Wow. Talk about a banner day here in North Carolina. Even though I’m inside working, just looking outside at the bright, gorgeous day makes me happy. And, the sky is so blue it could almost look like a Mediterranean blue.
Speaking of Mediterranean blue, it’s Day 3 of Mediterranean Diet Month. Oldways’ Mediterranean diet pyramid reflects traditional diets of the Greek island of Crete and the southern tip of Italy during the 1960’s, when chronic disease rates were low and life expectancy was long.
Here are the “10 Commandments” of the Mediterranean diet developed by Dr. Catherine Itsiopoulos at the University of Melbourne.
- Use olive oil as your main source of fat/oils
- Eat vegetables with every meal (include a variety of leafy greens, tomatoes and other vegetables)
- Eat at least two legume meals each week
- Eat at least two servings of seafood each week
- Eat smaller portions of meat and less often
- Eat fresh fruit every day and dried fruit and nuts as snacks or dessert
- Eat yogurt every day and cheese in moderation
- Include whole grain breads and cereals with meals
- Consume wine in moderation with meals (enjoy a few alcohol-free days a week)
- Save sweets or sweet drinks for special occasions only
And now that I’ve committed to eating an all Mediterranean eating pattern in May, I was curious just how I fared. So, I took a look at my first two days going all Mediterranean (posted yesterday). Olive oil, check. Fruit every day, check. Nuts and whole grains breads and cereals, check. Missed out on my yogurt on one day, and definitely need to make sure I get my beans and seafood in this week. I cooked up some salmon last night, and I’m planning to have lentils tonight. And, vegetables at every meal? Well, I eat a lot of vegetables, but still need to work on the every meal part (hello, breakfast).
Last night, I needed a quick dinner. But, I also had some thawed salmon I needed to use. So, I created this Pasta with Roasted Salmon, Olives & Tomatoes… it was delicious meal that took less than 30 minutes to make.
Ingredients
- 8 oz. of whole wheat spaghetti
- 2-3 tsp. olive oil, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tsp. of dried basil or 2 frozen basil cubes
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 8 oz. of salmon fillets
- 1/4-1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
- 3-4 cups kale, chopped
- Herbs, crushed red pepper, sea salt and pepper, as desired
- Lemon slices (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to broil. Meanwhile, bring pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to directions.
- 2. In a baking dish, drizzle about 1 tsp. olive oil in dish. Add garlic and basil, stir to combine. Put dish in oven to heat for about 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes, cook another 5 minutes.
- 3. When tomatoes are starting to brown, add salmon and olives to baking dish. Cook about 3-4 minutes per side, or until salmon is thoroughly cooked.
- 4. When pasta is cooked and ready to be drained, place kale in a big bowl under the colander for pasta. Pour the hot water on the kale to wilt it. Set pasta aside.
- 5. Add wilted kale to pasta pot. Drizzle with 1/2 tsp. olive oil, sprinkle with a little sea salt. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
- 6. Place pasta on plates or in bowls. Top with sautéed kale. Then top with salmon and tomato-olive mixture. Drizzle with oil from pan or remaining olive oil. Sprinkle with herbs or crushed red pepper, and garnish with lemon slices, if desired. Makes 2 servings.
Next up: Mediterranean afternoon snack. Stay tuned for rest of this week’s meal plan, along with more recipes tomorrow.
PLEASE SHARE: Are you eating the Mediterranean way? If so, please share! I’d love to hear from you!
