This week, we’ll be talking about some fall Mediterranean diet ideas recommended by Gaithersburg Nutritionist Kay Loughrey that you can try and incorporate into your daily life. You don’t necessarily have to completely change your eating style if it is not something with which you have experience. You could try eating like so for a few days and see how it agrees with your body. Then, if you find that you like it, you could incorporate more of these fall Mediterranean diet ideas into your daily diet.
Firstly, it is important to mention that the Mediterranean Diet (or MeD diet) doesn’t really have a uniform definition. It’s common features of “greater number of servings of fruits and vegetables (mostly fresh) with an emphasis on root vegetables and greens, whole grains, fatty fish (rich in omega-3 fatty acids), lower amounts of red meat and with an emphasis on lean meats, lower fat dairy products, abundant nuts and legumes, and use of olive oil, canola oil, nut oil, or margarine blended with rapeseed oil or flaxseed oil.” (Mahan & Raymond, 2017). The MeD diet is usually moderate in total fats, high in fiber, high in polyunsaturated fats (especially omega-3), and low in saturated fats. Next, we will state some general ideas for dishes and meals you can have that go along with the theme!
Fish Dishes:
It’s usually better and healthier to bake or grill fish as these methods typically use less oil than frying. The benefits of fish include the fact that it’s typically a great source of omega-3 fatty acids which “can help lower elevated triglyceride levels.” Omega-3 is one of the healthy fats which will be discussed further next week. A good source of this fat is salmon. You can see our Healthy Grilled Recipes blog for a way you could cook Grilled Lemon Garlic Salmon (with a veggie medley side). You can try using herbs such as basil, parsley, oregano, and thyme to cook instead of seasonings like salt and pepper. You might be surprised at the results–especially if you give the fish enough time to marinate while cooking.
Vegetable Dishes:
One of the easiest things you could do would be to make a vegetable medley. The awesome thing about this is that you can mix together whatever veggies you desire. Take a look at our blog Healthy and Simple Vegetable Dishes for a few ideas! The different cooking methods you can use include stir-frying, steaming, baking, boiling, and so on. Also, for a good portion of the recipes, you may not even need to add any seasoning as the vegetables themselves have a nice and savory taste that can be brought out (depending on the cooking method). Be mindful to stay informed of which vegetables are in season as produce is generally cheaper when in season.
Fruit Dishes:
As we’ve discussed in previous blogs, you can do many things with fruit. For example, you can make a smoothie (for a cool smoothie idea, you can look at our Refreshingly Cool And Healthy Snacks and Drinks blog). You can also make a fruit salad, a kabob, and even a parfait. The parfait could be made with lowfat or nonfat yogurt and a variety of fresh berries (or whichever fruit you desire). Taking a look at the diagram above, you could even replace the granola with a healthy addition of sliced or chopped up nuts to make sure you’re getting your requirement. If you’d like to get creative, you could even make your own charcuterie board with slices of cheese, fruit, nuts, and lean meats. As usual, be careful to monitor the serving sizes so you don’t have too high of a consumption. You could invite friends and/or family to see what their opinions are as you discover which combinations you feel would best suit your charcuterie board!
Here is an example of a Mediterranean Diet recipe:
Moroccan Lentils with Stewed Tomatoes
This recipe comes courtesy of Chef Amy Riolo from her The Mediterranean Diabetes Cookbook
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- 1 cup brown lentils, sorted, rinsed, and drained
- 1 cup chopped low-sodium canned or boxed no- salt-added tomatoes
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup) 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- Place lentils in a medium saucepan, and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to low, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside. (This step may be done a day ahead of time.)
- Combine lentils, tomatoes, onion, coriander, salt, and pepper in a large saucepan. Add 1 cup water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Add cilantro, and stir. Serve hot.
- Calories 90
- Calories from Fat 0
- Total Fat 0.0 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0 g
- Trans Fat 0.0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Sodium 125 mg
- Potassium 330 mg
- Total Carbohydrate 16 g
- Dietary Fiber 6 g
- Sugars 2 g
- Protein 6 g
- Phosphorus 130 mg
Overall, one of the benefits of the MeD diet is that it can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and better the heart health of the body. Be sure to listen to your body as it’s usually the first to tell you if a change needs to be made. Also, consult with your doctor if you ever have any questions or concerns.
Mahan, L. K., & Raymond, J. L. (2017). Krause’s Food & the Nutrition Care Process (14th ed.). Elsevier. Feature Photo by Sam Moqadam on Unsplash
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Kay Loughrey, MPH, RDN, LDN
Transformational Speaker, Breakthrough Coach, Nutritionist-Dietitian
Blessing Bolomope, Student Intern
B.S. Nutrition & Food Science – Dietetics
University of Maryland, College Park | 2020