Quick Mediterranean-Diet Dinners (Weekly Plan & Shopping List!)
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Dinners made in 30 minutes or less to help you achieve your health goals!
Reviewed by Dietitian Victoria Seaver, M.S., RD
The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest eating patterns. What I love about it is that, unlike other diets with strict rules about what not to eat, it focuses on incorporating delicious foods that support your health. This eating pattern encourages you to eat plenty of veggies, whole grains, unsaturated fats and lean proteins. Even more so, nothing is off-limits, so you can still enjoy your favorite foods, making it a more positive approach to healthy eating than fad diets. This week’s dinners align with the principles of this eating pattern. Plus, they are made in 30 minutes or less to make healthy dinners easy for you. Let’s dive in!
Your Weekly Plan
Sunday: Cheesy Asparagus Chicken Cutlets
Monday: Chickpeas alla Vodka
Tuesday: Crunchy Chicken & Mango Salad
Wednesday: Cheesy Ground Beef & Cauliflower Casserole
Thursday: Air-Fryer Stuffed Chiles with Pork
Friday: Skillet Salmon with Orzo & Green Pea Pesto
Sunday: Cheesy Asparagus Chicken Cutlets
Photographer: Greg Dupree, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster, Food Stylist: Emily Hall
This chicken recipe perfectly combines efficiency with coziness. It’s full of cheesy goodness and uses quick-cooking chicken cutlets to keep the total cook time to 30 minutes. Plus, it features one of my favorite spring vegetables—asparagus. This veggie bolsters your health by supporting healthy blood pressure and cognitive functions. I’ll serve it over brown rice for a complete meal.
Monday: Chickpeas alla Vodka
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser
While the Mediterranean diet isn’t exactly the same as a vegetarian diet, it does encourage plenty of plant-based meals, and this one is just that. Chickpeas are the star of this recipe, providing lots of fiber and protein to help you feel satisfied. This recipe calls for a toasted baguette, which is perfect for scooping the delicious sauce.
Tuesday: Crunchy Chicken & Mango Salad
It’s getting warmer here in Austin, and a fresh salad is a tasty way to cool down. I’ve made it a habit to pick up a rotisserie chicken weekly—that way, I always have cooked chicken on hand to save time when making dinner. My favorite feature of this salad is its crunchy texture, from the sugar snap peas and napa cabbage. To complete the meal, I’ll serve it with toasted whole-wheat naan.
Wednesday: Cheesy Ground Beef & Cauliflower Casserole
Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco
This veggie-packed meal makes six servings, so for a family of two, we’ll have plenty of leftovers for lunch. Contrary to popular belief, red meat, like lean ground beef, can be part of the Mediterranean diet. Red meat is naturally high in vitamin B12 and iron, two essential nutrients your body needs to function properly.
Thursday: Air-Fryer Stuffed Chiles with Pork
This recipe reminds me of a dish my grandma used to make, so I’m excited to try it out this week. While the stuffed chiles finish in the air fryer, I’ll toss mixed greens with Honey-Paprika-Lime Dressing to serve alongside. I like making salads with dark leafy greens like arugula, spinach, kale and collard greens for an anti-inflammatory boost!
Friday: Skillet Salmon with Orzo & Green Pea Pesto
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco
This salmon recipe comes together in one skillet and features orzo—one of my favorite types of pasta. Salmon helps lower chronic inflammation thanks to its high omega-3 fatty acid content. The green pea pesto adds a lovely flavor and delivers additional protein and fiber.
Read the original article on Eating Well.
