Delicious and Healthy Mediterranean Diet Bread Recipes

The Mediterranean Diet is consistently ranked as a top dietary approach, and contrary to some beliefs, bread can absolutely be a part of it. This article explores various Mediterranean diet-friendly bread options and recipes, focusing on whole grains and healthy ingredients.

The Role of Bread in the Mediterranean Diet

If you were to look at the Mediterranean Diet pyramid, you’ll see bread is included. To adhere to a Mediterranean Diet, turn the bag or packaging over and look at the ingredients. You’re looking for whole wheat flour in the list. At grocery stores, you can find lavash and pita breads aplenty-definitely breads eaten in the Mediterranean are part of healthy eating.

Understanding Whole Grains

Whole grains are an integral part of the Mediterranean Diet for good reason. Bread made from whole grain flour still has the bran and germ intact. Only whole wheat flour includes the whole grain-endosperm, bran, and germ. So, if you’re baking, choosing a whole grain flour instead of all-purpose flour, which is a refined grain flour is a good swap.

Wheat flour is a bit of a misnomer as it doesn’t necessarily mean the flour has all of the parts of the wheat in it and may have had the bran and germ removed. Whole wheat flour has more protein in it and works better for making bread as protein helps with developing more gluten. It also has more fiber in it. Sometimes you’ll see only bread flour used, or a mix with whole grain flour, since bread flour contributes to a lighter, fluffier bread.

Mediterranean Bread Options

• Whole Wheat Pita: Try whole wheat pita with hummus. Wheat pita can also be sliced up and toasted into chips that can be served with dip or included in the Lebanese salad, fattoush.
• Whole Wheat Lavash: Top a sheet of whole wheat lavash with labneh, cucumbers, dried figs, pickled red onion, and smoked salmon.
• Ezekiel Bread: If you are not in the baking mood or don’t have the time, Ezekiel bread, kept in the frozen food aisle would be a good choice as it’s loaded with seeds and whole grains and high in fiber. The Ezekiel bread brand is kept in the freezer and toasted in the oven rather than thawing it - you can use this kind of bread any way you would use regular bread. It’s a wheat bread with extra benefits. Frozen bread might sound different at first, but you’ll find that toasting a really good whole grain sourdough bread at 350F for 7 minutes yields a great texture.
• Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread with Figs, Caramelized Onions, and Thyme: Bake a loaf of Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread with Figs, Caramelized Onions, and Thyme. Adding Sun-Maid and Orchard Choice California Dried Figs to whole grain bread introduces fruit into the equation and the health benefits that are concentrated when figs are dried.

Recipes

Whole Wheat Ciabatta Bread

Enjoy this whole wheat ciabatta bread recipe from health advocate and writer, Brandy Pan. On a healthy note, whole wheat flour is also higher in fiber than most other flours. When I can add healthier ingredients that enhance and don’t compromise taste, that’s a huge bonus! We think this amazing bread would be perfect with a bowl of homemade soup, like our Cozy Veggie Soup. Better yet, make a delicious and healthy sandwich with our Tahini Chicken Salad. If you love great, healthy meals and want to make your life easier, check out our Mediterranean Meal Plans. They were created by our Dietitian Nutritionist Jamie with you and your family in mind.

Read also: A Review of the Mediterranean Diet in Kidney Disease

Brandy is a good health advocate, writer, and blogger. Her hospitality career experiences sparked her passion for good foods and exploring Mediterranean countries where they know secrets to eat healthy and living optimal, happy and balanced lives. You can get her weekly living healthier and happier tips at www.healthyhappylifesecrets.com.

Unlike many Italian food traditions that have passed down since ancient times, ciabatta is a fairly new bread variety. Today there are many versions of ciabatta throughout Italy. The ciabatta versions in the Tuscan region and further south, are crispier than northern versions and U.K. Ciabatta is a great bread choice and accompaniment to your meals. Ciabatta also holds its own at room temperature, and you don’t have to separately toast before a meal. Being in those atmospheres inspired me to travel to Italy, Spain, and Morocco and deeper appreciate the cuisines there. I spent time with new family and friends.

Bread Machine Olive Bread

Bread Machine Olive Bread is a tender, fluffy loaf full of fresh herbs, kalamata olives and feta cheese. I consider this a Mediterranean bread recipe, as it's ingredients and flavors are typical of the Mediterranean diet, and are quite delicious! It's based off my super soft and fluffy basic white bread and roasted garlic bread recipes. You can make your Mediterranean olive bread using the dough cycle and bake it in the oven if you like to shape the final loaf. Or, use the basic or white bread setting on your bread maker and let the bread machine mix, knead and bake it for you. Either way, this loaf is fantastic as morning toast or an accompaniment to a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern dinner, such as stuffed cabbage rolls or kebab hindi.

Ingredients:

• Bread flour: bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour and will create a fluffier loaf. While you can substitute with all-purpose flour, the final outcome will be a little more dense. You can use a combination of flours as well, to include rye flour or whole wheat flour.
• Kalamata olives: I like to use a mix of marinated kalamata olives.
• Feta cheese: feta cheese crumbles add incredible flavor, softness and texture to this recipe. Grated parmesan cheese is a good substitute.
• Fresh herbs: this bread is perfect with a combination of fresh herbs like basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano and parsley. You can use dried herbs if needed, but in a smaller quantity.
• Garlic: I love adding a bit of garlic for extra flavor.
• Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil.
• Yeast: for bread makers you can use active dry yeast, instant yeast or bread machine yeast.
• Vital wheat gluten: this is optional, but I use it to ensure my loaves get a good rise, especially if the kitchen is cooler than usual or my yeast is acting up.

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients except for kalamata olives, feta cheese and herbs to the bread maker pan in the order listed (for Cuisinart machines*). *For other bread machine brands refer to the instruction manual for the correct order to add ingredients.
2. If baking in the bread machine, select the basic/white bread setting, choose the 2 pound loaf size and your prefered crust color. If baking in the oven, select the dough setting and 2 pound loaf size. Turn on the mix-in function.
3. When the mix-in signal chimes, add kalamata olives, feta cheese and herbs. Use a spatula to help knead the mix-ins into the dough if necessary. If dough becomes too sticky, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until a tacky and soft dough ball forms.
4. If baking in the oven, remove the dough from the bread pan when the cycle is finished. Punch dough down a few times and reshape into a ball. Place on a baking sheet and cover with a heavy towel. Put in a warm place and let rise for 30-40 minutes until doubled in size. Gently brush the top of the dough with milk or egg white being careful not to deflate the dough. Bake at 350℉ for 40-50 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 190℉.
5. Remove bread from the machine or oven when done.

Storing: Allow homemade bread to cool completely on a wire rack before packaging to store. Slice the bread and keep it in a cool dark place, such as a bread box or cloth bread bag, for up to 3 days. Homemade bread can also be frozen. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and put in a freezer safe storage bag.

Tips: Watch your dough while it kneads. Depending on external conditions, brand of ingredients and other factors, you may need to add more flour or liquid. The dough ball should be springy when poked and easily peel off the sides of the bread pan to make a smooth ball. If it's sticking to the pan, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time.

Read also: Delicious Mediterranean Recipes

FAQ

• Can I Use A Different Type Of Flour? You can use any type of flour as long as you account for the changes in water amount that your chosen flour needs. Different flours also produce different textures and density so if you don't use bread flour for this recipe the loaf may not turn out as soft and fluffy.
• Can I Make Olive Bread Without A Bread Maker? Yes, you can knead the dough by hand, shape it and bake it in the oven as you would when using the bread maker. Or use an electric stand mixer and a dough hook attachment to knead the dough. Both by hand methods require proofing the yeast.
• Why Is My Bread Dense? There are many potential reasons for bread to turn out dense. Some of them include: not kneading the dough properly, letting the salt and yeast mix while adding ingredients into the pan, using all purpose or whole wheat flour, an inadequate rise time, and using dead yeast. Making bread in a bread machine should eliminate dense bread resulting from an inadequate rise time and having not properly kneaded the dough. When using a bread machine, make sure the salt and yeast do not interact when they are added to the bread pan and that you use properly measured bread flour and fresh yeast.
• Why Didn't My Bread Rise? Bread doesn't rise for many reasons. It could be that the liquid used was too cold, the yeast was dead, or the conditions it was being made in were not suitable to the process of making dough (such as too little or too much humidity or a kitchen that is too cold). Determining which factor caused your bread not to rise is a process of trial and error.

Mediterranean Olive Bread (Oven Method)

Instructions:

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 6-cup loaf pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, rosemary, and salt. In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, milk, and olive oil. Add the flour mixture and fold until about three-quarters of the dry ingredients are moistened. Add the olives and fold just until the pieces are distributed and the dry ingredients are moistened; the batter will be stiff.
3. Scrape the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 5 to 10 minutes before unmolding to let cool completely on the rack.

Seeded Whole Wheat Bread

This nutritious whole wheat bread recipe pays off with its delicately fluffy crumb and perfectly crispy-crunchy seeded crust. This wholesome and flavorful seeded whole wheat bread recipe is one of the many loaves I baked over the two years when I returned to New England after living in Spain. One of my first “culture shocks” was the supermarket sandwich loaves. They were so sweet, the crumb soft but disappointing, as was the crust. Whenever I could manage, I’d make homemade bread. Dedicating ten minutes of meditative mixing and kneading, plus passive time waiting for the dough to rise and bake, turned into a delicious ritual. With this simple loaf, the whole wheat flour imparts a complex and earthy flavor, while the blend of toasted seeds adds a mild nuttiness. As opposed to supermarket varieties, homemade bread has a crisp crust to contrast the soft interior. Making your own sandwich bread doesn’t require as much time as you might expect, especially when you consider it’s mostly hands-off. Storebought bread doesn’t get stale as quickly as homemade bread-almost frighteningly so-but you will get a few days out of this one. This simple list of ingredients bakes into a nutty, wholesome sandwich bread, and it can easily be made vegan.

Ingredients:

• Whole wheat flour: Nutty and earthy, whole wheat flour is not only healthier but much more flavorful than white flour.
• All-purpose flour: Using some all-purpose flour makes the bread loftier, softer, and lightens the crumb.
• Mixed seeds: Seeds add flavor, texture, extra protein, and a dose of healthy fats.
• Kosher salt: I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
• Instant yeast: I like to use instant yeast because you don’t need to activate it before mixing the dough.
• Honey: A little bit of honey adds a touch of floral sweetness to offset some of the bitter notes in the whole wheat.
• Egg wash: Brushing the top of the loaf with an egg wash helps the mixed seed topping stick to the bread and creates a golden-brown crust.

Instructions:

1. Toast the seeds: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread 1/2 cup of mixed seeds into a single layer on a baking sheet and toast in the preheated oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until fragrant and light brown. Start checking after 5 minutes so they don’t burn. Turn off the oven and set the seeds aside to cool slightly.
2. Mix the dry ingredients: Add the cooled seeds to a large mixing bowl, along with 2 3/4 cups (330g) whole wheat flour, 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon (9g) salt, and 1 tablespoon instant yeast.
3. Add the wet ingredients: Pour in 1 1/4 cups (300ml) hot water (105 to 115°F), 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1 tablespoon honey. Mix with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together into a rough ball.
4. Knead the dough: Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead by hand for 10 minutes until smooth. At first, the dough will seem too sticky, but it will become more manageable as you knead it. Try not to add much flour.
5. First rise: Shape the dough into a taught ball. Grease a clean bowl with a thin layer of olive oil and place the ball of dough in the bowl. Cover and leave it in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour, or until roughly doubled in size.
6. Shape the dough: Grease a loaf pan with olive oil and set aside. Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Place the dough upside down on the surface so the smooth side is facing down. Gently press and stretch the dough to shape it into a square the same width as the bottom of the loaf pan. Roll the dough into a log and pinch the seam. Place the loaf in the greased pan.
7. Add the mixed seed topping: Make an egg wash by beating an egg and 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl with a fork. Brush the top of the loaf lightly with the egg wash. Sprinkle the top with 1/4 cup of untoasted mixed seeds.
8. Proof: Cover the pan loosely. Leave it in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes to an hour. The dough should reach the rim of a 9×5-inch loaf pan or about 1-inch above the rim in an 8 1/4×4 1/2-inch pan. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
9. Preheat the oven and bake: Bake the loaf in the hot oven until it’s golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. If you have a digital thermometer, the loaf is done when the interior reaches 190°F.
10. Cool: Remove the loaf from the pan and set it on a rack to cool.

Tips:

• By switching what seeds you use, you can vary the flavor and texture of the loaf and adapt the recipe to what you keep stocked in your cupboard. You can try black sesame, pumpkin, chia, poppy, or hemp seeds.
• Kneading the dough develops the gluten, a network of proteins that activates when mixing flour and water. The dough is ready when it has lost its stickiness, though it may still feel tacky. The dough will stretch easily without tearing.

This seeded whole wheat bread recipe is perfect for all kinds of sandwiches, open-faced sandwiches, and toast. While it’s fresh and soft, use it for this Chickpea Salad Sandwich or this Veggie Sandwich. After a few days, the bread will begin to stale-but don’t fret. Start the day with a hearty breakfast toast, like this Mediterranean-style Breakfast Toast or Egg Toast with Veggies. For a quick lunch or light dinner make this Vegetarian Smashed Chickpea Toast.

Easy Whole Wheat Mediterranean Flatbread

While everyone is on a bit of a homemade bread making kick, I think it’s only fitting to share my favorite recipe for Easy Whole Wheat Mediterranean Flatbread. These are pillow-soft and tender and really delicious. And they make a fabulous accompaniment to dip into soup or stew and are the best wraps for falafel, chicken kebabs, you name it. And the best part, they don’t take much time at all. We’re talking about 45 minutes from start to finish. But trust me, they’ll taste better than any flatbread you can find at the store.

Ingredients:

The ingredient list is most likely everything you have on hand right now. So, we’ve got yeast in here, a blend of whole wheat and all-purpose flour, some yogurt, a little olive oil, and a dash of salt and sugar. And some warm water helps bring it all together.

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl add the yeast, water and sugar. Whisk to combine. Then whisk in the yogurt, olive oil and salt. Then add all the flour and combine with a spatula or your hands to combine. If the dough feels too sticky and wet add more flour a little at a time, until it forms a round.
2. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface (either flour is fine) and knead for about 5 minutes. Then divide the dough into 10 equal-sized rounds.
3. Cover lightly with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rise for about 20-30 minutes.
4. Then when the rounds are ready, heat a lightly oiled cast iron skillet. Working with one dough round at a time, roll each round out either on a floured surface or between two lightly floured pieces of parchment. (I like them about 1/8" -1/4" thick.
5. Then when the first round is ready, carefully transfer it to the hot skillet and let it cook a couple minutes on the first side until it starts to bubble up and has golden brown spots on the bottom. Flip over and cook about 2 minutes more on the second side until its brown in spots. Continue to roll the next round while the first one cooks and so on.
6. Enjoy warm or once cool keep covered in the refrigerator in a zip-top bag.

Once you form this into a dough, which is all done by hand in a bowl (or a table-top mixer if you want,) you knead it for about five minutes then divide it into 10 rounds and let them rest on the counter. (You’ll need some extra flour, as each time I make this I have to add a bit more or a bit less flour to get it to the desired not-so-sticky consistency. After the dough has rested, you roll each ball into about 6 or 7-inch rounds. Then you’ll start cooking them in a piping hot skillet for about 2 minutes per side, rolling another piece as the previous one cooks. Storing them in a clean kitchen towel keeps them nice and warm as you finish cooking the rest. Then you can gobble them up right away (it’s hard not to,) or store them in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator once cooled.

Read also: Mediterranean Diet, Instant Pot Style

Storing (Freezing): I like to store in between pieces of parchment in a freezer-safe bag. To re-heat, wrap in foil and place in the oven or thaw slightly and pop in toaster.

These are fun to make and are truly worth the little extra effort it takes to make them versus buying. Not to mention, lighter on the wallet too, which is always a good thing. And if you’ve got the kids home, they’ll enjoy dividing the rounds, shaping and rolling them. You can make it a fun, educational and delicious activity to do together. (Which we certainly can use all the ideas we can get these days.)

Sourdough Bread and the Mediterranean Diet

On the Mediterranean Diet I am baking with my own wild yeast sourdough and loving it. Eating baked goods has never before aligned to dieting in my world. One of my favorite aspects of the Mediterranean Diet way of eating is that I am baking again. I love the aroma of fresh bread in the oven, or a warm dessert for a special occasion. I love to bake with my grands and it is especially wonderful knowing I can eat what we bake and still honor my health!

Sourdough starters have become quite popular again. Celebrities are making sourdough starters. Two prompts got me into the sourdough craze. First, yeast has been on shortage due to the pandemic. Second, I also learned more about sourdough starter. Sourdough starter is simply wild yeast in a batter form. There are many sources on the internet to help learn how to make a sourdough starter. Most of them say that it will take 5-7 days, mine took 12 days. Frustrated, I almost threw my starter away but then I read, each starter has its own personality. On the very day I was ready to pitch the whole experiment into the trash my sourdough test worked! My starter floated in water. It is actually amazing that wheat flour and filtered water can form wild yeast! That very night I made my long awaited Deep Dish Sicilian Pizza. The secret with sourdough starter is to keep feeding it, giving the wild yeast its own timeline to cultivate.

One thing really bothers me about the whole wild yeast cultivation. It is the amount of discard wasted to get the yeast strong enough to raise a loaf of bread. Each day the flour and water mixture is purged, leaving only a portion and new wheat flour and water is added. It can be an immense waste. ‘Waste not want not’ is certainly a motto by which I live, especially when it involves food. In my kitchen, leftovers always morph into another meal. Throwing away discard daily to keep the starter alive is necessary, but disconcerting, especially during a flour shortage. I had to find uses for my discard until my starter could ferment enough to be stored in the fridge. What could be a better use for discarded starter than sourdough pancakes and sourdough waffles? The sourdough pancakes are heavenly, light and fluffy. Pancakes that melt in your mouth. The waffles are hardy and tangy, a perfect compliment for sweet summer strawberries with a touch of real maple syrup. My next blog will include my new favorite homemade pizza recipe, Deep Dish Sicilian Pizza. The Deep Dish Sicilian Pizza is the perfect reward for patiently nurturing sourdough starter. This hearty pizza is delicious enough to convince me to move the starter into the refrigerator and continue my sourdough journey. Now I have my own wild yeast, but I do admit sometimes I think of him as Herman.

Additional Tips for a Mediterranean Diet

• Natural Sweeteners: Natural sweeteners, if used, should always replace refined sugars.
• Spice it Up: Weight loss is linked to spices such as ginger, cinnamon and tumeric (to name a few).

tags: #mediterranean #diet #bread #recipes