# Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Dummies ![rw-book-cover](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51lzxoRUE-L._SY160.jpg) ## Metadata - Author:: [[Meri Raffetto and Wendy Jo Peterson]] - Full Title:: Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Dummies - Category: #books ## Highlights > Toasted Pita Chips Prep time: 5 min • Cook time: 12–15 minutes • Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 4 whole wheat pitas 4 teaspoons olive oil Sea salt to taste Directions 1 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 2 Using a pastry brush, brush each pita with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste. 3 Cut each pita into 8 wedges. Arrange the pita wedges on a baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool the pita chips to room temperature and serve. Per serving: Calories 210 (From Fat 55); Fat 6g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 341mg; Carbohydrate 35g (Dietary Fiber 5g); Protein 6g. Note: Serve with any of the tasty dips in this chapter, such as Hummus or Baba Gannoujh. Refer to the color insert in this book for a photo of this recipe. ([Location 3841](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005SZECGA&location=3841)) > Hummus Prep time: 10 min • Yield: 16 servings Ingredients Two 14.5-ounce cans chickpeas Juice of 2 lemons 2 cloves garlic 1⁄4 tablespoon olive oil 1⁄4 cup tahini paste 1⁄2 teaspoon salt Pinch of cayenne pepper Directions 1 Drain the chickpeas and reserve 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 cup of the liquid. Place the chickpeas in a food processor and puree until smooth. 2 Add the remaining ingredients and blend until the mixture is creamy. If necessary, add the liquid reserved from the canned chickpeas to create desired creaminess. Transfer the hummus to a bowl and serve. Per serving: Calories 85 (From Fat 25); Fat 3g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 228mg; Carbohydrate 12g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 3g. Tip: Serve with Toasted Pita Chips or fresh vegetables such as carrots. Note: Tahini paste is paste made from ground sesame seeds. It is a major component in Hummus and other Middle Eastern dishes. You can find tahini paste at most grocery stores or specialty stores near the cooking oils or possibly in the ethnic sections of the store. If you can’t find it in your store, look for it online at www.amazon.com. Note: Store hummus in a glass container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Cover the surface with a thin layer of olive oil, allowing mixture to ([Location 3859](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005SZECGA&location=3859)) > Roasted Eggplant Dip (Baba Gannoujh) Prep time: 5 min • Cook time: 30 min • Yield: 16 servings Ingredients 2 large eggplants 1⁄2 cup tahini paste 2 cloves garlic Juice of 2 lemons 3 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, for serving Directions 1 Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. 2 Poke the eggplant once with a fork on all sides to allow the steam to escape during cooking. Bake the eggplant on a baking sheet for about 30 minutes or until soft. Remove the eggplant from the oven and cool until you can comfortably touch it. 3 Cut the eggplant in half. Scoop out the inside of the eggplant with a spoon, discarding the skin. 4 Pulse the cooked eggplant in a food processor for 1 minute. Add the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, water, olive oil, and salt to the eggplant mixture and blend until you achieve a thicker consistency… ([Location 3887](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005SZECGA&location=3887)) > Marinara Prep time: 5 min • Cook time: 35 min • Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 12 plum or Roma tomatoes 1⁄4 cup olive oil 1⁄2 small onion, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1⁄4 cup celery, minced 1⁄4 cup basil leaves, torn 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped Salt to taste Directions 1 Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Blanch the tomatoes in the water for 1 minute and shock them to halt the cooking process. Remove the skins of the tomatoes and roughly chop. 2 In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and celery and sauté for 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, and parsley and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and serve. Per serving: Calories 169 (From Fat 125); Fat 14g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 18mg; Carbohydrate 11g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 2g. Note: To prepare the tomatoes for blanching, cut a T in the bottom of each tomato to just pierce the skin. After blanching, shock the tomatoes by immediately placing them in ice water. Note: Store sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for two to three months. ([Location 4315](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005SZECGA&location=4315)) > Garden Sauce Prep time: 20 min • Cook time: 15 min • Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 8 plum or Roma tomatoes 1 carrot, julienned (see Figure 9-1) 2 zucchinis, julienned 1 yellow squash, seeded and julienned 1 red bell pepper, seeded and julienned 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, julienned 3 cloves garlic, sliced 1⁄2 cup dry white wine 1⁄4 cup parsley Salt and pepper to taste Directions 1 Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Blanch the tomatoes in the water for 1 minute and shock them to halt the cooking process. Remove the skins of the tomatoes and roughly chop. 2 Blanch the carrots in the same pot of water for 1 minute; add the zucchini, squash, and bell pepper and blanch for an additional minute. Shock the blanched vegetables to halt cooking. 3 In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, carrots, zucchinis, squash, and bell peppers and sauté for 3 minutes. 4 Stir in the wine and parsley and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low for 1 minute, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve with pasta. Per serving: Calories 196 (From Fat 71); Fat 8g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 43mg; Carbohydrate 25g (Dietary Fiber 6g); Protein 5g. Note: To prepare the tomatoes for blanching, cut a T in the bottom of each tomato to just pierce the skin. After blanching, shock the tomatoes by immediately placing them in ice water. Tip: For a thicker sauce, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of tomato paste when you add the wine. Store sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze up to two to three months. ([Location 4368](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005SZECGA&location=4368)) > Pizza Sauce Prep time: 5 min • Cook time: 40 min • Yield: 3–4 pizzas (4 cups, 16 servings) Ingredients 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 small onion, minced 3 cloves garlic, minced One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon fresh thyme 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste Salt and pepper to taste Directions 1 In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Strain the diced tomatoes and add to the saucepan, and cook for 5 minutes. 2 Add the vinegar, sugar, thyme, parsley, and red pepper flakes and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 3 Blend the sauce with a blender, stick blender, or food processor until smooth. Cool slightly before adding to pizza dough. Per serving: Calories 42 (From Fat 24); Fat 3g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 73mg; Carbohydrate 5g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 1g. Tip: You can store this sauce in the refrigerator for 1 week or freeze it for three months to enjoy later. You’ll never buy store-bought sauce again. ([Location 4437](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005SZECGA&location=4437)) > Chickpea Sauce Prep time: 8 min • Cook time: 30 min • Yield: 6 servings Ingredients One 14.5 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 cup water 1⁄4 cup olive oil 1⁄2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes 2 cloves garlic 1 onion, chopped 2 tablespoon parsley, chopped 1⁄2 cup basil leaves, torn 1 bay leaf One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes Salt and pepper to taste Directions 1 Blend the chickpeas in a food processor for 1 minute. Add the water and blend until smooth. 2 In a heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the red chili pepper flakes and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the onion, parsley, basil, and bay leaf and cook for 8 minutes. 3 Add the chickpeas and tomatoes to the skillet and simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. If the sauce is too thick, stir in about 1⁄4 ([Location 4569](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005SZECGA&location=4569)) > Cucumber Yogurt Sauce Prep time: 5 min • Yield: 12 servings Ingredients 2 cups Greek yogurt 1 cucumber, peeled and seeded Zest and juice of 1 lemon 1⁄4 cup mint, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced Directions 1 Place yogurt into a bowl. Grate the cucumber into the yogurt and stir. Season the yogurt mixture with the remaining ingredients. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Per serving: Calories 24 (From Fat 0); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 18mg; Carbohydrate 2g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 4g. Tip: If you can’t find Greek yogurt, place a container of regular yogurt upside down in a coffee-filter- or cheesecloth-lined strainer and over a bowl. Store the setup in the refrigerator overnight until the yogurt thickens. Tip: This sauce makes a great addition to any grilled meat or kabobs. Note: Store in the refrigerator for up to a week. ([Location 4599](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005SZECGA&location=4599)) # Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Dummies ![rw-book-cover](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51lzxoRUE-L._SY160.jpg) ## Metadata - Author:: [[Meri Raffetto and Wendy Jo Peterson]] - Full Title:: Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Dummies - Category: #books ## Highlights > Toasted Pita Chips Prep time: 5 min • Cook time: 12–15 minutes • Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 4 whole wheat pitas 4 teaspoons olive oil Sea salt to taste Directions 1 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 2 Using a pastry brush, brush each pita with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste. 3 Cut each pita into 8 wedges. Arrange the pita wedges on a baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool the pita chips to room temperature and serve. Per serving: Calories 210 (From Fat 55); Fat 6g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 341mg; Carbohydrate 35g (Dietary Fiber 5g); Protein 6g. Note: Serve with any of the tasty dips in this chapter, such as Hummus or Baba Gannoujh. Refer to the color insert in this book for a photo of this recipe. ([Location 3841](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005SZECGA&location=3841)) > Hummus Prep time: 10 min • Yield: 16 servings Ingredients Two 14.5-ounce cans chickpeas Juice of 2 lemons 2 cloves garlic 1⁄4 tablespoon olive oil 1⁄4 cup tahini paste 1⁄2 teaspoon salt Pinch of cayenne pepper Directions 1 Drain the chickpeas and reserve 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 cup of the liquid. Place the chickpeas in a food processor and puree until smooth. 2 Add the remaining ingredients and blend until the mixture is creamy. If necessary, add the liquid reserved from the canned chickpeas to create desired creaminess. Transfer the hummus to a bowl and serve. Per serving: Calories 85 (From Fat 25); Fat 3g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 228mg; Carbohydrate 12g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 3g. Tip: Serve with Toasted Pita Chips or fresh vegetables such as carrots. Note: Tahini paste is paste made from ground sesame seeds. It is a major component in Hummus and other Middle Eastern dishes. You can find tahini paste at most grocery stores or specialty stores near the cooking oils or possibly in the ethnic sections of the store. If you can’t find it in your store, look for it online at www.amazon.com. Note: Store hummus in a glass container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Cover the surface with a thin layer of olive oil, allowing mixture to ([Location 3859](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005SZECGA&location=3859)) > Roasted Eggplant Dip (Baba Gannoujh) Prep time: 5 min • Cook time: 30 min • Yield: 16 servings Ingredients 2 large eggplants 1⁄2 cup tahini paste 2 cloves garlic Juice of 2 lemons 3 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, for serving Directions 1 Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. 2 Poke the eggplant once with a fork on all sides to allow the steam to escape during cooking. Bake the eggplant on a baking sheet for about 30 minutes or until soft. Remove the eggplant from the oven and cool until you can comfortably touch it. 3 Cut the eggplant in half. Scoop out the inside of the eggplant with a spoon, discarding the skin. 4 Pulse the cooked eggplant in a food processor for 1 minute. Add the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, water, olive oil, and salt to the eggplant mixture and blend until you achieve a thicker consistency… ([Location 3887](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005SZECGA&location=3887)) > Marinara Prep time: 5 min • Cook time: 35 min • Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 12 plum or Roma tomatoes 1⁄4 cup olive oil 1⁄2 small onion, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1⁄4 cup celery, minced 1⁄4 cup basil leaves, torn 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped Salt to taste Directions 1 Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Blanch the tomatoes in the water for 1 minute and shock them to halt the cooking process. Remove the skins of the tomatoes and roughly chop. 2 In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and celery and sauté for 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, and parsley and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and serve. Per serving: Calories 169 (From Fat 125); Fat 14g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 18mg; Carbohydrate 11g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 2g. Note: To prepare the tomatoes for blanching, cut a T in the bottom of each tomato to just pierce the skin. After blanching, shock the tomatoes by immediately placing them in ice water. Note: Store sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for two to three months. ([Location 4315](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005SZECGA&location=4315)) > Garden Sauce Prep time: 20 min • Cook time: 15 min • Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 8 plum or Roma tomatoes 1 carrot, julienned (see Figure 9-1) 2 zucchinis, julienned 1 yellow squash, seeded and julienned 1 red bell pepper, seeded and julienned 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, julienned 3 cloves garlic, sliced 1⁄2 cup dry white wine 1⁄4 cup parsley Salt and pepper to taste Directions 1 Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Blanch the tomatoes in the water for 1 minute and shock them to halt the cooking process. Remove the skins of the tomatoes and roughly chop. 2 Blanch the carrots in the same pot of water for 1 minute; add the zucchini, squash, and bell pepper and blanch for an additional minute. Shock the blanched vegetables to halt cooking. 3 In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, carrots, zucchinis, squash, and bell peppers and sauté for 3 minutes. 4 Stir in the wine and parsley and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low for 1 minute, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve with pasta. Per serving: Calories 196 (From Fat 71); Fat 8g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 43mg; Carbohydrate 25g (Dietary Fiber 6g); Protein 5g. Note: To prepare the tomatoes for blanching, cut a T in the bottom of each tomato to just pierce the skin. After blanching, shock the tomatoes by immediately placing them in ice water. Tip: For a thicker sauce, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of tomato paste when you add the wine. Store sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze up to two to three months. ([Location 4368](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005SZECGA&location=4368)) > Pizza Sauce Prep time: 5 min • Cook time: 40 min • Yield: 3–4 pizzas (4 cups, 16 servings) Ingredients 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 small onion, minced 3 cloves garlic, minced One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon fresh thyme 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste Salt and pepper to taste Directions 1 In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Strain the diced tomatoes and add to the saucepan, and cook for 5 minutes. 2 Add the vinegar, sugar, thyme, parsley, and red pepper flakes and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 3 Blend the sauce with a blender, stick blender, or food processor until smooth. Cool slightly before adding to pizza dough. Per serving: Calories 42 (From Fat 24); Fat 3g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 73mg; Carbohydrate 5g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 1g. Tip: You can store this sauce in the refrigerator for 1 week or freeze it for three months to enjoy later. You’ll never buy store-bought sauce again. ([Location 4437](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005SZECGA&location=4437)) > Chickpea Sauce Prep time: 8 min • Cook time: 30 min • Yield: 6 servings Ingredients One 14.5 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 cup water 1⁄4 cup olive oil 1⁄2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes 2 cloves garlic 1 onion, chopped 2 tablespoon parsley, chopped 1⁄2 cup basil leaves, torn 1 bay leaf One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes Salt and pepper to taste Directions 1 Blend the chickpeas in a food processor for 1 minute. Add the water and blend until smooth. 2 In a heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the red chili pepper flakes and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the onion, parsley, basil, and bay leaf and cook for 8 minutes. 3 Add the chickpeas and tomatoes to the skillet and simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. If the sauce is too thick, stir in about 1⁄4 ([Location 4569](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005SZECGA&location=4569)) > Cucumber Yogurt Sauce Prep time: 5 min • Yield: 12 servings Ingredients 2 cups Greek yogurt 1 cucumber, peeled and seeded Zest and juice of 1 lemon 1⁄4 cup mint, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced Directions 1 Place yogurt into a bowl. Grate the cucumber into the yogurt and stir. Season the yogurt mixture with the remaining ingredients. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Per serving: Calories 24 (From Fat 0); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 18mg; Carbohydrate 2g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 4g. Tip: If you can’t find Greek yogurt, place a container of regular yogurt upside down in a coffee-filter- or cheesecloth-lined strainer and over a bowl. Store the setup in the refrigerator overnight until the yogurt thickens. Tip: This sauce makes a great addition to any grilled meat or kabobs. Note: Store in the refrigerator for up to a week. ([Location 4599](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005SZECGA&location=4599))