The Mediterranean diet sounds good for what ails you (if what ails you is most of our chronic diseases), but how do you translate that into breakfast, lunch, and dinner?

One of the most important tricks to eating healthier is to enjoy what we eat. So today, I thought I would take some typical American favorites and alter them to make them more Mediterranean. That doesn’t necessarily mean we all should be eating only fish and chickpeas. Building our dinner plate based on seasonal produce, healthy grains, nuts, seeds, beans, and smaller amounts of meat, chicken, and fish, is all you need. 

Here are some recipes that I mentioned in the episode:

                       Pasta Primavera with fresh tomato and basil

2 Tablespoons virgin olive oil

½ onion, diced (can substitute 2 shallots)

1 boneless chicken breast, cut into strips

8 ounces dry penne pasta

½ red onion, diced (can substitute 2 shallots)

2 cloves garlic, chopped fine or minced in a garlic press

1/2 cup white wine

12 – 15 cherry or grape tomatoes

½  zucchini, sliced thin

1/4 bag (approximately) fresh organic baby spinach

6 to 8 leaves of fresh basil

optional ingredients: parsley, cracked pepper, grated Parmesan cheese

Start the water boiling for the pasta in a saucepan. Add plenty of water and salt.
Sauté the onion in the oil for a minute or two.  Add the chicken and cook a while longer. Add the garlic and wine.

Cut the tomatoes in half and add them to the oil mixture. Add the zucchini, spinach, and basil about 4-5 minutes before the pasta is done. When the pasta is nearly cooked, drain and add to the saucepan with the vegetables. Continue the Sauté until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pasta Fagiola

2 cups elbow or small shells, raw

½ onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tablespoon olive oil

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes (organic)

4 cups water or broth

1 bay leaf

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

8 oz package frozen (or fresh) Italian cut green beans

1 15 oz can of pinto or cannellini beans, drained

1 teaspoon oregano

1 ½ teaspoons salt (omit If using salted broth instead of water)

five or six leaves of fresh basil OR 1 Tablespoon dried basil

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

In a large saucepan, cook and drain the pasta. In a large skillet, sauté the onion and garlic in the oil. After draining the pasta, put the pasta back in the saucepan and add the can of tomatoes, water, bay leaf, and carrots. Add the onion, garlic, and remaining ingredients to the saucepan. Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Remove the bay leaf.

If you have any questions or would like tips to build your favorite recipes, feel free to reach out to me on my website contact page.