When I asked Dr. Antonia Trichopoulou, a Mediterranean diet expert, how I could get the small American city of Albert Lea, Minnesota—famous for meatpacking—to eat more vegetables, I knew I had come to the right person. We were sitting at Thea’s Guesthouse, in front of one of her amazing spreads of Ikarian cuisine. Dr. Trichopoulou paused for a moment and then gestured to the food and said, “Feed them.” I had my marching orders, so I searched for a recipe that people would like. Several months later, I invited the entire city of Albert Lea to dinner. More than 2,200 people showed up as chefs demonstrated how to make this Ikarian stew in two enormous boiling cauldrons. For these people, vegetables were typically the orange flecks you see in Hamburger Helper. I was nervous to serve them a 100 percent plant-based meal. Less than an hour later, the two pots were completely empty and the city had taken its first step to changing its diet for the better. After just one year, participants added an estimated 2.9 years to their average life span, while health care claims for city workers dropped 49 percent. This city experiment was the pilot for what is now Blue Zones Project, which has expanded to 47 communities across the United States. Here’s the exact recipe, which also happens to be one of our reader favorites.
This Creamy Mushroom Toast recipe is perfect for breakfast or brunch, and the best part is that anyone can make this simple, tasty dish!
This one pot vegetarian dinner is made with chickpeas simmered in a Mediterranean-spiced tomato stew. It's topped with feta and broiled until golden brown. Can be served with bread or pita for dipping, or over rice. (Gluten-free, Vegan option)
This simple tahini pasta is a nut free recipe that is ready in just 20 minutes! It's rich, creamy, vegan and delicious with fresh basil on top.
Pasta alla Norma is a delicious Sicilian pasta dish with eggplant, marinara and basil. This amazing recipe features roasted eggplant, not fried! Recipe yields 4 entrée servings.
A very healthy and easy to make Rice And Cabbage in a light tomato sauce loaded with veggies!
This delicious one-skillet curry delivers all the rich depth, flavor, and spice you expect from restaurant beef vindaloo. It's almost hard to believe it's homemade!
This Jamaican Pineapple Jerk Chicken recipe is a modern twist on classic jerk chicken and It's full of flavor and comfort.
This is the absolute best Bolognese sauce recipe! It's rich and flavorful and perfect for making restaurant-quality pasta bolognese at home. The best Bolognese sauce is an Italian meat sauce made with ground beef & pork, pancetta, red wine & tomatoes, which simmers for hours until tender.
Greek Chicken Tzatziki Bowls: Street food inspired oven-roasted chicken, served bowl style with all the extras. Add pitas and fries to make a complete meal!
Easy to make chicken breast with sun-dried tomatoes, capers, and artichoke hearts, nestled in a creamy lemony sauce.
pappardelle pasta with sausage & fennel tossed in a spicy, creamy tomato sauce made with calabrian chili peppers servings: 6-8
Quickly made on the stove, all in one skillet. Finish off with steamed rice and naan for a warm cozy meal!
A quick cheese ravioli with buttery, balsamic caramelized mushrooms, and fresh garden herbs. For an easy, 30 minute dinner, make this ravioli, it's simple, quick, and so DELICIOUS!
Fresh and delicious chicken shawarma bowls using all Trader Joe's ingredients! This light and flavorful meal is is so easy. I've recently discovered all the glorious marinated meats at Trader Joe's. In the past this was always something I'd just walk on by. However, after I took the time to really look at each and
These Roasted Marinated Red Peppers with Burrata and Breadcrumbs are still one of my favorite things I’ve made this year!
The easiest and tastiest greek chicken meatballs you will ever have! They are loaded with dry spices and can be made in under 30 minutes. They are topped over a refreshing lemon orzo pasta.
If you’re looking for a new, favorite salmon recipe, you must try this Grilled Mediterranean Bruschetta Salmon! This recipe will surprise your taste buds!
Tender, juicy filet mignon topped with a shrimp and lobster cream sauce
This is such a fun one! Grilled marinated chicken, a quick tomato cucumber salad, tangy bits of feta, and a zippy pepperoncini garlic butter sauce poured over the whole thing.
Recipe video above. A traditional recipe for an iconic Greek dish from a wonderful cookbook called The Food And Cooking Of Greece by Sara Nassopoulos. Layers of soft eggplant, rich beef or lamb filling lightly spiced with oregano and cinnamon, topped with a thick layer of bechamel sauce. It looks like a lot of steps but the recipe has a nice flow to it - I've popped prompts in the steps. 🙂
Simple dinners are the best, especially when they're wholesome and full of color!
Tossed with crispy roasted chickpeas and broccoli, this lemon couscous is bursting with fresh lemon flavor and an easy spring side dish that's ready in only 35 minutes!
Ground turkey meatballs loaded with feta cheese, garlic & Mediterranean herbs & spices then served with an herby homemade tzatziki sauce! These baked Greek turkey meatballs are perfect for an easy weeknight dinner!
Looking for an easy mongolian beef recipe? This Mongolian Beef & Broccoli from Delish.com is the best.
Caponata with roasted eggplant, zucchini, and garlic stewed with tomatoes, red onion, raisins, olives, capers, and vinegar, then tossed with fresh basil and toasted pine nuts. This eggplant and zucchini caponata is all at once smoky, briny, mildly sweet, sour, nutty, & toasty. Umami heaven.
The fast Thai chicken noodle bowl that looks like takeout, but tastes so much better...and is healthier too!
This easy Mediterranean chicken recipe with vegetables, olives and feta cheese is healthy and perfect for anyone who loves the Mediterranean diet, chicken and of course the best food in the world: garlic!
Mediterranean Black bean salad with herbs and feta: the perfect vegetarian side dish recipe to go with lunch or dinner! This easy black bean salad recipe is ready in about 10 minutes!
