There are few diets as universally recommended by experts as the Mediterranean diet. That’s because it’s not really a diet at all — it’s a lifestyle, says Elena Paravantes-Hargitt, a registered dietitian-nutritionist who specializes in the Mediterranean diet and is the founder of Olive Tomato. Paravantes-Hargitt lives in Greece. “It is based on the way people in certain parts of the Mediterranean were living and eating, so it is quite sustainable and realistic,” she says.
Use rosé to make a simple pan sauce for seared wild salmon, and then enjoy a glass or two! The salmon cooks quickly, leaving lots of time for rosé all day.
Cook the rice: Cook rice to desired doneness according to package instructions. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Roast the asparagus: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Arrange asparagus on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast until lightly caramelized and crisp-tender, about 18 to 20 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Prepare the salmon: Meanwhile, season salmon on both sides with salt and pepper and let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
In a coated cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed frying pan, add the olive oil and heat over medium high heat until shimmering. Add salmon (skin side up) and halved lemon and cook for about 4 minutes, or until salmon is golden brown and can easily move around the pan. Remove lemon from the pan and set aside on a plate. Flip salmon and cook skin side down for another 3 minutes, then add to the plate with the lemon and tent loosely with foil.
Drain olive oil from the skillet and add 1 tbsp of butter. Once melted, add shallot and cook for about 2 minutes or until they start to soften. Deglaze the pan with the rosé, scraping up brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring wine to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. Season with salt and pepper, then remove from heat.
Add the capers, herbs, and remaining 1 tbsp of butter and mount the sauce by slowly swirling the butter around in the pan.
Serve the salmon on top of prepared rice with roasted asparagus and a spoonful of the rosé pan sauce.
The Mediterranean diet is a mostly plant-based diet. Paravantes-Hargitt says, “It’s essentially a peasant diet. People would eat whatever they had growing in their gardens, along with some dairy and olive oil.”
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The good news is that because this is a style of eating versus a set of rigid rules, you can fully customize this approach to suit your likes and dislikes. There’s no following this to a T or falling off the wagon and feeling like a failure. “Even within the Mediterranean diet there are what we call ‘special occasion days’ where you may eat more or eat foods that perhaps are not very healthy, but that is actually part of the lifestyle,” Paravantes-Hargitt says. “Food is to be enjoyed, and the Mediterranean diet promotes a healthy relationship with food. ‘Cheating’ is part of the Mediterranean diet. You just continue the next day as if nothing happened.”
Still, here are five important tips to get you started:
Here’s what to eat and skip when you’re making your meals more Mediterranean:
Liberally
Occasionally
Rarely or Never
Liberally
Occasionally
Rarely or Never
Liberally
Occasionally
Rarely or Never
Liberally
Occasionally
Rarely or Never
Liberally
Occasionally
Rarely or Never
Liberally
Occasionally
Rarely or Never
Liberally
Occasionally
Rarely or Never
Liberally
Occasionally
Rarely or Never
Liberally
Occasionally
Rarely or Never
Liberally
Occasionally
Rarely or Never
Want to start eating like a Greek? Here are some ideas about where to start when planning your menu. Note that we don’t give portion sizes. This is one diet in which calorie counting is not expected. What your body needs will be different from the next person.
Also, with Paravantes-Hargitt’s help, we’ll show you how to move toward a more Mediterranean-style of eating — rather than doing a total overhaul — that will fit with your lifestyle.
Breakfast Coffee or tea with a bowl of oatmeal topped with berries
Snack Handful of almonds or walnuts
Lunch Half of a turkey sandwich made with whole-grain bread and a cup of lentil soup
Snack Sliced carrots, bell peppers, and cucumbers dipped in hummus
Dinner Veggie and white bean stew
Breakfast Coffee or tea with plain Greek yogurt topped with a drizzle of honey and walnuts
Snack Roasted chickpeas
Lunch Leftover veggie and bean stew from yesterday's dinner
Snack A peach (or apple, depending on the season)
Dinner Roasted chicken served with pita bread, tzatziki (a yogurt-based sauce), and a side salad
Breakfast Smoothie made with the milk of your choice, fruit, and nut butter
Snack ¼ avocado mashed with lemon juice and salt on top of whole-grain crackers
Lunch Three-bean soup topped with a dollop of pesto and served with a whole-grain roll
Snack Package of olives and fresh veggies
Dinner Salmon with farro and roasted zucchini and eggplant
Breakfast Coffee or tea and toasted whole-grain bread, sliced cheese, and strawberries
Snack Pistachios
Lunch Lentil-based salad with feta, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives
Snack Greek yogurt with fresh fruit
Dinner Grilled shrimp served with sautéed kale and polenta
Breakfast Coffee or tea and a breakfast bowl of leftover farro (from dinner on day 3) topped with a poached egg and a few slices of avocado
Snack Dried apricots and walnuts
Lunch Quinoa, bean, and veggie salad served with a slice of whole-grain bread
Snack Whole-grain crackers and black bean dip
Dinner Marinated, grilled chicken skewers served with bulgur wheat and a cucumber and red onion salad
Breakfast Coffee or tea and smoked salmon, capers, and tomato slices
Snack In-season fruit (such as a peach or two apricots in summer, or a pear in winter)
Lunch Mediterranean bean salad and whole-grain crackers
Snack Piece of cheese and olives
Dinner Moroccan lamb stew with couscous
Breakfast Coffee or tea and Greek yogurt with sunflower seeds and raspberries
Snack Sliced orange and pistachios
Lunch A piece of whole-grain bread with sliced tomatoes, cheese, and olives
Snack Packaged, flavored lupini beans
Dinner Red lentil and vegetable stew
Breakfast Coffee or tea and two eggs with sautéed greens (spinach or kale), plus an orange
Snack Roasted chickpeas
Lunch Leftover lamb stew from dinner on day 6
Snack Mixed nuts with a piece of dark chocolate
Dinner Baked white fish, roasted potatoes, and zucchini
Breakfast Smoothie made with the milk of your choice, frozen cherries, banana, and cocoa powder
Snack Mini peppers stuffed with hummus
Lunch Tuna salad made with olive oil, dried herbs, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes served on a bed of spinach with mixed veggies and whole-grain crackers
Snack Piece of cheese with a piece of fruit
Dinner Hearty Tuscan white bean soup with whole-grain bread
Breakfast Coffee or tea and a bowl of oatmeal topped with raisins and crushed walnuts, plus a drizzle of honey, if desired
Snack Greek yogurt and a piece of fruit
Lunch Leftover Tuscan white bean soup from dinner on day 9
Snack Hummus with sliced raw veggies like red peppers, celery, and cucumber
Dinner Garlic lemon chicken thighs served with asparagus and Israeli couscous
Breakfast Coffee or tea and a slice of veggie frittata with avocado
Snack Apple with nut butter
Lunch Prepared dolmas (look for these stuffed grape leaves in the prepared food section at some grocers) with hummus and pita
Snack Greek yogurt dip with sliced veggies
Dinner Seafood stew (shrimp and white fish in a tomato base)
Breakfast Coffee or tea and a small bowl of ricotta topped with fruit (berries, peaches, or fresh apricots) and a drizzle of honey
Snack Handful of lightly salted nuts (hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds, or a mix)
Lunch Greek pasta salad (whole-grain pasta with red onion, tomato, Kalamata olives, and feta) served on a bed of romaine
Snack Fruit salad
Dinner Leftover seafood stew from dinner on day 11
Breakfast Coffee or tea and oatmeal with nut butter and blueberries
Snack Container of Greek yogurt
Lunch Salmon salad sandwich with a cup of bean-based soup
Snack Smashed avocado on whole-grain crackers
Dinner Shakshuka (baked eggs in tomato sauce) topped with feta and served over polenta
Breakfast Coffee or tea and toasted whole-grain bread topped with ricotta and sliced fruit
Snack Dried cranberries and mixed nuts
Lunch Quinoa bowl with roasted sweet potatoes, goat cheese, and walnuts
Snack Olives and a few pita chips dipped in hummus
Dinner Artichoke and cannellini bean pasta with bread crumbs and Parmesan
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