I personally think the best thing about the Mediterranean diet is that it’s delicious! Not only are you allowed to enjoy your food, but there is an emphasis on enjoying food in good company, just like they do in the Mediterranean! 

So to give you some inspiration on some yummy meals which follow a Mediterranean diet 

Breakfast

Stewed fruit and Millet Bowl 

Serves 2

Fruit

• Seasonal Fruit 1-2 cups
• 1-2 tbsp Water  
• 1 tsp honey

Millet

• ½ cup Milk of choice 
• ½ cup Water
• ½  cup Millet 
• Pinch of cinnamon 
• 1 ½ tsp Vanilla extract 
• Nuts and seeds to top 
• Yogurt to top 

Method 

1. Add fruit, honey and water to a saucepan, and cook on low heat till fruit is soft and saucey (add more water depending on what fruit you are using). 
2. In another saucepan bring your milk and water to a boil. Once boiling add your millet and vanilla – turn heat down to a low simmer, cook with the lid on until millet is soft and swollen (30 mins). 
3. Serve Millet with fruit and yogurt and seeds on top! 
4. Bulk make millet and fruit at the beginning of the week for easy serving or premade breakfast jars throughout the week

Lunch 

Make at work – Mediterranean Diet Lunch Bowl

Serves 1 

Ingredients 

• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ can  (protein) chickpeas, drained
• 1 small cucumber
• 7 olives
• ½ red onion
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 tblsp hummus
• 1 can line-caught tuna, drained (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

It’s encouraged to change up the veg and proteins to increase the diversity of your diet! 

Method

1. Dice the cherry tomatoes, olives and cucumber and add to your bowl.
2. Finely chop the red onion and add to bowl.
3. Add the chickpeas (and tuna if using) and toss everything to combine.
4. Top with hummus, salt and pepper to taste and a drizzle of olive oil.
   

Snacks 

On the Go Roasted Chickpeas

Roasted chickpeas are super simple and super cheap to make – and can be carried around easily in a glass jar!

Ingredients

• 1 can chickpeas
• 1 tsp Celtic sea salt
• ½  tsp paprika 
• ½  tsp turmeric 
• ½  tsp cumin 
• 1 tblsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp olive oil

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Drain liquid from the chickpeas, rinse and blot dry with a paper towel.
3. Fry off spices in a dry pan till you can smell them. 
4. Toss chickpeas in a bowl with salt, nutritional yeast, spices and olive oil.
5. Spread chickpeas onto a baking tray and roast for one hour or until crunchy

Dinner

Maple Soy Salmon:

Serves 2 

• 2 150g salmon fillets
• 2 tblsp maple syrup
• 2 tblsp tamari
• 1 tblsp fresh ginger, grated
• Juice of one lime

Carrot puree:

• 2 carrots, sliced thinly
• 1 tsp butter or coconut oil
• 1 tsp white miso paste
• 1 Salt and pepper for seasoning

For the pickled Cucumber Salad 

• 2 tblsp rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar 
• 2 cucumbers
• Rocket or baby spinach 
• Sesame seeds to serve 

Method

1. Combine salmon ingredients except lime in bowl and marinate ½-1 day.

2. Place sliced carrots in saucepan with 2 cups water and salt, simmer over medium-high heat until water absorbed and carrots soft.

3. Place in blender with miso, butter/coconut oil and salt/pepper to taste and puree until smooth.

4. Combine cucumber ingredients except rocket in bowl and leave in fridge to ‘quick pickle’ until salmon is ready.

5. Preheat oven to 180°C.
6. Remove salmon from marinade and place on baking sheet and into oven for 10 minutes or until cooked to your liking.

7. Place remaining marinade in saucepan with juice of lime and simmer over low heat until slightly reduced into a syrup.

8. Remove cucumbers and drain, toss with rocket/spinach and season.
9. Place carrot puree onto plate, top with salmon and marinade. Serve with cucumber salad and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Dessert

Avocado Mousse 

4 serves 

Ingredients

2 ripe avocados

½ cup organic cacao powder

½ cup coconut cream

½ cup maple syrup

¼ cup coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of sea salt

• To add some extra protein, top with nuts and seeds, or add a tbsp of protein or collagen powder. 

Method

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth
2. Separate into bowls and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (2-3 works best)
3. Eat in moderation

We hope you enjoy these recipe ideas, and they help you feel inspired to follow a more Mediterranean style diet in your own life.

For more specific diet advice, and to see whether this diet is the best suited to you, please book in a consult here with one of our Qualified Naturopaths.