Daily Mediterranean Diet

New Hot Dish

Meats & Sweets:
Mediterranean
Indulgences

Seasonal Italian Frittata/Frittata stagionale

Tunisian Egg, Tuna, and Tomato Sandwiches/
Casse–Croûte Tunisien

Today's Entrees

Tunisian Egg, Tuna, and Tomato Sandwiches/
Casse–Croûte Tunisien

A quarter of the world’s olive oil supply comes from the North African nation of Tunisia. Boasting a beautiful landscape and coastline along with a

Israeli Shakshouka–Style Eggs/Shakshouka

This dish is of Tunisian, Algerian, Moroccan, and Libyan origin, and is nowadays extremely popular in Israel.Served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, traditionally in a

POULTRY AND EGGS

If you’re looking to increase your chicken repertoire,Mediterranean-style chicken dishes are the ultimate inflavor and elegance. Historically, chicken was very ex-pensive throughout the region, and

Citrus–Marinated Scallops/Capesante marinate al limone

This delicious and impressive dish can be cooked in minutes and served as an appetizer or main course. These scallops also taste great when tossed

Fresh Salads

Cypriot Greengrocer’s Salad with Feta/
Choriatiki Salata

Big, open air vegetable markets are commonplace on the island of Cyprus and in the rest of the region. For people who live too far

FRUITS

When I think of my time spent in various places inthe Mediterranean, fruit is one of the first things thatcomes to mind. It is such

Potatoes with Kale, Garlic, Olive Oil, and Chile Pepper/ Patate con ravizzone, aglio e peperoncino

This delicious side dish is a nutritional powerhouse! Potatoes contain antioxidants and phytochemicals that strengthen the immune system, lower inflammation, and prevent tumor growth. According

Wheat Berry Salad with Figs, Pine Nuts, and Goat Cheese

A small amount of goat cheese adds just enough rich creaminess to our wheat berry salad. Wheat Berry Salad with Figs, Pine Nuts, and Goat

Healthy Desserts

Sweet Olive Oil, Cherry, and Almond Cake/ Torta di ciliegie e mandorle

While this cake is definitely not diet material, I decided to include it in this chapter for two reasons. First, it shows olive oil’s versatility,

Poached Vanilla–Scented Pears and Figs/ Pere alla vaniglia con ficchi secchi

This dessert is so elegant and delicious that no one will even realize that it’s good for them! Pears are a great source of dietary

Greek Lemon Rice Pudding

We found that using short-grain Arborio rice gives Greek pudding a silky-smooth texture. Greek Lemon Rice Pudding SERVES 8 WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Traditional Greek

Olive Oil–Yogurt Cake

Whole-milk yogurt gives this traditional cake tang and richness, and extra-virgin olive oil offers subtle, fruity notes. Olive Oil–Yogurt Cake SERVES 12 WHY THIS RECIPE

Pasta & Couscous

Italian Pasta with Chickpeas/Pasta con ceci

This salad combines protein-packed lentils with sweet and tart pomegranate seeds and crunchy mixed greens for a sweet and savory combination that tastes as good

Rigatoni with Warm-Spiced Beef Ragu

Cinnamon and cloves add unexpected warmth to meaty beef short ribs in our modern Italian ragu. Rigatoni with Warm-Spiced Beef Ragu SERVES 6 WHY THIS

Linguine ai Frutti di Mare

To make sure each type of seafood in our “fruit of the sea” pasta is perfectly cooked, we add them to the pot in stages.

Spaghetti with Clams and Roasted Tomatoes

Roasting tomatoes on a wire rack with tomato paste and aromatics creates robust flavor for a sauce with briny clams. Spaghetti with Clams and Roasted

Soups & Stews

Shellfish Soup with Leeks and Turmeric

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS For a succulent shellfish soup bursting with flavor and chock-full of seafood, we decided to use shrimp, scallops, and squid since

Provençal Fish Soup

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Every country with a coastline boasts its own version of fish soup; our Provence-inspired version is not only easy to make,

Spanish-Style Meatball Soup with Saffron

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Spanish meatball soup boasts a deeply flavorful sunset-colored broth and tender meatballs, but finding the right balance of ingredients is pivotal

Lamb and Mint Sharba

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Sharba is the iconic dish of Libya used to break the daily fast during the holy month of Ramadan. This intensely

Vegetarian & Vegan

Spaghetti Squash “Pasta” with Zucchini, Basil, and Cherry Tomatoes/Spaghetti di zucca con zucchini, basilico e pomidori pacchini

While spaghetti squash is hardly a grain, its tender strands do resemble golden noodles. Dressing it like pasta enhances its naturally sweet taste and transforms

VEGETABLES

When organic vegetables are ripe and in season, orcooked to perfection—with their natural sugars coaxedout of them and combined with other savory ingredi-ents—eating healthfully becomes

Roasted Celery Root with Yogurt and Sesame Seeds

For caramelized exteriors and creamy interiors, we roast sliced celery root at a high temperature on a low oven rack. Roasted Celery Root with Yogurt

Skillet-Roasted Cauliflower

Starting cauliflower in a cold covered skillet allows the florets to gradually steam in their own moisture. Skillet-Roasted Cauliflower SERVES 4 to 6 FAST VEG

Meat & Poultry

Meats & Sweets:
Mediterranean
Indulgences

Meat and sweets are paired together in this chapterto emphasize that they should be eaten sparingly, asthe Mediterranean Diet Pyramid suggests. These twotypes of foods

Jerusalem–Style Chicken with Rice, Golden Raisins, and
Pine Nuts/Dajaj Mashy

This succulent chicken dish hails from Israel and is accompanied by fragrant basmati rice, which although never grown locally, has been a staple in the

Roman Tavola Calda–Style Roasted Chicken with
Potatoes/Pollo al forno con patate

Tavola Calda means “hot table” in Italian. The term refers to take-out establishments that specialize in rotisserie chickens and ready-to-eat hot dishes such as pizza

Spanish-Style Braised Chicken and Almonds

The rich flavor and consistency of this classic Spanish dish depends on a sherry-based sauce thickened with almonds. Spanish-Style Braised Chicken and Almonds SERVES 8

Rice & Grain

Turkish Eggplant and Herbed Rice Pilaf/ Patlicanli Pilav

Pilafs are believed to have originated in Central Asia millennia ago. It is said that the word plov or pilaf, comes from the ancient Greek

Parmesan Farrotto

Pulsing farro in the blender releases its starch to create a rich and creamy Italian farro risotto. Parmesan Farrotto SERVES 6 VEG WHY THIS RECIPE

Bulgur with Herbed Lamb and Roasted Red Peppers

A small amount of ground lamb brings savory depth to a simple bulgur-based dish. Bulgur with Herbed Lamb and Roasted Red Peppers SERVES 4 to

Barley with Roasted Carrots, Snow Peas, and Lemon-Yogurt Sauce

We brighten up a dish of tender barley with sweet pan-roasted carrots and a tangy yogurt-based sauce. Barley with Roasted Carrots, Snow Peas, and Lemon-Yogurt

Nutritious Breakfast

Spiced Greek Yogurt with Apricots/
Giaoúrti me veríkoka

In Greece, Turkey, and other Balkan countries, yogurt is a popular breakfast and snack. The combination of cinnamon, citrus, and apricots in this recipe make

Greek-Style Zucchini and Egg Casserole

To rid the large amount of zucchini in our Greek egg casserole of its moisture, we grate, salt, and then sauté it. Greek-Style Zucchini and

Egyptian Eggah with Ground Beef and Spinach

Precooking the filling before adding it to the beaten eggs ensures that our Egyptian omelet is evenly cooked. Egyptian Eggah with Ground Beef and Spinach

Spanish Tortilla with Roasted Red Peppers and Peas

Using less starchy Yukon Gold potatoes in our classic Spanish tortilla allows us to use much less oil to cook them. Spanish Tortilla with Roasted

Breads & Pies

Whole–Wheat Country Moroccan Bread/Khubz Baladi