Mediterranean food is well-famed for its benefits to the body especially when it comes to weight loss and the prevention of heart disease. Aside from its health perks, the staples of this type of diet often gives palatable and eye-pleasing dishes.
So if you are putting together a Mother's Day surprise for mom or your wife or for them both, definitely go for a Mediterranean-inspired dinner. Of course, you can up your game by putting together the menu for this special meal at home. And this blog will help you with that.
Know the Mediterranean food basics
One of the good things about having a specific cuisine in mind when putting together a menu is that it helps you narrow down your food choices. The main components of the Mediterranean diet goes as such according to AuthorityNutrition.com:
- Eat: Vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, potatoes, whole grains, breads, herbs, spices, fish, seafood and extra virgin olive oil.
- Eat in Moderation: Poultry, eggs, cheese and yogurt.
- Eat Only Rarely: Red meat.
- Don’t Eat: Sugar-sweetened beverages, added sugars, processed meat, refined grains, refined oils and other highly processed foods.
Pick a salad for your appetizer
Compared to serving soup, salads are definitely easier to serve since there will be no cooking involved. Just chop, slice, and shred the ingredients. Prepare your choice of dressing or use Greek yogurt. Check out this Baby Bok Choy Salad recipe from our blog. You may want to borrow this green salad recipe that has baby bok choy, tomato and homemade garlic butter croutons, held together by Greek yogurt.
Choose one-pot recipes for main dishes
One-pot or one-skillet recipes are popular these days and that is mostly because they employ a cooking technique that makes cooking fancy dishes more convenient. Thus, simplifying your menu. And when your menu is simplified you'll be on the dinner table with everyone instead of hustling in the kitchen.
The list of Mediterranean main dishes you can make one-skillet style is endless. But here are a few picks that you can do in 20 to 30 minutes:
Braised fish in a bed of fresh tomatoes, greens, and olives. This dish features rich Mediterranean flavors in a single pan. Prep time: 20 minutes
One-skillet Paleo Mediterranean Chicken
Do you want to go for a Whole30, Paleo main dish that's loaded with vegetables and chicken? This is it. Prep time: 30 minutes
Would you rather go all-out on red meat just for this meal? Better serve this Mediterranean-style tri-tip. Prep time: 20 minutes plus marinate time of 1 to 2 hrs
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So if all the pans you have are hand-me-downs from your gran or your mom, here is a coupon code that you can use. And hey, you can get one for these ladies too.
Desserts should go beyond dinner
Think of ways to make this last phase of the meal go beyond the dinner table. For instance, go for desserts that can be a take home treat like these Greek Baklava Bars.
You can't go more Mediterranean on the your choice of dessert than this. And this only takes about 20 minutes to prep and bake.
So are you ready to whip up the ultimate Mother's Day meal? Take your pick from the dishes we have featured above and remember the simple basics of serving delightful Mediterranean food. Good luck!
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