LGR Holistic Wellness

A Mediterranean Diet Handy Food List

You may be looking for a list of Mediterranean diet foods you can use to create delicious, mouth-watering recipes. Below we have listed some of the most popular foods you can use when following this healthy lifestyle diet.

Olives and Olive Oil

Olives and olive oil are cornerstones of the Mediterranean diet. Aim for at least 4 servings of olives or olive oil a day. One serving is one teaspoon of olive oil or 5 olives. Use olive oil to replace your butter, salad dressings, and margarine.

Fruits

All fruits are excellent sources of antioxidants, fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Enjoy eating at least ½ cup to 1 cup of these fruits daily. Here are a few examples:

Apples, bananas, avocado, and grapes. Stone fruits such as peaches, plums, and apricots. Citrus fruits such as lemons, limes and oranges. Berries such as blackberries, blueberries and strawberries.

There are many other fruits you can include, but as you can see there are many delicious fruits you can choose from.

Vegetables

We all know that vegetables are low in fat and calories, and high in fiber. You can eat them raw, roasted, sauteed with a healthy oil (like extra-virgin olive oil), or steamed. Like fruits, consume at least ½ to 1 cup of these vegetables daily.

Here are just a few examples:

Green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, cabbage, Swiss chard, collard greens, and lettuce. Bulb veggies include onions, leeks, chives, and garlic. Root vegetables include beets, carrots, and sweet potatoes.

There are of course many other vegetables you can include, such as asparagus, mushrooms, and tomatoes. This list just keeps growing!

Legumes

These are your plant-based proteins and sources of many other essential nutrients. They are low-fat, cholesterol-free foods. You may consume three half-cup portions per week of these beneficial foods.

Here are some examples:

Beans – like fava, cannellini, kidney beans, and the white varieties can be added to soups and salads.

Chickpeas – are full of fiber and protein and contain vitamin K, manganese, calcium, zinc, phosphate, and iron.

Lentils – can be tossed into salads and made into soups.

Peas – can be combined with pasta or soups.

Nuts and Seeds

These foods are excellent sources of healthy fat, fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals. You can enjoy eating 3 helpings a week equivalent to about ¾ cup or 2 tablespoons of unsweetened, raw, roasted, or unsalted nuts and seeds.

Regulate your body weight and burn your energy by eating almonds, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, macadamia, peanuts, pistachios, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame, and sunflower seeds.

Healthy Fats

Healthy fats are used regularly in the Mediterranean diet. Keep away from saturated fats and trans fats. Add 1 to 4 tablespoons only of the good oils.

Extra-virgin olive oil – use for sauteing fish and veggies, drizzled into cooked vegetables, pasta, and salads, or used in cold applications when making a salad dressing.

Avocado oil – can be added to healthy smoothies, drizzled into salads or soups.

Olives – can be eaten raw or chopped and tossed in salads or pasta.

Organic Tofu

Replace your animal proteins with this plant-based protein. It helps reduce the incidence of chronic diseases because it has no saturated fat and is loaded with essential nutrients.

Whole Grains

You can have ½ cup of cooked grains or one slice of bread per day. You can add flavor to them with equally healthy ingredients, such as fresh fruits or herbs, roasted vegetables, olive oil, honey, olives, and lemon juice, while others can be added in salads or soups.

Quinoa contains twice more fiber as any other grain. Quinoa is a better alternative than white rice, especially for people who have gluten intolerance.

Other grain sources include barley, brown rice, corn, couscous, oats, pita bread, polenta, and whole-grain bread.

Honey

Use pure, raw, wild, or organic honey as a sweetener, but use it in moderation.

Fish and Seafood

These two types of foods are must-haves in your Mediterranean diet. Oily fish especially is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. Examples of these are anchovies, codfish, herring, mackerel, salmon, lake trout, and tuna. Recommended servings are 3 to 4 ounces at least 2 to 3 times a week.

Seafood generally is rich in high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals needed by your body. Kinds of seafood include clams, crabs, mussels, octopus, oysters, and shrimp.

White Meat

Poultry is a welcome inclusion to the Mediterranean diet. You may bake, broil, and grill.

Low-Fat Dairy, Meat, and Eggs

Here are some ‘rules’ to remember… but also foods to add to your diet.

• Compared to a typical ‘western’ diet you should reduce your consumption of beef, lamb, and pork, and eat these in moderation or on special occasions only.
• Eggs are a healthy inclusion. Most recommendations advise a maximum of 1 to 2 per day.
• Cheeses – include brie, chevre, plain cottage and ricotta, feta, goat cheese, parmesan. These can be eaten in moderation and enjoyed.
• Plain Greek Yogurt – usually topped with delicious fresh fruits and nuts.
• Milk is not traditionally a part of the Mediterranean diet in its raw form.

Foods To Avoid

Stay away from sugar and beverages that are loaded with sugar. Refined oil, refined grains, and processed meats must also be avoided. That means to remove, or at least reduce to a minimum, soda drinks, ice cream, white pasta, white bread, table sugar, etc.

Refined oils such as cottonseed oil, soybean oil, and canola oil must be strenuously avoided.

As you can see, the Mediterranean diet is a lifestyle diet that simply gives priority to eating healthier options and portions. Once you settle into this diet, you will soon notice you are developing a leaner body and feel so much healthier.

Mediterranean Diet – Breakfast Recipe Ideas

We’ve been told how important a healthy morning breakfast is to start the day a gazillion times. However, many people either don’t like eating breakfast or skip it due to their hectic morning start. Another reason may be to reduce calorie intake, such as when following a fasting-style diet.

Whatever your reasons, the good news is especially for people trying to lose weight, is that the Mediterranean diet is not a fad diet and will help you lose weight even if you eat breakfast!

It is a very natural diet and very sustainable, a lifestyle diet in the most literal sense. You can follow this diet for life. It has minimal caloric restrictions, if at all. You are not left feeling hungry just after you have eaten!

If you’re ready to eat fresh, healthy meals to kickstart your day, there are so many foods to choose from. You can eat eggs any way you like, including in a frittata or omelet.

You may prefer fruits and yogurt, or oats or muesli. Or how about some avocado and soft cheese on some wholegrain bread. There are so many delicious choices.

If you want to try a few different recipes, perhaps with ingredients you may not normally use, such as little green Brussels sprouts, here are a few recipes we found that may interest you. They are guaranteed to fill you up and make you look forward to your day’s first meal.

Breakfast Hash with Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts

Recipe from the Minimalist Baker:
https://minimalistbaker.com/breakfast-hash-with-brussels-sprouts-and-sweet-potatoes/

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Sweet Potato & Brussels sprouts:

1 medium to large sweet potato, chopped into bite-sized portions (leave the skin on)
3 cups Brussels sprouts (small ones halved; large ones cut into quarters)
1 tbsp Avocado oil
A pinch of sea salt and black pepper each

For the rest:

2 tsp Avocado oil
½ medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
¾ cup apple (remove seeds and stem)
1 tbsp fresh minced sage
2 tbsp dried currants (optional)
1 cup spicy chicken or pork sausage (optional)
2 cups fresh spinach
4 large eggs

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and line a baking sheet or tray with parchment paper (greaseproof paper)
2. Add sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts to the baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, add a pinch of salt and pepper and toss. Bake for 22-28 minutes or until tender and golden brown. Toss at the halfway point to ensure even cooking.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté oil and onion for 1 minute before adding garlic, apple, sage, and currants (optional). Sauté everything for 3 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
4. Add sausage of choice (optional) and sauté until golden brown or cooked for about 5-8 minutes. Stir frequently and break the sausages into smaller pieces with a spoon.
5. Once sausage is cooked, add spinach and cook until wilted. Then stir in roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potato.
6. In a separate skillet, cook the eggs over a little oil (optional) for 3-5 minutes. You can also choose to make scrambled eggs as an alternative.
7. Enjoy hash and garnish with fresh herbs and hot sauce.

Greek Omelette Casserole

Recipe from A Spicy Perspective:
https://www.aspicyperspective.com/greek-omelette-casserole/

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

12 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
8 oz. fresh spinach
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz. artichoke salad (with olives and peppers) – drained and chopped
5 oz. sun-dried tomato feta cheese, crumbled
1 tbsp fresh chopped dill (1 tsp dried dill)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp lemon pepper
1 tsp salt
4 tsps olive oil, divided

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Chop the fresh herbs and artichoke salad.
2. Set a skillet over medium heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Sauté the spinach and garlic until wilted for about 3 minutes.
3. Oil a 9×13 inch baking dish and layer the spinach and artichoke salad on the dish evenly.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, herbs, salt, and lemon pepper.
5. Pour the egg mixture over vegetables and sprinkle with feta cheese. Bake in the center of the oven for 35-40 minutes until firm in the center.

Spinach Feta Breakfast Wraps

Recipe from Kitchn:
https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-spinach-feta-breakfast-wraps-recipes-from-the-kitchn-210526

Ingredients:

10 large eggs
½ lb or 5 cups baby spinach
4 whole-wheat tortillas (approximately 9” in diameter)
½ pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
Butter or olive oil
Salt
Black pepper

Instructions:

1. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl.
2. In a large skillet, add butter or olive oil, then add the eggs to cook.
3. Add the salt and black pepper then transfer to a large plate.
4. In a separate skillet, add the spinach to cook, stirring until it is wilted.
5. Spread the cooked spinach on another plate to cool.
6. Arrange a tortilla on a work surface. Add the eggs, spinach, tomatoes, and feta in the middle of the tortilla, then wrap like a burrito. Serve or store away for reheating.

Mediterranean Diet – Lunch Recipe Ideas

At lunchtime, do you end up deciding where and what to eat at the last minute? Many of us are time-poor, where we may be working for a boss and given a set time to stop and eat. You may not have even an hour to spare for preparing and eating lunch. This is just one of the drawbacks of trying to eat healthy, especially if you are relying on food that is ready and within easy reach.

Whether you are health-conscious or budget-conscious, mindfully preparing your meals before your actual lunch hour period saves you from making poor food choices. It stops the last-minute decision-making of where to eat, and chances are it will also save you more time and money.

Planning and preparing your meals ahead of time is the ultimate secret weapon to sustaining a healthy diet.

If you’re trying to get healthy and watch what you eat, but also want to eat more than a lettuce leaf to try and curb your hunger, it is time to get acquainted with the Mediterranean diet. It can be easy to prepare, it’s filling, and most of all it has many health benefits.

There are so many foods you can eat for lunch! You can eat lots of different types of salads, there are lots of chicken dishes, cheeses, and you can also eat nuts. Don’t forget you can also have avocados, olives, fish, assorted bread (healthy ones of course) and more!

Below are three easy Mediterranean Diet meals we found on some recipe websites. Hopefully, they will broaden your mind as to what you can prepare for your next lunch meal.

Chicken Shawarma

Recipe from: The Mediterranean Dish
https://www.themediterraneandish.com/chicken-shawarma-recipe/

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

¾ tbsp ground cumin
¾ tbsp turmeric powder
¾ tbsp ground coriander
¾ tbsp garlic powder
¾ tbsp paprika
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp cayenne pepper
Salt
8 pcs boneless chicken thighs
1 large onion, thinly sliced
Juice of 1 large lemon
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

To serve:
6 pita pockets
Tahini sauce
Baby arugula
3-ingredient Mediterranean salad

Instructions:

1. Mix cumin, turmeric, coriander, garlic powder, sweet paprika, and cloves in a bowl.
2. Set aside this shawarma spice mix.
3. Season the chicken thighs with salt on both sides and make sure it’s dry.
4. Then slice them into small bite-sized pieces.
5. Put the chicken in a bowl and add the shawarma spices to coat.
6. Add the onions, lemon juice, and olive oil.
7. Toss everything together.
8. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight (the marinating process can be skipped if you don’t have enough time).
9. When ready, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
10. Take the chicken out of the fridge or let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes.
11. Spread marinated chicken with the onions in one layer on a large lightly-oiled baking sheet pan.
12. Roast for 30 minutes in 425 degrees F heated-oven, then remove.
13. While chicken is roasting, prepare the pita pockets.
14. Set aside the tahini sauce and 3-ingredient Mediterranean salad.
15. When ready to serve, open pita pockets up, spread a little tahini sauce, and add chicken shawarma, arugula, Mediterranean salad, and pickle / olives (if you like).
16. Serve while hot.

Mediterranean Lettuce Wraps

Recipe from EatingWell
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/269835/mediterranean-lettuce-wraps/

Ingredients:

¼ cup tahini
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp lemon zest
¼ cup lemon juice (squeezed from 2 lemons)
1 ½ tsp pure maple syrup
¾ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp paprika
2 cans no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed
½ cup sliced jarred roasted red peppers, drained
½ cup thinly sliced shallots
12 large Bibb lettuce leaves
¼ cup toasted almonds, chopped
2 tbsps chopped fresh parsley

Instructions:

1. Whisk tahini, oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, maple syrup, salt, and paprika in a large bowl.
2. Add chickpeas, peppers, and shallots.
3. Toss to coat.
4. Divide the mixture among lettuce leaves (about 1/3 cup each).
5. Top with almonds and parsley.
6. Wrap the lettuce leaves around the filling and serve.

Mediterranean Couscous with Tuna and Pepperoncini

Recipe from: Pure Wow
https://www.purewow.com/recipes/15-minute-mediterranean-couscous

Ingredients:

Couscous

1 cup chicken broth or water
1 ¼ cups couscous
¾ tsp kosher salt

Accompaniments:

2 5-ounce cans of oil-packed tuna
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup sliced pepperoncini
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup capers
Extra virgin olive oil for serving
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, quartered

Instructions:

1. In a small pot, bring the broth or water to a boil over medium heat.
2. Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the couscous and cover the pot.
3. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss together the tuna, tomatoes, pepperoncini, parsley, and capers.
5. Fluff the couscous with a fork, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.
6. Top the couscous with the tuna mixture and serve with lemon wedges.

If you plan your meal ahead of time, you are much less likely to eat that take-away carton of fried food or that sugary donut on the run.

Mediterranean Diet – Dinner Recipe Ideas

Many of us find that it’s not always easy to be enthusiastic enough after a long hard day to turn around and start preparing a healthy evening meal. Healthy meals are often perceived as being a little intense to create, or high-maintenance, as they can often appear to be more time-consuming to prepare. However, if you’ve heard about the Mediterranean diet, that doesn’t have to be the case.

The Mediterranean Diet is one of the healthiest known diets in the world. It is full of fresh fruits, vegetables, olive oil, and whole grains, all of which are easy to add to the evening meal! Preparing these foods doesn’t necessarily have to be complicated for them to be tasty and filling.

Mediterranean diet dinner recipes are easy to prepare and most of all they are superfood healthy. Now sit back, relax, and enjoy a healthy Mediterranean dinner with these sumptuous Mediterranean recipes. Oh, and if you desire, you can enjoy a glass of red wine too.

Below are a few recipes we found on the Internet for you. They range from 10 to 20 minutes to prepare. That’s not a lengthy amount of time to get a healthy meal ready for the evening. We hope you enjoy them all!

Quick Lemony Greek Chicken Soup

Recipe from: Cooking Light
https://www.cookinglight.com/recipes/lemony-greek-chicken-soup

Total Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
¾ cup cubed carrot
½ cup chopped yellow onion
2 tsp minced fresh garlic
¾ tsp crushed red pepper
6 cups unsalted chicken stock
½ cup uncooked whole wheat orzo
3 large eggs
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
3 cups chopped baby spinach
1 ¼ tsp Kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
3 tbsps chopped fresh dill

Instructions:

1. Heat oil over medium-high.
2. Add carrot and onion; cook, stirring often until vegetables are softened. Do this for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant for 1 minute.
4. Add chicken stock; increase heat to high, and bring the stock to a boil.
5. Add orzo and cook. Leave it uncovered until orzo is al dente (about 6 minutes).
6. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs and lemon juice in a bowl until frothy.
7. Once the orzo is cooked, carefully remove 1 cup boiling stock from the oven.
8. Gradually, add hot stock to egg-lemon juice mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs for about 1 minute.
9. Pour the egg mixture back into the oven, and stir to combine.
10. Reduce heat to medium-low; stir in chicken, spinach, salt, and pepper.
11. Cook, stirring constantly, until spinach wilts, for about 1 minute.
12. Divide the soup into 6 bowls, and sprinkle servings evenly with some dill.

Quick Shrimp Puttanesca

Recipe from: Eating Well
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/267851/quick-shrimp-puttanesca/

Total Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

8 oz fresh linguine whole wheat noodles
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb peeled and deveined large shrimp
1 can (15 oz) no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 ¼ cups frozen quartered artichoke hearts, thawed (8 oz)
¼ cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives
1 tbsp capers, rinsed
¼ tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Cook linguine according to package instructions, and drain once done.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until browned on the bottom for 2-3 minutes.
4. Stir in tomato sauce.
5. Add artichoke hearts, olives, capers, and salt.
6. Cook, stirring often until the shrimp is cooked through and the artichoke hearts are hot, 2-3 minutes longer.
7. Add the drained noodles to the cooked sauce and stir.
8. Combine and serve into 4 pasta bowls.
9. Serve while hot.

Minestrone with Italian Sausage and Pesto

Another recipe from: Eating Well
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/269836/minestrone-with-italian-sausage-pesto/

Total Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil
1 precooked Italian-style chicken sausage link (about 3 oz), sliced into ½ inch thick pieces
1 (19 oz) can low-sodium minestrone soup (or if possible, make your own minestrone soup the day before. That way you will have two meals instead of one!)
2 tbsp pesto
2 diagonal slices whole wheat baguette (1 inch thick)

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the sausage and cook, stirring, until golden brown around the edges, for 2-3 minutes.
3. Pour in soup and bring to a simmer. Cook until the soup is streaming, for about 5 minutes.
4. Divide the soup between two bowls; top each with 1 tbsp pesto and serve with a baguette slice.

Now you have a few ideas for healthy, tasty Mediterranean diet recipes. What ingredients are you going to add to your shopping list? You certainly don’t have to become a gourmet cook to enjoy delicious Mediterranean-style food.

Enjoy!