I’m a huge believer in the Mediterranean way of eating.  Traditional Mediterranean culture focuses on satiating high fiber, high protein foods.  Additionally, meals tend to center on roasted vegetables, high fiber soups, protein-rich beans, and whole grains.  Of course, most Mediterranean meals do not end without a glass or two of a delicious, red wine.

Unlike some other prescribed diets, I do not see the Mediterranean diet as a fad diet.  It doesn’t have an extensive list of emphatically rejected foods like a fad diet. The Mediterranean diet encourages healthier eating habits concerning food than most Westerners employ. In fact, it goes beyond food a person puts in his mouth.

The lifestyle encourages active living and enjoying moderation in life.

Mediterranean Diet: Easy Recipes for A Healthy Diet

Daniel Alley gives an excellent overview of the Mediterranean Diet in his book Mediterranean Diet: Easy Recipes for A Healthy Diet And Permanent Weight Loss By Cooking Delicious Meals.

In addition to 18 mouthwatering recipes, the author includes four chapters addressing the Mediterranean lifestyle, myths surrounding the diet, ingredients included in many Mediterranean foods, and a section covering the science and benefits of the way of life.

I am happy to see him dispell some myths with these facts:
Pasta isn’t the end-all.
Red wine is good in moderation.  More than a glass (or two) is overkill.
It’s a lifestyle – not just a diet.

The diet is based on the traditional diet consumed around the World War II era and includes lean fish and chicken, plenty of whole grains, legumes, beans, and nutritious vegetables.  Unlike my previous Mediterranean cookbook review, this book includes meat. If you want a vegan Mediterranean cookbook, I recommend this one.  That book does not offer the comprehensive look at this diet that Daniel Alley includes here, however, it does have an abundance of vegan recipes.

I do wish Daniel Alley included photos, but he does not.  None of the recipes offer nutritional information, so I recommend using MyFitnessPal or a similar app to determine nutritional content.

I also wish he’d included more than 18 recipes.  However, if you want some excellent information on the Mediterranean Diet, this book is a great start.  The recipes all look tasty, too!

Mediterranean Flounder Recipe

Feel free to substitute tilapia or any other firm white fish for the flounder.

This Mediterranean Flounder is a healthy, high protein, fast-cook meal boasting a medley of complex flavors.  Definitely not bland!

I made a few minor changes to the author’s original recipe. Daniel Alley’s recipe calls for blanching 12 fresh, Roma tomatoes. I just substituted one can of canned tomatoes for simplicity. Blanching fresh tomatoes results in lower sodium than my version.  He also calls for a Spanish onion.  I used a red onion to cut the tang of the canned tomatoes a bit.

As is typical for the Mediterranean diet, this main-dish recipe is low fat, low sugar, and high protein. I suggest pairing it with a Greek salad (recipe also in the book) to complete the meal.

Mediterranean Flounder Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 32 minutes Total time: 37 minutes Yields: 4

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Feel free to substitute tilapia or any other firm white fish for the flounder. I made a few minor changes to the author’s original recipe. His recipe calls for blanching 12 fresh, Roma tomatoes. I simply substituted 1 can of canned tomatoes for simplicity. Blanching fresh tomatoes results in lower sodium than my version.
As is typical for the Mediterranean diet, this main-dish recipe is low fat, low sugar, and high protein. I suggest pairing it with a Greek salad (recipe also in the book) for a fiber boost.

• 1 can diced tomatoes
• ½ chopped red onion
• 1/8 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup pitted and chopped Kalamata olives
• ¼ cup white wine
• ¼ cup capers
• 1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 12 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 lb. fresh flounder fillets

Preheat oven to 425

Spritz pan with olive oil and sauté the onion until softened ~5 minutes.

Add the garlic, tomatoes and Italian seasoning and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.

Add wine, olives,capers, lemon juice and half of the basil.

Reduce heat.

Stir in Parmesan.

Simmer 10-15 minutes or until sauce thickens

Place flounder fillets in a shallow glass baking pan

Pour the sauce over fish.

Top fish with remaining basil.

Bake for about 12 minutes or until the flounder flakes.

Nutrition

• Calories: 212
• Fat: 8 grams
• Carbs: 11 grams
• Protein: 20 grams

You can find great kitchen products to cook this recipe at the Village Bakery. (Sponsored Link)

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Alicia Taylor

Blogger at TaylorLife

Happily married to the love of my life. It's just us, our 5 cats, and our beautiful woods. I'm loving living back in the Florida panhandle being close to family. I love cooking, living a healthy lifestyle, taking care of our cozy home, and trying new things.

We enjoy hosting parties and my husband and I are both avid gamers. You can find me on PS4 as SunshineFlaGirl. We also play tabletop RPGs and eurogames.

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