So what’s the basic principle that you need to follow for the Mediterranean diet? Basically, the foods that you need to consume are more on veggies and fruits; legumes, nuts and whole grain cereals. Again, olive oil is a staple ingredient which can be used as a salad dressing, for frying or even as a bread condiment.
Meat can be consumed once a month, but the Mediterranean diet revolves around using mostly fish as your main source of protein. The dairy items include cheeses and yogurts. And who doesn’t enjoy a moderate drinking of wine paired with an excellent cheese slice? This is something that the Mediterranean diet lets you enjoy!
Start with a Great Breakfast
Start your day with a dose of zinc, calcium and vitamins A and C. But this does not have to be a boring breakfast. You will surely love yogurt with the nuts and honey. Simply prepare a ripe apricot pitted and halved. Of course, don’t forget 4 tablespoons of Greek or plain yogurt and the honey.
Prepare a tablespoon of roughly chopped pistachios. The preparation is quite simple so it’s so easy and convenient to prepare. Simply get the first half of the apricot and fill it with 2 tablespoons of yogurt and sprinkle it with honey and then with pistachios.
If you want your ordinary yogurt to get a thick texture, you can sift it through a sieve with a coffee filter on. Then put the container with the yogurt in the freezer for about 6 hours before using it.
Follow through Lunch
This time you would be enjoying the pita sandwich filled with Greek salad. For the salad, you would need a table of red wine vinegar and 3 tablespoons of extra virgin live oil. All you have to do is whisk these two in a bowl. Add salt and pepper for seasoning. Then you have to get the other ingredients and mix everything into the bowl. You would need a cup of diced cucumber and a cup of green bell pepper.
Make sure you have 1 ¼ cups of chopped plum or cherry tomatoes, ½ cup of chopped radishes and ½ cup of chopped up Italian parsley. You also need to include 2/3 cup of chopped red onion. And then stir everything in ½ cup of feta cheese. The salad can be done ahead. In fact, it would even be convenient so all you would have to do is put the salad into the pita bread and you’re done.
You can prepare your lunch in just a matter of minutes. As you can see, the Mediterranean Diet focuses on plant food like vegetables. So, your diet is full of antioxidants and immune system boosters. The nuts are there also to provide you with sufficient protein too.
Your Choice of Dinner
You can continue your vegetable theme. Just whisk a teaspoon of Dijon mustard and 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Gradually add and whisk in a half cup of extra virgin olive oil. Add and stir 3 pressed garlic cloves, a teaspoon of fresh basil and 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped into the bowl. Add some salt and pepper to season. Then cover the bowl and chill. In a separate large bowl, toss 2 halved and thinly sliced large red onions and ½ inch strips of red, yellow and orange bell peppers.
Then toss in a pound of ½ inch slices of eggplant, half pound of 1/3 inch thick yellow squash and half pound of 1/3 inch thick zucchini. To season, add a drizzle of coarse salt and pepper. Add the dressing until every part has been coated and place them into 2 large baking sheets for a 35-minute roasting in the 450 degrees preheated oven. With a consistent vegetable and plant food diet, you get to fill your stomach and you get to enjoy your meals too without sacrificing your health.