3 Common but Tasty Mediterranean Dishes

The Mediterranean diet, based on the dietary habits of the people of Crete (first noticed on this island), has become more popular to scientists and consumers, as studies continue to reveal its health benefits. The traditional Cretan Mediterranean diet is considered in scientific circles as the archetypal Mediterranean diet.

Eat beans and legumes

Eating beans and legumes is a key element of the Mediterranean diet.
• Mediterranean diet is beneficial to brain health. See journal reference and find out how to implement a Mediterranean diet here
• Below are 3 delicious recipes taken from Greek resources (see links to references below).

1. Chickpeas Salad

Ingredients

(4-5 portions) :
• 200 grams of chickpeas
• 2 small dry onions
• 5-6 sprigs of parsley
• 1/2 sweet red pepper
• 80 grams olive oil
• 2-3 pinches of salt
• 2 pinches of white pepper
• 2 pinches of oregano
• lemon juice from 1 lemon

Instructions

Chickpeas preparation.
Always put chickpeas in cold water to inflate, before cooking. Leave them in for 5-10 minutes, then drain them out. Then put them in hot water to boil for about an hour.
The secret when we prepare chickpeas is to achieve the perfect boil. (can take approx an hour). The perfect boil, is that which allows the chickpeas to keep their shape and does not break them into pieces and yet at same time boils them. Important to be very careful in this way when boiling. Immediately after, cool the chickpeas.

Salad preparation.
Chop an onion.
Cut some sweet red pepper in small cubes
Chop the parsley.

Synthesize the salad.
Add the chopped onion to the vivid looking chickpeas. Then the chopped parsley & then the sweet red pepper.
Next the olive oil.
Salt, white pepper.
Lemon juice.
Finally, add a little oregano.

Final steps

Always taste the salad before serving.
Aim is that the salad is properly spiced so that it can give something extra to the table.

2. Traditional Greek Fava

Ingredients

(4-5 portions) :
• 400g Santorini fava
• 100ml extra virgin, organic olive oil
• 1 dried onion – finely chopped
• 1 lemon
• 1 onion – finely chopped
• 2tbsps capers
• 6 sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon of tomato paste

Instructions

Step 1: Rinse the yellow split peas thoroughly.
Step 2: Boil the yellow split peas in a saucepan with plenty of water while continuously skimming off the foam that rises to the top as it boils.
Step 3: Add the olive oil, salt and onion.
Step 4: Cook the yellow split peas on low heat for 1 – 1 ½ hour until tender to a pulp.
Step 5: Beat the fava in a food processor until it becomes a thick paste. Set aside to cool.
Step 6: Serve it by topping it off with olive oil and lemon and garnishing it with the finely chopped onion, capers and sun-dried tomatoes

3. Green Beans with Olive Oil

Ingredients

(4-5 portions) :
• 1/2 glass of white wine
• 1kilo of green beans
• 400 grams of chopped tomato can or fresh
• 3-4 medium (chopped) dry onions
• 6-7 sprigs (chopped) parsley
• 1 small clove of garlic
• 180-200 grams of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of tomato paste
• 3-4 pinches of salt
• 2-3 pinches of pepper
• 2 pinches of sugar
• vegetable broth
• 2 medium cut into cubes potatoes(optional)

Instructions

Advance Prep
Prepare a broth in advance – water with vegetables, which we have boiled

Green beans Prep
It is best to cook with fresh ingredients.
Frozen green beans also work, provided that you cook them in the right way.
If green beans are fresh, clean the threads of the beans using a knife – cut off one edge and remove the thread.
If beans are frozen, they are already threads free. Can cook them just as they are (Frozen).

Vegetable Prep
Chop onions.
Chop fresh tomatoes. (Tomato can work also)
Also use can of chopped tomatoes.
Cut potatoes into cubes
Chop parsley
Chop one clove of garlic
Cook in the pot
Put some olive oil to burn in the pot,
Add the onions & stir a little
Stir in the green beans (before water is boiling)
Add the potatoes
A little white wine
Add salt, pepper and a little sugar
Add the tomatoes and a little tomato paste
Add the parsley
Wait 5 minutes, then add the liquids
After another 5 minutes, add warm broth
Add as much as to cover our vegetables
Finally cover it with greaseproof paper , close the pot and let it boil

Final steps

After 20 minutes uncover the pot, stir it a little and taste it
See if it needs any ingredient added.
Add olive oil
Again cover it with greaseproof paper
Close the pot , lower the heat and let it boil for 30 more minutes
Finally green beans are ready – Remove the greaseproof paper
Remove them from the heat , add chopped parsley and serve
Accompany it with a white cheese of your choice

Resources –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKaftT2UMLc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxj7ggtxsVg
http://www.yolenis.com/en-gr/santorini-fava.html

Inspiration – Mediterranean-type diet and brain structural change from 73 to 76 years in a Scottish cohort
Researcher – The Neurology Journal