Mediterranean Recipes

Such Treasures Blog writes about advantages to following a traditional Mediterranean diet:

• lots of whole-grain foods, as opposed to refined grain foods
• mostly mono-unsaturated fats (from olive oil)
• good amounts of omega-3 fatty acids from nuts, seeds, fish and vegetables
• less consumption meats and poultry
• greater consumption of legumes and fish
• less consumption of dairy foods
• where dairy is consumed it is usually in the form of small amounts of cheese & yogurt
• emphasis on fresh foods and a great variety of fruits & vegetables
• little processing of foods
• usage of seasonal, local ingredients

Here are some of my favorite Mediterranean recipe

Chicken Espana

• ½ cup pitted ripe olives


• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil


• ¼ cup red wine vinegar


• 1 Tbsp. dried oregano leaves


• 3 cloves garlic, minced


• 1 chicken, cut-up


• ¼ cup packed brown sugar


• ¼ cup dry white wine
  2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Mix olives, oil, vinegar, oregano and garlic. Pour over chicken in large ziplock bag. Marinate in refrigerator 2 hours or ov turning occasionally. Arrange chicken with marinade in shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Pour wine into p
350 degrees for 1 hour or until cooked through, basting every 20 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source (PDF)

Rice and chestnut recipe

• 1 1/2 cup rice - washed


• 1 medium-sized onion - finely chopped


• 20 roasted chestnuts - peeled. How to roast chestnuts.


• 2 tablespoons olive oil


• 2 inches cinnamon stick


• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon


• 7 cloves


• 1/4 teaspoon cumin


• 3 corns pepper


• 4 cups hot water


• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Roast the chestnuts in the oven. Heat olive oil in an earthen casserole or Dutch oven. When it's hot, add the onion. When the onion turns golden, add the hot water, the roasted chestnuts and the salt. Stir briefly. Bring the water to a boil, and cook uncovered for 10 minutes over medium heat. Add the rice and all the spices. Stir briefly. (Check that the rice is nicely covered with water. If not, add a little more water so that the rice doesn't become dry.). Cook uncovered for about 8 more minutes. Cover and turn heat to low. Cook for 8 to 9 minutes. Turn off heat and let it rest for 5 minutes. The chestnut recipe has then time to develop its natural forest aromas to the full.

Source

The Mediterranean Diet: Health Benefits

I've read The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook yesterday. Author writes about health benefits of the mediterranean diet:

antioxidants - powerful scavengers of free radicals; free radicals are chemical substances that travel around in the body and cause damage to body cells

carotenoids – found in red, orange, and yellow plant leaves, fruits, and flowers; they may protect the body against damage from light and oxygen

monounsaturated fats - may delay or reduce development of cancers of the breast, colon, and skin

phytochemicals - substances produced in plants to protect them against viruses, bacteria, and fungi

These are thought to promote the longer lives and lower incidence of chronic diseases found in
this region.

[More information about mediterranean diet (PDF)]