black olives, pitted and chopped

3 large green olives, pitted and chopped

1 Tbsp capers, packed in salt, drained and chopped

3 anchovy fillets, chopped

2 ½ Tbsp minced fresh flat leaf parsley

1 Tbsp wine vinegar

2 ½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Crushed red chili pepper

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Boil some salted water in a saucepan over high flame, then add the chopped cauliflower.

Reduce to medium high flame and simmer for 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly and transfer the cauliflower into a large bowl.

Fold in the carrot, celery, sweet red pepper, olives, capers, and anchovy. Season with red chili pepper and black pepper to taste.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate before serving. Serve chilled.

Greek Stewed Green Bills

Serves: 4

Time: 24 Minutes

Calories: 150

Protein: 0 Grams

Fat: 15 Grams

Carbs: 19 Grams

Ingredients :

½ Tbsp canola or olive oil

½ small yellow onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ lb thin green beans, trimmed

1 cup diced tomatoes

2 ½ Tbsp chopped fresh baby dill

½ tsp sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 small lemon, sliced into wedges

Directions:

Place a saucepan over medium flame and heat the oil. Stir in the onion and sauté for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes, dill, and salt, then season with black pepper. Increase to high flame and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, stir in the green beans. Reduce to low flame and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the green beans are fork tender.

Transfer to a serving plate and serve with the lemon wedges.

Tabbouleh

Serves: 4

Time: 50 Minutes

Calories: 301

Protein: 7 Grams

Fat: 15 Grams

Carbs: 20 Grams

Ingredients :

1/3 cup medium grain bulgur

2 Tbsp chopped scallions

1 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 large crisp romaine lettuce leaves

2 tomatoes

Directions:

Place the bulgur in a bowl and add enough cold water to cover by an inch. Set aside for half an hour.

Drain the bulgur and press out any excess water. Spread out a fresh kitchen towel and place the drained bulgur on top. Fold over the edges of the towel and press out excess moisture from the bulgur.

Transfer the bulgur into a bowl, then fold in the chopped vegetables. Add the lemon juice and olive oil, then mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Lay out the lettuce on a serving plate and add the bulgur mixture on top. Serve right away.

Fig, Arugula and Quinoa Salad

Serves: 4

Time: 20 Minutes

Calories: 200

Protein: 15 Grams

Fat: 5 Grams

Carbs: 10 Grams

Ingredients :

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ cup dry quinoa, rinsed and drained thoroughly

½ pint fresh figs, quartered

2 ½ Tbsp fresh lemon juice

4 cups baby arugula

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Boil 1 cup of water in a small saucepan over high flame. Stir in the quinoa and set to low flame.

Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until the quinoa is fluffy and has absorbed all the water. Set aside to cool.

In a bowl, combine the lemon juice and olive oil, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer the cooled quinoa into a bowl and fluff up. Drizzle in the vinaigrette and mix well. Fold in the figs.

Arrange the arugula on a serving plate and spoon the quinoa and fig mixture on top. Serve right away.

Italian Sweet Corn Bread

Serves: 18

Time: 40 Minutes

Calories: 340

Protein: 9 Grams

Fat: 7 Grams

Carbs: 40 Grams

Ingredients :

3 tsp extra virgin olive oil

3 1/3 cups whole grain, stone ground cornmeal

3 tsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp brown sugar

¾ Tbsp sea salt

3 cups boiling water

1/3 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes

6 oz fresh mozzarella, torn

Directions:

Set the oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat two small round cake pans with olive oil, then set aside.

In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, salt, 1 ½ teaspoons olive oil, sugar, and baking powder. Stir in the boiling water and mix well until thoroughly combined.

Fold in the sun dried tomatoes and torn mozzarella. Mix well. Divide the cornmeal batter between the two cake pans and press down firmly.

Bake for 10 minutes, then carefully remove from the oven and cover with aluminum foil.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until the corn bread is firm and golden. Set on a cooling rack, then serve warm. Wrap in plastic wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Whole Wheat Pita Bread

Serves: 3

Time: 2 hour 50 Minutes

Calories: 400

Protein: 4 Grams

Fat: 7 Grams

Carbs: 50 Grams

Ingredients :

3 cups whole wheat flour

2 ¼ cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups warm water

1 ½ Tbsp active dry yeast

1 ½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

¾ Tbsp sea salt

Directions:

Pour the warm water into an extra-large bowl and add the yeast. Stir until combined. Stir in the salt, then slowly pour in the flours as you stir until a dough forms.

Lightly flour a clean work surface and place the dough on top. Knead for about 10 minutes, or until smooth.

Add the olive oil into the bowl. Place the dough inside and turn several times to coat in the olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place a kitchen towel on top. Set aside for 2 hours to rise.

Once risen, punch down on the dough and divide into 9 equal pieces. Form into balls and arrange on a floured work surface. Cover the dough balls with a clean, dry kitchen towel and let stand for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, set the oven to 475 degrees F. Put the rack on the lowest section and put a baking sheet on top.

Carefully remove the hot baking sheet once the dough balls have risen. Place them on the baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes or until pale golden and puffed. Do not open the oven door. Bake in batches.

Carefully remove the pita bread and place in a bread basket.

Tunisian Harissa Beet Salad

Serves: 4

Time: 30 Minutes

Calories: 300

Protein: 9 Grams

Fat: 7 Grams

Carbs: 19 Grams

Ingredients :

3 large beets

2 ½ Tbsp minced fresh flat leaf parsley

¼ cup chopped scallions

½ tsp harissa

½ tsp red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp olive oil, plus more

Sea salt

Directions:

Wash the beets thoroughly, then set aside.

Set the oven to 325 degrees F.

Lightly coat a roasting pan with olive oil, then add the beets. Roast for 2 to 3 hours, or until extra tender.

Carefully remove the beets and set aside to cool. Rub the skins off and slice the beets into cubes.

Place the cubed beets into a bowl and add the garlic, parsley, and scallion.

In a bowl, combine the vinegar and harissa. Mix in the 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then drizzle on top of the beets. Gently toss to coat, season with salt, and serve.

Spicy Kale and Potatoes

Serves: 6

Time: 35 Minutes

Calories: 200

Protein: 8 Grams

Fat: 6 Grams

Carbs: 26 Grams

Ingredients :

6 medium Yukon gold potatoes, chopped into large chunks

¾ lb fresh kale leaves, rinsed and chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced

6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Crushed red chili pepper

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions :

Set the oven to 450 degrees F.

Arrange the potato chunks on a baking sheet and drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil on top. Toss to coat.

Sprinkle some red chili pepper, salt, black pepper, and the garlic over the potato chunks and toss again to coat.

Bake the potatoes for 15 minutes, or until tender and golden brown.

Meanwhile, place the kale on a rimmed baking sheet and add the remaining olive oil. Gently toss to coat, then season with salt and pepper. Toss again.

Carefully remove the potatoes from the oven and arrange on top of the kale. Bake again for 10 minutes, or until the kale is crisp. Serve right away.

9.5) Desserts

Honey-Pistachio Roasted Pears

Serves: 3

Time: 35 Minutes

Calories: 300

Protein: 9 Grams

Fat: 7 Grams

Carbs: 30 Grams

Ingredients :

3 ripe medium pears, peeled, halved, and cored

1/4cup pear nectar

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon orange zest

½ cup mascarpone cheese

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1/3 cup chopped roasted, salted pistachios

Directions:

Adjust the oven to 400 degrees F.

Arrange the sliced pears in a baking dish with their cut sides down.

Add pear nectar, butter, honey, and orange zest.

Roast the pear for 25 minutes while basting them with the liquid.

Combine mascarpone with sugar.

Serve the roasted pear with cheese mixture and pistachios on top.

Drizzle honey and enjoy.

Five-Berry Compote with Mint and Orange Infusion

Serves: 4

Time: 20 Minutes

Calories: 450

Protein: 13 Grams

Fat: 47 Grams

Carbs: 101 Grams

Ingredients :

½ cup pomegranate juice

1/2cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ml bottle Sauvignon Blanc

3 orange pekoe tea bags

34-inch sprigs fresh mint

1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and halved lengthwise

1 cup fresh golden raspberries

1 cup fresh red raspberries

1 cup fresh blackberries

1 cup fresh blueberries

2/3 cup sugar

Fresh mint sprigs

1 cup pitted, halved fresh sweet cherries

Directions:

Steep tea bags along with 3 mint sprigs in boiled water for 10 minutes.

Combine all the berries with cherries in a bowl and set them aside.

Cook wine with sugar, and pomegranate juice in a saucepan.

Strain the tea liquid into the sugar pan.

Stir cook this mixture for a minute then pour over the mixed berries.

Serve with mint sprigs on top.

Blueberry & macadamia flapjacks

Serves: 6

Time: 60 Minutes

Calories: 210

Protein: 5 Grams

Fat: 2 Grams

Carbs: 46 Grams

Ingredients :

1 1/4 cup pack butter, plus extra for greasing

5oz. demerara sugar

3 tablespoons golden syrup

7 oz. porridge oats

5oz. jumbo rolled oats

5oz. macadamia nuts, roughly chopped

zest from half lemon

3 tablespoons self-raising flour

7 oz. blueberries

3 tablespoons white chocolate, finely chopped

Directions:

Set the oven to 280 degrees F.

Grease a square baking pan with oil and layer it with baking paper.

Combine butter with sugar, a pinch of salt and golden syrup in a pan on low heat.

Toss oats with lemon zest, flour, and nuts in a bowl.

Pour in the butter mixture then fold in blueberries.

Transfer the oats to the baking pan and spread it evenly.

Bake it for 45 minutes until golden brown.

Allow the pan to cool them remove the flapjack from the pan.

Melt white chocolate in a bowl.

Drizzle the white chocolate over it.

Slice and serve.

Sherry, almond & orange pandoro

Serves: 6

Time: 10 Minutes

Calories: 840

Protein: 15 Grams

Fat: 7 Grams

Carbs: 99 Grams

Ingredients :

1 1/4 cups double cream

1 1/4 cup mascarpone

4 tablespoons sherry

1 large orange, zested

2 tablespoons icing sugar

1 pandoro

1/4 cup almonds, toasted and roughly chopped

Directions:

Combine cream with half sherry, icing sugar, mascarpone and ¾ zest in a bowl.

Cut the pandoro into 5 horizontal slices.

Place the bottom piece on a plate and drizzle remaining sherry over it.

Spoon the cream mixture over the slice and top it with some almonds

Place another pandoro slice over it and repeat the layers using remaining pandoro slices.

Finally dust the top with icing sugar, remaining almonds, and orange zest.

Serve.

Sherry & almond Christmas cake

Serves: 6

Time: 2 hours 10 Minutes

Calories: 290

Protein: 6 Grams

Fat: 15 Grams

Carbs: 39 Grams

Ingredients :

2 lbs. bag mixed dried fruit

Zest and juice from 2 large oranges

1/2 cup sherry

1 1/4 cup pack butter, softened, plus extra for the tin

1 1/4 cup light muscovado sugar

seeds scraped from 1 vanilla pod

5oz. plain flour

4oz. ground almond

2 teaspoons mixed spice

4 large eggs, beaten

5oz. whole almond

Directions:

Combine fruit with sherry, zest, and juice in a bowl.

Leave it soaked overnight in the refrigerator.

Next day preheats the oven to 280 degrees F.

Grease a round cake pan with butter and wrap the outsides with brown paper.

Beat butter with vanilla seeds and sugar until creamy.

Stir in flour, spices, ground almonds and beat until smooth.

Fold in fruit with the juices and whole almonds.

Pour the fruity batter into the pan and bake 1.5 hours in the oven.

Reduce the temperature to 250 degrees F and bake for another 1.5 hours until the top turn dark in color.

Slice and serve.

Honey yogurt cheesecake

Serves: 4

Time: 35 Minutes

Calories: 685

Protein: 6.8 Grams

Fat: 5 Grams

Carbs: 92 Grams

Ingredients :

4oz. amaretti biscuits

3 tablespoons, flaked almonds

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup Greek yogurt

26 oz. mascarpone

2 eggs

zest from 1 lemon

zest from 1 orange

1 cup honey

fresh fruit, to serve

Directions:

Set the oven to preheat at 280 degrees F.

Crush biscuits and almonds in a ziplock bag using a rolling pin.

Mix these crumbs with butter and transfer it to a baking dish.

Bake this crust for 10 minutes.

Combine yogurt with mascarpone and then whisk it with eggs.

Add lemon and orange zest.

Stir in honey while keeping 3 tablespoons for garnish.

Mix well and spread the mascarpone mixture in the baked crust.

Cover pan loosely with a foil and bake for 1 hour then remove the foil.

Bake again for 15 minutes.

Let it cool then remove from the pan.

Garnish with almonds and honey.

Serve.

9.6) Smoothies

Stuffed Figs

Serves: 6

Time: 20 Minutes

Calories: 209

Protein: 8 Grams

Fat: 9 Grams

Carbs: 27 Grams

Ingredients:

- 20 Almonds, Chopped

- 2 Tablespoons Honey, Raw

- 4 Ounces Goat Cheese, Divided

- 10 Fresh Figs, Halved

Directionss:

1. Start by preheating your oven’s broiler to high.

2. Sprinkle each with ½ teaspoon of goat cheese and a teaspoon of almond. Broil for two to three minutes, and then allow them to cool for five minutes before drizzling with honey to serve.

Cherry Clafoutis

Serves: 4

Time: 45 Minutes

Calories: 407

Protein: 10 Grams

Fat: 16 Grams

Carbs: 57 Grams

Ingredients:

- 2 Tablespoons Butter, Room Temperature

- ½ Cup Almonds, Unsalted & Ground

- 1 ¼ Cups Milk

- 2 Eggs

- ½ Cup Sugar, Divided

- ½ Cup All Purpose Flour

- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract, Pure

- 3 Cups cherries, Pitted

- 1/8 Teaspoon Sea Salt, Fine

Directionss:

1. Brush the pan down with butter, sprinkling your ground almonds on the bottom.

2. Mix your milk, eggs, vanilla, ¼ cup of sugar, flour, and salt in a blender, pureeing until smooth.

3. Pour this batter into your pie plate, and arrange your cherries over the batter. Sprinkle your remaining sugar on top, and bake for thirty-five to forty-five minutes. It should be golden brown.

4. Allow it to cool for at least ten minutes before serving.

Strawberry Chia Pudding

Serves: 4

Time: 4 Hours 5 Minutes

Calories: 108

Protein: 3 Grams

Fat: 4 Grams

Carbs: 18 Grams

Ingredients:

- ¼ Cup Chia Seeds

- 2 Cups Almond Milk, Unsweetened

- 2 Cups Strawberries, Fresh & Sliced

- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract, Pure

- 2 Tablespoons Honey, Raw

Directionss:

1. Get out a bowl and mix your vanilla, honey, almond milk and chia seeds.

2. Refrigerate for four hours, and then serve topped with strawberries.

Frozen veggie smoothie

Serves: 2

Time: 15 Minutes

Calories: 180

Protein: 9 Grams

Fat: 8 Grams

Carbs: 10 Grams

Ingredients :

1 tomato - peeled

1 carrot - chopped

1/2 celery stalk

½ cup lemon juice

½ cup lime juice

Celery salt, to taste

5 ice cubes

Directions:

1. Place all the vegetables into the blender, then add the ice cubes. Blend until you achieve smooth results.

2. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Dolce Vita Smoothie

Serves: 4

Time: 15 Minutes

Calories: 200

Protein: 5 Grams

Fat: 4 Grams

Carbs: 10 Grams

Ingredients

1 banana – sliced

1 Yellow Peach

1/2 cup Cherries

1/2 cup raspberries

1/4 melon – sliced

Directions:

Peel and cut the banana into pieces. Pit the cherries and the peach. Cut the melon and remove the seeds.

Put all the fruits in a blender and mix. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Breakfast Smoothie

Serves: 4

Time: 10 Minutes

Calories: 200

Protein: 10 Grams

Fat: 7 Grams

Carbs: 15 Grams

Ingredients

2 oz pomegranate juice

½ c mix berries

½ small bananas

¼ c apple juice

½ tbsp flaxseed

4-6 ice cubes

Directions:

Put all ingredients inside the blender and serve.

Fig Smoothie

Serves: 3

Time: 5 Minutes

Calories: 332

Protein: 6 Grams

Fat: 3 Grams

Carbs: 79 Grams

Ingredients :

6 fresh figs

.75 cup almond milk

.25 cup strawberries or berries of choice

1 banana

a handful of ice

Directions:

Blend everything smooth in a blender.

Almond Date Smoothies

Serves: 4

Time: 13 Minutes

Calories: 423

Protein: 6 Grams

Fat: 1 Gram

Carbs: 82 Grams

Ingredients :

1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey

1 banana

2 tablespoons almond butter

a handful of ice

.5 cup dates, pitted

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

Directions:

Pour the almond milk in a bowl and let the dates soak in the milk. Allow the dates to chill for 10 minutes. In a blender, combine the milk, dates, banana, and almond butter. Add the honey if you prefer a sweeter taste. Add ice and blend until smooth.

Chapter 10: Tips and tricks to have success

You already know that the Mediterranean diet has a lot of health benefits such as preventing certain types of diseases, boosting your brain power, helping you lose weight by increasing your metabolism, and making you live a longer and healthier life. However, the Mediterranean diet by itself will not give you all these positive benefits. You also need to change other aspects of your lifestyle such as your physical activities and habits. Changing your diet alone will not help you achieve your health goals. It is imperative that you change your lifestyle as a whole that will improve your results and your ability to follow the Mediterranean diet.

Plan your meals carefully

To make it easier for you to follow the Mediterranean diet and get better results, you need to carefully plan your meals in advance. You can research for recipes that you can prepare for the whole week and make a list of all the things that you need to buy when you go grocery shopping. Be sure to stick to that list no matter what. This way, you will not be tempted to buy foods that will keep you from reaching your health goals such as processed foods, a lot of sweets and junk foods. This will also prevent you from having to order a takeout or eating out because you cannot think of anything to cook. Although there are a lot of restaurants that offer Mediterranean dishes, it is still better to cook your own meals at home.

Grill your food

One important aspect of the Mediterranean cuisine is that most of their dishes are grilled instead of fried. Americans eat a lot of fried foods like French fries, doughnuts, fried chicken and so on while Greeks and Italians eat a lot of grilled vegetables and fish. They also use broiling or boiling techniques when cooking. You can brush your vegetables or meat with olive oil and put them in an open fire pit or indoor griller. It will give your food that smoky flavor that fried foods do not have.

Learn to substitute

You also need to learn what food substitutes you can use to turn regular meals into something that is more Mediterranean. The use of olive oil instead of butter and lard is a given. Instead of cooking white rice with stir-fried meat, you should try substituting white rice with quinoa or meat with vegetables. Instead of using white bread, choose whole-wheat bread that is so much healthier. If your family loves ice cream, you should learn how to make pudding using skim milk or fat-free milk. There are a lot of ingredients that you can use to add a Mediterranean twist to your every meal.

Take note of the quality of food

Instead of focusing solely on the quantity of food that you eat, the Mediterranean diet also focuses on the quality. You need to be aware of the quality of food that this diet plan encourages you to have. Fats are not completely eliminated from this diet because the use of olive oil is one of the basic principles of the Mediterranean diet. However, you need to understand that olive oil contains monosaturated fat rather than saturated fat, which is a good kind of fat and is essentially good for your health.

Eat smaller, regular meals

The Mediterranean diet also encourages you to eat smaller portions more regularly. Your body will feel hungry if you eat one large meal in between longer intervals. To curb off hunger, you should control your food portions and when you eat them. Eat smaller meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner and have some light snacks in between. This will improve your metabolism. You need to understand that fasting or eating less frequently lowers your metabolism by 30 % because it is preparing your body for starvation.

Conclusion

I hope at this point in the book, you are feeling a bit more confident about meal prepping. Remember that this isn’t something you have to DIVE into. It is perfectly okay to plan on one meal for the week. This one meal is better than no meals at all. Slowly, you will become surer of your skills and be able to advance to prepping multiple meals in a week. Allows remember all of the incredible benefits that come with meal prepping!

If you take anything away, remember to choose a day and take the time. It may seem like you are spending a lot of time cooking but remember that you will be saving that cooking and prepping time through your whole week. Now, you can focus on what you will spend all of this extra time doing! Perhaps it will be taking that exercise class you've been thinking about or some quality family time. Either way, meal prepping can shed new light on a healthier lifestyle.

Hopefully, you have found at least one recipe within these chapters you are excited to try. Whether you are vegan, vegetarian, or eat everything, there is a recipe out there for you. As I said before, try to start simple.

As we said, the Mediterranean diet is not just a dietary adjustment, but a complete lifestyle change. Ancel Keys was the first to notice the link between the people of the Mediterranean’s heart healthy diet and longer lifespan. In order to correctly emulate that, we must improve not only our diet, but our physical activity as well. The people of the Mediterranean incorporated exercise into their routine regularly, and it’s important that we try and do the same. It doesn’t have to be a set workout time at the gym, but rather taking a walk around the neighborhood or taking a long bike ride can help you burn calories and spur weight loss. Weight loss can only occur if you are following a calorie deficit diet. Even if the Mediterranean diet is easy to follow in the sense that it doesn’t require counting carbs or calories, it’s still important you’re aware of your portion size, snacking, and caloric intake if you want lose weight. That can only happen if you’re burning off more calories than what you’re taking in!

As we said, the Mediterranean diet is not just a dietary adjustment, but a complete lifestyle change. In order to correctly emulate that, we must improve not only our diet, but our physical activity as well. The people of the Mediterranean incorporated exercise into their routine regularly, and it’s important that we try and do the same. It doesn’t have to be a set workout time at the gym, but rather taking a walk around the neighborhood or taking a long bike ride can help you burn calories and spur weight loss. Weight loss can only occur if you are following a calorie deficit diet. Even if the Mediterranean diet is easy to follow in the sense that it doesn’t require counting carbs or calories, it’s still important you’re aware of your portion size, snacking, and caloric intake if you want lose weight. That can only happen if you’re burning off more calories than what you’re taking in!

Bonus 1: 7 days meal plan

Day 1

Breakfast- Pumpkin spiced latte

Lunch- Lemon-garlic shrimp & vegetables

Dinner- Avocado Served with Gazpacho

Day 2

Breakfast- Coconut oil coffee

Lunch- Mushroom risotto

Dinner- California, Avocado and pasta salad

Day 3

Breakfast- Chocolate waffles

Lunch- Italian shrimp and scallop risotto

Dinner- Energy Boosting Veggie Pita

Day 4

Breakfast- Gluten-free pancakes

Lunch- Tuna spaghetti

Dinner- Roasted Veggies

Day 5

Breakfast- Lemon-ricotta cornmeal waffles

Lunch- Shrimp linguine

Dinner- Pasta Bake with Tomato and Eggplant

Day 6

Breakfast- Banana pancakes

Lunch- Mediterranean farfalle

Dinner- Prawn Salad with Warm Rice

Day 7

Breakfast- Blueberry pancakes

Lunch- Greek pasta salad

Dinner- Mediterranean Chunky Tomato Soup

Bonus 2: 28 days meal plan

Day 1

Breakfast- Quiche

Lunch- Kale, quinoa, and avocado salad with lemon dijon vinaigrette

Dinner- Potato Salad

Day 2

Breakfast- Eggs casserole

Lunch- Tuscan tuna and white bean salad

Dinner- Sweet Butternut pasta shells and Squash

Day 3

Breakfast- Eggy veggie bake

Lunch- Greek chicken gyro salad

Dinner- Picnic Style Salad

Day 4

Breakfast- Mini frittatas

Lunch- Fat greek salad

Dinner- Grilled Swordfish with Zucchini and Squash pasta

Day 5

Breakfast- Vanilla-almond spiced french toast

Lunch- Cobb salad

Dinner- Mediterranean Mozzarella Baked Salmon

Day 6

Breakfast- Peanut butter and banana french toast

Lunch- Vegetable barley soup

Dinner- Garlic Lime Grilled Chicken

Day 7

Breakfast- Avocado toast with egg

Lunch- Italian cannellini bean soup

Dinner-Pasta Bake with Tomato and Eggplant

Day 8

Breakfast- Pumpkin spiced latte

Lunch- Lemon-garlic shrimp & vegetables

Dinner- Avocado Served with Gazpacho

Day 9

Breakfast- Coconut oil coffee

Lunch- Mushroom risotto

Dinner- California, Avocado and pasta salad

Day 10

Breakfast- Chocolate waffles

Lunch- Italian shrimp and scallop risotto

Dinner- Energy Boosting Veggie Pita

Day 11

Breakfast- Gluten-free pancakes

Lunch- Tuna spaghetti

Dinner- Roasted Veggies

Day 12

Breakfast- Lemon-ricotta cornmeal waffles

Lunch- Shrimp linguine

Dinner- Pasta Bake with Tomato and Eggplant

Day 13

Breakfast- Banana pancakes

Lunch- Mediterranean farfalle

Dinner- Prawn Salad with Warm Rice

Day 14

Breakfast- Blueberry pancakes

Lunch- Greek pasta salad

Dinner- Mediterranean Chunky Tomato Soup

Day 15

Breakfast- Quiche

Lunch- Kale, quinoa, and avocado salad with lemon dijon vinaigrette

Dinner- Potato Salad

Day 16

Breakfast- Eggs casserole

Lunch- Tuscan tuna and white bean salad

Dinner- Sweet Butternut pasta shells and Squash

Day 17

Breakfast- Eggy veggie bake

Lunch- Greek chicken gyro salad

Dinner- Picnic Style Salad

Day 18

Breakfast- Mini frittatas

Lunch- Fat greek salad

Dinner- Grilled Swordfish with Zucchini and Squash pasta

Day 19

Breakfast- Vanilla-almond spiced french toast

Lunch- Cobb salad

Dinner- Mediterranean Mozzarella Baked Salmon

Day 20

Breakfast- Peanut butter and banana french toast

Lunch- Vegetable barley soup

Dinner- Garlic Lime Grilled Chicken

Day 21

Breakfast- Avocado toast with egg

Lunch- Italian cannellini bean soup

Dinner-Pasta Bake with Tomato and Eggplant

Day 22

Breakfast- Pumpkin spiced latte

Lunch- Lemon-garlic shrimp & vegetables

Dinner- Avocado Served with Gazpacho

Day 23

Breakfast- Coconut oil coffee

Lunch- Mushroom risotto

Dinner- California, Avocado and pasta salad

Day 24

Breakfast- Chocolate waffles

Lunch- Italian shrimp and scallop risotto

Dinner- Energy Boosting Veggie Pita

Day 25

Breakfast- Gluten-free pancakes

Lunch- Tuna spaghetti

Dinner- Roasted Veggies

Day 26

Breakfast- Lemon-ricotta cornmeal waffles

Lunch- Shrimp linguine

Dinner- Pasta Bake with Tomato and Eggplant

Day 27

Breakfast- Banana pancakes

Lunch- Mediterranean farfalle

Dinner- Prawn Salad with Warm Rice

Day 28

Breakfast- Blueberry pancakes

Lunch- Greek pasta salad

Dinner- Mediterranean Chunky Tomato Soup

Bonus 3: recipes

Rice with Smoked Sausages and Beer

Serves: 5

Time: 30 Minutes

Calories: 200

Protein: 17 Grams

Fat: 9 Grams

Carbs: 8 Grams

Ingredients

4 portions

14  smoked beef sausage

3 1/2 cups raw rice

1/2 onion in small cubes

1/2 chili pepper in small cubes

1 tbsp crushed  garlic

1 cube chicken soup

1/4 cup tomato sauce

water to prepare rice

1 tbsp Mediterranean oil (olive-canola-grapeseed)

Directions

You add the oil to the pot you use, personally I prefer the quick pot for your convenience. Heat over medium heat, add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic, sauté, joining well.

add the sausages, continue sautéing until they have browned, the tomato sauce, continue joining.

Rub the beer stream and continue joining while you jump. And you allow the alcohol to evaporate,

the rice, mix well and saute for about 1 minute.

add enough water to prepare the rice, this will depend on the pot you are using.

try salt and cook like normal rice

Beef Meatballs in Vegetable Bath

Serves: 6

Time: 70 Minutes

Calories: 190

Protein: 28 Grams

Fat: 12 Grams

Carbs: 20 Grams

Ingredients

6 portions

1/2 Bell pepper

1/2 stem celery

3 teeth natural garlic

3 teeth roasted garlic

Chicken broth to liquefy the seasonings

4 ripe tomatoes

1 tbsp Mediterranean oil (canola-grape seeds-Extra virgin olive) to saute the seasoning

14 Large beef meatballs (baseball ball size)

16 oz of tomatoes in pieces with their juice

1 pinch ground turmeric

1 pinch ground cumin

1 tsp ground onion

16 ounces cooked and drained chickpeas

Chicken broth as required.

1 cup carrots on thick wheels

6 pieces 1 baseball-size potato

1 cup peeled and chunky Aoyama

Directions

Process the seasoning (the first 6 ingredients) and the tomatoes, in the blender covering with liquid chicken broth.

In the pot you will prepare the broth, pour the oil and saute the liquefied seasoning.

Add the meatballs, use pre-cooked and frozen. This speeds up the preparation process. Continue to soften and unite.

Then add the carrot, chicken broth (I used broth prepared at home) but you can use the one you like. Add water to get the desired consistency. The Aoyama in pieces. Potatoes in large pieces. The can of tomato and the chickpeas drained.

Add the Curcuma and cumin, after tasting taste.

Reduce heat and cook until vegetables are tender.

When extinguishing the fire add a sprig of thyme and oregano, preferably natural. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

It depends on the meat and personal taste, the fat is removed using a fat separator or allowing to cool because the fat floats on top and so you remove it.

Accompany with white rice or bread

Slow Baked Beef

Serves: 4

Time: 70 Minutes

Calories: 270

Protein: 9 Grams

Fat: 5 Grams

Carbs: 20 Grams

Ingredients

5 portions

2.8 lbs beef chest

to taste Mediterranean salt

5 teeth Garlic

1 tbsp ground onion

1 jet vinegar

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp ground cumin

1 jet red table wine

1 tbsp mustard

1 tbsp Oyster sauce

Directions

Clean the meat and cut it into pieces to taste

Then season and bake at 375F for 30 minutes, flip. Bake an additional 30 minutes.

If your family likes soft meat, it is possible that depending on the thickness, you have to pass it to the fast pot. Cook 7 minutes at a high temp.

Serve with boiled green bananas or rice.

Mediterranean chicken with 4 kinds of cheese

Serves: 5

Time: 15 Minutes

Calories: 280

Protein: 26 Grams

Fat: 11 Grams

Carbs: 8 Grams

Ingredients

4 portions

4 halves boneless and skinless small breasts

1 can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped black olives

1 tbsp grated lemon peel

1 cup five kinds of cheese finely, shredded,  five cheese and blend

In some supermarkets they all come in a bag

Directions

The breasts are fried in little oil for 7 minutes on each side, or until cooked.

Add the diced tomatoes, grated lemon peel and cook for 5 minutes.

This mixture is added to the chicken and it is taken to the fire for 2 minutes until everything has been well mixed, and finally the cheeses are put.

It is served with a screw paste and is also sprinkled with tomato sauce.

Mediterranean rolls

Serves: 3

Time: 30 Minutes

Calories: 400

Protein: 15 Grams

Fat: 9 Grams

Carbs: 24 Grams

Ingredients

4 portions

1 sliced eggplant

1 tbsp cheese

1 1/2 tbsp chia of

5 oz cream cheese

1/2 roasted pepper cut into brunoise

1cda post or fresh basil

for in dressing:

1/2 tbsp white vinegar, olive oil to taste a touch of pesto

salt and pepper to taste (the ingredients are mixed and olive oil is added in the form of thread until emulsified)

Directions

The eggplant is cut into thin slices and grilled until softened.

Mix the cheese, pepper, and basil, Parmesan cheese with mayonnaise mix everything, wrap this mixture with the eggplant slices and then add the dressing on top.

Note: eggplants are put a decorative stick to hold. If you want you can take them to the oven but it is optional.

Mediterranean chicken

Serves: 3

Time: 45 Minutes

Calories: 321

Protein: 34 Grams

Fat: 17 Grams

Carbs: 10 Grams

Ingredients

1 large breast

1/2 Orange juice

two large onions

1 parsley sprig

black pepper

ginger

Salt

Directions

Season the chicken and let stand 15 minutes

Cut the onion into julienne and fry in butter or oil

When the color changes, add the juice and let it boil, now after 15 minutes, spread the breasts and oil them with chopped parsley

Now you sew in a pan on both sides and reserve

Once cooked put them in the pan along with the onions and the juice for 10 minutes and put the olives without bone and leave another 15 minutes or until everything is well and room to taste.

Everything is cooked well with spaghetti below the breast

And you can put beans and rice or with pure spaghetti and sprinkle chopped sprigs of parsley and cheese on top of the breast

Mediterranean rice

Serves: 5

Time: 30 Minutes

Calories: 400

Protein: 7 Grams

Fat: 10 Grams

Carbs: 2 9 Grams

Ingredients

6 portions

1 cup pre-cooked rice

3 cups water consommé with 3 tbsp powder consomme

1/2 bouquet broccoli or spinach to taste

Salt

1/2 onion

1 tooth Garlic

parsley

2 pinches oregano

2 pinches basil or fresh

2 tbsp olive oil

12 cherry tomatoes

50 grams Gouda or Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a saucepan we put two tablespoons of olive oil and put half a chopped onion and a very finely chopped garlic clove, add broccoli sprigs or spinach to taste, then a cup of pre-cooked rice and 3 cups of consommé (or 3 cups of water and 3 teaspoons of powdered consommé) once it is boiling we check the salt and if necessary add it.

Season with two pinches of oregano and two pinches of basil or put it fresh. When it boils we lower the fire and cover.

When it is almost finished absorbing the water we put chopped parsley and cherry tomatoes cut in half and on top we put grated gouda cheese and cover until it is finished cooking, turn off the fire and leave covered until the water is completely absorbed.

Baked fish Mediterranean style

Serves: 4

Time: 20 Minutes

Calories: 180

Protein: 30 Grams

Fat: 12 Grams

Carbs: 7 Grams

Ingredients

1 steak fish per person

3 chambray onions

1 tooth garlic for each steak

red onion or échalots

Salt

Pepper

dill powder

olive oil

Butter

capers (optional)

two lemons

Directions

In a refractory we place our fish fillets on a little olive oil, and we put them on top: each: salt and pepper, a clove of minced garlic, chopped red onion or eschalots, the tails of about 3 small onions of chopped chambray and the onions are cut in half and placed on the sides, dill powder, a few capers, the juice of a lemon, olive oil and a piece of butter on top of each.

It is put in a hot oven and you have to be on the lookout because it should not be more than 8 or 10 minutes so that it does not dry out, when we take it out we decorate the fillets with lemon slices.

Mediterranean fish fillet

Serves: 3

Time: 30 Minutes

Calories: 300

Protein: 24 Grams

Fat: 10 Grams

Carbs: 5 Grams

Ingredients

2 portions

2 steaks fish (Huauchinango, Robalo, Snapper, sea bream, etc.)

1-2 tomatoes

1 can mashed tomato

black olives needed

1-2 teeth Garlic

parsley

Salt

Pepper

1 Pope

olive oil

Directions

In a saucepan, we put olive oil and a clove of garlic chopped to brown when the aroma releases, add one or two peeled and chopped tomatoes, then add tomato puree, season with salt and pepper and add a peeled and diced potato 1 cm., we add some olives and chopped parsley. When the potatoes have been cooked, carefully place the fish fillets that are cooked over low heat, if necessary add a little water.

Serve them with white rice.

Mediterranean beef casserole

Serves : 2

Time: 50 Minutes

Calories: 300

Protein: 7 Grams

Fat: 4 Grams

Carbs: 25 Grams

Ingredients

6 portions

900 gr aguayo steak (round steak palomilla) diced

2 tbsp Butter

1 can 340 grams of tomato paste

2/3 cup beef broth or red wine

1/2 cup sliced black olives

2 tbsp light brown light sugar

2 teeth chopped the garlic

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 leaves laurel

1/4 cup grapes

1 cdts ground cinnamon

1 cdts ground clove

3 cups hot steamed rice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 F in a bowl, mix the steak, the melted butter settles in a baking dish.

Mix in a bowl the tomato paste, the meat broth, the vinegar, add stirring the olives, sugar, garlic, pour over the steak. Turning it to spread it.

Put the bay leaves on top of the meat mixture; distribute the raisins, cinnamon, cloves, cover with aluminum foil.

Bake the casserole for 45 minutes, take out the bay leaves, discard them, arrange the cooked rice in a serving dish and on the rice, spread the meat and the sauce by spoonfuls.

Mediterranean salad with pasta

Serves: 4

Time: 35 Minutes

Calories: 390

Protein: 10 Grams

Fat: 7 Grams

Carbs: 11 Grams

Ingredients:

400 gr penne pasta

¾ cup half-pitted black olives

6 halved cherry tomatoes

1/3 cup capers

1 eggplant girl

1 Red pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tooth Garlic

¼ cup White vinegar

½ cup olive oil

1/3 cup chopped parsley

Salt and pepper

Directions

Cook the pasta and reserve.

Crush the garlic with half the vinegar, salt, and half the oil. Reserve

In a pan, put the two tablespoons of oil, pass the pepper and tomatoes.

SaIt the eggplants with salt and pepper.

Add the pasta with the olives, capers, and dressing from Directions2, 3 and 4. Garnish with parsley.

Mediterranean Frittata

Serves: 4

Time: 20 Minutes

Calories: 209

Protein: 10 Grams

Fat: 5 Grams

Carbs: 30 Grams

Ingredients

3 eggs

1 splash milk

to taste Pepper

two mushrooms

1 piece purple Onion

1 fist olives

1 fist capers

1/2 Red pepper

1/2 yellow pepper

1 fist spinach

1 tomato

1 tbsp goat cheese

Olive oil

Directions

Chop all the vegetables into small pieces

Beat the eggs and add the splash of milk, add pepper (you can add salt but I did not put it because it already has salty ingredients)

Put olive oil in the pan and add in order: onion, peppers, mushrooms, tomato and spinach

Add the beaten eggs covering the entire pan and cover, cook over low heat

At half cooking add the olives, capers and goat cheese, cover and finish cooking

Serve with some balsamic oil

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: What is a Mediterranean Diet

1.1) What is ..

1.2) The history of ..

1.3) The science behind..

Chapter 2: How does a mediterranean diet works

Chapter 3: Potential health benefits

Chapter 4: Is Meditteranean diet for everyone

Chapter 5: Start a mediterranean diet

Chapter 6: Relevance in weight loss

Chapter 7: Lifestyle and food pyramid

Chapter 8: Foods in Mediterranean Diet

Fruits and vegetables

Red meat and red wine

Eggs and dairy

Fish and seafood

Olive oil, herbs and spices

Nuts and seeds

Grains and legumes

Poultry

Lemon juice water

Lemon water

Chapter 9: Mediterranean meals:

9.1) Breakfast

Coconut oil coffee

Chocolate waffles

Lemon-ricotta cornmeal waffles

Gluten-free pancakes

Banana pancakes

Blueberry pancakes

Quiche

Eggs casserole

Eggy veggie bake

Mini frittatas

Peanut butter and banana french toast

Avocado toast with egg

Caprese avocado toast

Lunch

Mushroom risotto

Italian shrimp and scallop risotto

Tuna spaghetti

Shrimp linguine

Mediterranean farfalle

Greek pasta salad

Avocado salad with lemon dijon vinaigrette, Kale, and quinoa,

Tuscan tuna and white bean salad

Greek chicken gyro salad

Fat greek salad

Cobb salad

Vegetable barley soup

Italian cannellini bean soup

Shakshouka

9.3) Dinner

Avocado Served with Gazpacho

California, Avocado and pasta salad

Energy Boosting Veggie Pita

Roasted Veggies

Pasta Bake with Tomato and Eggplant

Prawn Salad with Warm Rice

Mediterranean Chunky Tomato Soup

Potato Salad

Sweet Butternut pasta shells and Squash

Picnic Style Salad

9.4) side dishes

Neapolitan Cauliflower Salad

Greek Stewed Green Bills

Tabbouleh

Fig, Arugula and Quinoa Salad

Italian Sweet Corn Bread

Whole Wheat Pita Bread

Tunisian Harissa Beet Salad

Spicy Kale and Potatoes

9.5) Desserts

Honey-Pistachio Roasted Pears

Five-Berry Compote with Mint and Orange Infusion

Blueberry & macadamia flapjacks

Sherry, almond & orange pandoro

Sherry & almond Christmas cake

Honey yogurt cheesecake

9.6) Smoothies

Stuffed Figs

Cherry Clafoutis

Strawberry Chia Pudding

Frozen veggie smoothie

Dolce Vita Smoothie

Breakfast Smoothie

Fig Smoothie

Almond Date Smoothies

Chapter 10: Tips and tricks to have success

Plan your meals carefully

Grill your food

Learn to substitute

Take note of the quality of food

Eat smaller, regular meals

Conclusion

Bonus 1: 7 days meal plan

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Bonus 2: 28 days meal plan

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Bonus 3: recipes

Rice with Smoked Sausages and Beer

Beef Meatballs in Vegetable Bath

Slow Baked Beef

Mediterranean chicken with 4 kinds of cheese

Mediterranean rolls

Mediterranean chicken

Mediterranean rice

Baked fish Mediterranean style

Mediterranean fish fillet

Mediterranean beef casserole

Mediterranean salad with pasta

Mediterranean Frittata