Mediterranean Diet Recipe

RED LENTIL SOUP

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups dry red lentils
• 8 cups water
• 0.5 oz (½ cup) or more, spinach, torn
• 2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Directions

Heat oil in a large pot. Add carrots, celery, and onion. Cook and stir over medium heat until onion is tender. Stir in herbs and cook for two minutes. Add lentils, tomatoes, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1 hour until lentils are tender. Just before serving, stir in spinach and let it wilt. Serve with vinegar or lemon juice topping.

MEDITERRANEAN EGGPLANT

Ingredients

• 6 ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1 eggplant
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 2 small red or green peppers, diced
• ¼ cup water
• ½ box mushrooms, sliced thin
• ¼ cup dry basil (or 1 cup fresh)
• Crushed red pepper (if desired; to taste)
• 10 pitted olives, drained
• Salt (to taste)

Directions

Cut eggplant into ½ inch cubes (peel and seed if desired). In large heavy pan heat oil and cook eggplant and garlic for one minute, stirring constantly. Turn heat to low and add water. Cover and cook 6-8 minutes, until eggplant is tender. Add tomatoes and the remainder of the ingredients. Boil, uncovered, until sauce thickens, about 15-20 minutes.

SEAFOOD LINGUINE

Ingredients

• 8 oz whole-wheat linguine, or spaghetti
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped shallot
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• ½ cup white wine
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 12 littleneck or small cherrystone clams, (about 1 pound), scrubbed
• 8 oz dry sea scallops
• 8 oz tilapia, or other flaky white fish, cut into 1-inch strips
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram, or 1 teaspoon dried, plus more for garnish
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, (optional)

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes, or according to package directions. Drain and rinse. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and shallot and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 1 minute. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add tomatoes, wine, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute. Add clams, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in scallops, fish and marjoram. Cover and cook until the scallops and fish are cooked through and the clams have opened, 3 to 5 minutes more. (Discard any clams that don’t open.) Spoon the sauce and clams over the pasta and sprinkle with additional marjoram and Parmesan (if using).

SPINACH WITH PINE NUTS

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons raisins
• 1 10-oz bag fresh spinach with stems removed (Baby spinach not recommended for this recipe.)
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon shaved Parmesan cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, pine nuts, and raisins. Cook, stirring, about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add spinach and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes, until just wilted. Remove from heat; stir in vinegar and salt. Serve immediately, sprinkled with grated pepper and Parmesan.

RADISH SALAD WITH TUNA

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon salt
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 pound radishes, thinly sliced or grated
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• ¼ cup diced celery
• ¼ cup minced scallion
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cans of tuna (6 oz each) in water, drained and flaked
• 12 small black olives, pitted

Directions

In small bowl, dissolve salt in lemon juice. Add radish slices, parsley, celery, and scallions; mix well. Let set for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, drain out any water from salad. Add olive oil, tuna, and olives. Serve piled on bed of greens.

Reference

1. Diet: Mediterranean. Chef MD Web site.  http://www.chefmd.com/recipes.php?fs=t&diet=mediterranean.
2. Mediterranean diet. Allrecipes.com. http://allrecipes.com/recipes/healthy-recipes/special-diets/mediterranean-diet/.
3. Mediterranean diet recipes. Mayo Clinic Web site. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mediterranean-diet-recipes/MY02229.