The Mediterranean Diet isn’t really a diet at all. Instead, the Mediterranean Diet is a healthy eating style or pattern that emphasizes traditional foods from countries that border the Mediterranean Sea such as Greece and Italy. In the past, this area enjoyed some of the lowest rates of chronic diseases and the highest life expectancy rates in the world.
This dietary pattern naturally includes foods that are heart healthy and features olive oil as the principal source of fat. The Mediterranean diet includes more fruit and seafood and less dairy than other versions of a heart healthy diet. The diet also features moderate amounts of low-fat cheese and yogurt, grains and nuts, poultry and eggs, and limits red meat to a few times a month.
The Mediterranean Diet isn’t necessarily low in calories. Yet, there are easy ways to customize the Mediterranean Diet to meet your weight loss goals. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans features the Mediterranean Diet as a Healthy eating pattern and offers ways of eating a Healthy Mediterranean-Style Eating Pattern at 12 calorie levels.
The Mediterranean diet is a good choice if you are interested in starting a heart healthy eating plan and you enjoy foods from the Mediterranean region. There are myriad of ways to make up a satisfying Mediterranean Diet menu. Click here for examples of Mediterranean Diet recipes from Oldways Cultural Food Traditions.
Mediterranean Diet on the Go?
Try this Mini Vegetable Frittate recipe for a grab and go breakfast item from award-winning cookbook author and chef Amy Riolo’s The Mediterranean Diabetes Cookbook. To learn more about Amy and her work visit: http://www.amyriolo.com/web/
Mini Vegetable Fritatte
Serving Size: 6 | Serving Size: 2 muffins
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: approximately 20 minutes
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, cut into very thin slices
- 1 pint shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and cut into very thin (1/8-inch) slices
- 1 large zucchini, diced
- 2 small leeks, white and light green parts rinsed and finely chopped
- 4 large eggs, beaten in a bowl until foamy
- 8 basil leaves, hand torn
- 1/4 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese
- expeller-pressed nonstick cooking spray
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat olive oil in a large, wide, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden (about 4 minutes).
- Add the mushrooms and zucchini, and cook until browned (about 4 minutes). Add the leeks, stir, and cook for another 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside until cooled.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the beaten eggs, basil leaves, and pecorino cheese. Add the cooled vegetables to egg mixture.
- Grease a 12-hole muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray and distribute mixture evenly into holes, filling each 1/2-3/4 of the way. Put muffin tin in the oven until the frittata tops are golden and the eggs are set, about 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and serve.
Calories 180
Calories from Fat 130
Total Fat 14.0 g | Saturated Fat 3.6 g | Trans Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 125 mg
Sodium 150 mg
Potassium 310 mg
Total Carbohydrate 8 g | Dietary Fat 2 g | Sugars 4 g
Protein 7 g
Phosphorus 155 mg
Need help figuring out how to make the Mediterranean Diet work for you? Don’t Worry. Just give me a call. We’ll make an appointment and see what’s right for you. Call at 301-869-1787 or click here to set up an appointment with me as my free gift to you.
Sources:
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2016-2020
Oldways Cultural Food Traditions downloaded at https://oldwayspt.org/recipes
Amy Riolo, The Mediterranean Diabetes Cookbook, American Diabetes Association, Arlington, Va. 2019
To your Joy and Health,
Kay Loughrey, MPH, RDN, LDN
International Speaker, Breakthrough Coach, Nutritionist-Dietitian