healthy mediterranean diet meal plan #18

when a Menu of the Day turns into a Menu of the Week!

This week’s menu is super simple. Breakfast you don’t have to think about. Snacks that require no effort at all if you go the pre-packaged route. A cool, refreshing lunch for the start of warmer days. And a magic sauce that’s versatile enough to dress eggs, potatoes or use as a dip with veggies.

Best of all, a few of these things are meal-prep perfect. The overnight oats can be batched and refrigerated before reawakening over the next few mornings. The egg salad will last for 3-4 days. Make extra and pack it in a picnic box or store those hard-boiled eggs in the fridge for a snack. Romesco sauce is a Spanish classic that is so versatile. We’re dressing up an egg salad with it today but typically it’s used as a dip with veggies or drizzled over roasted potatoes.

So maybe you should think of this week’s Menu of the Day as your Menu for the Week!

But I know there are lingering questions about including eggs in a healthy diet so let’s talk about this “incredible edible”.

Nutritional science continues to validate that eggs are a powerful and healthy source of protein, providing all nine essential amino acids and contain antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin to help protect against age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Some years ago, research also proved that the dietary cholesterol in eggs is NOT absorbed by the body but the yolk does have saturated fat which can lead to high blood cholesterol. So go ahead and get crackin’ but remember, the Mediterranean diet guidelines suggest it’s best to limit your amount to no more than 4 eggs per week.

Classic egg salad is usually swimming in mayo, but this healthy twist brings the classic Spanish flavors of Romesco sauce - using the original recipe ingredient, hazelnuts, not almonds - made that much creamier with a considerable addition of thick, plain Greek yogurt.

As you may have noticed, there are a few more snaps in the newsletter. I set up a new workspace in the apartment this week to make it easier to take step-by-steps of recipes as I assemble them. When it comes to kitchen inspiration, I’m always motivated by a pretty picture and my hope is that it will encourage you to follow along with the recipe too.

As always, you’ll find a few extra treats in the menu PDF besides the meal plan I promised you (mostly because I just can’t help myself). When I can, I’ll reach into the archive so that you don’t have to go hunting around.

So it’s time to pull up a chair, grab a cup or a glass and join me in my Mediterranean kitchen while we work our way from one flavor-packed healthy meal to another.

Want to upgrade to a paid subscription so you don’t miss out on anything? Everything you’ll want to know to master the Mediterranean diet including exclusive weekly meal plans and recipes, how-to-guides and behind the scenes are all here waiting for you to spend a few Mediterranean minutes with me.