13 best for dummies mediterranean cookbooks

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Yield: 6 servings

Cook Time: 30 minutes.

Directions:

1. In a two-quart stockpot, bring water and lentils to a boil. Reduce and simmer for 30 minutes or until tender, then drain excess liquid.

2. In a serving bowl, mix together cooked lentils, garbanzo beans, bell peppers, and carrot. Whisk together lemon juice and olive oil. Stir lemon vinaigrette over the salad.

3. Top with chopped cilantro and serve. Excellent chilled or at room temperature.

Yield: 6 servings

Cooling Time: 30 minutes

Directions:

1. Boil the water in a medium saucepan. Add the bulgur, cover, and remove from the heat. Allow the bulgur to absorb liquid for at least 15 minutes.

2. Mix together all ingredients Except salt in a large serving bowl. Allow the Tabbouleh to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

3. Season with salt to taste and serve.

* You can use couscous or quinoa as an alternative to bulgur, but both grains must be cooked according to package directions prior to being added to this salad.

Yield: 36 cookies

Cook Time: 10-14 minutes.

Directions:

1. With an electric mixer, cream the butter, sugar, brown sugar, honey, and lemon zest until fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and lemon juice (minus 1 tablespoon) and mix until incorporated.

2. In a food processor, grind the pistachios to a flour consistency. In a small bowl, combine the ground nuts, flour, cornmeal, cardamom, and salt.

3. Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Chill the dough for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll the dough into balls 1 tablespoon at a time, place the balls 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet, and flatten gently. Repeat with remaining dough.

5. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until the edges brown. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

6. Whisk together the remaining lemon juice, the half and half, and the powdered sugar in a bowl. Drizzle the cooled cookies with the glaze and cool until the glaze hardens. Serve.

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The Mediterranean Way of Eating

There isn’t a single 'diet' that encompasses the entire Mediterranean region—spice-laden dishes of Morocco bear little resemblance to the lemon- and caper-laced cuisine of southern Italy. Rather, Mediterranean cooking is about what these cuisines have in common: a daily emphasis on vegetables and fruits, beans and lentils, whole grains, more seafood than meat and poultry, and heart-healthy olive oil. Fresh, high-quality ingredients and simple preparation techniques let the extraordinary flavors shine.

Pan-Roasted Swordfish with Chermoula

We took our fish to the next level by serving it with chermoula, a zesty Moroccan dressing.

Fava Bean and Radish Salad

These Italian-named earthy beans are favored throughout the Mediterranean and date back to ancient times.

Red Lentil Soup with North African Spices

The mild flavor of red lentils do not require a bit of embellishment, so we started by sauteing onion in olive oil and used the warm mixture to bloom some fragrant North African spices.

Marinated Green and Black Olives

We opted for olives with pits, which have better flavor than pitted ones, and found that tasters preferred brine-cured olives to salt-cured for their subtler flavors.

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A sample bite from the book: Herb-Roasted Whole Chicken

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place a rack inside a large roasting pan.

Rub the olive oil all over the chicken. As you do, gently loosen the skin over the breast to form a pocket.

Slide half of the rosemary and thyme sprigs underneath the skin over the breast, and put the sage leaves, bay leaf, and remaining sprigs inside the cavity.

Rub with the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165°F, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

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Recipes for two

Avoid filling your fridge with leftovers that will go to waste thanks to recipes that only turn out two servings.

Naturally healthy foods

Take care of your body with dishes featuring fresh fruits and veggies, lean proteins, legumes, and whole grains.

Shopping and stocking tips

Save money, time, and effort with advice for making your kitchen Mediterranean-friendly and your shopping trips lean.

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A Mediterranean diet primer

Learn more about the pitfalls of the standard American diet and how the Mediterranean diet offers a healthy alternative for sustainable weight loss and holistic well-being.

The science of weight loss

Get essential information about how weight loss works, including understanding your daily caloric intake, the importance of exercise and rest, and tips for portion control.

Quick and easy dishes

Spend less time in the kitchen with convenient recipe labels for 30-minute and one-pot meals, plus make-ahead tips, shopping lists, and suggestions for leftovers.

Exercise and relaxation tips

Discover how to get the most out of your workouts and create a schedule of sleep and activity that facilitates weight loss.

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Try one of many tasty recipes inside: Lemon Garlic Hummus

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the chickpeas and 2 tablespoons of the reserved chickpea liquid with the lemon juice, peanut butter, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of the oil.
2. Process the mixture for one minute, then scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Process for about another minute, or until smooth.
3. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl, drizzle with the remaining olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and serve with veggies and crackers (or anything else you like).

TIP: This nutty, garlicky hummus makes a great sandwich spread.