Mediterranean Diet Cookbook: A Delicious Alternative for Lifelong Health

The headline says it all.

This cookbook is always at the top of my cookbook stack-- a rather large feat! I especially like the fish recipes because they are easy, different, healthy and make fish taste way better than, well, fish. I really recommend this book. I'm not top chef either but while some of the recipes are more complicated, plenty are simple too. Enjoy!

This is my new favorite cookbook, and I'm excited about trying more of the recipes. I made the North African Spiced Fish twice already because it's so flavorful and easy. Many of the recipes are easy to prepare (30-45 minutes prep then pop into an oven), but, naturally, there are several recipes that are more challenging for an ordinary home cook like myself. But I still plan to give a couple of those a shot. Many of the dishes are based around tomatoes, herbs, olive oil, onions, garlic, and peppers (not necessarily hot); if you like those foods, which I do, then these recipes will suit you well. Also, one thing I really liked as a novice is the author's reassurance that it's okay to "make do" with what you have on hand and not fret over exact measurements/ingredients. If a particular ingredient or measurement is critical to the dish, she points that out.

I checked this book out of the library yesterday to give it a test drive before buying it. Well, this is a pretty short test drive -- I'm here at the dealer's lot. I'm sold! The book has a lot of ideas that I've just not seen before. Last night I served the grilled asparagus with bitter orange and it was a refreshing change from the usual puddle of olive oil. Tonight I'm trying the fish and spinach au gratin. Tomorrow, the swordfish with almond sauce. These are three dishes I hadn't seen even though I have several cookbooks from the Mediterranean region. And the book is loaded with recipes for next week. What to try next? I'm a happy man and my family is going to be happier. One of the features that makes the book work for me is the stories that accompany each recipe. This is such a diverse region with differing food traditions and palates that the introductory paragraphs help set a context for each recipe. I agree with others that pictures would be nice. In 2009 there are a bunch of books on the market where the pictures are better than the recipes. But even if a picture is worth a thousand words, in the end I need the ingredients, steps, and times to put the dish together, so I can't take away a star for leaving the pictures out.

Revised and updated to reflect new insights on the Mediterranean Diet, this updated edition of a classic guide provides close to a hundred new dishes paired with the latest facts about the nutritional benefits of the Mediterranean Diet, a plan easy to produce and sure to be popular with a wide audience. From Lamb Meatballs with Pine Nuts in Lemony Tomato Sauce to Middle Eastern Pizza, there's an outstanding range of healthy choices and dishes reflecting increased attention to their health values. General-interest libraries won't be able to keep this on the shelf!

This book is well written, and the recipes are solid. Some of the recipes are not for novice cooks and could be frustrating for them. But, the recipes are well worth the time (these are NOT 30 minute meals!) and effort. I really like the snippets of history woven through the book, making certain recipes feel like they are being handed down to you.