In early February, we looked at delicious meaty Mediterranean recipes. The Mediterranean diet — rich in healthy fats and proteins but low in processed carbs — is extolled for its health virtues. With all the diets floating around, it can be hard to keep up. The nice thing about the Mediterranean diet is that it is guidelines, not rules.
While we loved the recipes we shared last month, we know some people did not. Meaty meals leave vegetarians excluded. However, those same folks are still interested in a healthy Mediterranean diet. Here are four of our favorite vegetarian recipes: two main dishes and two sides. The side dishes are vegan and have no animal products in them at all. Hopefully, these dishes will make it so that everyone can enjoy Mediterranean foods!
Falafel is a delicious crispy deep-fried ball of chickpeas and spice. This version from I Breathe I’m Hungry pan fries them to keep them lighter. Even with frying, a serving is only 281 calories. Lent starts tomorrow so, if you’re celebrating Fat Tuesday, now is the time to make this yummy recipe! By replacing chickpeas with cauliflower, the usually carb-heavy dish is brought down to five grams. Ground almonds both boost the protein level and add in texture that the cauliflower cannot bring to the table. Get the recipe here.
Omelets are not just for breakfast. Once you have added a load of veggies and feta cheese into the mix, you have a full, hearty dish for any time of the day. This recipe from A Spicy Perspective has artichoke, olives, peppers and spinach along with spices and lemon to make this omelet stand out from the crowd. Surprisingly, each serving is only 186 calories with five grams of carbs, which means you can have plenty of other things with this delicious take on an omelet. You can make the dish even lighter by subbing skim milk in the place of whole milk. Get the recipe here.
One of the things you can serve with that omelet is a slice of grilled portobello mushroom. Glazed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and herbs, these mushrooms from Tasteaholics are a substantial side for anyone who misses meat or is feeling more than peckish! In this cold weather, if you don’t have a grill pan in your kitchen, there’s no need to freeze using your barbecue, use your broiler instead. As Epicurious points out, a broiler is essentially an upside-down grill! Each serving is only 84 calories with two grams of carbs. Get the recipe here.
This creamy dressed broccoli salad is filled with protein and uses Greek yogurt in the place of mayo. Onions and sunflower seeds give this recipe a bit of crunch and olives, lemon juice and sundried tomatoes bring the Mediterranean flavor profile. This fantastic side has only 182 calories a serving. It is the most carb-dense dish on our list with 14.7 grams, but when the dish with the most carbohydrates still has under 15 grams, it’s a pretty great day! Get the recipe here.
We hope you enjoy some of these recipes soon! And we hope you’ll stick with us through Lent to see healthy recipes you can enjoy!
