Photo courtesy of Romulo Yanes and Epicurious
Welcome to 30 Days on a Mediterranean Diet, our new blog series! It’s no secret that eating the Mediterranean way helps with heart health and weight loss. But fast-paced modern living makes it hard to stick to any diet, which is why each 30 Days on a Mediterranean Diet post will feature a healthy Mediterranean recipe.
With all of the nutrient and fiber-packed foods in the Mediterranean diet (and all the press around the topic), it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand why people who stick to it lose weight. Whether you’ve taken our M3 Pledge™ or just wanna feel a lil’ better in those skinny jeans for summer, eating the Mediterranean way will help.
And it’s not just about the numbers on the scale, either. The Mediterranean lifestyle – which includes food, of course, but is also about living actively – is renowned worldwide for promoting strong, healthy hearts. It’s a life that’s about balance, led with meals that are about simple, clean and fresh ingredients.
But in our butter-smeared world of fast food and steam tables, it can be darn hard to get a good meal. And by ‘good’, I mean real, healthy food. Even cooking Mediterranean-inspired dishes can be a head scratcher, which is why we’d like to welcome you to 30 Days on a Mediterranean Diet, our new blog series.
Every 30 Days on a Mediterranean Diet post will feature a healthy Mediterranean recipe. Feel free to use the recipes down to the letter, or for some inspiration on the fly as you learn to cook Mediterranean on your own. Καλή όρεξη (That’s have a nice meal in Greek)!
From Epicurious
Makes 4 servings
Total cook time: 45 min.
Ingredients
3/4 cup orzo
1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 large tomato, diced (1 cup)
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 seedless cucumber, halved lengthwise, cored, and diced (1 cup)
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, slivered
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped oregano
2 to 3 cups coarsely chopped romaine
1/2 pound feta, crumbled (1 cup)
4 to 8 pepperoncini
Prep & Cook
- Cook orzo according to package instructions. Drain in a sieve and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain well.
- Toss black-eyed peas, tomato, and parsley with vinegar, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Marinate, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toss together orzo, remaining tablespoon oil, cucumber, olives, onion, lemon zest and juice, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.
Divide black-eyed-pea mixture (with juices) among jars or bowls and layer orzo salad, romaine, and feta on top. Add 1 or 2 pepperoncini to each.
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By: Laurentia Guesman, |
