Spanish Mediterranean Diet Recipes
Healthy Recipes from the Kitchens of Spain
The Mediterranean diet is not about counting calories and it certainly isn't one of those fad diets that constantly appear in our media. In fact, the Mediterranean diet is hardly a diet at all, it is much more a lifestyle choice based on how traditional communities of the Mediterranean region have lived for centuries.
Spain is one of those communities where the typical diet was based on a Mediterranean model:
- Eat plenty fruit, vegetables and salad
- Regular consumption of pulses, grains, nuts, cereals and beans
- Daily use of good quality olive oil
- Frequent fish consumption
- Eat small amounts of red meat
- Moderate consumption of cheese, yogurt and wine
- Drink plenty water
Frequent exercise and socialising with friends and family are two additional, non-dietary elements of this lifestyle.
Spanish Recipes
After briefly looking at the origins of the Mediterranean Diet, how it applies to Spain and its recognised health benefits the book is split into 5 sections based on different food types:
- PART 1: SALADS AND SOUPS
- PART 2: RICE, PASTA AND LEGUMES
- PART 3: FISH AND SEAFOOD DISHES
- PART 4: MEAT AND CHICKEN DISHES
- PART 5: STOCKS AND SAUCES
Each section includes a selection of healthy Spanish recipes which are easy to prepare and typical of dishes recommended in the Mediterranean diet. Some of the most popular of these Spanish dishes include:
- Moorish Salad - Ensalada Morisca
- Gazpacho - Gazpacho Andaluz
- Paella - Paella Valenciana
- Baked Basque Fish - Pescado Asado a la Vasca
- Trout Navarra Style - Trucha a la Navarra
- Castilian Roast Lamb - Cordero Asado
Mediterranean Diet Helps You Live Longer
Based on the findings of a major study by the New England Journal of Medicine which studied thousands of patients in Spain with a high risk of heart disease.
“About 30 percent of heart attacks, strokes and deaths from heart disease can be prevented in people at high risk if they switch to a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil, nuts, beans, fish, fruits and vegetables, and even drink wine with meals” (New York Times).
There seems little doubt that the Mediterranean diet is a way of life which will improve your overall health and could contribute to living longer. There’s no end to the amount of dishes that can be created within the loose definition of the Mediterranean diet and there aren’t any rules on what and when you must eat anything.
The authentic Spanish recipes which appear in this book are easy to prepare and are simply delicious.
