Your Mediterranean diet meal planning guide: Mediterranean diet recipes and more

Inspired by the traditional cuisines of Greece, Italy, and Spain, the Mediterranean diet is widely celebrated for its health benefits. Rich in healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables, the Mediterranean diet has a wide range of health benefits. Keep reading to learn more—and explore our recipes that can help you eat like you're in Santorini.

What is the Mediterranean diet?

The Mediterranean diet is a whole-foods-based way of eating that emphasizes enjoying plant-based foods and healthy fats. This eating style doesn't require you to stick to specific macronutrient ratios or calorie limits. Rather, it encourages you to include a wide variety of natural foods in every meal while limiting red meat and sweets.

The basic guidelines of the Mediterranean diet include:

• Enjoy plenty of vegetables, fruits, legumes, seeds, nuts, potatoes, whole grains, fish, seafood, herbs, spices, and extra virgin olive oil.
• Enjoy moderate servings of eggs, cheese, poultry, yogurt, and red wine a few times each week.
• Limit or avoid red meat, processed foods, added sugar, processed meat, refined grains, beer, and liquor.

In addition to following general food guidelines, the Mediterranean diet also encourages eating meals with friends or family, away from screens and other electronic devices.

Mediterranean diet benefits

There are many benefits associated with enjoying a Mediterranean diet, including:

• May prevent weight gain: While research has yet to confirm that the Mediterranean diet will cause weight loss, it does suggest that eating this way may be a good option for those who want to manage their weight long-term.
• Promotes heart health: According to the American Heart Association, the Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of developing health issues like obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure, all of which can contribute to the development of heart disease.
• Supports healthy blood sugar levels: The Mediterranean diet may decrease insulin resistance, which can help the body use naturally-produced insulin to effectively regulate blood sugar levels.

Mediterranean diet breakfast recipes

Blueberry Overnight Oats with Greek Yogurt

Sourced from Mediterranean Living

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or your favorite milk: soy, oat or cow's milk)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• Dash of salt
• 1/2 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
• 1/4 cup roasted walnuts
• 1 tbsp chia seeds

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients except walnuts into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. Serve topped with roasted walnuts.

Vegetable Omelets

Sourced from Eating Well

Ingredients

• ½ cup no-salt-added diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, well drained
• ½ cup cucumber, chopped and seeded
• ½ cup chopped yellow summer squash
• ½ ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and chopped
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• Nonstick cooking spray
• ¼ cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño chile peppers
• Snipped fresh chives

Directions

1. For the filling, in a medium bowl, stir together tomatoes, cucumber, squash and avocado. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, egg product, water, basil, salt and pepper.
2. For each omelet, coat an 8-inch non-stick skillet generously with cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium heat. Add a generous 1/3 cup of the egg mixture to a hot skillet.
3. Immediately begin stirring eggs gently but continuously with a wooden spatula until the mixture resembles cooked egg pieces surrounded by liquid egg. Stop stirring. Cook for 30 to 60 seconds more or until the egg is set but shiny.
4. Spoon 1/2 cup of the filling over one side of the omelet. Carefully fold the omelet over the filling. Very carefully remove the omelet from the skillet. Repeat to make 4 omelets total, using paper towels to wipe the skillet clean and spraying with cooking spray between omelets. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cheese over each omelet. If desired, garnish with chives.

Mediterranean diet lunch recipes

Salmon Soup

Sourced from The Mediterranean Dish

Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil
• 4 green onions, chopped
• ½ green bell pepper, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 oz fresh dill, divided, chopped
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 lb gold potatoes, thinly sliced into rounds (best to use a mandolin slicer)
• 1 carrot, thinly sliced into rounds (best to use a mandolin slicer)
• 1 tsp dry oregano
• ¾ tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 lb salmon fillet, no skin, cut into large chunks
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large pot until shimmering but not smoking. Add green onions, bell pepper, and garlic and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until fragrant (about 3 minutes or so). Add ½ of the fresh dill, and stir for 30 seconds more.
2. Now add broth, potatoes and carrots. Add spices and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Bring to a rolling boil, then lower heat to medium and cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until the potatoes and carrots are tender.
3. Season salmon with kosher salt and gently add it to the pot of simmering soup. Lower heat and cook for a few brief minutes until salmon is cooked through about 3 to 5 minutes, or until salmon is cooked and flakes easily.
4. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice and remaining dill.
5. Transfer salmon soup to serving bowls. Serve with a side of your favorite crusty bread. Enjoy!

Turmeric Rice Bowl with Garam Masala Root Vegetables & Chickpeas

Sourced from Eating Well

Ingredients

Rice

• 1 ¼ cups water
• ½ cup brown basmati rice
• ¼ cup raisins
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon onion powder or garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric or 1 teaspoon freshly grated turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

Vegetables & Chickpeas

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee
• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry
• 1 teaspoon garam masala or Indian curry powder
• 1 cup roasted root vegetables
• 1 teaspoon sugar or honey
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons low-fat plain yogurt or tahini
• Chopped fresh herbs, such as mint, parsley and/or cilantro, for garnish

Directions

1. To prepare rice: Combine water, rice, raisins, olive oil, onion powder (or garlic powder), turmeric, cinnamon, pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the liquid is absorbed, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, to prepare vegetables & chickpeas: Heat coconut oil (or ghee) in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add chickpeas and cook, stirring, until crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garam masala (or curry powder) and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add roasted root vegetables, sugar (or honey), salt and pepper; cook, stirring often, until heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in lemon juice.
3. Serve the vegetable mixture over the rice, topped with yogurt (or tahini). Garnish with herbs, if desired.

Mediterranean diet dinner recipes

Cilantro Lime Chicken

Sourced from Downshiftology

Ingredients

• 6 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 limes, zested and juiced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped

Instructions

1. Make the marinade. In a mixing bowl, whisk together two tablespoons of olive oil, lime juice and zest, cumin, chili powder, minced garlic, honey, salt, pepper, and chopped cilantro. You can also pulse in a food processor until it's combined.
2. Marinate the chicken. Combine the marinade and chicken thighs in a bowl or shallow dish. Marinate chicken for 30 minutes to an hour in the fridge. When the chicken is done marinating, take it out of the fridge and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature.
3. Sear the chicken. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Heat the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes with the skin side down, until they're golden brown. Then, flip the chicken and sear the other side for 2 to 3 minutes. The chicken will not be fully cooked at this point.
4. Bake the chicken. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake the chicken thighs for 15 to 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (70°C).
5. Garnish and serve. Remove the chicken from the oven, let it rest for 5 minutes, and garnish with extra lime slices and cilantro leaves before serving.

Hearty Mushroom Ragu

Sourced from The Domestic Dietitian

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds Assorted Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (we used a mix of shitake and white button mushrooms)
• 2 tsp dried rosemary
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• salt and pepper to taste
• Optional Garnish – chopped Italian parsley and freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
2. Once warm, add the diced shallot and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the minced garlic and continuously stir until the garlic is fragrant and golden, about 30–45 seconds.
4. Add the mushrooms, rosemary and thyme and continue to sauté until the mushrooms begin to cook down and become soft.
5. Add the flour and continue to stir until all the flour has been absorbed by the mushrooms.
6. Turn the heat up a bit and add the wine, continue to cook until the wine has reduced by about half the amount.
7. Add the vegetable broth and season with salt and pepper if needed.
8. Continue to let the mushroom mixture simmer, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and the mushrooms continue to soften, about 15-20 minutes.
9. Remove from heat and serve with optional parsley and parmesan cheese if desired.

Mediterranean diet snack ideas

Thankfully, there are tons of simple snacks you can keep on hand that are in line with Mediterranean diet guidelines, including:

• Tomato, mozzarella, and basil skewers
• Hummus and veggies
• Fruit and cottage cheese
• Roasted nuts
• Salt and vinegar pumpkin seeds
• Sliced apples with cinnamon and almond butter
• Roasted chickpeas

We're here to help you through every step of your health journey

Whether you're getting started with the Mediterranean diet, you're trying to increase your daily activity levels, or you have another health goal, the team at Evidation is here to support you. When you download our free app, you'll be prompted to share the health data you're already tracking (like information from a wearable fitness device, data from the app you use to log your meals, etc.). We'll use the information you choose to share to find patterns and trends, and we'll provide you with personalized, content-based insights to help you make decisions that bring you closer to your goals. If you're ready to start moving forward, we're ready to support you. Click here to learn more about how Evidation works and get started today.