If you want to make your meals bolder and brighter, you better try making Mediterranean dishes. Aside from being delicious, Mediterranean food is also known to be healthy.
Let’s have a look at some Mediterranean recipes you can whip up at home.
Greek Beef Pitas
Serving Size: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 chopped small onion
- ½ cup of chopped peeled cucumber
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 4 warmed whole pita bread
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 1 cup of reduced-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 chopped medium tomato, chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 lb lean ground beef (90% lean)
- 1 tsp dill weed
Optional: extra chopped tomatoes and cucumber
Procedure:
- Cook the beef, garlic, and onion in a large skillet on medium heat for 8 to10 minutes or until the beef is not pink anymore, and the vegetables become tender. Drain and add the oregano and half a tsp of salt.
- Combine the cucumber, yogurt, dill, remaining salt, and tomato.
- Using a spoon, place ¾ cup of the beef mixture on every pita bread. Place 3 tbsp of the yogurt mixture.
- Put the optional ingredients on top if you want, and add the remaining yogurt mixture.
Greek Butter Cookies
Serving Size: Around 5 dozen
Ingredients:
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 6 cups of all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1 lb melted and cooled unsalted butter
- 3 ½ cups of confectioners’ sugar
Procedure:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Mix the butter and half a cup of the confectioner’s sugar until well-blended. Add the vanilla and egg yolk and beat them in.
- Whisk the baking powder and flour in a separate bowl. Slowly add the butter mixture and mix until it becomes crumbly.
- Shape the dough into crescents using a spoon.
- Place them on ungreased baking sheets making sure that they are an inch apart.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges become light brown.
- Transfer the cookies to wire racks and allow them to cool for 15 minutes.
- Put the rest of the sugar in a small bowl and lightly coat the cookies.
- Put the cookies back in the wire rack and let them cool completely.
- Coat the cookies in the sugar again and serve.
Shrimp Orzo Salad
Serving Size: 8
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup of finely chopped red onion
- ¾ lb peeled and deveined cooked shrimp
- 1 pack orzo pasta
- ⅓ cup of chopped fresh dill
- ½ cup of pitted Greek olives
- 1 cup of finely chopped green pepper
- ¾ cup of Greek vinaigrette
- 1 can rinse and drained water-packed quartered artichoke hearts
- 1 cup of finely chopped sweet red pepper
- ½ cup of minced fresh parsley
Procedure:
- Cook the orzo following the package instructions. Drain and rinse using cold water. Drain again.
- Mix the orzo, vegetables, herbs, olives, and shrimp in a big bowl.
- Put the vinaigrette and coat.
- Place it in the refrigerator with a cover until you serve it.
Couscous Salad
Serving Size: 12
Ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cups of uncooked whole-wheat couscous
- 1 can reduced-sodium chicken broth
- For the dressing:
- 1 tsp adobo seasoning
- ¼ cup of lemon juice
- ½ cup of olive oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp grated lemon zest
For the salad:
- 4 chopped green onions
- 1 cup of coarsely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 can drained sliced ripe olives
- 1 English cucumber (cut lengthwise and sliced)
- 2 cups of halved grape tomatoes
- ½ cup of crumbled feta cheese
Procedure:
- Boil the broth in a large saucepan.
- Mix the couscous and take it off from the heat.
- Set aside with a cover for around 5 minutes or until the broth gets absorbed.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and let it cool completely.
- Whisk all the ingredients for the dressing.
- Add the tomatoes, olives, cucumber, parsley, and green onions into the couscous. And mix the dressing.
- Add the cheese slowly and serve immediately or cold.
Mediterranean Chicken
Serving Size: 4
Ingredients:
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 pint of grape tomatoes
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 tablespoons drained capers
- 16 sliced pitted Greek or ripe olives
Procedure:
- Sprinkle the salt and pepper on the chicken.
- Cook the chicken in a large ovenproof skillet with oil on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes on every side or until it becomes golden brown.
- Add the olives, capers, and tomatoes.
- Bake without a cover for 475 degrees for 10 to 14 minutes or until the thermometer reaches 170 degrees.
Conclusion
Those are just some of the many Mediterranean dishes you can make at home. The Moroccan, Greek, and Tuscan flavors will make your meals more fun. Since most of the recipes have herbs and fresh vegetables, you will not feel guilty eating them.
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/mediterranean-recipes
https://www.themediterraneandish.com/best-mediterranean-recipes-of-2018/
https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/favorite-mediterranean-recipes/