April 29, 2016
Vol. VIII No. 9
Happy International Mediterranean Diet Month!
While we hope you celebrate the Mediterranean diet year-round, next month is a time to give the foods and lifestyles that make up this remarkable way of eating extra attention. May is International Mediterranean Diet Month!

For this year's celebration, Oldways created a quiz - "How Mediterranean is your diet?" See how the foods you normally eat stack up against the gold-standard Med Diet, and which delicious staples you're missing; take the quiz here. Quiz takers receive a free 7-day Spring Mediterranean Menu download, and are entered to win a $150 gift card, Mediterranean products, and a copy of the Oldways 4-Week Mediterranean Diet Menu Plan Book

Find out more about Med Diet Month, and how Oldways is celebrating, on our website. Here are a few ways you can celebrate:
  1. Host a Mediterranean-themed potluck. Ask guests to bring various tapas or mezze plates such as hummus and cut vegetables, a pasta salad, or pita and tzatziki dip. Enjoying the pleasures of the table with family and friends contributes hugely to good health. 
  2. Try a Mediterranean whole grain that you haven't tried before, such as farro, whole wheat pasta, or bulgur. 
  3. Read up on the science. Hundreds of scientific studies show that people who closely follow a Mediterranean diet get many health benefits, while enjoying wonderfully delicious foods. These benefits include everything from better heart and bone health and reduced risk of stroke and diabetes, to longer lifespan. 
  4. Join the Mediterranean diet conversation on social media by using the hashtag #MedDietMonth, and follow Oldways on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter so you don't miss any Med Month posts.
  5. Eat seafood twice a week. Fish such as tuna, herring, salmon, and sardines are rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and shellfish including mussels, oysters, and clams have similar benefits for brain and heart health.
  6. Resolve to cook one more meal a week at home. Try making it vegetarian, drawing only from the base of the Mediterranean Diet PyramidCooking is a big part of the Mediterranean diet, and saves you money too. One extra home-cooked meal can make a big difference! Read on for three springtime Mediterranean diet recipes to try.
Click on a title or photo below to go to the recipe.
 


This recipe is the epitome of springtime. Fava beans, freshly dug new potatoes, and not-yet-mature, fragrant-yet-mild garlic are first signs that winter is at its end. Garlic grows just like onions, with tender green leaves and a delicate, unformed slender bulb before the cloves begin to form. This recipe uses garlic in its early stage, also known as Spring garlic.

Recipe courtesy of Jesse Cool for The Oldways Table. Photo: istockphoto.com.


Keep a bag of frozen peas on hand to whip up this simple supper in no time. It only takes about 15 minutes, perfect for a weeknight! To vary the flavor, add some shredded carrots along with or in addition to the peas. 

Recipe from the Oldways 4-Week Mediterranean Diet Menu Plan. Oldways photo.


"Melted" eggplant adds a wonderful texture and takes on the flavor of the peas and other ingredients in this soup. It is a very versatile recipe and can be modified by changing the broth, vegetables, and/or herb and spice selection. It's perfect for a rainy spring day.

Recipe courtesy of Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD for The Oldways Table. Oldways photo.


Mediterranean Vegetarian Feasts
by Aglaia Kremezi
Aglaia Kremezi, who introduced Greek cooking to an American audience, has gone back to her roots, rediscovering the delicious, fresh, healthy, easy-to-make recipes she grew up with, like Flat Bread with Dried Figs, Santorini Favas with Braised Capers and Onions, and more.
by Nancy Harmon Jenkins
Spanning the Mediterranean from Spain to Lebanon, Cyprus, and North Africa, this revised and updated edition of Nancy Harmon Jenkins' acclaimed cookbook offers ninety-two mouthwatering new dishes plus the latest information about the nutritional benefits of one of the world's healthiest cuisines.
by Marie-Pierre Moine
Bringing together authentic recipes from Italy, Greece, Provence, northern Africa, and the Middle East, DK's Mediterranean Cookbook gives cooks the necessary tools to recreate the flavors of the Mediterranean in their own homes. 


Fresh Fridays is a bi-weekly celebration of Mediterranean eating and living. We hope our Friday recipes will remind you just how easy and delicious eating the Mediterranean way can be.   

To find even more delicious Mediterranean recipes please visit:     

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