The seven-day Mediterranean diet meal plan for healthy eating
It’s no exaggeration to say that the Mediterranean diet is the world’s healthiest diet. Extensive research backs up the numerous ways in which it is good for our health, and its focus on plants, wholegrains, good fats and lean protein, can be adapted to most national cuisines and native fruits and vegetables.
Our delicious seven-day meal plan with recipes by the nutritionist Dr Federica Amati and the award-winning chef Sarah Baxter, is packed full of easy to make meals featuring fruits, vegetables, nuts, olive oil and fish and chicken.
What does a meal plan for the Mediterranean diet typically include?
Every meal should be based on vegetables, whole grains, lentils, beans, olive oil, nuts and seeds, fruits, herbs and spices. Colourful fruit and veg contain plant chemicals polyphenols which are powerful antioxidants. Berries, beetroot, dark leafy veg, cabbages, mushrooms, turmeric, nuts and beans all contain high levels of polyphenols.
Up your fibre intake by swapping white pasta for wholegrain or spelt, white rice for buckwheat or pearl barley, and white bread for rye sourdough.
Protein sources such as fish, poultry or plant proteins like beans and lentils. Choose oily fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna and herring as they are packed full of omega-3 fatty acids which help reduce inflammation, improve cholesterol and boost our brain health.
Dairy should be consumed moderately. Focus on fermented dairy like yogurt and cheese. Buy plain yogurt, or Greek yogurt is high in protein; live yogurt and kefir have lots of good bacteria.
Fresh cheeses like cottage cheese, feta and mozzarella are a little lower in fat and high in calcium. Aged and fermented cheeses like cheddar, Gouda, Edam, Gruyère and Parmesan contain good bacteria and their strong flavour means you don’t need to eat much of them.
Red wine is allowed in limited amounts with food.
If you’ve got a chocolate craving try a couple of squares of dark chocolate. Other pudding ideas: creamy Greek yogurt with berries and nuts, strawberries dipped in dark chocolate, a fruit crumble with a crust made from nuts, almond flour and oats, and a small amount of sugar.
If you are going to have a sugary dessert, have it at the end of a meal when the impact on your blood sugar is lower.
For more on why the Mediterranean diet is the healthiest in the world, read our comprehensive expert guide.
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Breakfast
Overnight oats
A great option for breakfast. The oats will keep in the fridge for four days after soaking. Serve as they are or with any of the suggested toppings.
Serves
2
Ingredients
50g steel-cut whole oats (organic where possible)
125ml kefir
125ml oat milk (or milk of choice) or water
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 apple or pear, peeled and grated
Handful of almonds or macademia nuts
Toppings (optional)
Peanut butter or toasted coconut
Chopped dried apricots and walnuts
Mixed berries (frozen or fresh) and pumpkin seeds
Grated carrot, toasted coconut, toasted walnuts, cinnamon and sultanas
Method
Mix the oats with the rest of the base ingredients. Mix well and place in a glass bowl or Kilner jar, cover and leave in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Top with the topping of your choice, if you like.
Lunch
Spring minestrone
Frozen peas and broad beans are more than acceptable to use in this soup.
Serves
6
Timings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Parmesan rind, plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
300g courgettes, diced
150g broad beans (fresh or frozen)
200g asparagus, chopped into 1–2cm (1⁄2–3⁄4in) pieces
100g sugar snap peas, sliced
100g peas (fresh or frozen)
750ml vegetable stock
2 tablespoons chopped basil
2 tablespoons chopped mint
6 spring onions, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Salt and pepper
Method:
Heat the oil in a large pan and gently cook the onion, leek and celery over a low heat for about 15 minutes without browning. Add the garlic and Parmesan rind and cook for another minute.
Stir in the courgettes and cook for about 10 minutes until almost tender. Add the broad beans and asparagus and cook for 5 minutes. Add the sugar snaps, peas and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 2 minutes.
Remove the cheese rind and season. Stir in the herbs and spring onions. Remove about a quarter of the soup and blitz in a food processor until smooth. Stir back into the soup. Season to taste.
Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated Parmesan.
Dinner
Salmon with fennel
A very quick dish to make that is lovely at room temperature. It brings together vegetables, beans, omega-3-rich fish and polyphenol-rich herbs for a delicious and nutritious option. The salad can also be used as a side for other fish dishes.
Serves
4
Timings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 x 125g salmon pieces, skin removed
20 cherry tomatoes
4 anchovy fillets, chopped
12 black olives
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
For the salad
100g cannellini beans (canned or cooked from dried)
1 head of fennel, finely sliced
1 red onion, finely sliced
100g French beans, blanched
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
3 tablespoons olive oil
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C (350F/gas mark 4).
Rinse the cannellini beans and put in a bowl with the remaining salad ingredients. Fold together to combine and set aside. Season to taste.Heat the olive oil in a shallow, ovenproof frying pan and fry the salmon pieces on all sides, seasoning well. Add the tomatoes, anchovy fillets and olives.
Cover and place the pan in the oven for about 5 minutes or until the salmon is just cooked.
Place the salad on a serving dish and top with the salmon and all the pan contents. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
Breakfast
Buckwheat and sauerkraut pancakes with salmon
A versatile pancake batter. The sauerkraut can be swapped for kimchi, with coriander and spring onions added instead of the herbs.
Serves
4
Timings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
4 eggs, separated
250ml kefir
100g buckwheat flour
100g spelt flour
1 tablespoon honey
1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
3 tablespoons chopped sauerkraut
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 tablespoon chopped dill
50ml olive oil, for frying
Salt and pepper
Toppings (optional):
Smoked salmon and poached eggs
Salmon with grated beetroot and horseradish
Method
Whisk the egg yolks with the kefir, flours and honey until you have a smooth batter.
Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks and fold into the batter. Gently fold in the remaining ingredients, except the oil, with salt and pepper to taste.
Make the pancakes in batches. Start by heating half the oil in a non-stick frying pan and add a tablespoon of the batter for each pancake. Cook over a medium heat for 2 minutes, then flip the pancakes over and cook for another 2 minutes. Transfer the pancakes to a very low oven to keep warm and repeat with the rest of the oil until all the batter is used up.
Serve with the toppings of your choice, if you like.
Lunch
Lentil, swede and leek soup
A classic hearty soup that can be made quickly in a pressure cooker if you prefer.
Serves
6
Timings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
4 leeks, halved lengthways and sliced
1 small swede, peeled and cut into 5mm–1cm dice
100g dried split peas, soaked overnight in lots of cold water
100g split red lentils
1 litre chicken, vegetable or ham stock
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Smoked or regular salt, and pepper
Method
In a large pan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes. Add the sliced leeks with the swede, drained split peas and red lentils. Cook together, stirring well, over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
Add the stock of your choice and bring to a simmer. Cook gently for about 40 minutes or until the pulses are soft and the vegetables are cooked, adding a little water if the soup looks dry.
Season well and stir in the parsley. At this point the soup can be served chunky or smooth. Blend if you like it smooth, or you can blend about a cup of the mix and stir it through the soup.
Dinner
Sea bass, radicchio, lentil & porcini parcels
A delicious dish with a variety of brilliant plants, including mushrooms, lentils and fresh parsley. These bags can be put together ahead of time and cooked just before serving.
Serves
4
Timings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes (plus 30 minutes soaking)
Ingredients
4 x 150g fillets of sea bass, skin on and descaled
20g dried porcini
150ml boiling water
25g salted butter
150g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
1⁄2 head of radicchio, sliced 150g
Cooked Puy lentils
4 sprigs of thyme
100ml white wine
Salt and pepper
Method
Season the fish fillets well with salt and leave in the fridge until needed.
Soak the dried porcini in the boiling water for at least 20 minutes.
In a small frying pan, heat the butter until just melted, then tip in the mushrooms with the garlic and sauté over a high heat for a few minutes. Tip in the soaked porcini with their soaking liquor and reduce with the mushrooms until it is a syrupy consistency. Season well, stir through the parsley and remove from the heat to cool.
Preheat the oven to 180C (350F/gas mark 4).
Cut 4 large pieces of baking parchment big enough to fold over and make a large parcel containing the fish. Brush each one with olive oil and layer up each with a quarter of the radicchio, lentils and mushrooms, seasoning each layer. Place a fillet of bass on top (skin-side down) and top with a sprig of thyme. Drizzle with a little olive oil and one-quarter of the white wine each. Fold the parchment over and fold the open sides in to seal. I find that a stapler can help with the seal.
Place the parcels on a baking tray and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes before opening the bags carefully and sliding the contents gently onto plates.
Breakfast
Miso eggs and tomatoes
A classic Chinese dish with added miso, which can also be served as a side. Protein-rich foods are great for our metabolism, and adding miso is brilliant for gut health.
Serves
4
Timings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
25g salted butter, softened
50ml olive oil
2 tablespoons white miso paste
6 eggs
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
6 spring onions, chopped
4 tomatoes, each cut into 6 wedges
pinch of brown sugar
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Black pepper
Method
Beat together the butter, olive oil and miso until well combined.
Beat the eggs with the sesame oil, wine and 1 tablespoon of water and season with pepper.
In a large, shallow non-stick pan, warm the miso mixture over a low heat. Turn up the heat and tip in the eggs, folding carefully for a few minutes until they are just cooked and coated with the miso. Scoop out of the pan into a bowl.
Add the spring onions to the pan and fry for a few minutes. Tip in the tomatoes with the sugar and cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes or until they have softened. Return the eggs to the pan, stir in the soy sauce and fold into the tomatoes. Cook for another 2 minutes and serve with a sprinkling of seeds.
Lunch
Roman ribollita with barley
The wild oregano gives an authentic taste to this take on a traditional Tuscan dish, but use regular dried oregano instead if it’s not available. Cooking the base vegetables for a very long time will add an extra depth of flavour to the end result. This soup is perfect when reheated, hence the name ‘re-boiled’, and the added Parmesan rind adds depth of flavour.
Serves
6
Timings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon dried wild oregano
pinch of chilli flakes
1 Parmesan rind, plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
400g can chopped tomatoes
100g pearl barley, rinsed
750ml vegetable stock
300g cavolo nero
400g borlotti beans, canned and drained, or cooked from dried beans
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Salt and pepper
Method
In a large pan, heat the olive oil and cook the onion, celery, carrots and leek over a low heat for about 15 minutes without browning. Stir in the garlic, oregano, chilli and Parmesan rind. Cook for a minute, then tip in the canned tomatoes and barley.
Season, stir and cook for 5 minutes before pouring in the stock. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until the barley is just cooked.
In a large pan of salted water, blanch the cavolo nero leaves for a few minutes until just tender. Drain, refresh in cold water and squeeze out any excess water. Roughly chop.
Add the cooked cavolo nero to the pan along with the borlotti beans and cook for 5 minutes. Remove about 250ml of the soup and blend, then return it to the pan. At this point, add more stock if required, remove the Parmesan rind and season.
Serve with a good sprinkling of Parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Dinner
Mussels and clams with leeks, peas & shiitake mushrooms
Shellfish are the unsung heroes of seafood. More sustainable than most fish and rich in nutrients, they make a delicious meal. It’s important the shellfish are just opened before they are removed from the pan, as they will continue to steam on standing. The combination of the miso and the reduced shellfish liquor makes a lovely sauce.
Serves
4
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 leeks, finely sliced
100g shiitake mushrooms, sliced
200ml sake (or sherry)
400g fresh mussels, cleaned
400g fresh clams
150g frozen peas
2 tablespoons white miso paste
6 spring onions, sliced
Method
In a large pan, heat the oil with the shallots, garlic and ginger. Cook gently for 5 minutes, then tip in the leeks and shiitake. Cook for 5 minutes until just tender. Pour in the sake and bring to a simmer.
Tip in the mussels and clams and stir quickly. Turn up the heat and cover. Cook over a very high heat for about 3 minutes or until the shellfish have just opened. Using a slotted spoon remove the shellfish to a serving dish, discarding any that remain closed, then add the peas.
Reduce the remaining liquid until it is the consistency of single cream. Remove from the heat and whisk in the miso paste.
To serve, pour the pea sauce over the shellfish and sprinkle with the chopped spring onions.
Breakfast
Quick butter beans, cherry tomatoes and eggs in a pan
Add garlic and olive oil to the pan, add chopped cherry tomatoes, some butter beans from a tin, and then crack as many eggs in as you would like. Top with some spring onions and mixed seeds.
Lunch
Tuna, white beans and celery
A classic Italian salad that’s very quick to make.
Serves
4
Timings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: N/A
Ingredients
3 celery sticks with leaves, cut into 1cm (1⁄2in) rough dice
1 red onion, finely chopped
250g cannellini beans (canned or cooked from dried beans)
120g canned tuna, drained
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped chives
2 tablespoons capers (salted or in vinegar), rinsed
4 radishes, thinly sliced
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Salt and pepper
Method
Fold all the ingredients together in a large bowl.
Season and serve drizzled with a little oil.
Dinner
Braised chickpeas with celery, chard, carrots and tomato
A classic Italian chickpea dish that celebrates rainbow chard, stalks and all.
Serves
6
Timings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Ingredients
150g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in lots of cold water
9 garlic cloves: 6 peeled and 3 crushed
1 red chilli
3 cherry tomatoes
1 sprig of rosemary
500g rainbow chard
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
300g carrots, peeled and cut into 1cm dice
4 celery sticks, cut into 1cm dice
Pinch of chilli flakes
100ml white wine
75g passata
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Salt and pepper
Method
Drain the chickpeas and place in a saucepan with the peeled garlic, chilli, tomatoes and rosemary. Cover with cold water by a good 3cm and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 40 minutes or until the chickpeas are tender, adding more water if they seem to be dry. When cooked, season really well and set aside.
Prepare the rainbow chard by stripping the leaves from the stalks. Thinly slice the stalks and blanch the leaves in lots of boiling salted water for a minute. Drain and refresh in cold water. Squeeze out any excess moisture and roughly chop.
In a large pan, heat the olive oil and add the chopped onion, carrots, celery and chard stalks. Season and cook over a medium heat for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are just cooked without browning. Add the crushed garlic and chilli flakes and cook for another minute before pouring in the wine. Season well and reduce the wine to a syrup.
Drain the chickpeas, reserving the liquid, and add the pulses to the vegetables along with the passata. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring well. Fold through the chard leaves with the lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, adding a little of the reserved chickpea cooking liquor if the mix is too dry. Stir through the chopped parsley and drizzle with good olive oil.
Breakfast
Yogurt with berries, nuts and seeds
Mix yogurt, kefir, frozen blueberries, chopped strawberries (when in season), walnuts, almonds and mixed seeds in a bowl.
Lunch
Truffled farro, turkey, mushrooms & peas
Farro is used quite a lot in Italy for salads and this is a version of an Umbrian dish. Cooked farro can also be combined with a classic basil pesto and grilled Mediterranean vegetables.
Serves
6
Timings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
200g farro
750ml chicken stock
Truffle oil
75ml olive oil
300g minced turkey
250g mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
200g frozen peas
1 tablespoon chopped tarragon 1 tablespoon chopped chives
2 tablespoons kefir yogurt
Salt and pepper
Method
Rinse the farro in cold running water. Place in a pan with the chicken stock and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and simmer over a low heat for about 25 minutes until the farro is tender but still has a little bite. Drain and season with a little truffle oil. Place in a large bowl.
In a large non-stick frying pan, heat half the olive oil and stir-fry the turkey for about 10 minutes until cooked through. Season and tip into the bowl with the farro.
Heat the remaining oil in the same pan, then add the sliced mushrooms and the garlic. Cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes until the mushrooms are tender. Season and add to the bowl.
Cook the peas in boiling salted water for a minute. Drain and add to the farro. Allow to cool a little and fold together. Add the herbs and kefir yogurt. Stir and drizzle with truffle oil.
Dinner
Baked cabbage rolls
Fibre and probiotics in one delicious dish.
Serves
4-6
Timings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 Savoy cabbage
400g sauerkraut
500g minced turkey
200g ricotta
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped dill, plus extra to serve
1 tablespoon chopped chives, plus extra to serve
1⁄2 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of ground nutmeg
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon red pepper paste
250ml chicken stock
Salt and pepper
150g thick Greek yogurt, to serve
Method
Going in from the base of the cabbage, remove the core. Blanch the cabbage in boiling salted water for 2–3 minutes. Drain and refresh in running cold water. Remove 12 of the larger leaves and set aside. Roughly chop the smaller leaves.
Spread half of the sauerkraut over the base of an ovenproof dish with the chopped cabbage. Mix the minced turkey with the ricotta and beaten egg. In a small pan, heat half the olive oil with half the onions and garlic for 5 minutes to soften. When cool, add to the turkey mix along with the herbs, allspice and nutmeg. Season and mix well.
Lay out the 12 cabbage leaves on a chopping board or clean work surface. Divide the turkey mix between each leaf and roll each leaf into a small parcel. Place each parcel on top of the chopped cabbage in the baking dish.
Preheat the oven to 180C (350F/gas mark 4).
In the same pan, cook the remaining onion and garlic in the remaining oil for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with the spices and red pepper paste. Mix well and simmer for 10 minutes, then add the stock and the remaining sauerkraut. Season and pour over the cabbage parcels.
Bake for 40 minutes. Serve with the yogurt and extra chopped dill and chives.
Breakfast
Grilled peaches with raspberries, yogurt and almonds
A lighter and healthier version of a peach Melba, though with a little optional booze added. When peaches are in season, this simple dessert is heavenly. The Greek yogurt and raspberries add protein, fats and fibre to create balance to this sweet dessert.
Serves
4
Timings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
4 ripe peaches, halved and stoned
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
300g raspberries
3 tablespoons icing sugar (optional)
Juice of 1 orange
100g flaked almonds200g Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
50ml Amaretto, brandy or grappa (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 170C (340F/gas mark 3).
Heat a griddle pan (or non-stick frying pan) over a medium heat. Rub the cut side of the peaches with the olive oil and place the peaches in the pan, cut-side down. Cook for a few minutes over a medium heat until the cut side is lightly browned.
Flip the peaches over and brush the cut side with the maple syrup if you like. Cook for another 3–4 minutes over a low heat or until the peaches are cooked but not mushy. Set aside.
Place 200g of the raspberries in a blender with half the icing sugar (if using) and the orange juice. Blend until smooth, adding a little water so you have the consistency of double cream. Strain for a smooth sauce.
Toss the flaked almonds with the remaining icing sugar (if using). Spread out on a lined baking tray and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the almonds are lightly browned.
Mix the yogurt with the vanilla extract. To serve, top the peach halves with yogurt, drizzle with the raspberry sauce and Amaretto. Sprinkle the remaining raspberries and toasted almonds. The peaches can be served warm or at room temperature.
Lunch
Pesce all’acqua pazza or poached fish in ‘crazy water’
Most white fish can be used in this recipe – hake, cod, sea bass, for example. Traditionally, water is used in the recipe, but I prefer to use fish stock as it adds more flavour. More chilli can be added if you prefer more heat.
This is usually served with toasted bread, rubbed with garlic.
Serves
4
Timings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1 head of fennel, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
2 teaspoons ground fennel seeds
4 anchovy fillets
2 tablespoons capers (salted or in vinegar), rinsed
300g yellow and red cherry tomatoes, halved
120ml white wine
500ml fish stock or water
small bunch of basil, leaves shredded
1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
6 black olives, roughly chopped
4 x 150g white fish fillets, skin on and descaled
Good-quality extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Salt and pepper
Method
Heat the oil in a large, shallow pan and add the onion and fennel. Cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes without colouring. Add the garlic, chilli and fennel seeds and cook for a few more minutes over a low heat, stirring well. Add the anchovies and capers, take off the heat and beat until the anchovies have dissolved into the mixture.
Tip in the cherry tomatoes and return to a medium heat, then cook the tomatoes for about 5 minutes. Tip in the white wine and simmer for 5 minutes to reduce. Add the fish stock along with the herbs and olives. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by about half.
Sprinkle the fish with salt. Place the fish on top of the tomato base, skin-side down, and bring back up to a simmer. Cover the pan and simmer gently for about 5 minutes or until the fish is firm to touch.
Drizzle the dish with extra virgin olive oil to serve.
Dinner
Chicken and summer veg with a grape & tarragon dressing
A lovely fresh dish using seasonal greens and loads of tarragon.
Serves
4
Timings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes (plus onion macerating time)
Ingredients
4 skin on, boneless chicken thighs
1 leek, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
100g French beans
100g runner beans, sliced
100g frozen peas
100g sugar snap peas, thinly sliced
100g cooked artichokes, thinly sliced
100g flageolet beans (or other white beans, canned or cooked from dried beans)
1 small bunch of chard, leaves thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
For the dressing
2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
1 banana shallot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons moscatel vinegar
2 teaspoons maple syrup
10 green or red grapes, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons rapeseed oil
Method
Macerate the tarragon with the shallots in the vinegar, maple syrup and the grapes for about 1 hour. Stir in the oil.
Season the chicken thighs well. Heat a large, shallow, non- stick frying pan and add the chicken thighs, skin-side down. Cook for about 10 minutes over a low heat to render out the fat. Flip the thighs over and cook for another 10 minutes. Set aside to rest.
Cook the leek in the oil for 5 minutes until tender. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Tip in the French and runner beans and cook for 2 minutes over a high heat. Add the peas and bring back to the boil. Check the beans are tender, then drain.
Tip the drained beans into a bowl with the leek, sugar snap peas, sliced artichokes, white beans and chard. Toss together with the tarragon dressing and top with sliced chicken thighs.
Breakfast
Fruit salad and a handful of mixed nuts.
Lunch
Aubergine polpettine with pasta
A perfect alternative to meatballs, with a good basic tomato sauce that can also be used with pasta.
Serves
4
Timings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
2 large aubergines, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano 1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons chopped basil
1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1 tablespoon capers (salted or in vinegar), soaked in plenty of cold water for 15 minutes and rinsed
100g ground almonds
50g grated Parmesan gram flour, for coating
Olive oil, for frying
Salt and pepper
For the tomato sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 red chillies, deseeded and chopped
600g canned chopped tomatoes
Pinch of sugar
To serve
10 black olives
Roughly chopped fresh basil leaves
Grated Parmesan
Method
To make the tomato sauce, warm the oil in a pan and cook the garlic and chillies for a few minutes until the garlic is opaque but not browning. Add the tomatoes and sugar and bring to a simmer. Cook over a low heat for about 30 minutes until you have a reduced and thick sauce. Season well and blend until smooth.
Slice the peeled aubergines into rounds of 5mm–1cm thick. Cut each slice into small dice. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the aubergine dice and fry over a high heat to lightly brown. Add the garlic and oregano, stir through and cover the pan. Turn the heat down and allow the veg to steam for about 10 minutes until soft. Season well.
When cool, add the egg, herbs, capers, almonds and cheese. Mix well and add seasoning. Shape into small balls and roll in gram flour to coat. Wipe out the non-stick pan. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil and fry the balls until lightly browned. Tip in the tomato sauce and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Top with the chopped olives, basil and Parmesan to serve.
Dinner
Squash, fennel and lentil soup
Serves
6
Timings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
1 butternut squash
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 heads of fennel, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
Pinch of chilli flakes
200g Puy lentils (or green lentils)
Salt and pepper
For the squash stock
1 onion, halved
1 celery stick, halved 1 leek top
1 carrot
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme parsley stalks
Method
Peel the squash, reserving the insides, seeds and trimmings but discarding the skin. Place all the trimmings and the seeds in a pan with the stock vegetables and any trimmings from the fennel. Cover with about 1 litre of water and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain and reserve the stock. Cut the squash into 1cm rough chunks and set aside.
In a large pan, cook the onion and fennel in the olive oil over a low heat for 10 minutes. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for a minute. Stir in the lentils and squash pieces. Pour in the reserved stock and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the lentils and squash are cooked.
Blitz about a quarter of the soup in a food processor until smooth and return to the pan. Stir well to combine and season. Add water until you achieve your desired consistency.
This is an extract from Recipes for a Better Menopause by Dr Federica Amati and Jane Baxter, RRP £25, Published by Kyle Books, Hardback, Out Now. Photography by Kate Whitaker.
