The Mediterranean diet, celebrated for its health benefits and delicious flavors, doesn't mean you have to forgo desserts or convenient snacks. This article explores how to satisfy your sweet tooth and snack healthily while staying true to the principles of this renowned eating plan. We will discuss readily available store-bought options and delightful homemade dessert recipes, all aligned with the Mediterranean diet.
Embracing the Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet is more than just a diet; it's a lifestyle. Rooted in the traditional cuisines of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, it emphasizes whole, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and healthy fats, especially olive oil. Moderate amounts of fish, poultry, and dairy are included, while red meat and sweets are limited. It's not a rigid diet formulated in a lab but rather an eating pattern that evolved organically among Mediterranean populations.
This approach has been consistently ranked as one of the healthiest eating plans, earning the title of "best diet" by U.S. News & World Report for seven consecutive years. Its benefits include a reduced risk of heart disease, improved cognitive function, and better weight management.
The Art of Snacking the Mediterranean Way
Snacking has a mixed reputation, but when approached thoughtfully, it can be a valuable part of a healthy lifestyle. It can help maintain energy levels, manage appetite, and regulate weight. The key is to avoid snacks loaded with sugar and low in nutrients, such as candy, soda, and processed foods.
Following the Mediterranean diet, there are two primary ways to approach snacking: buying snacks from the store and making them at home. Store-bought snacks offer convenience, while homemade options allow for greater control over ingredients and costs.
Read also: A Review of the Mediterranean Diet in Kidney Disease
Smart Store-Bought Snack Options for the Mediterranean Diet
Sometimes, life demands convenience, and that's perfectly okay. Here are some excellent store-bought snacks that align with the Mediterranean diet principles:
Nut and Seed Spreads: Look for spreads packed with hemp, chia, sesame, sunflower, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, and almonds. These provide healthy fats, protein, and fiber. They can often be found at Thrive Market, Whole Foods, and Sprouts.
Biena Chickpea Snacks: These crunchy snacks are flavorful and satisfying, perfect for when you crave something crunchy. Available in varieties like Lil’ Bit of Everything and Bombay Spice, they are a good source of plant-based protein and fiber.
Wholly Rollies Protein Balls: These protein balls, found at stores like Grocery Outlet, offer a sweet treat with simple ingredients like peanut butter, gluten-free oats, dates, raisins, flax, and cinnamon. They are gluten-free, plant-based, and have no added sugars.
Jan's Allergy-Friendly Bars: Created by a nutritionist seeking allergy-friendly options for her family, these handmade bars are produced in a solar-powered facility and use high-quality ingredients.
Read also: Delicious Mediterranean Recipes
One Degree Organics Cereal: Opt for cereals with minimal added sugars and wholesome ingredients. One Degree Organics offers a variety of cereals, like Sprouted Ancient Maize Flakes, with a focus on transparency and clean ingredients, connecting consumers to the farmers who grow the ingredients.
Memore Nutritional Beverage Powder: This powder uses real food ingredients like sweet potato, spinach, blueberries, flaxseed, beets, turmeric, and garbanzo beans to support brain health. It can be added to water or smoothies for a boost of essential vitamins and minerals.
Delightful Homemade Mediterranean Diet Dessert Recipes
The Mediterranean diet offers a canvas for creating delectable and healthy desserts. Here are some recipes that highlight fresh fruits, nuts, and other wholesome ingredients:
Dark Chocolate Covered Dates Stuffed with Orange Coconut Cream: This recipe combines the richness of dark chocolate with naturally sweet dates and a creamy coconut filling. The orange zest adds a bright, citrusy flavor that pairs perfectly with the chocolate.
No-Bake Vegan Brownies with Chocolate Ganache: These brownies are rich and chocolatey, and they’re also vegan and made with whole-food ingredients. The secret ingredient is sweet potato, which adds a natural sweetness and helps to bind everything together.
Read also: Mediterranean Diet, Instant Pot Style
Raspberry Streusel Bars: These bars are a great choice if you’re looking for a dessert that’s not too sweet. The raspberry filling is tart and tangy, and it’s balanced out by a crumbly streusel topping.
Grilled Peaches with Cinnamon and Honey: Grilling the peaches caramelizes them, bringing out their natural sweetness and adding a touch of smokiness. Along with the cinnamon, we’d add the tiniest pinch of salt to brighten the flavors.
Healthy Lemon Bars: This recipe uses maple syrup and almond flour instead for a more nutrient-dense treat. Plus, the lemon filling is tangy and refreshing.
Cannoli Cream with Strawberries and Pistachios: This dessert takes inspiration from the flavors of a classic Italian cannoli, but in a lighter, healthier form. The creamy cannoli filling is made with ricotta cheese, honey, and vanilla extract, and it’s served with fresh strawberries and crunchy pistachios.
Healthier Lemon Olive Oil Cake: It adds a hint of a savory edge, along with its abundant heart health and anti-inflammatory benefits. This luscious lemony cake is also grain- and gluten-free, and sweetened with maple syrup.
No-Bake Energy Balls: These energy balls are a great snack or dessert option when you want something sweet but still healthy. They’re made with nuts, dates, and other whole foods, and they’re easy to customize with different flavors.
Sicilian Strawberry Pudding: This dessert really highlights the taste of fresh berries. We would add a small pinch of salt, too. The fresh basil garnish is a pretty and sophisticated touch.
Easy Yogurt Bark: This dessert is so healthy, you could even eat it for breakfast - but that doesn’t make it any less fun. Combine protein-rich Greek yogurt, a little honey, and vanilla, and spread into a thin layer on a baking sheet. Top it with anything you like - fresh or freeze-dried berries, nuts, shaved chocolate, granola, coconut - then freeze.
Pineapple Nice Cream: All-fruit, dairy-free and with no added sugar--these are the hallmarks of nice cream, a healthy alternative to ice cream. This pineapple nice cream has tropical flavors, thanks to a hit of mango and lime.
Date Tarts: These delectable single-serving tarts are gluten-free and sweetened with dates instead of refined added sugars.
Fruit Salad: This refreshing and easy fruit salad recipe will be the favorite at any potluck or cookout. And if you like creamy fruit salad or fruit salad with yogurt, we've got you covered with an optional tangy lime yogurt dressing to serve on the side-instead of making fruit salad with whipped cream.
Date Energy Balls: Sweet, sticky dates act as the glue for these no-bake energy balls. Perfect for hikes or during sports, this healthy snack travels well.
Fruit Snack: This no-sugar-added fruit snack is a healthy treat kids and adults will both love.
Mediterranean Diet Snacks
Hummus: Hummus is an essential Mediterranean Diet snack. Not only is it eaten all over the Mediterranean, hummus is one of the easiest ways to make get plant-based protein through beans. Hummus is a traditional Mediterranean diet recipe and is made with extra virgin olive oil, not canola oil, while most store-bought hummus contains canola oil.
Olives and Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A mainstay of the Mediterranean Diet are embracing healthy fats as an essential part of a healthy diet. Olives and Extra Virgin Olive Oil are the super stars of healthy fats.
Canned Grape Leaves: Homemade snacks can reduce costs and empower you to eat exactly what you need. The easiest way homemade snacks are small servings of food allowed on the Mediterranean diet.
Tuna Rillettes: These tuna rillettes are ideal for a lunch or a summer evening.
Tzatziki: The creamy Greek yogurt (the highest fat possible), grated cucumbers, chopped fresh dill, garlic and olive oil create an irresistible and very healthy sauce that is great on fritters, bread, vegetables, burgers, and souvlaki just to name a few.
Tuna Deviled Eggs: For many Spanish people, tuna deviled eggs are part of their childhood memories, such as lunches at grandparents’ homes, or joyful dinners on a summer day. Stuffed (or deviled) eggs are an international dish with Mediterranean roots, presumably stretching back to the Roman Empire.
Roasted Red Pepper Dip: The dip can be made from start to finish in 30 minutes. Simply roast the red peppers and walnuts in the oven, add them to a food processor with the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth and the dip is ready.
Zucchini Pie with Feta: One of my favorite zucchini recipes is zucchini pie with feta. Everyone in my family loves zucchini pie and you can eat it as a snack, appetizer or main course. I even eat it for breakfast, sometimes on it’s own and sometimes with eggs.
Salmon Cakes: The salmon cakes are finished off with a super easy to make fire roasted corn salsa.
Whipped Feta with Lemon and Fresh Dill: What I love the best about this whipped feta is the coolness of the dill blended with the saltiness of the feta and the tanginess of the garlic and lemon.
Greek Fava: Greek fava is a bit of a misnomer because it isn’t actually made from fava beans, but rather yellow split peas.
Zucchini Fritters: Zucchini, onions, fresh mint, fresh parsley, two cheeses (feta and cheddar), bread crumbs, and eggs made into delectable morsels and then fried in extra virgin olive oil.
Stuffed Grape Leaves: Each country has their own popular ingredients for stuffing grape leaves, with the most common being rice and ground meat such as lamb or pork.
Spicy Rosemary Olives: Spice up your snacks with these Spicy Rosemary Olives. You can wow your guests with the smallest of effort.
Pa amb tomaquet: Originally known as ¨pa amb tomaquet¨, the Catalonian tradition was to take stale bread and rub it with raw garlic and wedges of tomato, then drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle it lightly with salt. It is a delicious way to take advantage of day-old bread.
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