The 14 Day Mediterranean Diet Cookbook: The Complete Mediterranean Diet For Beginners (2016)
Chapter 4. Mediterranean Lunch Recipes
The Mediterranean diet is worldwide recognized for its healthy ingredients, including some of the most incredible recipe ideas for lunch. The great thing is that, for the making of these recipes, not many ingredients are required but the final taste is amazing. Let’s check out some of the most popular recipes for lunch!
#1 Pasta with shrimp, lemon and basil
Made for: 4 servings
Total time: 15 min.
Ingredients: water (3 quarts), spaghetti (8 oz.), shrimp (1 pound), fresh basil (1/4 cup), capers (3 tbsp.), extra-virgin olive oil (2 tbsp.), fresh lemon juice (2 tbsp.), salt (1/2 tsp.), baby spinach (2 cups)
How to prepare:
Start by boiling the water. Once the water has reached the boiling point, add the spaghetti and cook for about eight minutes. Then, add the shrimp into the pan, cooking it for about three minutes (by now, the paste should be al dente). Drain and place the mixture into a large bowl. Add the fresh basil, drained capers, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Use the baby spinach as serving bed. Add the pasta mixture on top of this bed, serve and enjoy!
#2 Chicken souvlaki
Made for: 4 servings
Total time: 15 min.
Ingredients: feta cheese (1/2 cup), Greek yoghurt (1/2 cup), fresh dill (1 tbsp.), extra virgin olive oil (1 tbsp.), minced garlic (1 ¼ tsp.), dried oregano (1/2 tsp.), chicken breast (2 cups), pita bread (4), iceberg lettuce (1 cup), cucumber (1/2 cup), plum tomato (1/2 cup), red onion (1/4 cup)
How to prepare:
Start by crumbling the feta cheese and combining it with the following ingredients: Greek yoghurt, dill, extra virgin olive oil and minced garlic. Make sure that the ingredients are well-mixed. Then, take a pan and sauté the garlic and the oregano in olive oil. Add the sliced chicken breast and cook for another two minutes. Cut the pita bread into halves. Place the cooked chicken breast on the pita bread, add the yoghurt mixture, then shredded lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes. Serve and enjoy!
#3 Mediterranean tuna salad
Made for: 5 servings
Total time: 15 min.
Ingredients: vegetable juice (1/2 cup), horseradish mustard (4 tbsp.), tuna (12 oz.), roasted red peppers (2/3 cup), chopped celery (1/2 cup), chopped parsley (4 tbsp.), pitted Kalamata olives (2 tbsp.)
How to prepare:
Start by preparing the dressing for the salad. Combine the vegetable juice together with the horseradish mustard and set aside. Drain the tuna well and add it into a bowl. Then, add the chopped roasted red peppers, the celery, parsley and pitted Kalamata olives. Toss well to combine. Add the dressing to the salad and mix once more, until all the ingredients are evenly coated. Refrigerate before serving. Enjoy!
#4 Stuffed tomatoes
Made for: 4 servings
Total time: 25 min.
Ingredients: tomatoes (2), garlic croutons (1/2 cup), crumbled goat cheese (1/4 cup), pitted Kalamata olives (1/4 cup), vinaigrette (2 tbsp.), fresh thyme or basil (2 tbsp.)
How to prepare:
Start by pre-heating the broiler. Then, take the tomatoes and cut them into halves (crosswise). Take out the pulp of the tomatoes, keeping the shells. Make sure to chop the tomato pulp and set it aside. Take a bowl and mix the following ingredients together: garlic croutons, crumbled goat cheese, pitted Kalamata olives. Add the tomato pulp to the mixture, followed by the vinaigrette dressing and fresh thyme/basil. Broil the tomatoes for about five minutes. Serve and enjoy!
#5 Mediterranean lunch bowl
Made for: 2 servings
Total time: 25 min.
Ingredients: chicken breast (8 oz.), fresh rosemary sprigs (2), fresh oregano sprigs (2), capers (1 tbsp.), lemon (1), orzo pasta (1/2 cup), fresh spinach (3 cups), roasted red peppers (1-2), marinated artichoke hearts (2-3), assorted olives (5), olive oil (1 tbsp.), salt and pepper (to taste)
How to prepare:
Start by coating the chicken breast with rosemary, oregano and lemon juice. Grill the breast for about ten minutes over medium heat, on both sides, until it is cooked through. Remove from the heat and let it sit for another ten minutes. Prepare the orzo pasta according to the instructions that are present on the package. When done, drain the orzo pasta and drizzle olive oil over them. Then, season with salt and pepper. Take a bowl and add the following ingredients into it: fresh spinach, orzo pasta, sliced chicken breast, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts and assorted olives. Prepare a dressing by mixing olive oil with fresh lemon juice and the natural juices from the roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts and assorted olives.