3 Delicious Mediterranean Diet Recipes
Last week’s post was all about how to assess your eating patterns and the Mediterranean diet. Based on the page views I’ve gotten for that post and responses on my social media accounts, it seems like lots of people are interested in the Mediterrnanean diet! To follow up on the topic, I figured I’d provide some recipes that line up with the Mediterranean style of eating. Here are 3 delectable recipes that will help you increase your Mediterranean diet score:
Caprese Chicken
Instead of eating red or processed meats, try making this caprese chicken dish. The recipe will help you meet your daily servings of vegetables, dairy, and olive oil/unsaturated fats. Choose a whole grain accompaniment (brown rice pasta, quinoa, etc) to make this a complete meal.
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
2 large skinless boneless chicken breasts
Salt & pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil (or another oil rich in unsaturated fats)
1 jar basil pesto (you’ll need 1/4 - 1/2 cup in total)
3 or 4 large balls of bocconcini cheese, sliced
*alternatively, you can use sliced mozzarella
15 - 20 cherry tomatoes, halved
Garnish:
Balsamic glaze
* you can buy this at the grocery store or make your own. To make your own:
simmer 1 cup balsamic vinegar with 1/4 cup brown sugar until the mixture is
reduced by half (about 20 minutes). You’ll know the glaze is done when it is thick
enough to coat the back of a spoon. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Fresh basil, sliced into thin strips
Instructions
1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2) Using a thin knife, slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise (you’re basically going from 2 thick chicken breasts to 4 thin ones). Season both sides of all the halves with salt and pepper.
3) Heat the oil in a large oven-proof skillet on medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts to the pan and cook until each side is lightly browned, about 3 - 5 minutes per side. Remove from heat.
*if you don’t have an oven-proof skillet, once your chicken breasts are browned, transfer them into a baking dish
4) Top each chicken breast with 1 - 2 tablespoons of pesto. Then add a layer of sliced bocconcini. Top that with the tomatoes.
5) Put the skillet/baking dish into the oven and cook for 10 - 12 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked all the way through and the tomatoes have softened.
6) Garnish with fresh basil and balsamic glaze and serve with your carb of choice!
Totally Mediterranean Tilapia
This tasty dish will help you work towards your 3 weekly servings of fish. It’s also loaded with veggies and plant-based protein. And it’s packed with flavourful spices and herbs instead of salt or pre-made sauces.
Yield: 6 - 7 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil (or another oil rich in unsaturated fats)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 red bell peppers, sliced into thin strips
1 large carrot, sliced thin crosswise
3 vine tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup sliced olives
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 or 7 tilapia fillets
Instructions
1) Heat the oil in a large frying pan or a wide, shallow pot on medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until it turns translucent. Add the garlic and saute for a couple minutes.
2) Put the chickpeas, bell peppers, carrot, tomatoes, and olives into the pan. Cook until slightly tender, about 5 - 7 minutes.
3) Stir in the parsley, cumin, paprika, bouillon, and cayenne pepper.
4) Add enough water to partially cover the vegetables (about 1 cup) and place the tilapia fillets on top. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the fish flakes easily - roughly 20 minutes. Serve with rice, pasta, or potatoes.
Side note: To make the fish extra tasty, at the 10, 15, and 20 minute mark, spoon the juices in the pan over the fillets.
Seriously Mediterranean Scallops
The secret sauce ingredient: ground nuts!
This recipe offers all the Mediterranean staples: olive oil, seafood, veggies, dairy, and herb and spices. On top of all that, the sauce includes ground nuts, another major feature of the Mediterranean diet. This is a well-rounded dish both in terms of nutrition and taste!
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
2 large vine tomatoes, halved
1 bell pepper, seeded and quartered
*you can change up the colour of your sauce depending on whether you use a
red, orange, or yellow pepper
1/4 medium onion
1/4 cup roasted hazelnuts (or filberts)
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup fresh parsley
2 - 3 tablespoons white vinegar, depending on how tangy you like your sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, depending on your spice preference
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic
3/4 cup olive oil (or another oil rich in unsaturated fats)
1 package (about 1 lb) of spaghetti or linguine
*I used brown rice spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 medium onion, diced
1 pound scallops, thawed and drained
Garnish:
Shredded Manchego cheese or shaved Parmesan
Minced chives
Slivered almonds
Instructions
1) Place the tomato, bell peppers, onion, hazelnuts, almonds, parsley, salt, paprika, cayenne, black pepper, and garlic into a food processor or blender. Pulse several times until the ingredients are minced. Then add the olive oil and blend until smooth.
2) Put the sauce into a pot, cover, and heat on “low” until the other components of the dish are done. Make sure you stir the sauce every few minutes.
3) Cook the pasta according to the package directions. After you’ve strained your pasta, you might want to rinse it with warm water to reduce the stickiness of the noodles.
4) While your pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Saute the onion until translucent. Then add the scallops and cook for 2 - 3 minutes, until they turn white and slightly firm.
5) Assemble your pasta bowl with scallops, sauce, chives, cheese, and almonds.
I put a bit of fried eggplant into my pasta to make it super delicious.
I hope that these recipes have inspired you to try eating Mediterranean-style. Enjoy the taste as well as the health benefits of these dishes!