The Mediterranean diet (lifestyle) has been around for many years, and it is still considered one of the top most effective diets in the world today. What is the Mediterranean diet? Very simply put the Mediterranean diet is a way of eating based on the traditional foods and eating patterns of the people and countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. What makes the Mediterranean diet effective for obtaining and maintaining health—and even for weight loss—is that it is a whole-foods diet that is more plant heavy, but is also high on good fats, fresh herbs, and great flavor!...

My husband loves to make smoothies in the morning. So we like to mix it up and prepare smoothies with a variety of fruits and vegetables. As you can imagine, making a banana smoothie or milkshake is the easiest. Then we heard from a friend that avocado smoothie is delicious. At first we were not sure. We like to add natural sweetness to our smoothies. So we decided to combine bananas with avocado and make this Avocado Banana Smoothie!...

Apr 29, 2020 Why You’re Going to Love Curried Cauliflower and Quinoa Soup It’s super delicious, filled with buttery, golden, light curry flavour. It’s a vegetarian soup that satisfies. It’s loaded with filling, chunky veggies. It is on the table in 30 minutes with leftovers to last all week or to freeze for the future. Quinoa is a filling protein-packed grain that bulks up this brothy soup with satisfying texture....

If you’ve done some traveling around the Mediterranean and Southern Europe, you likely encountered some form of fried calamari in small fish shops or taverns. The squid is coated in batter and quickly deep fried to golden perfection. It’s served hot, usually with a splash of citrus, any number of dips, and a refreshing beverage, like Spanish Agua de València. This is also a familiar dish throughout the United states, rising in popularity in the 1980s according to this New York Times article, and becoming a mainstream appetizer served in most American casual dining restaurants....

I love to start my morning with a cup of kadak chai (strong tea). It is a tradition, a culture to have tea first thing in the morning in most parts of India. Similar to the Garam Masala spice blend, every home has their own secret recipe to make chai and chai masala. All include the same ingredients – milk, sugar, and tea leaves. Some enjoy Ginger Tea with lots of ginger, some Cardamom Tea with green cardamom pods, and some Masala Chai, which has chai masala, a blend of whole spices added to it....

This recipe originally published on March 2016, has been updated with new photos, videos, and a step-by-step recipe. I have also modified the recipe slightly to use less amchur and more black peppercorns. Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week! By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Minstry of Curry This homemade chana masala spice blend is a must for the restaurant-style chana masala recipe....

This is one of the easiest Indian shrimp recipes to make when you want to impress someone and have less time to cook. The second reason also makes it a perfect dish for a weekday in just 20 minutes. While the curry was cooking, I cooked white rice on the stovetop (can be done in a second instant pot or rice cooker), and dinner was served in no time. You can make this curry with shrimp or prawns....

Lentils, like beans, soak up whatever flavor they are cooked with. Here, it is Italian chicken sausage and sweet fresh fennel with other aromatics like onions and garlic for a perfectly hearty lentil stew! This simple sausage and lentils recipe comes from one of our readers Darryl Patrick Lombard, who makes it often on busy weeknights. I’m so glad he shared it with me because if you thought lentils were bland, wait till you try Darryl’s recipe!...

What is Greek Mountain Tea? Greek mountain tea—whether it’s authentic tea on the vine or a bagged variety—is a delicate, aromatic, slightly savory tea made by steeping the leaves, flowers, and stems of the sideritis plant in boiling water. You can drink it hot, over ice (untraditional, but refreshing), unsweetened or with a spoonful of Greek honey. This ancient tea has a long and fascinating history in Greek culture. Sideritis comes from the Greek word “sideros” meaning “iron....

If you’ve recently adopted the Mediterranean diet, you may have worried about giving up your beloved baking hobby. But don’t worry! You can keep your bread, muffins, and even cakes. As a professional baker, one of my favorite adjustments to better align my passions with the principles of eating wholesome meals is by baking with olive oil. For years, I’ve been using extra virgin olive oil in most recipes that call for vegetable oil....

In Mediterranean kitchens, fresh herbs are as essential as salt. We use them with abandon like our secret weapon, transforming a handful of humble ingredients into a crave-worthy meal at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between. They are often a key ingredient, and I can’t imagine the crispy Falafel of my childhood without 2 cups of freshly chopped cilantro, parsley, and dill. Or Tabouli Salad without 2 whole bunches of parsley—the subtle crunch of tender stems casually mixed in, adding so much nuance....

Croutons are little of bites of bread with a flavorful seasoning. Homemade Croutons are easy and quick to make for your salads and soups. I warn you these are super addictive to eat them right from the baking sheet. Homemade Croutons Croutons are bite sized bread pieces seasoned with spices, herbs and baked till crisp and toasted. Homemade croutons enhances the taste of soups and salads when served as an accompaniment....

With the fall weather in full swing, I have been craving soup. What could be better than this delicious cheesy goodness. You know what I mean if you love cheese…and soups! Note: This recipe has been updated with new photos and lots of good details to help you make the perfect soup! Watch How to Make Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup Easy Panera Copycat Broccoli Cheese Soup I used to have this soup at cafe’s and wondered how they make this creamy comforting soup....

Pin Chickpeas or chana as we call it is highly nutritious and rich in protein. How do you like to eat chana? I love it in any form especially chana masala with roti is my most favorite. I always make sundal atleast twice a month as gugu loves it. Generally we cook chana using pressure cooker. But this recipe given here is for cooking chickpeas in instant pot which is an easy way when compared to pressure cooker....

I used Israeli Couscous from Trader Joe’s in this recipe. Isreali Couscous is also called pearl couscous or maftoul. It is larger than traditional couscous, pasta-like pearls made from wheat flour. This is ready in less than 30 minutes in the pressure cooker. As we are cooking in under pressure, I also reduced the amount of water added to cook it to a 1:1 ratio. You can also replace and use broth for cooking....

When I get the big box of cremini mushrooms from Costco, I make multiple dishes with it. My mornings start with sautéed mushroom omelette, then make Mushroom & Green Peas Curry, this creamy mushroom pasta and mushroom soup. But I have to say the best of all is this Creamy Dreamy Mushroom Spaghetti. It is simple, quick and sooooo good! Whenever I make this pasta, the kitchen fills with the wonderful aroma....

Pesto sauce in pasta is the ONLY way my family loves pasta. There was a time, when my daughter would not eat any tomato based sauces on pasta. So I would buy or make pesto and use it all the time. Luckily she got over it, and loved to eat my Penne in Tomato Cream Sauce. I am surprised it has taken me this long to share this recipe. You will love the simplicity of it....

Note: The original recipe posted in Nov 2017 has been updated with step by step photos and a new video Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week! By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Minstry of Curry How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole Peel the sweet potatoes, discard the ends, and cut them into ¼-inch thick slices...

One of my favorite appetizers to order when we go out for Italian is arancini (Sicilian rice balls). So I was super excited to see a casserole version of it in my friend Gina’s new cookbook: Skinnytaste Meal Prep (affiliate link), among hundreds of amazingly tasty, meal-prep and family friendly recipes! About this rice casserole…Who doesn’t love a comforting dish that’s also on the healthier side? Sicilian rice ball casserole!...

Feb 28, 2024 3 Simple Ingredients for this Easy Dinner Recipe I’m hesitant to even share this recipe, because I don’t want you to know how easy this was if you come to my house for dinner. But, alas, I won’t gatekeep. Lazy Lasagna Ingredients Store-bought ravioli. I don’t know about you, but I’m always eyeing those refrigerated stuffed fresh ravioli and wondering what I’d actually make with it. Consider this lasagna your new reason to buy them....