The word “diet” makes us think about restrictions, calorie counting, and a lot of carrot sticks. However, the Mediterranean Diet is the total opposite. With no strict control or limiting macronutrients, it’s perhaps the most viable eating plan.

The Mediterranean Diet promotes binging over heart-healthy foods from Italy, Greece, Israel, Spain, and other areas of the Middle East. It lays emphasis on veggies, whole grains, low-fat dairy, beans, fish, nuts, olive oil, and lean red meat.

Read – 20 top Middle Eastern Foods: Which is the best?

But with such a rich palette to choose from, you could easily get confused between your meal plans for the day.

Well, there’s no need to worry. In this post we’ve got a few quick and delicious Mediterranean Diet Recipes that you can drool over anytime you want. Check them out.

Salmon with Capers

This dish is simple to prepare and results in an amazingly steamy piece of fish! It’s prepared in foil with herbs and lemon until it’s completely soft. Afterward, it’s garnished with a velvety butter sauce made with capers and garlic. Everything’s done in just 30 minutes.

Lentil Soup

This one is loaded with nutritious ingredients. Lentils are a common ingredient in Mediterranean recipes as they’re full of plant-based proteins. The main ingredient in this recipe is fresh fennel, which adds up a smoky connotation to the kale and fire-simmered tomatoes. It’s super cozy. So, enjoy a hot bowl of this soup, ideally with vegan cornbread, for the best taste and health.

Read – Are Lentils good for you? Here are 7 reasons to give them a try

Orzo Salad

Although it looks a lot like rice, in reality, orzo is tiny pasta in the structure of rice! All sorts of Greek flavors are added to it – Kalamata olives, salty feta cheese, and of course, strong herbs including dill and mint! It’s ideal for meals as well.

Quinoa Salad

This Mediterranean-style salad is loaded with healthy and fresh ingredients! It includes kalamata olives, feta cheese, greens, and quinoa flavors with sofrito. Sofrito is a kind of sauce utilized as a base in Italian and Spanish cooking. It’s blended with baked quinoa to give it a meaty texture. This is a star recipe that’s good enough for supper.

Cooked Falafel Bowl

Next on our list is cooked falafel! Falafel is a well-known Mediterranean chickpea fritter, served with pita bread.

The herby patties are baked instead of fried, and are then tiered in a bowl with colorful crunchy vegetables and sprinkled with a cilantro yogurt sauce. Just thinking about it makes one salivate, doesn’t it?

Final Verdict

Veggies, fresh fruits, seeds, nuts, and lean meats, combined with aromatic herbs, spices, and a lot of olive oil, it’s no wonder that Mediterranean food is extremely tasty.

Moreover, this diet has numerous proven advantages, from reduced inflammation to lower risk of cardiovascular disease and weight loss. Gulp it all down alongside a glass of your favorite wine, and feel like you’re transported to an exotic holiday!