Holidays and celebrations can be challenging times for those of us watching what we eat. What about cheat days? They work for some people, but unfortunately not for me. A cheat day can lead me down the slippery slope of a diet vacation, resulting in further problems. I do make a few exceptions – a single meal or dessert for a very special occasion.
So instead of cheating on Super Bowl Sunday, I found some healthy foods in a cookbook I had wanted to review, The Mediterranean Diabetes Cookbook: a Flavorful, Low-Fat, Heart-Healthy Approach to Cooking by Amy Riolo. I used the first edition on the book, but a second edition is now available. Both are published by the American Diabetes Association.
Anything relating to the Mediterranean diet is worth a look, as it’s been rated the best diet for six years running by U.S. News & World Report! Besides being best overall, the Mediterranean diet was number one in these categories: best diets for bone and joint health (tie), best familiy-friendly diets, best diets for healthy eating, and best plant-based diets (1).
The recipes in Amy Riolo’s book are not the lowest in calories, but I actually think they are one of the best in taste. They’re right up there with the Skinnytaste books, but there is a greater focus here on healthy food. So the foods I made were a bit of a splurge for me in terms of calories, but I really enjoyed them and I know they support my health. With a medical history that includes cancer and stroke, that’s truly valuable!
The Mediterranean Diabetes Cookbook starts out with an explanation of Mediterranean cuisine, including “wide use of olive oil and citrus juice…produce…freshly caught seafood…beans, nuts, and legumes…deserts are limited to special occasions…unique herb and spice blends” (2) and so much more! There is a seasonal aspect to this type of cooking, “What grows together goes together” (2). Really, there is a whole life philosophy here, including exercise, family life, and the idea that homemade food is essential.
Only 16 of this book’s 296 pages contain introductory material on Mediterranean cooking. The rest is full of recipes in the following categories : Small Plates, First Courses, Mediterranean Mains, Sensational Sides, Sunny Salads, Fantastic Finales, Dramatic Drinks, Bountiful Breads, and Flavor Enhancers. That last chapter is intriguing – it has recipes for interesting spice mixes and sauces.
All of the recipes include clear instructions, healthy food facts, and the following nutritional information: exchanges, calories, calories from fat, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, sugars, and protein. Most of the recipes have added background information, but only a few include photos.
I chose three recipes to try out: Bruschetta with Artichoke Purée and Roasted Red Peppers and Traditional Chickpea and Tahini Purée are from the Small Plates chapter, and Dill and Feta Turkey Burgers is from Mediterranean Mains. I followed these recipes closely, except that I made mini burgers instead of full sized and I used a French baguette instead of an Italian loaf for the bruschetta. These really were excellent foods. They tasted fresh and healthy, but are not truly low calorie. The olive oil added some richness to my normally dry diet food!
I would recommend this cookbook for anyone whose primary interest is healthy eating. It is not a book for extremely low calorie or low carb recipes. But the dishes I made were satisfying and enjoyable!
(1). https://www.scripps.org/news_items/6276-mediterranean-diet-is-best-diet-once-again
(2). The Mediterranean Diabetes Cookbook. Amy Riolo. 2010. (This is the first edition – a second edition was published in 2019.)
Maintain Weight Loss 