There are several Diet systems on the market these days. Whether you want to lose weight steady and slow like the Khloe Kardashian weight loss diet; or, you want a quick fix like the “what is the low carb diet,” you can get excellent results. The secret of a significant weight loss result is to pick the right system for you and your lifestyle.

Sometimes, following a diet doesn’t necessarily mean that you want to lose weight. Some systems want to direct you to a healthier version of yourself. For example, the paleo diet food list is a very extensive one, and the regimen is very flexible. It promotes general well-being. The DASH diet meal plan is another example of a healthy diet. It is endorsed by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and aims at regulating the person’s blood pressure. Finally, one of the most known healthy regimens is the Mediterranean Diet. When on this type of diet, you will get to benefit from its numerous health sides like controlling your blood glucose levels, promoting weight loss, and reducing the risk for depression.

What is the Mediterranean diet?

The Mediterranean diet is a very colorful and tasty, healthy meal plan that consists of eating simple recipes prepared the Mediterranean way. When you think of this region, you think Italy, Greece, Lebanon, Spain, and Turkey among many others. These countries have a wealthy cultural background; and, are well known for their tasty food.

The diet is very rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. If you are following it; then, this means that you have to add Olive Oil and red wine. Fish and chicken are preferred over red meat. Eating these foods will help you eliminate inflammation in your body, which will lower the risks of heart attacks and stroke. Surprisingly enough, this diet can protect you against Alzheimer.

Mediterranean Diet Recipes

The Mediterranean diet is a fun and wellness diet system. You can put your food together in quick recipes, some are even easy recipes. Here are several options for the best recipes.

Breakfast

Breakfasts are a substantial meal in the Mediterranean world. It usually does not require a lot of cooking; but rather, consists of what you are mixing with what. Here are a few options:

Greek yogurt is the star feature and is used in many different ways. Some prefer to have it as a sweet meal and top it with some fruits and flaxseeds; others might prefer it salty and here is how they eat it. Take few slices of whole wheat bread, top them with some plain Greek yogurt; then, add some olive oil, diced tomatoes, and diced olives. Sprinkle some salt and enjoy a tasty and highly nutritious breakfast. You may want to sprinkle some oregano on top.

In Lebanon, some eat beans for breakfast. They boil the red beans called “foul” and mix it with olive oil, lemon juice, and some minced garlic. You can enjoy eating it with pita bread and a whole jungle of green vegetables. This dish is one of the most consistent meals for the early morning.

Another option is to have some scrambled eggs mixed with some diced tomatoes, diced onions and some garlic. Enjoy it with pita bread and a cup of black tea.

Some people like to have the Zucchini and goat cheese frittata for breakfast. Start by mixing some eggs, diced zucchini, milk, salt, pepper, olive oil, crushed garlic, and goat cheese. Put the entire mix in a skillet and oven-bake them. They will look like a lovely breakfast veggie cake.

Dinners and Lunches

The 3-ingredients Mediterranean salad: this is one easy recipe. All you have to do is cut up some tomatoes and cucumbers and mix them together in a bowl. Then, you can season them with some parsley and add a dressing of olive oil and lemon juice. This is one of the most well-known salads in the region.

Tabbouleh is another simple salad that consists of chopping in small pieces parsley, tomatoes and onions; then, add olive oil and lemon juice for a dressing. This tabbouleh, as much as it seems simple, is the main dish of Lebanon. Wherever you go and whoever you visit, there will be a tabbouleh bowl for everyone! It is highly nutritious and very tasty. Some might even add some bourghul or quinoa to make it more consistent.

Aioli Sauce is one of the most famous sauces in the Mediterranean diet. It consists of mixing some basil leaves, 4 cloves of garlic, 2 egg yolks, 1 big spoon of lemon juice, a little Himalayan salt, ¼ cup of avocado oil and ½ cup of olive oil. All you need to do is add all the ingredients to a mixer and let it do the magic.

Bean Salad is the right choice for you if you like beans. It is made of beans, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, black olives, bel peppers, feta cheese, chopped artichoke, and basil leaves. You can add more than one kind of beans. The dressing, on the other hand, is made of extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Italian herbs like oregano and thyme, and some black pepper. This recipe is an excellent side dish for any meat meal. You can even have it with some roasted vegetables like cooked beans or grilled eggplants.

Mediterranean mashed potatoes are a great option for those wanting to follow the Mediterranean diet and are vegan. You will need two pounds of potatoes, ½ cup of cooking liquid, 60ml of olive oil, some garlic cloves, basil, tarragon, parsley, and black pepper. Start by boiling the potatoes; then, bring the potatoes with 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and mash them. You can add all the rest of the ingredients and mix the whole thing.

Roasted Parmesan Green Beans is a flavorful side dish that can be prepared so easily. Just add to the green beans some olive oil, red pepper flakes, black pepper, parmesan cheese, cranberries and chopped walnuts. It can be a great side dish for some of the chicken recipes.

The skillet chicken recipe contains boneless chicken breast, olive oil, chopped red onions, some minced garlic, diced tomatoes, black olives, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. You need to sauté the chicken with the oil; then, add to it the already sautéed onions, mixed with garlic, olives, spices, and tomatoes. One the meal is ready, you can serve them all topped on each other, with a side of baked potatoes or steamed rice. Remember that modified recipes do not taste as good as the original ones.

Mediterranean Nachos are a great way to host a party. This recipe is an amazing one and is adored by kids and adults. All you have to do is top your bed of nachos with diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, shredded Monterey cheese, chopped chicken (please make sure that you cook the chicken), chopped olives, roasted red peppers, some parsley, feta cheese and dices onions. Place your loaded tray in the oven for about six to eight minutes; then, enjoy it! You can keep the parsley and feta cheese to be added at the end.

Loaded Eggplants are a great side; and, a pretty simple one as well. All you need to do is slice the eggplants and top them with slices tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese and bake them. Top the all with some basil leaves and serve hot with some grilled chicken.

Peas and Carrots stew is another tasty meal of the Mediterranean diet. You can prepare it by dicing onions and sautéing them in olive oil; then, add peas and carrots. Simmer the whole in some tomato juice. Slow cook them and when ready, serve them with some steamed rice.

All these tasty meals are healthy and will make you lose weight while eating good food. The Mediterranean diet is a rich regimen, unlike the whole food plant based diets that can be very restricting. Some might opt for a well-balanced diet and pick a supplement instead. Let’s take, for example, the safflower oil diet.

Another healthy trend that has been climbing the stairs of fame is the alkaline diet foods. This system aims at reducing inflammation in our body that could lead to numerous chronic diseases. When you are on this system, you need to eat food that only favor an alkaline milieu; and, avoid food that pushes your body into an acidic state.