healthy mediterranean diet meal plan #7
For such a simple dish, meatballs feel a little decadent to me. One, we just don’t eat as much meat as we used to so, when we do, it feels like a treat. And two, with all the built-in flavor of this particular recipe, it makes a pretty affordable protein seem… well, just so much more spesh.
Speaking of special, I know it’s pretty uncommon to be able to get your meat freshly ground to order these days, but our butcher at the central market is all too happy to make mincemeat of my requests! She’s the same one who taught me a better and smarter way to spatchcock a chicken and tri-fold slice a chicken breast. How could I be any luckier than to have a friend like her?
When turkey is freshly ground, it’s especially nice and fluffy. I still employ that little trick I learned from Ina Garten years and years ago - to add a smidge of water to keep the meatballs nice and light - but I suspect I could get away without it now.
In my “test kitchen” prep for this dish, I used a tightly wound noodle I was experimenting with. This noodle looked pretty (and I’m always distracted by shiny new objects) but took an extra long time to reach al dente and even then the bite was a bit too dense for my taste. Next time around, I’d say stick with some good old-fashioned whole wheat spaghetti.
But clearly, a little experimentation seemed to be the theme for my day. I started the morning by changing up the way I serve my everyday morning smoothie. No tall frothy ice cold glass for me, I poured it into a bowl and created a very pretty bit of garnish with some fruit, chia seeds, granola and finely-shaved coconut snow. But don’t treat this photo as gospel, the actual quantities in the menu are much more in keeping with our healthy portion control.
Our mid-day snacks and mid-day meal stay close to many Mediterranean traditions and keep us right on target for another healthy Mediterranean menu of the day.
Today’s salad is one of my most popular videos on YouTube for good reason. Every refreshing bite is packed with plenty of nutrient-dense ingredients and dressed with the best Mediterranean vinaigrette.
As always, you’ll find a few of these recipes in the menu PDF besides the one I promised you (mostly because I just can’t help myself). When I can, I’ll reach into the archive and include them so that you don’t have to go hunting around. You’ll also find a few tips for ways to stretch this menu into a meal plan that will cover you for a few days.
So 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 meal to another.
I just LOVE LOVE LOVE getting these recipes and your blog every week!! I print them out and have them in a binder for quick reference!! Thank you so much!!!🩷🩷🩷
So many great ideas in these Saturday dispatches! I love the idea of adding zucchini and cauliflower to a smoothie. It’s a very clever way to add veggies to breakfast!