Eating a nutritious and wholesome diet is important for optimal health and well being. The Mediterranean diet has gained popularity in this respect. This article explains the origin, importance and core foods in the Mediterranean diet. This is a traditional diet of the Mediterranean region and it’s a diet that really came into popularity in the 1960s. It’s also called a heart-healthy diet. It was found that people from the Mediterranean region had lower rates of heart diseases and stroke so researchers looked back and observed the eating patterns of the people of these regions that might have helped to prevent the risk of heart diseases. And what they found that there were a lot of commonalities within this region in terms of diet and one of them was reliance on whole unprocessed natural foods less sugar less processing.

Why the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean style of eating is growing in popularity now although it has been around for a while it’s continuing to grow. Moreover, it is recognized by World Health Organization as part of a healthy eating pattern for the promotion of health and prevention against diseases. Also, the reason behind its popularity is the researches show that the diet promotes not only wellness but also decrease the risk of heart diseases, obesity, cancer, stroke, diabetes and other chronic diseases.

The Mediterranean diet rich in extra virgin olive oil helps the body to remove excess cholesterol from the body thus keeping the blood vessels open and reducing the risk of heart attacks. Also, it’s a super versatile diet it is one that is super easy to implement, it’s delicious, there’s a lot of variables involved and it can be really simple and easy and a fun way to eat. This is a great diet for anyone who wants to improve their heart health and overall wellness and it’s incredibly delicious.

Core Foods

Mediterranean diet and has evolved over the years and it varies according to different regions and countries but generally, a Mediterranean diet includes:

1. Whole Grains

• So, you can consume whole wheat bread, pasta or crackers
• Also, sorghum, quinoa and oats
• Buckwheat, bulgur and barley as well

2. Fruits and Veggies

• So, starchy and non-starchy vegetables include tomatoes, broccoli, kale, spinach, onions, cauliflower, carrots, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, etc
• Also consume all fruits including apples, bananas, berries, peaches, grapes as you will.

Hence, aim for 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables each day

3. Proteins

• Consume beans, lentils, chickpeas and tofu liberally.
• You can eat chicken, fish and seafood occasionally.
• Also, limit intake of red meat and processed meat. So, go for small portion sizes.

So, eat fish twice a week either freshwater fish or canned fish. Avoid deep-fried fish and chicken.

4. Healthy Fats

• Almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds and all unsweetened and unsalted nuts
• Avoid sugar coated nuts and nut butters
• Replace butter and margarine with olive oil, use it for seasoning your food

Eat foods from this group in moderation

5. Milk and Dairy

• Use low fat milk and plain Greek yogurt
• Cottage cheese, goat cheese or others

Opt for unsweetened low-fat products and eat small amounts in moderation

6. Herbs and spices

• Spice your food up with fresh and dried herbs
• They lessen the need of salt and add flavor to your food
• There is no reason to restrict these in your diet

7. Drinks

• Tea/Green Tea
• Coffee
• Water

 Avoid sodas and sweetened fruit juices.

How to get started?

“Even though it’s called Mediterranean diet, it’s not really a diet,” said a registered dietitian in Atlanta at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

It’s the kind of diet that doesn’t restrict you to something, it encourages you to eat food from all the groups while emphasizing on those most beneficial to health and well being. People who once adopt a Mediterranean style of eating don’t prefer any other way of eating. Here are few recommendations to make your diet more Mediterranean.

Start Small

Well, in order to follow a specific dietary lifestyle what we need to look at is any kind of unhealthy habits that need to be changed. So, it’s important to start small. If you are looking at making a complete revamp, it gets a little bit overwhelming. So, you have to think of specific things that you can pull from this dietary pattern and implement in your daily routine. It’s better if you do one thing at a time, it might be something where you’re replacing red meat with fish or chicken, maybe you’re adding more legumes and chickpeas in your meals, maybe you’ve never tried lentils and you’re looking for the recipes that utilize these types of healthy plant protein. Think of ways to utilize seasonal local produce, try new combinations and recipes.

Get moving

Instead of considering exercise something strenuous that you have to go and do in a gym. Just get up walk with family and friends, play with children or simply dance in joyful movements. These are all considered physical activities. The mediterranean diet pyramid also focuses on staying physically active. Along with adopting a healthy eating pattern.

Meal Time Matters

It is recommended that proper time should be given to each meal. Put away all the distractions turn off the TV, leave your cell phone, chew slowly, and focus on every bite. On average 20-30 minutes should be given to each meal. If it’s hard to implement start small make small adjustments then gradually move towards bigger changes.

Eating slowly helps in improving digestion, hydration and weight maintenance. When you eat slowly you feel satisfied and full with each meal.

Replace butter with olive oil

The amount of fat is not as important as the type of fat. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes the heart-healthy unsaturated types of fats. This dietary pattern gives importance to olive oil as the main source of fat for your meals. Saturated fats from butter can raise your LDL levels or bad cholesterol. Replacing it with unsaturated fats like olive oil can help lower your cholesterol levels by raising HDL or good cholesterol. This improves your heart health and lowers the risk of obesity.

Focus on plant based meals

Healthy plant-based meals should consist of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Add a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables to your diet. These are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals phytochemicals and fibre that helps to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and help maintain a healthy weight.  What does a healthy plate look like? Nutrition experts at Harvard School of Public Health created a visual Healthy Eating Plate to encourage healthy eating.

The post What is Mediterranean Diet? first appeared on Food Life Book.

The post What is Mediterranean Diet? appeared first on Food Life Book.

A traditional Mediterranean diet consists of foods that provide generous amounts of antioxidants, phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, fibre and anti-cancer substances. When coupled with physical activity has the health benefits of reducing the risk of chronic physical and mental health problems. It’s not just about eating certain foods and drinks. But other traditional Mediterranean lifestyle habits are also likely to be part of the effect. Such as eating slowly and with others, leading a more relaxed way of life and doing regular physical activity.

Studies have found that Mediterranean communities who eat and live this way have a lower risk of heart and circulatory disease. This type of diet encourages dietary and lifestyle changes. Which offer long term health benefits and are key to optimal health.  Let’s take a look at all the health benefits that are consistently making this diet ranked on top.

Health benefits for Heart

Health Benefits for Blood Pressure

The focus on fresh unprocessed foods could help you cut back on salt. Research shows that eating too much salt can cause high blood pressure. So cutting down can help keep your blood pressure at a healthy level. The higher the blood pressure greater is the risk of heart disease. This diet emphasizes the usage of herbs and spices in your meals. When you use fresh or dried herbs and spices in your food they reduce the need of adding salt to food. So focus on the consumption of a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables and seasonal produce. And along with regular physical activity, you can keep your blood pressure in normal ranges. And ultimately keep your heart healthy.

Is Mediterranean Diet good for brain?

People who follow this diet are generally healthy and have greater cognitive health. The reason behind its cognitive benefits is that it contains DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) which is an omega-3 unsaturated fatty acid. That is mainly found in fish and has been known to provide brain-boosting benefits. This diet is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants are naturally occurring compounds found mainly in fruits vegetables and whole grains. They slow down the ageing process and control how fast you age by fighting free radicals.

Inflammation in the brain has a major role in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Studies indicate that the Mediterranean diet may have a protective effect against inflammation and tissue loss. And dietary interventions play a role in the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. Those who adhere to this diet were not at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to researches.

Is Mediterranean Diet good for Diabetes?

Numerous evidence-based studies have found that following a Mediterranean diet helps manage blood sugar levels. Mediterranean diet helps in enhancing insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes. If you adopt this dietary pattern early in life it reduces your risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the first place. Now the question arises how does a diet high in carbs lowers your risk of diabetes? Here are a few factors that would explain that:

• This diet emphasizes consumption of whole grains and carbs from vegetables instead of refined grains and processed foods
• These foods have low glycemic index and do not spike up your glucose levels.
• This diet limits the intake of sweets, desserts and all sorts or sugary drinks
• It includes healthy fats and protein, these help keep your glucose levels in check
• This lifestyle promotes physical activity and exercise.

Is Mediterranean Diet good for Inflammation?

This diet is rich in vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and certain other compounds that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It emphasizes the use of anti-inflammatory foods such as olive oil, dark green leafy vegetables and fruits. National Institute of Health (NIH) recommends the use of omega 3 fatty acids for the prevention and management of inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Evidence suggests that omega 3 fatty acids from foods such as nuts can help decrease the inflammation and pain related to arthritis. Certain other studies prove that this dietary pattern improves the symptoms of inflammatory diseases

Is Mediterranean Diet good for Cancer?

People living in areas of the Mediterranean Sea had a protective effect against cancer, compared to those living in Europe and the US. Because of their healthier dietary habits. Nowadays, we are moving away from our traditional lifestyles. Which is increasing the risk of chronic diseases including cancer. Recent evidence from the studies suggests a relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and cancer. Mediterranean diet plays a role in preventing certain types of cancers. Especially those of digestive tract, breast, liver and prostate cancer. Following aspects of the diet can explain its protective effects against cancer:

• Diet is rich in antioxidant containing foods such as fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains instead of refined grains
• Low intake of processed foods
• Supplementation with olive oil
• Low intake of red meat

The post Health Benefits of Mediterranean Diet first appeared on Food Life Book.

The post Health Benefits of Mediterranean Diet appeared first on Food Life Book.

If you are a diabetic and concerned about rice potatoes and grains spiking your blood sugar you are in the right place. There’s a diabetes-friendly version of the Mediterranean diet, sounds great right? So, first of all, if you have diabetes and if the Mediterranean diet is a big departure from how you normally eat. Then it is recommended to talk with your doctor and dietitian. And let them know you’re going to be making these changes in your diet.

Perhaps it’s best to keep a food diary for a few days. So that you and your care team can monitor you know how your blood sugar is doing. Just to make sure that your medications are still at the right levels. Even if your diet might be changing in terms of the Mediterranean diet itself.

US news ranked the Mediterranean Diet as the number 1 diet for diabetes, heart disease and weight loss. It has been ranked on top for the fourth consecutive year. The Mediterranean diet is also recommended as part of the care for diabetes. In terms of how your blood sugar is affected by different carbohydrate foods. It can be impacted differently. Depending on if you eat the food by itself or if you eat it with something else.

Eating carbohydrates in Diet for Diabetes

In old days, fats were considered a bad guy in terms of weight gain and cholesterol. Many people still consider fats bad. But they are gradually losing a bad reputation and that’s a positive thing. Fats can be good or bad it all depends on what you choose and how you consume it. And it is important to choose unsaturated fats from healthy sources instead of saturated and trans fat. Healthy fats can help lower cholesterol levels and keep blood sugar levels stable. The key is to pair your carbs with healthy fats. For example, if you have a potato and you are eating it with olive oil as we do in the Mediterranean diet. Then that pairing can actually help reduce the glycemic response.

That means that the potato combined with olive oil will have a more gentle impact on your blood sugar. As opposed to if you were to eat it alone. This is because fats slow down the digestion and release of glucose from carbohydrates. So when paired it won’t spike up your blood glucose. You can eat whole-grain crackers with avocado or avocado spread.

Eating Carbohydrates with Protein

A lot of people avoid pasta because they think it’s high in carbs. But there’s a fun fact that not a lot of people realize. Pasta a staple food of the Mediterranean diet in Italy, actually has a low glycemic index. It depends on the type of pasta and the method used for cooking. This is because when the pasta dough is extruded to make the shapes it actually compacts the starch structure. So that it digests more slowly and this means that it will have a gentler blood sugar response.

Moreover, pasta cooked al dente (under-cooked) has a slower response in raising post-meal blood sugar levels. Compared with overcooked pasta which causes a rapid rise in sugar. You can pair your pasta with seafood, or chicken. Proteins will help you feel full and decrease the rise in blood sugar levels.

Pairing whole grains with Protein

Fibre helps slow down the absorption of carbohydrates and fats from the food. And therefore, inhibits a rise in blood glucose levels as well as cholesterol or LDL levels. Well choosing a higher fibre carbohydrate food like a whole grain pairing that with a fat or protein is a wise option. For example, you can choose whole grains like quinoa, barley etc. and cook it with some good protein like mushrooms. Add some vegetables or cheese to it to make a healthy, wholesome and low glycemic index meal out of it.

You can also have a chicken sandwich loaded with a lot of veggies or a slice of cheese or avocado. Make sure to use whole grain bread for sandwiches. So it’s always a good idea to pair your high fibre food with fat or protein. Rather than just having it on its own in order to help have the best response for your blood sugar.

Diet for Diabetes: Other Options

Some other tips when choosing carbohydrate foods on a Mediterranean diet and especially if you have diabetes are;

Batch cooking can be helpful

You may not have heard of this before but know that batch cooking can be helpful. So for example if you cook rice or potatoes and eat them right away while they’re warm. They’ll have one impact on your blood sugar but if you cook the rice or potatoes let them chill for at least 24 hours. And then you can reheat them or enjoy them chilled in like a pasta salad or a potato salad.

That will actually have a lower blood sugar response. Then if you would have eaten it when it was first cooked. So in this way it can kind of saves you time. And also could potentially help out with your blood sugar response.

Seek minimally processed foods

Whether or not you have diabetes it’s important to seek out foods in their minimally processed form. So for example choose whole grains and whole grains that are intact grains. And you know less processed rather than refined grain foods. Because refined grains have the potential to spike your blood sugar a little more.

Small frequent meals

If you have diabetes it is recommended that you eat small frequent meals. Instead of three whole meals, you have to divide your food into 3 meals and 2 snacks in between the meals. If you eat small frequent meals it results in the sustained or continued release of glucose. Rather than spiking up your blood glucose all at once. This results in decreased insulin requirements throughout the day and lower cholesterol levels. This also decreases your hunger. And you may eat fewer calories through the course of your day.

Stay physically active

Doing small exercises in order to stay physically active can actually help improve your blood sugar levels. Aerobic exercise like cycling, swimming, jogging, running etc. can promote insulin release. It also increases the body’s sensitivity to insulin which means your cells are better able to respond to insulin. Which in return decrease your blood sugar levels and helps manage diabetes.

In the end, it’s important for everyone to consume a balanced diet that supports their health. And maintains your blood glucose levels, whether or not you have diabetes. Just remember and follow a simple formula to keep your diabetes and weight in check and that is to pair up your meals like this:

Carbs + Proteins + Healthy fats

The post Mediterranean Diet for Diabetes first appeared on Food Life Book.

The post Mediterranean Diet for Diabetes appeared first on Food Life Book.

Hi everyone today I want to talk to you about how to shop for the Mediterranean diet. It’s the number one question that comes into mind when people want to start the Mediterranean diet. What should they pick up when they go to the supermarket. In this article, we will talk about the items that you can buy on repeat. I’m gonna give you a grocery list of 12 items that you can buy weekly. The items in this grocery list will help you get your recommended amount of nutrients. Such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids and more. And remember that each colour of food offers you different nutrients, so let’s get started.

1. Lemons: a must have in your grocery list

Starting with the citrus, our first item in the Mediterranean diet grocery list is lemons. You have to buy lemons by the bag and use them for everything. You can use lemons all the time in salad dressings, in dips, sauces you can make lemon water. You can put slices around roasted vegetables and chicken and fish. And they make a great flavour substitute if you don’t want to cook with wine.

So, if you don’t like wine you can just squeeze in a little lemon juice in your pasta. Or whatever you are making. It’s not going to make everything taste lemony. But it will give a nice bright flavour and it’ll enhance the flavours around it so buy lemons.

2. Add Avocados to your grocery list

The second item on our grocery list is avocados. Avocados are a great source of healthy fat. And there is something about their texture that satisfies that craving for something fattening and creamy. They are great on sandwiches and salads and who doesn’t love guacamole, right?

3. Bread

Buy yourself some freshly baked bakery bread. Now, this isn’t something you have to buy weekly you can buy it according to how often you consume it. You don’t have to be afraid of carbs, the Mediterranean diet is not a low carbs diet. It’s not the carbs that are the enemy it’s the highly processed carbs that are your enemy. It’s the quality of food you eat that really matters. So, if you go to the bakery you should get a loaf that was baked that morning by a baker. It will have very fewer additives and is minimally processed.

It’s not gonna last as long. And you can also get whole grain bread such as rye bread for sandwiches and for breakfast. Rye bread doesn’t work in all situations but is one of the healthiest bread you can eat. So don’t be afraid to eat bread just get good quality bread at the bakery.

4. Tomatoes

We can use tomatoes in everything and there’s nothing better than just a simple tomato sandwich. One of my favourite things to do is to take the bakery bread that I talked about earlier. And put a little Dijon mustard on it and a big fat slice of tomato. That makes a wonderful summer sandwich. Now tomatoes aren’t really around in the winter. But you can buy canned tomatoes, crushed tomatoes or whole tomatoes that are peeled. You can even buy diced tomatoes for making salsa at home.

So, tomatoes are a great food for you on the Mediterranean diet. I mean who doesn’t love bruschetta right? So, in the summer you can get fresh wonderful tomatoes. That you can roast or you can eat in salads or you can eat on sandwiches. And in the winter you can buy the kind that comes in the carton or in a can.

5. Leafy Greens

 I can’t emphasize enough how important leafy greens are to a Mediterranean diet. Now there are all kinds of salad greens that you can get. But there are lots of lovely greens that you can cook as well. Some of my favourites are Swiss chard, dandelion greens, turnip greens, mustard greens, beet greens, collard greens. There are so many versatile greens out there.  Actually, watercress is a great thing that you can add to salads or soups or you can make watercress sandwiches. So explore your leafy greens I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

6. Coffee

The next item on this list is coffee. So if you’re a coffee lover like me you probably drink two or three cups of it a day, right? So, seek out a brand of coffee that you really like if you’re a coffee lover it really matters to you what your coffee tastes like. So, when you’re buying it doesn’t always have to be the most expensive brand. Find one that you really love. And use it as a pleasure that you can certainly have on the Mediterranean diet.

7. Garlic

Garlic is one of the most important items to add to your shopping list. You can use garlic in everything you can cook with it, or use it raw or you can put it in olive oil and use it as a dipping sauce. You can also put it in sauces and soups and stews. Garlic is one of those things that you can use raw or you can use for cooking. And it’s so good for you so put garlic on your shopping list.

8. Cucumbers

There’s no freshness in life without cucumbers. They are one of the best veggies for snacking, used in sauces. They are a must for a refreshing fresh salad. You can put cucumber and lemon slices in your water and drink it as homemade detox water instead of plain water. They can be used in low-fat dips. They are hydrating, rich in antioxidants and can easily be incorporated into your diet. On average one whole cucumber has only 30 calories. it contains 95% water and is a good source of vitamin K and vitamin A. So if you plan to lose weight adding cucumbers to your groceries is a great idea.

9. Canned Tuna

There are different varieties of tuna that you can choose from. White meat tuna, yellowfin tuna and others so go for whatever is your flavour preference. But you can use tuna in salads, you can make spaghetti with it. You can make a little pasta dish where you put a little tuna and some olives a little olive oil into it and stir it up. And it’s a really nice flavour enhancer so try tuna it’s a great way to get your omega-3 fatty acids.

10. Almond Milk

    What we next have on the list is almond milk. You can definitely go for low fat cow’s milk but if you don’t like animal milk, almond milk is a great substitute. So, sometimes. Buy unsweetened almond milk it’s a great ingredient to use just as a substitute for regular milk. We’re so used to using cow’s milk in everything but if you’re baking a cake you can substitute almond milk. It has no difference. It gives a good fluffy texture. Right so why don’t you give almond milk a try?

11. Fresh Herbs

Once you get used to cooking with fresh herbs you’re going to want to use them on everything. So you can buy them in the store or you can even grow them at home even. When it’s wintertime you can grow them in a pot in your kitchen. Maybe grow basil around and rosemary anything you want. Fresh healthy green herbs can provide lots of minerals and vitamins for your body

It’s just so nice to be able to pluck it off the vine and just put it in your soup or in your spaghetti sauce. Or in eggs or on fish or chicken or anything toss them in a salad. And I think you’ll really enjoy them.

12. Seasonal Fruits

Last but not least on our shopping list is seasonal fruits. It’s really about your preference here and the seasonal availability. So buy whatever you like strawberries and cherries and peaches and grapes and things like that. A tip is to just keep them on the kitchen table. And that way you can see them and remember that they’re there and you need to eat them. Things like apples and pears and they’re just a nice substitute for sweets. So after dinner if you’re looking for a little sweetie for dessert why don’t you try grabbing a piece of fruit.

Instead of a cake or a cookie or something like that, you’ll get plenty of nutrients that’re good for you

So buy yourself some fruit the next time you go out because it’s a staple of the Mediterranean diet well thank you. I hope this was helpful for you guys. Please check out part two of the Mediterranean Diet Shopping List.

The post Mediterranean Diet – Shopping List Part 1 first appeared on Food Life Book.

The post Mediterranean Diet – Shopping List Part 1 appeared first on Food Life Book.

There are a lot of anti-inflammatory foods that we can eat in our daily life. And they happen to reduce inflammation. So not only are you going to be eating to feel better. You’re going to help your body reduce that inflammation and that bloating. And all this happens naturally too. So real quick I want to talk about inflammation and what it is. And explain that inflammation by itself is not a horrible thing. For example, you can have inflammation around an injury. Because your body is trying to heal it. Chronic inflammation however is not related to an injury. And it’s just constant inflammation that’s related to a poor diet, stress or just inactivity.

Now the question is how do you identify inflammation? Headaches, fatigue, constipation, bloating and gas, joint pain weight gain. The inability to lose weight and memory loss are a few of the symptoms. These can appear due to inflammation.

What you can do to reduce Inflammation?

Ever wondered the reason why we gain weight? Or why do we have an inability to lose weight with inflammation? It’s because your body isn’t getting the right micro-nutrients. That is needs in order to reduce that inflammation. But don’t worry there are a number of things you can do. To reduce inflammation and to prevent it in the first place what you can do is:

• Avoid fried foods. Use little amount of oil for cooking.
• Try to get better sleep. 6-8 hours daily.
• Drink a lot of water. To help remove the toxin that may cause inflammation.
• You can stay physically active

What else you can do? You can include as many of the following anti-inflammatory foods into your diet. Consume them on a regular basis. This will help reduce inflammation. So let’s get started.

Fatty Fish as Anti Inflammatory Foods

Seafood contains a number of nutrients that are beneficial in reducing inflammation. Eating fish on regular basis can reduce your risk of developing arthritis. Fatty fish like tuna, mackerel and salmon are the best ones for fighting inflammation. They contain omega-3 fatty acids such as EPA and DHA, which have anti-inflammatory properties.

Raw Unsalted Nuts

Nuts, especially raw and unsalted nuts are high in healthy fats. And at the same time lower in unhealthy fats. Especially almonds, walnuts and peanuts are really good for you. Because they help to reduce inflammation in the body. And they help to improve your immune system. Consuming a handful of nuts every day can help prevent your chances of developing inflammatory diseases and are good for overall well being.

Berries

Strawberries reduce inflammatory markers that are linked to heart disease. Inflammatory markers indicate the presence of inflammation in the body. Blueberries contain a compound that has been shown to reduce inflammation. So add fresh or frozen berries to your diet they are a fun way to achieve optimal health.

Leafy Greens

Leafy green veggies like spinach and kale and chard are also really good for inflammation. They contain a lot of micro-nutrients that help to reduce inflammation.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are another one. So a lot of people get concerned about the acidic levels of tomatoes. But they do contain chemical lycopene. Which fights inflammation. They’re also very high in vitamin C. Which is a really good anti-inflammatory vitamin.

Turmeric

Turmeric is a spice that you can add to your diet. It has anti-inflammatory properties. It contains an anti-inflammatory nutrient. Which helps reduce inflammation and pain associated with it.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil is one of the best anti-inflammatory foods. It is not only tasty and really helpful for cooking. But it also contains polyphenols. Which actually helps to prevent inflammatory compounds from being released into the body. And it contains omega-3 fatty acids which decrease inflammation. Try adding olive oil to your salad dressings.

Cherries

Cherries especially tart cherries are helpful for fighting inflammation. Tart cherries are a little bit redder and not as much of the dark maroon colour. And they also contain a lot of valuable nutrients and vitamins. that are good for improving your overall health.

Dark Chocolate

Yes, dark chocolate is very good for you. It contains flavonols, it contains antioxidants. It is just super delicious to have in general. Just be sure to look for dark chocolate that is 70 cacao percentage or higher.

Grapes

Grapes are anti-inflammatory foods as they contain resveratrol. Which have been linked to reducing blood pressure and cholesterol. Along with that the anthocyanins in grapes also reduce inflammation.

Peppers

Peppers both spicy and bell peppers have vitamin C and a ton of antioxidants. That help to decrease inflammation in the body.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms also have anti-inflammatory effects. They are rich in vitamins and minerals. But a lot of people actually enjoy them raw instead of cooked. Because it’s thought that cooking actually decreases their inflammatory properties.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a tasty cruciferous vegetable that does decrease inflammation. But along with broccoli, foods like brussels sprouts and cauliflower also reduce inflammation. Yes, they might cause a little bit of additional bloating. Due to having a high fibre content. But that doesn’t mean that it’s not helping to reduce overall inflammation.

Avocado

So, we all know avocados are super tasty. They have a ton of healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids. But they also help to reduce inflammation. Because avocados rock.

Green Tea

Not only will a cup or two of green tea a day help reduce your risk for cancer and Alzheimer’s. It’ll also help improve the number of antioxidants you’re getting in that day. And it has very valuable anti-inflammatory properties

Flax Seeds

Flax seeds are powerful food as well for inflammation. The alpha-linolenic and omega-3 fatty acids contained in flax seeds all have anti-inflammatory properties. You can top them on your yoghurt bowls. Add them into a smoothie. Or top them on some covered toast and it’s just so tasty.

Garlic

Garlic is actually thought to help reduce a lot of inflammation. Especially inflammation in joints. Garlic has also been shown to help protect against cell damage. And it lowers blood pressure as well.

Beans

Beans are a great anti-inflammatory food. Because they’re high in fibre. And that helps to remove any toxins out of your digestive system. Just like with cruciferous vegetables like broccoli a lot of people feel like beans cause bloating. But what it’s actually doing is helping to relieve the inflammation. You just have to kind of let it go through your digestive system and settle out.

The post 18 Anti Inflammatory Foods in Mediterranean Diet first appeared on Food Life Book.

The post 18 Anti Inflammatory Foods in Mediterranean Diet appeared first on Food Life Book.

In part one of the Mediterranean diet shopping list, we talked about things you have to buy every single week. Now in part 2, the list is a little bit longer. Here we talked about things that you need to keep on hand. So, there are pantry items, things that last a little bit longer. But are very important for the Mediterranean diet. And I think you will enjoy them for their flavour and for the benefits that they offer. So let’s get right into it.

1. Add Olive Oil to your Shopping List

The first item on my list is olive oil. Now olive oil is probably one of the most important ingredients for the Mediterranean diet. So you can cook with it, you can drizzle it on salads, you can use it in just about anything. You probably don’t need to have any other oil in the house besides olive oil.

2. Eggs

You also need to have eggs around. Even if you eat eggs maybe once or twice a week for breakfast, where you may use them in a recipe or two. But they are not something that you have to go through that often. So it’s not something that you have to buy every week.

3. Beans

Beans are also an important ingredient to have in the Mediterranean diet. You can buy them in cans and keep them on your shelf to keep around. Cannellini beans, chickpeas, pinto beans and black beans are all really healthy for you. And as you know the Mediterranean diet limits the amount of meat that you can eat. So beans are a healthy substitute to offer fibre and protein and all the good things that you need.

4. Celery

Celery, onions and carrots are pretty much the basis for any soup.  So you can keep those around in your pantry all the time. You can buy a bag of onions they can keep in the pantry for a long time actually. And things like carrots, you can keep with the refrigerator and celery then you know you don’t use them all the time. But they are things that you want to have around. And they’re good flavourings for soups and stews or even to put in salads and things like that.

5. Mushrooms

The next item on the Mediterranean diet shopping list is mushrooms. You can use mushrooms in pasta dishes, again in salads and soups. There are so many things you can do with mushrooms, you can make a little mushroom omelette for breakfast. They are really good for you. Yet another thing that you don’t need to buy all the time but it’s good to have them to have on-hand.

6. Potatoes

Next up are potatoes. Don’t be afraid of potatoes we talked about carbs in the first part of the Mediterranean diet shopping list and how you don’t really need to fear carbs. A lot of people are afraid of white foods. Potatoes are good for you and you probably not going to eat them every single day. So it’s not something that you have to buy weekly. And they last a long time in the pantry so keep potatoes around they’re very filling. You can use them in a variety of ways. You can just roast them in the oven with some rosemary and they’re so good.

7. Broth

8. Pasta

Pasta, oh don’t be afraid of pasta we’re all carbs crazy in this country. Bur actually you really don’t need to be. I was just reading a study about pasta, it’s very important how you cook it. So the package instructions always say how to make it all done. And really it’s healthier for you if you make it authentic. If you overcook pasta where it gets kind of soft and mushy. That’s when it becomes something that’s more high glycemic. It’s really about the quantities of it and how it’s prepared. So don’t be afraid of pasta there are all kinds of fun things you can do with pasta.

9. Rice

Just like pasta do not be afraid of rice, I keep rice around. There are different kinds that you can buy. You can add rice to vegetable dishes to fill you up a little bit more. You can buy brown rice, you can buy whole grain rice, and you can buy wild rice. There are all kinds of varieties of rice out there that you can buy to add to your meals.

10. Cheese

Cheese, it’s another thing that you don’t have to buy weekly. But if you love cheese you can buy different kinds of cheeses. You can put cheese in your food to add more fun and goodness to regular food. Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, Cottage cheese, there are all kinds of cheeses out there. That you can buy to enhance your meals.

11. Dried Herbs

Dried herbs are also great to have around. Now we talked about fresh herbs in part 1 of the Mediterranean diet shopping list. But you can keep dried herbs in the pantry for a long time. Things like oregano and basil and garlic powder are great to have on hand. And you can also buy a blend that’s an Italian blend that has a lot of things mixed. These are the kind of things you want to have in your pantry that you can flavour your meals with. And they can really enhance a dish. So, have some dried herbs around and get used to using them.

12. Honey

Another item that you can have around in the pantry is honey. Now we don’t use honey often but it’s great on breakfast cereal. It can be used in cooking and in salad dressings. It’s important to buy raw honey and to be careful that you really are buying honey. Because some of the honey that you find in the supermarket, it’s not really honey. It’s a combination of corn syrup and high corn syrup. So make sure you’re buying real honey. And I think it’s a great way to add a little sweetness to your meal. Without just putting sugar on everything.

13. Vinegar

Last up on our Mediterranean diet shopping list is vinegar. You can buy red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, and balsamic vinegar. There are all kinds of vinegar you can have them left for a really long time in your pantry. You can use them in salads of course, but you also use them to flavour things. You can marinate chicken in them you can marinate fish. And you can sprinkle them on things and just add a little flavour.

That is all I have for you. So, this is your list of pantry staples to have around on the Mediterranean diet. I wish you luck in your Mediterranean diet journey, hope this helps.

The post Mediterranean diet- Shopping List Part 2 first appeared on Food Life Book.

The post Mediterranean diet- Shopping List Part 2 appeared first on Food Life Book.

A lot of diets claim to provide the best health benefits for people with diabetes but when considering a diet for diabetes it’s important to make wise choices rather than quick fixes. For long term and lasting health, you need to emphasize on good nutrition. So go for practical options and lifestyle changes that you can stick to in the long run. Here’s a comparison between three diets that have gained popularity over time in terms of their benefits against diabetes management. When you decide to choose a particular diet consider the one that fulfils the following criteria.

• Allows minimum amount of added sugars and refined grains.
• Emphasizes on whole grains and non-starchy vegetables.
• Focuses on unprocessed, whole foods and healthy fats.

Ketogenic diet

A very low carbohydrate diet is also known as the ketogenic diet. Ketogenic diets are popular? Well yes, they are fairly popular. And they basically consist of very low amounts of carbohydrates and high amounts of fats and fatty protein. Now carbohydrates how much carbohydrate can you eat on a ketogenic diet? 20-50 grams of carbohydrates only. Let’s talk about how much 20 grams of carbohydrate actually is a little bit later, so don’t miss out and keep reading.

What does the Ketogenic diet consist of?

The idea of a Ketogenic diet is to get more calories from fats and proteins and a minimal amount of calories from carbohydrates. It allows you to have 75% of calories from fat, 10-30% from protein and no more than 5% that is 20-50g from carbohydrates.

Foods allowed in Ketogenic Diet

• You can eat butter and lard which normally you won’t be eating on other diets
• Coconut oil can also be consumed in the ketogenic diet
• fatty cuts of meat that’s what you’re going to eat
• egg yolks are fine with the ketogenic diet
• full fat sour cream and mayonnaise is allowed mayonnaise
• avocados, bacon, nuts, nut butters heavy whipped cream this is all allowed
• cream cheese, yes this is what you can eat with ketogenic diet

Foods you need to limit

What you are going to be cutting out is:

• sugar, soda, candies, pastries are not allowed
• white bread, pasta, starchy vegetables like potatoes are to be avoided
• Legumes, cereals intake is minimized
• Whole grains, oatmeal are just another form of starch that’s needs to be limited on this diet

Amount of carbohydrates allowed

All right just to put this into perspective one banana has approximately 19 grams of carbohydrates. And you’re supposed to have 20 to 50g of carbohydrates in the ketogenic diet. But most people stick to 20g. Some people who are really fundamentalists with the ketogenic diet cut it down to 10 grams. So you cannot even have a banana with a ketogenic diet. One slice of bread is around 12 grams. So two slices of bread are all you can potentially have. If you’re gonna meet only that 20-gram criteria. A regular size apple is about 20 grams itself. So one apple and that’s it no other carbohydrates.

So basically eating any bread or rice is totally out of the question and this will definitely push you over the carbohydrate limit because you will be getting carbohydrates unexpectedly from other sources which you don’t even know about.

Keto Diet in a nutshell

A lot of people get benefits if they’re able to keep up and do follow this diet for diabetes, properly. While a lot of other people find it fairly difficult to follow this type of diet. There are research studies that talk about how low carbohydrate diets improve glucose control by breaking down fat in the body. So it may actually help overweight diabetic individuals. But, let’s not ignore the fact that this diet is high in all sorts of unhealthy fats. It has the potential to raise your blood cholesterol levels and may lead to adverse health effects in the long run.

Vegan/Vegetarian Diet for Diabetes

Let’s move on to the next diet which is the vegan or the vegetarian diet. And are normally low fat and high carbohydrate diets. Now let’s just talk about the types of carbohydrates we’re going to be having especially with the vegan type diets. The risk of developing diabetes is inversely related to vegetarianism. This means the more vegetarian you are the less diabetes you will most likely have.

What you can eat?

With the vegan diet, you have to eat whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, lentils, nuts. And you’re going to be cutting down on saturated fat and trans fat. This is one of the holy dogmas of the vegan diet that you’re cutting down on saturated fats. You’re cutting down on a lot of fats. This is what vegans are normally famous for.

Protection against diabetes

Now it definitely has benefits. Research shows that people who are on the vegan diet may actually have less than half of the rate of diabetes. As compared to the general population. Another study shows that the rate of diabetes is relatively lower in the vegan group. And the risk is approximately two to three times higher in non-vegans and non-vegetarians.

Protection against overweight/obesity

The same study showed that there was a significant difference in the weights of vegetarians and non-vegetarians. With non-vegetarians mostly being overweight. The difference between the weights of vegetarians and non-vegetarians definitely indicates a substantial potential of vegetarianism to protect against obesity. Which ultimately offers protection against type 2 diabetes by decreasing insulin resistance.

Quality of carbohydrates matters

It also depends on the quality of the carbohydrates that you are eating. If you are eating carbohydrates in the form of junk foods such as fries, cakes all the time. Then that does not meet the criteria of whole grain, fruits and vegetables as stressed by vegans.

Vegan diet in a nut shell

While there is a huge number of health benefits of a vegan/vegetarian diet for diabetes. But going on a meatless diet has certain cons that cannot be overlooked in terms of their long term effect on health. They have a lower intake of calcium, iron, Vitamin B12 and zinc. All of these are abundantly present only in animal sources of food. And long term deficiencies of these nutrients can lead to weak bones, risk of fractures, iron deficiency anaemia and neurological effects that may be irreversible.

Mediterranean Diet: Best diet for diabetes

Moving on to the third and most preferred diet, the Mediterranean diet. It is the most balanced diet and most studies showed favourable effects of the Mediterranean diet on glycemic control as well as heart disease. Because you are eating more fruits, veggies whole grains, olive oil, nuts and all sorts of healthy foods in this diet and cutting down a little bit on your proteins and but you’re getting your proteins from only the healthy like fish and poultry. And you’re eating less of the unhealthy sorts of food like red meats and sweets. It is a much more balanced diet that is also easier to follow.

Evidence from the research

Now we do have studies on the Mediterranean diet as well. So several studies with more than a thousand patients compared controlled diets with a Mediterranean diet. And results showed that the Mediterranean diet group had further reductions in the haemoglobin a1c. HbA1C is the average blood sugar level over the past 3 months, as well as fasting plasma glucose levels. The body weight was lower, which is always good and likewise, concentrations of total cholesterol and triglycerides were also lower. Also in this group, people had lower blood pressure, high levels of good cholesterol called HDL

Conclusion

Everyone is different and different styles may suit different people. But go for the diet and lifestyle in which you can gain more and lose nothing. Because health should not be compromised in any case. Choose a balanced and wholesome diet that fulfils all your nutrient requirements. And stick to it and put your mind to it.  In the end, whatever you eat has a direct impact on your health. So choose wisely!

“You are what you eat”

The post Best Diet for Diabetes Keto – Vegan or Mediterranean first appeared on Food Life Book.

The post Best Diet for Diabetes Keto – Vegan or Mediterranean appeared first on Food Life Book.

As we know Mediterranean diet emphasizes eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and foods like nuts and seeds and fish. And these ingredients can create a variety of delicious and filling Mediterranean breakfasts. So, without wasting any more time let’s jump in. And identify six of the simplest yet best things to eat for breakfast when you are following the Mediterranean diet.

1. Peanut Butter and Banana Toast

This simple no cooked Mediterranean breakfast can be thrown together in moments and eaten on the go. With whole grain bread, you’ll be eating more fibre and vitamins than in white bread. This will make you enjoy the healthy fats and proteins that peanut butter offers. The banana will add more fibre and some sweetness along with your daily dose of heart-healthy potassium.

2. English Muffin with Greens and Beans

Another easy breakfast on the Mediterranean diet is opting for an English muffin. Piled high with hearty toppings. Smear a whole grain English muffin with bean spread. You can add a handful of potassium packed spinach and then top it off with a poached egg. Any bean dip will do here such as hummus. Black bean dip or white bean dip with a little salty and tangy flavor. So, go for whatever dip you like. Along with its nutritional punch, it’s a great stand-in for cheese which should be used only sparingly.

3. Greek Yogurt with Berries

Greek yoghurt is strained in a way that makes it higher in protein than regular yoghurt. Yoghurt is also rich in probiotics. Which are good bacteria necessary for gut health as well as aid many bodily functions. If you want a bit of sweetness you can add a light drizzle of honey. And for an extra crunch try adding ground flaxseed. It’s rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Which are important for fighting inflammation in the body. It’s recommended to choose ground flaxseed rather than regular flax seeds. Because they are absorbed better in the body.

4. Almond Butter

Almonds are a popular snack and ingredient in Mediterranean meals from breakfast through to dinner. Almonds offer a filling and energizing combination of protein, fibre and healthy fats to help you feel satisfied. Ground or sliced almonds are a delicious addition to your oatmeal cereal, granola, muesli, yoghurt ricotta or whole-grain muffins. While almond butter is the perfect drizzle for whole-grain pancakes waffles and fruit.

5. Incorporate Eggs in Mediterranean Breakfast

Incorporate protein-heavy eggs into your breakfast. By topping smoked salmon toast with a poached egg or by scrambling them with feta cheese and tomatoes. Another tip from the Mediterranean diet, eat the yolks. Egg yolks contain fat which helps you stay satisfied longer. Egg yolks are also rich in choline. A nutrient that is needed for brain health and helps transport nutrients around your body.

6. Avocado

Although they are not native to the Mediterranean region, avocados do offer monounsaturated fat. Which is the same type found in olive oil. These fats offer heart-healthy benefits and can help with satiety. That is the feeling of fullness and suppression of hunger. Avocados are also a good source of fibre. At approximately 3 grams per serving which is about one-third of a medium avocado. Fibre also helps you stay full and helps keep your blood sugar levels more stable. Which is crucial to stabilizing weight, mood and energy levels.  Though having avocado and eating with a spoon is totally an option. You can also add avocado to smoothies, baked eggs or even savoury oatmeal. And that will make a healthy Mediterranean breakfast of your day.

Mediterranean Breakfast Recipes

Tahini Avocado Toast

Fancy a good fresh and nutritious toast in the morning? Just find homemade bread, local bread or bread with really good ingredients at your store. Top the first toast with tahini, which is a sesame seed paste. Sesame seeds have healthy fats and actually have a really good amount of calcium. Which is a great source of plant-based calcium. Add a drizzle of molasses or you can also use maple syrup or honey. Top it up with nuts or seeds like sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds or toasted pine nuts. Those are delicious, you could also top with some berries like wild blueberries or raspberries.  

To make the second toast more Mediterranean we’re using some mashed up avocado. Then add a dollop of yoghurt. So, again use unsweetened yoghurt and add a pinch of herbal salt. Herbal salts with ingredients like garlic, white pepper and other Italian ingredients can easily be bought from the market. Just to add a perfect flavour to your Mediterranean breakfast toast. Then finish off with a drizzle of olive oil. If you’re following the Mediterranean diet guys you got to learn to love olive oil.

Walnut Yogurt Parfait

The second recipe is a super simple, yoghurt parfait. Get your favourite kind of yoghurt? I recommend one that’s unsweetened. So you can use your favourite sweetener as a drizzle like molasses, maple syrup or honey. So go ahead and put your yoghurt in a bowl and then add your drizzle of sweetener. I love molasses because it has tons of nutrients in it. it’s actually really high in iron. Top your yoghurt with walnuts. These are an amazing source of healthy fat a little bit of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. You can also add some pumpkin, sunflower or ground flax seeds. And that’s it, it’s super simple and appealing right?

That wraps up this article on the six best Mediterranean breakfast ideas. Try adding some of the foods listed, to your diet. As they are actually pretty simple and not overly complicated to make yet so full of nutrition.

The post Mediterranean Breakfast Ideas and Recipes first appeared on Food Life Book.

The post Mediterranean Breakfast Ideas and Recipes appeared first on Food Life Book.

Wondering what to make for lunch? Well, I’ve got healthy Mediterranean lunch ideas for you. The Mediterranean diet focuses on fresh produce that keeps you healthy without limiting your choices. Here are a few easy yet delicious recipes, you can pack these for your lunch at work or enjoy them at home.

Creamy Mediterranean Chicken

With this chicken dish, your entire kitchen is going to smell like Italy. Let’s whip up a delicious, creamy chicken for our Mediterranean lunch. You are going to love it. Ingredients you need are all just so simple yet they come together to create a beautiful dish.

Ingredients

• Chicken thighs
• Cream
• Cauliflower rice
• Chicken stock
• Parmesan cheese
• Herbs & spices

Know that just how easy it is to customize these recipes. You can swap out the chicken thighs for some chicken breasts, or maybe even some shrimp. You can swap out the heavy cream for some light coconut milk, you can swap out the cauliflower rice with some orzo or some brown rice. And here is my favourite step, blooming the herbs.

Instructions

The first thing we’re gonna do is season up the chicken thighs. Even though this recipe is gonna be swimming in a creamy sauce, you still wanna add a little bit of sea salt and pepper to the thighs. After that, we’re gonna sear them in the pan for about three to four minutes, get a nice deep rich sear in there and it also helps to flavour the oil in the pan. Toss in some garlic and some aromatic herbs. So after the spices have been blooming for about two to three minutes and it’s super fragrant, then reduce the heat just a little bit and pour in some chicken stock. Reduce it down and add in some sun-dried tomatoes and the flavours will begin to come together. After that, add in some heavy cream. Gently stir it and really monitor the heat here. We have the heat too high, it’s gonna evaporate all of the creamy goodness and when it’s too low, it’s not going to melt together properly.

This dish you can get in and out of the kitchen in less than 30 minutes. Once it simmers for about one or two minutes, then add in the cheesy goodness. Cause everybody loves cheese. You’re gonna continue stirring until the cheese has melted properly and then nestle the chicken thighs back into the creamy sauce. Then take a spoon and drizzle some of the sauce on top of the chicken thighs, and then add that entire skillet to the oven to bake for 15 minutes. And after 15 minutes, take it out of the oven, and then finish it off with some fresh parsley. Steam up some cauliflower rice, put those chicken thighs right on top, along with that creamy sauce, and enjoy this goodness.

Baked White Fish for Mediterranean Lunch

Are you looking for a healthy delicious and quick Mediterranean lunch? I have just one for you. It’s a Mediterranean Baked White Fish recipe with lemon, tomato and olives. It’s absolutely delicious comes together in about 20 minutes, let’s learn how!

Ingredients

• Fish
• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Lemon
• Olives
• Fresh thyme
• Minced onion
• Cherry tomatoes
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

Let’s get to it. Start with about a pound and a half of white fish. That means anything like a cod filet or a halibut will work here. Even sea bass if you have it filet. We’re gonna give it a quick seasoning of salt and pepper. Kosher salt or whatever you like and a sprinkle of ground black pepper. Then move it over to a tray or a baking dish and add a little bit of extra virgin olive oil on the bottom. Now flip it over, season it on the other side as well. Pre-heat the oven to about 425 degrees. This will bake the fish super quick but Maybe add a lovely topping to go on top of it something like cherry tomatoes, some olives.

Now sprinkle a good tablespoon of fresh thyme, some minced onion, about five garlic cloves. Oh yes, this is gonna be so tasty. Two teaspoons of oregano and still just a tiny pinch of salt and a little bit of black pepper. Bring this party together with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil mix it all up. Now get back to your fish, cup and squeeze a good half a lemon right on top of the fish. It’s ready for the oven now. Bake it for 15-20 minutes and there you go a gorgeous piece of fish is ready for your lunch.

Greek Shrimp with Tomato Sauce

So it’s a Greek shrimp recipe with tomato and feta. Now this recipe is unlike any shrimp recipe. I promise you it is the best shrimp dish that you can enjoy for an indulgent Mediterranean lunch.

Ingredients

• Shrimp
• Oregano
• Garlic
• Onion
• Tomato
• Olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Herbs & spices

Instructions

So let’s start by flavouring the shrimp a little bit. Hit it up with some salt and pepper. Just a little bit of the oregano. A little bit of dill. If you don’t mind the crushed red pepper flakes, then do some of that. A bit of minced garlic, maybe half a teaspoon, some good extra virgin olive oil. It will give the shrimp a lot of flavours right away. Leave that for a bit just to let all the flavours mix. Let’s make tomato sauce in the meanwhile. Heat up some oil in the pan and add chopped onions, cook for a bit and get your tomatoes in the pan along with lemon juice. Add salt, pepper, oregano, dill, crushed red pepper. You’re gonna bring it up to a boil, and then let it simmer for about 15 minutes so that all of those flavours can come together. When the sauce is ready, go ahead and add our shrimp right in. So what you wanna do is kind of like submerge the shrimp in the sauce. Add some parsley and mint.

Once you see no more grey, that’s your cue that the shrimp is ready. You can add some cheese if you like. A splash of lemon juice to finish the whole deal and this is it serve and enjoy!

Roasted Vegetables for Mediterranean Lunch

This is a really easy recipe to make and just by looking at the ingredients, you can tell it’s going to be delicious.

Ingredients

• Cherry tomatoes
• Peppers
• Red onions
• Garlic cloves
• Olive oil
• Black pepper

Instructions

You will need 12 cherry tomatoes 3 peppers now you’ll need red yellow and green 2 red onions 2 garlic cloves, 30 millilitres of olive oil and finally some black pepper grab yourself an ovenproof ditch a one that’s big enough to hold all of your vegetables peel and all chop your veggies and place them in the dish & dice your peppers slice them up now you want to put this in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes at 180 C and make sure you put it on the middle shelf and about halfway through giving this one a stir. It’s low in calories and enriched with nutrients.

Kidney bean salad

If you have a humble can of kidney beans in your pantry you can give it the Mediterranean makeover. This salad is refreshing and low in calories. kidney beans are also good for weight loss.

Ingredients

• Kidney Beans
• Cucumbers
• Tomatoes
• Cilantro
• Lemon
• Red onions
• Dijon mustard
• Olive oil

Instructions

Wash and drain your kidney beans nicely and add them to a dry bowl add a few of your favourite things to give it texture and flavour. Maybe start with some cucumbers. You can use English cucumbers if you like the ones that are seedless, they’re also a little bit sweeter and the skins on them are not as tough. But you can use any cucumber that you like. Next, add any red tomatoes that you like. Now add a big bunch of cilantro if you don’t like cilantro as much you can use any other herb that you like such as mint or parsley. So start by taking off some of the stems. Then bunch it up and chop like a pro. A big bunch of cilantro goes right in here.

Now add a good cup of red onions in here and put it together with Dijon vinaigrette. You guys, this is what pulls this kidney bean salad together and makes it exceptionally tasty. This dressing is super simple. So all you need in here is a little bit of lemon juice and some extra virgin olive oil you are absolutely gonna love the depth it adds. Add about three or four tablespoons of olive oil. And of course, the star ingredient is Dijon mustard so put maybe a teaspoon of that. You can play with these amounts however you guys like. So if you want more mustard, more lemon, you can play with that however you like. Add a little bit of garlic.

The post Easy Mediterranean Lunch Recipes first appeared on Food Life Book.

The post Easy Mediterranean Lunch Recipes appeared first on Food Life Book.

Having a healthy and wholesome dinner is as important as any other meal of the day. Our body needs a sustained release of energy to carry out its basic function even while we sleep. A healthy and light dinner is important for good metabolism, it improves digestion, resilience from stress or inflammation and overall optimal functioning of the body. Here in this article we are gonna talk about some delicious and quick to make Mediterranean dinner recipes that you can enjoy before signing off your day.

Moroccan Meatballs for Mediterranean Dinner

Meatballs are everybody’s favourite comfort food, and today we’re gonna give them a quick Moroccan twist. They can be used as appetizers or dinner.  And It’s an easy as well as a wholesome dish with Mediterranean flavours. So let’s begin!

Ingredients

• Ground lean meat
• A slice of bread
• Onion
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Cilantro
• Carrots
• Orange juice
• Spices & seasonings
• Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation of your Mediterranean Dinner!

The secret spice in this dish is Raz El Hanout. Raz El Hanout is a North African spice mostly associated with Moroccan cuisine. It is filled with warm flavour, so much depth in here. For these Moroccan meatballs today, we’ll use lean ground beef here, about a pound. So we’ll break that up a little bit. What you need to add is just a small slice of any bread you have that’s been soaked in water or milk. This makes your meatballs nice and juicy. Then grate some onions and garlic, fresh cilantro, and a little ginger for amping up the flavour. If you’re into spicy food, then add a pinch of cayenne pepper and of course a little salt and pepper and finally let’s add the flavour maker here, Raz El Hanout we already talked about just a tablespoon of it.

Mixing

Alright now that you have all the flavours in with your meat, give this a good mix. An all-time favourite, extra virgin olive oil, just a tiny drizzle helps the mixture come together. So now you just have to put together your meatballs, use one tablespoon measure per meatball and make small round balls. Once you get your meatballs ready, and a useful tip is to stick this in the fridge for 30 minutes or so. And it will help meatballs cook in your skillet without falling apart because nobody likes a falling apart meatball right?

So, once the meatballs are nice and chilled, and your skillet is nice and warm you can get this party going. A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil all over the meatballs and they can go right in the skillet. Let these cook and then turn them over when you feel like you’ve got good enough crust on the bottom. The idea here is that they are really nice and crispy on the outside, so don’t be afraid if they turn nice and brown. And that’s what you really want here.

Carrot Salad

Let’s make some refreshing carrot salad to go with these amazing Moroccan meatballs. For this, you can use rainbow carrots because then you can get some nice colour in your carrot salad. Now cut your carrots into nice fun ribbons. Add a little bit of orange juice, about three tablespoons or so, and a little bit of olive oil a bunch of chopped mint leaves and that’s it for carrot salad. You’ve got your Moroccan meatballs and carrot salad ready. You can serve it in a couple of ways, and a few tomatoes may be, and the onions and a yoghurt sauce to go with this as a dip. And there you go that’s it for easy Moroccan meatballs. Give this Mediterranean dinner recipe a try!

Artichokes Mediterranean Pasta

This recipe is bright and fresh Mediterranean pasta with artichokes, olives and tomatoes.

Ingredients

• Whole wheat pasta
• Artichoke hearts
• Onion
• Garlic
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Cherry tomatoes
• Parmesan cheese
• Olives

Preparation

Start by boiling 12 ounces of whole wheat pasta. Slice up two cloves of garlic nice and thinly if you want to mince it go ahead you also need one half of an onion sliced. You want to start off by Sautéing these in a straight-sided skillet because they are great for tossing pasta which you may want to do in this pan later. So heat some oil and then add your onion and garlic. Okay if you put the onion in first it protects the garlic from burning quickly which it has a tendency to do so, burnt garlic is not delicious so just keep an eye on it.

What you need is a can of artichoke hearts that are soaked in water they need to be quartered for more even distribution throughout the pasta. So, when your onions have gotten a little bit of colour they’re just starting to turn slightly golden add half a cup of white wine to the pan. Be careful sometimes it can flare up and you want to cook off the alcohol a bit to let it boil up for a sec or two and reduce it out.

Bringing the Flavors Together!

When the wine is cooked out you can add your artichoke hearts.  Add a half of a pint of sliced cherry tomatoes and a third of a cup of sliced pitted olives. You want the tomatoes to cook down a little bit, season with some salt and pepper. When the tomatoes start to break down you can add the pasta, add some more cherry tomatoes if you like. Add a quarter cup of grated Parmesan cheese I’ve turned the heat off it helps it not stick too much to the bottom of the pan. Add a little more salt and pepper, drizzle with a little olive.

That’s it your pasta is ready for serving. You can serve with fresh basil on top and grate some more cheese, add as much cheese as you want it’s a little low fat which is nice hard cheeses that go a long way in terms of flavour without adding that many calories really. This delicious artichoke pasta is very easy to make for a Mediterranean dinner.  Hope you’ll like it!

Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Ingredients

• Zucchini
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Cherry tomatoes
• Green onions
• Lemon
• Feta cheese
• Mint leaves
• Parsley
• Seasoning

Preparation

Go ahead and just trim our zucchini on both sides, cut them right in the middle and separate the two halves. Give them a nice brush with extra virgin olive oil. Brush and season, so that the seasoning will kind of stick to your zucchini and give them a beautiful flavour. Season with Kosher salt and black pepper and a pinch of oregano. Super simple right? You’ll love this It’s so tasty and so easy. So now that you have the top already seasoned, go ahead and start grilling flesh side down. Of course, you can grill these outdoors if it’s nice out or you can use your skillet it’s super easy, and it works just as well. So just a quick brush of extra virgin olive oil to the skillet.

So while it’s grilling on the flesh side, go ahead and season the back end. Do a brush of olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and a little bit of oregano. When it’s nice and charred and tender turns the side and wait a few minutes on the other side. You’ve got some beautiful charred zucchini boats. Let them cool for just a minute while you work on the rest of the filling that goes into the zucchini boats.

Stuffing

Chop some green onions, parsley, fresh mint leaves and some cherry tomatoes. Add some crumbled feta cheese. You can omit the feta if you want a vegetarian version of it. And then maybe a little bit of lemon zest and some lemon juice too. Okay so in order to stuff the zucchini, you obviously need to make room so try to scrape out the flesh of zucchini and add it to your stuffing. To bring it all together, a drizzle of virgin olive oil and mix this all together. And you’ve made every use of your zucchini hearts here, so they’re in the mix. Before you add the mixture to the zucchini boats, make sure you plate them, because then it’s much easier not to move them with the stuffing on top. Go ahead and add your little filling. Enjoy your Mediterranean dinner with beautiful stuffed zucchini boats, full of fresh herbs and beautiful colours.

The post Quick Mediterranean Dinner Recipes first appeared on Food Life Book.

The post Quick Mediterranean Dinner Recipes appeared first on Food Life Book.