The Ultimate Mediterranean Diet Cookbook by Amy Riolo

 
The Ultimate Mediterranean Diet Cookbook by Amy Riolo
My Rating: ★★★★★

This is one of the books I picked up when my dietitian highly recommended the Mediterranean diet. Inside this book, you’ll find 100 delicious recipes. The recipes fall under simple and fast to make all the way to more labor intensive, and each and every one of them sound delicious. There are also tips on substituting gluten to make the recipes gluten-free when applicable! You will find everything from plant based meals all the way to dairy based meals.

Even though this is another book calling it the Mediterranean diet, it’s not a diet in the way we think of but rather than an entire lifestyle change that doesn’t include diet restricting. I like that the author explains why this is actually a lifestyle change rather than a diet, so therefore it’s much easier to sustain. I’ve heard of the Mediterranean diet before and noticed it comes in and out of trend, but I can see why it’s more sustainable. It’s about consciously making better food choices while also not restricting. The end result should be healthier meals that are also more fulfilling. The author makes sure to mention that this is not a diet one should go on to lose weight, though it is possible for one to lose weight while making better food decisions.

There is a wide variety of recipes covering everything from main dishes, side dishes, snacks, and even some desserts. It’s also clear that the recipes are inspired by the many places the author has visited, but they also talk a little about where the recipe came from at times and why they are incorporating it into the book. There are so many delicious recipes included that reading them made me hungry. However, there are some delicious looking pictures to go with the recipes while not including photos for every one of the recipes included. The recipes are very clear and easy to follow with the occasional cooking tip thrown in.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am excited to try some of these recipes. I already picked up the few ingredients I didn’t already have so that I can make a few of them!