No. 235: Mediterranean Farro Salad with Roasted Tomatoes, Knock-out Dressings, Lentil Salad and Soup
+ Roasted fish recipes; farm stand & fish store openings and closings; Ask Jenny: spice tips
🍅 Mediterranean diet magic: It’s a catalyst for great cooking.
Once again for the seventh year in a row, the Mediterranean Diet has come out at the top of U.S. News and World Report’s ranking of 30 diets. I know, I know, we don’t usually tackle “diets” here on Cook the Vineyard, but it’s January and even those of us who love to cook are feeling a pull to eat healthier without getting on a diet treadmill. I know I’m craving hearty/filling/comforting combined with fresh/light/bright. Is that possible?
Yes, because the Mediterranean “diet” isn’t really a diet in the way we think of a diet; it’s more of a cooking and eating lifestyle. With its emphasis on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, legumes, olive oil, herbs, spices and small amounts of fish, it’s a great catalyst for flavorful and creative cooking. To that end, I wanted to provide you with some inspiration, techniques, and a new recipe to get you going. (By the way the nonprofit Oldways designed a great Mediterranean Diet eating pyramid; I’ve included the graphic at the end of the newsletter.)