Mediterranean Diet

chrst793

So my dr told me he wants me to go on a low fat, low cholesterol, heart healthy diet....recommends the Mediterranean Diet. I like to try new things and I love veggies, beans and grains, so it should be pretty easy, right? Was wondering if anyone could help me with any recipes or websites. Thanks in advance!

rainbowbow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuWe0reI8ak

LHWhite903

Mayo Clinic, Oldways, WebMD, Wikipedia and the American Heart Association have this to say.

RodaRose

Add more vegetables to your days. Here is a spinach and garbanzo salad:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/161535/espinacas-con-garbanzos-spinach-with-garbanzo-beans/

melonaulait

Throw in some vegan recipes while you're at it! http://www.veganeasy.org/main-meals

The sky's the limit with heart healthy eating

fitdaisygrrl

http://oldwayspt.org/resources/heritage-pyramids/mediterranean-diet-pyramid

Need2Exerc1se

The Med Diet is not low fat. Olive oil is a key component and it includes nuts.

Obnoxa

https://www.pinterest.com/erikalashaun/pescetarian-meals/
Some good general ideas there.
The easiest rule of thumb is to base most of your meals around veggies (or fruit if breakfast); half your plate. Divide the other half with grains and/or seafood/meat replacements. You can get a lot of good meal ideas looking at vegetarian recipe websites as well.
A good veggie mix contains lots of different colours in it. Eggplant, squashes (butternut, acorn, spaghetti, etc) make excellent meat replacements on top of tofu or tempeh or good ol' eggs. TVP (textured vegetable protein) is an excellent stand in for ground chuck in things like pasta sauces and make sure you get beans/nuts/legumes in there too, to help supplement the nutrients you'll miss from taking out mammal. Stick with whole grains and while frying/sauteeing is a dieters nightmare, olive oil is good and good for you, so don't believe the myth that you can't use it at high heat. Heat that oil if that's what you want to do with it! Typically though, most of your cooked items should be grilled/steamed/baked/broiled; the "heart healthy" ways to cook fish or veg.

A really easy (and tasty) go to veggie supper mix for me is grilled Spanish onion, bell peppers, zucchini, and mushroom that I toss with olive oil, garlic and sprinkle some goats milk feta cheese on. Pairs great with most meals, is supper quick, and pretty light in the calorie department. Throw a piece of grilled salmon with some lemon and pepper on top and there you go! It's that's easy

A couple of my fave meals are:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/77981/butternut-squash-soup-ii/
http://www.chowhound.com/recipes/chole-chana-masala-30267 (Indian dishes are great under this type of eating regimen)
http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/2053/Baked-Teriyaki-Salmon113810.shtml (Salmon is the real chicken of the sea!)
http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/mediterranean-tuna-crescent-pockets/984216dd-f1bb-4696-bad9-c6af781b4d61 (my 12 year old loves those, not super healthy but fun and a good comfort food)
http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/popular-ingredients/butternut-squash-recipes/butternut-squash-chickpea-stew (a vegetarian rip off of Moroccan Tagine; I could live off of this)
http://www.inspiredtaste.net/22016/roasted-red-pepper-hummus-recipe (Best hummus I've ever eaten and chick peas are the chicken of... beans. Yeah, sounded better in my head)

http://kylathelazyvegetarian.blogspot.ca/search/label/New to Vegetarianism (A good newbie read, concise and applicable for pescos as well since you wont, and shouldn't, eat fish daily. Gives you a good starting point)

Anyway, pescatarianism (which the Mediterranean diet falls under) overlaps with vegetarianism and veganism insomuch as they are more restrictive than a typical omnivorous diet, so don't be gun-shy about looking to those to other groups for ideas and inspirations just because you're not looking to follow those diets specifically.
You'll discover substitutions from the more restrictive diets you never would have thought of giving you many more meal options to choose from, so the knowledge is there for you to take.

I haven't eaten mammal in years; it's an industrial farming thing for me so the beginning of my weight loss journey really just meant tightening up by way of healthier preparation, but honestly it's a super easy eating regimen to follow that's mostly just common sense. If I'm making something and I want... I don't know, let's say fried onions with it, I heat the pan and keep a cup of water next to it, continuously adding a little bit of water so it's just enough to cook those onions. Do I get that crispy sautee? Nope, but it's a reasonably close second that fills my need for fried onion without the unhealthy that comes with sauteeing everything. I'm not saying I never fry anything in oil, but I do it sparingly, to facilitate a craving or when there's no other reasonable substitute. That's the only real distinction between following pesco and fine-tuning it to a Mediterranean diet.

Spanish, Italian, Moroccan, and Greek food is phenomenal, but many African and Asian countries do not rely on mammal as a primary staple either, so don't be afraid to branch out and broaden your horizons!

Do a bit of reading, a bit of experimenting, and welcome to pescatarianism

janejellyroll

Obnoxa wrote: »

https://www.pinterest.com/erikalashaun/pescetarian-meals/
Some good general ideas there.
The easiest rule of thumb is to base most of your meals around veggies (or fruit if breakfast); half your plate. Divide the other half with grains and/or seafood/meat replacements. You can get a lot of good meal ideas looking at vegetarian recipe websites as well.
A good veggie mix contains lots of different colours in it. Eggplant, squashes (butternut, acorn, spaghetti, etc) make excellent meat replacements on top of tofu or tempeh or good ol' eggs. TVP (textured vegetable protein) is an excellent stand in for ground chuck in things like pasta sauces and make sure you get beans/nuts/legumes in there too, to help supplement the nutrients you'll miss from taking out mammal. Stick with whole grains and while frying/sauteeing is a dieters nightmare, olive oil is good and good for you, so don't believe the myth that you can't use it at high heat. Heat that oil if that's what you want to do with it! Typically though, most of your cooked items should be grilled/steamed/baked/broiled; the "heart healthy" ways to cook fish or veg.

A really easy (and tasty) go to veggie supper mix for me is grilled Spanish onion, bell peppers, zucchini, and mushroom that I toss with olive oil, garlic and sprinkle some goats milk feta cheese on. Pairs great with most meals, is supper quick, and pretty light in the calorie department. Throw a piece of grilled salmon with some lemon and pepper on top and there you go! It's that's easy

A couple of my fave meals are:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/77981/butternut-squash-soup-ii/
http://www.chowhound.com/recipes/chole-chana-masala-30267 (Indian dishes are great under this type of eating regimen)
http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/2053/Baked-Teriyaki-Salmon113810.shtml (Salmon is the real chicken of the sea!)
http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/mediterranean-tuna-crescent-pockets/984216dd-f1bb-4696-bad9-c6af781b4d61 (my 12 year old loves those, not super healthy but fun and a good comfort food)
http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/popular-ingredients/butternut-squash-recipes/butternut-squash-chickpea-stew (a vegetarian rip off of Moroccan Tagine; I could live off of this)
http://www.inspiredtaste.net/22016/roasted-red-pepper-hummus-recipe (Best hummus I've ever eaten and chick peas are the chicken of... beans. Yeah, sounded better in my head)

http://kylathelazyvegetarian.blogspot.ca/search/label/New to Vegetarianism (A good newbie read, concise and applicable for pescos as well since you wont, and shouldn't, eat fish daily. Gives you a good starting point)

Anyway, pescatarianism (which the Mediterranean diet falls under) overlaps with vegetarianism and veganism insomuch as they are more restrictive than a typical omnivorous diet, so don't be gun-shy about looking to those to other groups for ideas and inspirations just because you're not looking to follow those diets specifically.
You'll discover substitutions from the more restrictive diets you never would have thought of giving you many more meal options to choose from, so the knowledge is there for you to take.

I haven't eaten mammal in years; it's an industrial farming thing for me so the beginning of my weight loss journey really just meant tightening up by way of healthier preparation, but honestly it's a super easy eating regimen to follow that's mostly just common sense. If I'm making something and I want... I don't know, let's say fried onions with it, I heat the pan and keep a cup of water next to it, continuously adding a little bit of water so it's just enough to cook those onions. Do I get that crispy sautee? Nope, but it's a reasonably close second that fills my need for fried onion without the unhealthy that comes with sauteeing everything. I'm not saying I never fry anything in oil, but I do it sparingly, to facilitate a craving or when there's no other reasonable substitute. That's the only real distinction between following pesco and fine-tuning it to a Mediterranean diet.

Spanish, Italian, Moroccan, and Greek food is phenomenal, but many African and Asian countries do not rely on mammal as a primary staple either, so don't be afraid to branch out and broaden your horizons!

Do a bit of reading, a bit of experimenting, and welcome to pescatarianism

Many outlines for the Mediterranean diet include chicken and red meat (red meat is usually limited though).

melonaulait

Obnoxa wrote: »

Anyway, pescatarianism (which the Mediterranean diet falls under) overlaps with vegetarianism and veganism insomuch as they are more restrictive than a typical omnivorous diet, so don't be gun-shy about looking to those to other groups for ideas and inspirations just because you're not looking to follow those diets specifically.
You'll discover substitutions from the more restrictive diets you never would have thought of giving you many more meal options to choose from, so the knowledge is there for you to take.

This is the perfect tip! You definitely don't have to go full on vegetarian with your new Mediterranean diet lifestyle, but you are gonna find so many great heart healthy, low fat, low cholesterol alternatives on veggie sites.

Obnoxa

janejellyroll wrote: »

Many outlines for the Mediterranean diet include chicken and red meat (red meat is usually limited though).

Good to note; it's never been presented to me as such but most Mediterranean nations eat mammal so... it makes sense. Lol

I still think there's knowledge to be gleaned from my post however, as Western society is so reliant on meat as a staple that even scaling back as opposed to eliminating can still be pretty overwhelming.
At least, I remember it was for me. I ate spaghetti, bean burritos, and cheese pizza for a week because my upbringing and lifestyle of steak/roast/meatloaf/pork chops/chicken/etc had not prepared me to eat meatless meals on any level. The first couple of months was a real mess...

janejellyroll

Obnoxa wrote: »

janejellyroll wrote: »

Many outlines for the Mediterranean diet include chicken and red meat (red meat is usually limited though).

Good to note; it's never been presented to me as such but most Mediterranean nations eat mammal so... it makes sense. Lol

I still think there's knowledge to be gleaned from my post however, as Western society is so reliant on meat as a staple that even scaling back as opposed to eliminating can still be pretty overwhelming.
At least, I remember it was for me. I ate spaghetti, bean burritos, and cheese pizza for a week because my upbringing and lifestyle of steak/roast/meatloaf/pork chops/chicken/etc had not prepared me to eat meatless meals on any level. The first couple of months was a real mess...

I certainly didn't mean my post to be a critique of your post -- your post was crammed with useful information. I just wanted to throw that out there . . .

melonaulait

Obnoxa wrote: »

I ate spaghetti, bean burritos, and cheese pizza for a week because my upbringing and lifestyle of steak/roast/meatloaf/pork chops/chicken/etc had not prepared me to eat meatless meals on any level. The first couple of months was a real mess...

My first 1-2 years as a pesco were a complete disaster, too! It doesn't matter though, as nowadays I find my veggie life so easy and I love eating this way.

Obnoxa

janejellyroll wrote: »

Obnoxa wrote: »

janejellyroll wrote: »

Many outlines for the Mediterranean diet include chicken and red meat (red meat is usually limited though).

Good to note; it's never been presented to me as such but most Mediterranean nations eat mammal so... it makes sense. Lol

I still think there's knowledge to be gleaned from my post however, as Western society is so reliant on meat as a staple that even scaling back as opposed to eliminating can still be pretty overwhelming.
At least, I remember it was for me. I ate spaghetti, bean burritos, and cheese pizza for a week because my upbringing and lifestyle of steak/roast/meatloaf/pork chops/chicken/etc had not prepared me to eat meatless meals on any level. The first couple of months was a real mess...

I certainly didn't mean my post to be a critique of your post -- your post was crammed with useful information. I just wanted to throw that out there . . .

Oh no, I didn't take it as such

melonaulait wrote: »

Obnoxa wrote: »

I ate spaghetti, bean burritos, and cheese pizza for a week because my upbringing and lifestyle of steak/roast/meatloaf/pork chops/chicken/etc had not prepared me to eat meatless meals on any level. The first couple of months was a real mess...

My first 1-2 years as a pesco were a complete disaster, too! It doesn't matter though, as nowadays I find my veggie life so easy and I love eating this way.

Glad to know I'm not the only one who dove in with all kinds of enthusiasm but not armed with a lot of knowledge to back it up! Lol

cwolfman13

My diet is largely based on the Mediterranean approach...for which there is no true diet per-sei...but I took to this approach largely to try to reduce my soaring cholesterol and hypertension.

I eat a lot of oats, legumes, lentils, brown rice, whole grain pastas, quinoa, potatoes, veg of all kind, 2-3 servings of fruit per day (sometimes more, especially in summer) and lots of lean sourced protein from things like fish, chicken, and lean cuts of pork and beef and eggs. We eat fish usually 3-4 times per week and chicken most other times and pork and beef maybe once per week or once every other week. I still eat bacon every Saturday and most Sundays. I eat eggs pretty much daily.

I also wouldn't necessarily call it low fat as we consume a lot of avocados, nuts, olives, and cook with olive oil and avocado oil, etc.

My once soaring LDL levels are now in the optimal range and my blood pressure which used to sit around 142/92 while on three different medications now averages 115/73.

You could also look at the last phase of South Beach which is very similar to the Mediterranean approach.

amy_kee

There is a Mediterranean Diabetes Cookbook at www.diabetes.org Diabetes cookbooks have low carb options, and that's a good thing for people in general. Just click on shop at the top right. Then, when the page comes up, type in Mediterranean in the search field, and this book will come up.

jgnatca

I heartily agree with this plan. Go all out and enjoy lots of good fats in the olive oil and the cheese. I recommend going all the way with a full fat fresh dressing on your salad.

Fill up your imaginary plate with a salad of fresh seasonal vegetables, dress it with a fresh vinaigrette and portion a little protein on the side. It might be cheese, fish, beef sliced thin, or cheese. You may add flat bread, baguette or a roll on the side.

Try a bean soup.

Snack on fruit, nuts, and cheese.

I suggest shopping frequently for your veggies and buy small amounts.

Americans have nearly ruined this diet by trying to make it low fat. That teaspoon of olive oil is what makes the salad so filling and satisfying.