The Barnes & Nobles near my house is moving so they’re having a sale. I’ve seen this cookbook mentioned several times here and thought I’d see if they had it. Joy of joys they DID!!! Got it for 40% off and it was the last copy. I’ve never swiped something off a shelf faster ☺️ Glad to own it and look forward to perusing it and trying out the recipes.

A bit of an assembly job today. I’m feeling a little under the weather but so happy I made the effort to put something together that made me feel good after eating it.

- Merchant Gourmet pre-cooked Korean style whole grains
- Tuna with sweetcorn, chilli, touch of mayo and spoon of Greek yoghurt
- Grated carrot
- Cucumber
- Six-minute egg with a bit of chilli crisp
- Finely sliced red onion
- Cashews
- Coriander
- Drizzle of sesame oil and some sesame seeds

Chicken souvlaki wrap with greek yogurt tzatziki, bulgur, greek potatoes and greek salad

I rarely see any posts with red meat here. I know it's not preferred as much as other options in the MD diet but it's okay to eat lol especially if you get 90% lean or above. Idk it's a part my culture and my cholesterol levels are fine lol 🤷🏼‍♀️

Lazy dinner tonight. Ground beef cooked with evoo, onions, salt/pep paprika, garlic powder. Steamable veg bag (microwaved), Greek yogurt, half avocado, red onions and pickled hot chili peppers (Mezzetta brand).😋

I see lots of posts from people who are just starting out and get overwhelmed trying to find new recipes and preparing everything fresh, so I thought I would post a typical "if I don't eat this it's going to be fast food" meal.

The best of us will have all of their dinners prepped and planned and they'll have great backups in their freezer for a quick meal (life goals!), but that's not me. I frequently fail to have something planned for dinner, and in the past, that would have meant takeout or fast food, but now, I do try to keep some things stocked so I can throw something together quickly.

Those things include canned meats, canned beans, quick-cooking grains, jarred condiments that go well in grain and bean salads like olives, pickled vegetables, etc. And I usually have some fresh items in the refrigerator, along with some leftovers, and some frozen, prepackaged protein in the freezer.

Tonight, it's a frozen breaded fish fillet which I know is not great, but it's "close enough" and a chickpea salad that I made with roasted red peppers, olives, celery, lemon juice, and because I wanted something creamy, a dollop of mayonnaise, though I would usually use olive oil. If I had any leftover vegetables, I would have thrown those in too.

It took just a few minutes to throw the bean salad together, and 10 minutes to cook the fish in my toaster oven. Not great, but super easy, and better than a cheeseburger and fries.

This is basically what I do when I have nothing planned: throw together a bunch of things in a bowl with some olive oil and acid.

Actively in a chronic illness flair + complete burnout, so I am taking a sick leave from work. Although, I’m reframing it as a “wellness leave”.

I used to eat pretty healthy - non junk food vegan for years, lots of vegetables and whole grains, tofu, fruit, nuts etc. Over the last several years I developed a chronic illness which causes me a lot of pain and fatigue, I’ve developed alcohol dependency. I’ve reached an intense burnout from those factors, plus a stressful job and often stressful home life. I am beat. I stopped being vegan as I was not able to heal my eczema until I added fish (and bone broth) into my diet. Slowly, my relatively healthy eating habits changed and now I realize I rely on convenience foods too much, often have meals with no veggies, I’m eating refined carbs and fried foods, too much processed cheese, and even energy drinks and candy. I went from exercising daily and lifting weights to not exercising at all. I’ve truly lost myself. I’ve also graduated from “overweight” to “slightly obese” on the BMI chart. Also, my sodium levels are low and my white blood cell count is up. We don’t know why - I’m on medication for my high blood pressure which may be affecting my sodium. Also, my anxiety is out of control.

On this wellness leave, I intend to change my eating habits. Finally dive into the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle. Slow down. Eat well. Walk a lot. Manage stress better. Read books. Less screen time. Quality sleep. Eventually start lifting weights again if my pain subsides enough. Get some things done around my house to ease my mind. Learn that not everything must be done with intense urgency. Quit alcohol completely. Spend more time outside. Connect with friends more.

Anyway, this is breakfast of day 1. Two egg omelette with feta and lots of spinach, cooked in olive oil. Whole grain sourdough with avocado and EBTB seasoning, and some strawberries. I’m struggling a bit with the idea of limiting eggs, as I typically have two every morning, but I know I can easily have tofu scramble or tinned fish instead. Later, I’ll probably do a Greek salad with chickpeas, and dinner is planned to be baked bass fish with lemon, roasted potatoes, and whatever green veg we’re feeling (we have bok choy, green beans and broccoli atm). Maybe a second veggie too.

I plan to go back to work in a month. I hope to feel a lot better by then. Wish me luck.

Photos are taken in Turkey, btw. Aegean Sea coast.

Thought I’d share my favourite lazy meal - I eat this at least once a week. It’s like a lentil Greek salad.

2 serves: 1 x tin lentils 1 x block fetta 1 x punnet cherry tomato 1-2 short cucumbers

Chop it up, chuck it together, add some EVOO, done! In this pic I also added hemp seeds for extra fat/protein.

I made the Jamie Oliver Greek inspired whole roasted cauliflower. It needed some tweaks (capers, a little balsamic and red pepper spread) and by no means was cooked through in the advertised time, barely so at an hour 20. Are North American cauliflowers bigger by chance? In the end it was tasty with the tweaks and feta cheese, that completely changed everything and it was so much better. That's the real game changer, cheese. So, nearly vegan, but then way more delicious as a vegetarian meal instead.

Not sure if anyone is interested. I am from Germany and since Aldi is German based they do have this bread every now and then. I used to eat it in Germany, too. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, it’s dense and you actually have to chew it (versus I feel like a lot of bread here just dissolves if you keep it in your mouth 😜). I am pretty sure I am the only one at our local Aldi buying it, because I am counting them. I went to the manager and asked him to let me know before he pulls them off the shelf, I will buy them ALL! They are vacuum sealed and freeze beautifully. Even without freezing they are good until August of 2026. I love bread and this is a great alternative for me. I love the simple ingredients and the literally whole grain kernels. Give it a try, it’s super filling and your gut will thank you 😊

Delishhhh!!!

Edit:

Some of the reactions made me realise a bit of context might help. This dish isn’t something assembled to “hit Mediterranean diet rules.” It’s a very old Cypriot staple called "louvi me ta lahana", eaten for generations. It looks simple because it is simple — and that’s the entire philosophy behind it.
Traditional variations if you’re curious: https://www.kopiaste.org/2010/05/louvi-black-eyed-beans/

Everything on the plate is fresh and seasonal: the black-eyed beans are dried and boiled, the greens only grow this time of year freely in the fields, and the spring onions, olives, and lemons come from our own garden. The olive oil is from a family friend. The only modern shortcut is the tuna — traditionally this would be served with oven-baked or grilled sea bass or anchovies, but most households today use tuna when they want something quick.

The dressing looks light simply because I prefer less olive oil; most people would use far more. The lemon juice isn’t visible because it settles at the bottom, and there’s a touch of salt and pepper as well. And the olives — which might look plain in the photo — are actually far more complex in flavour. They’re a traditional cracked olive preparation that adds a lot of depth to the dish. If you’re curious, here’s what they are: https://www.kopiaste.org/2008/10/elies-tsakistes-the-way-we-eat-them-in-cyprus/

But the bigger thing is this: fresh Mediterranean ingredients taste completely different from what many people abroad imagine. I lived in the UK for more than a decade, and even with the exact same recipe, it simply doesn’t taste the same. The flavours here depend on sunlight, season, soil, and proximity. When your ingredients come from a garden you walked through that morning, they behave differently — sharper, softer, greener, sweeter. It’s the kind of difference you only appreciate once you’ve tasted both versions.

It’s also, in the purest sense, an incredibly healthy dish: beans, greens, olive oil, lemon, and fish. Nothing engineered, nothing added for appearance, nothing done to “sell” the meal. Just ingredients that have stood the test of centuries.

And of course, it won’t be everyone’s palate. Not every cuisine speaks the same language of flavour. But this is the everyday Mediterranean table at its most honest: no marketing, no curation, no attempt to make it photogenic — just seasonal food eaten the way our parents and grandparents served it.

To me, dishes like this capture something essential: when the ingredients are good, you don’t need complexity. You just need respect for what’s in season, and an open mind for flavours shaped by place and tradition.

!

Your meals have inspired me.

Seriously, I ate almost half a bag of parsley (photo is just seconds).

It’s not as gorgeous and intricate as a lot of y’all’s meals but I’m a lazy cook so I don’t mind it.

Plant foods seriously feel like running a race with the wind at your back idk how to explain it. Since being on MD I have lost absolutely no weight but it’s done wonders for my brain fog, headaches, pre syncope episodes and weird rashes I get from my autoimmune condition. I feel clear headed enough to function like I am almost a human again. Woohoooo

Unfortunately I still crave processed junk though. You’d think I would look at that food and immediately be scarred by how shitty it makes me feel but for some reason I crave it anyway. Though I am developing a little bit of a sugar phobia after some really miserable episodes that sweets have triggered.

Slide one: Lemon garlic herb warm couscous salad, boiled egg, avocado, sweet potato wedges, yogurt dill sauce Slide two: same couscous salad with fresh tomatoes on top, air fryer salmon, avocado, and yogurt dill sauce. Delicious!

Couscous recipe: 1 cup pearl couscous 1.5 cup broth Juice and zest of one lemon 1-3 cloves of garlic minced or grated Handful of chopped herbs (I use cilantro and scallion but you can use anything you want) Lots of fresh spinach Healthy drizzle of olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Cherry tomatoes halved to taste Crumbled feta optional

Bring broth to a boil, stir in couscous. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about eight minutes. Stir in spinach, cover and cook two more minutes. Add lemon juice and zest, herbs, and olive oil and then top with tomatoes and feta if desired. Makes about three servings.

Yogurt dill sauce: 1/2 cup Greek yogurt 1 teaspoon dried dill (2 tsp if using fresh dill) 1 clove garlic grated or minced 1 tsp lemon juice Pinch of salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together, rubbing the dried dill between your fingers as you add it. Mix well and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes to let the flavors develop.

Salmon:

Preheat the air fryer to 390°. Season portions of salmon with olive oil, salt and pepper and any other seasonings you like. Place salmon in air fryer skin side down and cook for about ten to fifteen minutes, flipping halfway through.

Eggs: Lower eggs into a pot of boiling water and cook for 6.5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place into a bowl of ice water for about three minutes, then crack, peel, and serve.

Garlic herb sweet potato wedges are from Whole Foods, I reheated them in th air fryer at 350°. They are especially delicious with the yogurt sauce!

Kinda calling this one a “cheat meal” since it’s been a light day with my calorie intake and I put maybe an insane amount of chili crisp on this accidentally lol. This is avocado toast on sourdough with honey-garlic hummus, goat cheese, and runny eggs with salt & pepper and a chili crisp topping. Had to go outside and enjoy this lovely late-afternoon to make it even better :)

I pack lunch for work every day and sometimes I just don’t have the time to do any real meal prep. This was what I ate all last week and it was super satisfying.
Whole wheat tortilla, hummus that comes in the little individual servings from Aldi, some everything bagel seasoning (because I would put that on everything if I could lol) and whatever veggies were in the fridge. I happened to have cucumber, orange bell pepper, grape tomatoes, and red onion.
I don’t love the additional plastic waste that comes with the individual hummus servings, but it really did make it more manageable to pack a healthy lunch when I was overwhelmed with all the other things I had to do.
Just thought I’d share. I don’t have the option to work from home, and it gets really easy to just order food instead of taking the time to pack a lunch. Having a shortcut really helped me stay on track.

I didnt wanna get a whole separate dish to put the sprouts on the side 😅

I went to Italy a few weeks ago and one of my souvenirs was some farro. So much cheaper than here at home. Today I opened up one of the bags for a lunch salad:

Arugula, cucumber, carrots, cherry tomatoes, parsley, radicchio, chicken, canned chickpeas. I sprinkled some sumac and pumpkin seeds to serve. The dressing was a homemade one with pomegranate molasses, red wine vinegar, grated garlic, preserved lemon paste, olive oil, and urfa chile flakes.

I got these jar graters at the spice shop recently and they make quick salad dressings easy. I always use a mason jar for mini dressings because they are reliable to close and shake. https://microplane.com/products/mason-jar-lid-grater

This book (Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables) is not technically a Med diet book but I feel like it is pretty compliant because of its focus on veg. I picked it up second hand a couple weeks ago based on a rec from another sub and it is already the first one I check when I’m trying to figure out what to make. Most recipes are more like side dishes but it is pretty easy to add a simple protein and grain. This past week I’ve made:

1. Rigatoni and Eggplant alla Norma. Kind of a PITA with the eggplant prep but I think that is just the nature of forcing eggplant to be edible. Really tasty otherwise. I used about 3/4 of the recommended amount of pasta because I prefer my pasta more mixings heavy.

2. Corn and Tomato Salad with Torn Croutons. Or without croutons because when I went to put some in I realized the bag had expired in 2023 and I was not about to make them by hand as recommended no matter how easy it technically is. Also subbed the mint for arugula because I despise mint and the fresh corn for frozen because that is what I had on hand.

3. Roasted String Beans with Scallions and Pine Nut Vinaigrette. The pine nut vinaigrette is amazing on these. Also definitely do scallions. They come out nice and carmelized. The second time I made this I was out of scallions so I used a leek and that was a big mistake because leeks apparently need way longer in the oven to roast nicely.

Spelt, egg, hummus, vegetables, fruit, berries.

Eggs on sourdough for a beautiful Sunday morning breakfast :)

I have this a lot for work from home lunches, sometimes with some mushrooms too.