Discover the healthy benefits and the simplicity of the Mediterranean Diet.
Picture this: It’s high noon in Andalusia, Spain. The sun beats down mercilessly, pushing the mercury past 30°C. You’ve just finished a morning of work, and lunch beckons.
But in this heat, the last thing you want is a heavy meal that’ll send you into a food coma. What’s a savvy professional to do?
Enter the Mediterranean diet — a culinary tradition that’s as much about lifestyle as it is about nutrition. It’s the answer to your midday meal dilemma, offering a perfect blend of flavor, healthy food, freshness, and fuel to power you through the rest of your workday.
The Mediterranean Manifesto
Before we dive into our refreshing Spanish dishes, let’s take a moment to understand what makes the Mediterranean diet so special. It’s not a diet in the restrictive sense we’ve come to associate with the term. Rather, it’s a wholesome approach to eating that emphasizes plant-based foods, healthy fats (essentially, extra virgin Olive Oil), and local products.
Picture your plate filled with a rainbow of vegetables, a handful of almonds, a drizzle of golden olive oil, and perhaps a piece of grilled fish or fresh meat with fruits galore as a dessert.
That’s the Mediterranean diet in a nutshell. It’s about embracing whole foods and saying “no gracias” to processed junk.
But here’s the kicker: this isn’t some modern health fad. The first studies of this diet trace back to the mid-20th century when researchers noticed that people in certain Mediterranean countries had lower rates of heart disease. Their use probably comes from ancient Greece, though. They were onto something big.
The Health Harmony
The benefits of the Mediterranean diet read like a wish list for optimal health:
- Heart health: It’s like a shield for your cardiovascular system, lowering the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
- Weight management: Say goodbye to yo-yo dieting. This sustainable approach helps maintain a healthy weight.
- Blood sugar balance: It’s a friend to your pancreas, supporting healthy blood sugar levels.
- Brain boost: As we age, our brains need all the help they can get. This diet may slow cognitive decline.
- Longevity: Who doesn’t want to live longer? The Mediterranean diet might just be your ticket to a longer, healthier life.
But here’s the real beauty of it all: you don’t need to count calories or measure portions obsessively. It’s about listening to your body and enjoying real, wholesome food.
Now, let’s get to the good stuff — five Spanish dishes from the very South that embody the Mediterranean diet and will keep you cool, healthy, and productive all summer long.
Gazpacho: More Than Just a Cold Soup
Gazpacho isn’t just soup; it’s summer in a bowl. This cold tomato-based chilled soup is packed with raw vegetables, olive oil, and a hint of vinegar.
- 1 kg red tomatoes
- 1 cucumber
- 1 green pepper
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 or 2 tablespoons of Sherry Vinegar
- 2 or 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Water
We wash the tomatoes and a green pepper. Chop it and put it in the blender or robot. Add the tomato in small pieces, if you are going to use a blender with little power you can peel the tomatoes and the garlic.
Add a cucumber, peeled, and a pinch of salt. A spoon of vinegar (always better to use sherry vinegar, but if you prefer a milder one you can use apple vinegar or any other one).
We grind everything for several minutes
Finally, we add a little extra virgin olive oil very slowly to emulsionate the mix. If you prefer it more liquid, add water to taste and mix. Put it in the fridge until ready to serve, and remove it before serving.
Papas Aliñadas: Potatoes with Attitude
Don’t let the simplicity fool you. These dressed potatoes are a flavor bomb. It’s a far cry from heavy mayo-laden potato salads, offering a lighter, zestier alternative.
- 5 potatoes
- Eggs, 2
- Green onion or Shallot, 1
- Parsley
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Vinegar
- Optional:
Olives and Tuna, bonito, mackerel, or similar.
We put the eggs and potatoes boiling until they are tender, it will depend on the time and size.
When they are still a bit hot, we peel them and cut them into small pieces.
Add the chopped green onion. And the parsley, also finely chopped.
Vinegar, salt, and extra virgin olive oil. It is important to season the potatoes while they are still hot so that they absorb all the flavor and turn out well. Mix it all and serve it with the boiled egg and a little extra virgin olive oil on top, to give it an extra shine presentation.
As I told you at the beginning, I sometimes add mackerel, tuna, and some olives.
To accompany with a beer, manzanilla in branch wine, or a very cold white wine.
Pipirrana: A Vibrant Spanish Salad Bursting with Flavor and Nutrients
Think of Pipirrana as gazpacho’s punk cousin. Some versions include tuna or hard-boiled eggs for extra protein.
- 1.5 kg red tomatoes
- 1 green pepper (or two if they are small)
- 1 or 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 boiled eggs
- Salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cans of Tuna
Cook the eggs. In the meantime, mash very well in a wooden mortar the garlic, a piece of green pepper, and a pinch of salt.
Peel the eggs, and separate the whites that we reserve. Add the cooked yolks to the mix in the wooden mortar, and mash them too.
At this moment we begin to add extra virgin olive oil, slowly moving the mix to get an emulsion.
Peel the tomatoes. Chop them into small pieces, adding all mortar emulsion on top. Add the chopped cooked egg whites. And the rest of the green pepper, finely chopped. Mix it all.
Leave it in the refrigerator for a few hours, so that all the flavors mix, the tomato releases all its juice… I put the tuna in once it has rested, just at the time of serving.
Asadillo de Pimientos Rojos: Roasted Red Pepper Paradise
This dish is a testament to the magic of simplicity. Served cold or at room temperature, the roasted red peppers will surprise you because of their different flavor nuances.
- Big red sweet peppers
- Salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Spring onion
- Salt
- Ground cumin
- Tuna
The first thing we are going to do is roast the peppers.
Wash the peppers and put them on an oven tray. Add a splash of extra virgin olive oil. And with our hands we spread it, if you don’t want to get oil on it, brush it with a kitchen brush. Add a little coarse salt.
Put it in the preheated oven, at 200ºC, with heat up and down, for about 40 minutes. You can turn them over so they cook more evenly.
Once roasted and to easily peel peppers there are many tricks, store them hot in a plastic bag, another is to cover the tray with aluminum foil, in both situations the steam generated causes the skin to begin to come off.
I don’t let them cool down completely and that way it doesn’t cost me anything to peel them. We open them and remove the stems, skin, and seeds.
Cut the peppers into thin strips. Add a finely chopped onion. If you want, you can add a can of tuna, and this way the salad will be more complete.
All that remains is to season it with ground cummin, a little salt, and extra virgin olive oil.
Ajoblanco: The Old and Surprising Chilled Almond Soup
For those days when you crave something a little more substantial, Ajoblanco steps up to the plate. This creamy cold soup is often garnished with grapes or melon. It’s a unique blend of flavors, with Muslim reminiscences, that’s both refreshing and satisfying.
- 200 g raw peeled almonds
- Half a loaf of stale or stale bread
- 1 clove garlic
- Wine vinegar, a splash
- Salt
- 150 ml extra virgin olive oil
- Water, about 1 liter
- To accompany (optional) grapes, raisins, melon, and figs.
We soak the almonds for a few hours.
Add some bread from the day before, if it is hard, soak it a little in water.
We put the bread, almonds, garlic, salt, vinegar, and a little water in the blender and blend till the consistency is appropriate. Then we add the oil little by little so that it emulsifies, we can add a bit of water to master the consistency (it has to be like a creamy soup) and finish mixing.
The Mediterranean Mindset
As you explore these dishes, remember that the Mediterranean diet is more than just a list of foods to eat or avoid. It’s a holistic approach to nourishment and life. It’s about savoring your meals, connecting with others, and finding joy in the simple act of eating.
So, the next time you’re faced with a sweltering summer day and a looming deadline, take a cue from our Spanish friends. Whip up one of these refreshing dishes, pour yourself a small glass of wine (if that’s your thing), and take a moment to appreciate the bounty on your plate. Your body — and your productivity — will thank you.
And if you want more, don’t hesitate to ask me, I will be very pleased to give you more recipes. I love to cook and I’m about to start editing my first recipe book!
After all, in the Mediterranean, lunch isn’t just a meal.
It’s a brief vacation in the middle of your day.
¡Buen provecho!
