Modern Mediterranean

The world’s most popular way of eating inspired these tasty creations.

Spinach-Basil Pesto

This twist on traditional pesto is delicious as a condiment or sauce for pasta, vegetables, seafood and poultry. Makes about 12 ounces

2 cups fresh baby spinach

¼ cup fresh basil

¼ cup sunflower seeds, raw, hulled

1⁄3 cup pine nuts

3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup water

½ teaspoon salt (optional)

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Place spinach, basil, sunflower seeds and pine nuts into a food processor; pulse several times. Add garlic, lemon juice and cheese; pulse several times more. Scrape down sides of food processor with a rubber spatula.

2. While food processor is running, slowly add olive oil and then water in a steady, small stream to help emulsify and prevent separation. Occasionally stop to scrape down sides of food processor.

3. Stir in optional salt and freshly ground black pepper; adjust seasoning to taste.

Per full yield: 696 cal; 16 g protein; 67 g fat; 11 g carb (1 g sugars); 1,601 mg sodium; 3 g fiber

Tip: For vegetarian protein alternatives, replace tuna with cooked beans or diced, fresh mozzarella cheese.

Panzanella Salad with Tuna, Tomatoes and Olives

Use this recipe as a template for one-bowl summer lunch salads with the same dressing and bread, but varying salad ingredients; try adding leftover veggies, like roasted corn kernels. Serves 4

3 cups whole-wheat sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

5 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil, divided

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1½ cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed

5 ounces skipjack tuna; packed in water, drained

1 cup (about 1 large) cucumber, diced

½ cup radishes, thinly sliced

½ medium red onion, chopped

1½ pounds cherry tomatoes, or ripe tomatoes, cut in chunks

1⁄3 cup kalamata olives

¼ teaspoon sea salt (optional)

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

½ bunch fresh basil leaves, torn

3 ounces mixed baby greens

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Place bread cubes on a baking sheet, and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toast in oven until crisp and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and set aside.

2. In a large salad bowl, whisk together remaining olive oil and vinegar. Add chickpeas, tuna, cucumber, radishes, onion, tomatoes, olives, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Use a fork to flake the tuna. Set aside.

3. Just before serving, add bread cubes and basil, and stir to mix well. Allow to stand 15 minutes for flavors to blend. Serve over greens.

Per serving: 658 cal; 27 g protein; 22 g fat; 89 g carb (16 g sugars); 1,398 mg sodium; 18 g fiber

Tip: Don’t have time to make the tomato sauce? Try Silver Palate’s San Marzano Blend Marinara.

Turkey-Breast Meatballs with Pomodoro Sauce

Keep in mind that only the breast meat of turkey is lean. Some packaged ground turkey contains dark meat and ground-up skin. For dairy-free meatballs, leave out the cheese. These meatballs are delicious served with sauce over pasta and steamed greens. Serves 5

Pomodoro Sauce

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup (about 1 large) red onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, peeled and flattened

3 cups (26-ounce can) strained tomatoes, no salt added

½ cup water, plus additional as needed

3 sprigs fresh basil

½ teaspoon salt (optional)

1⁄8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Meatballs

3 egg whites, lightly beaten

½ cup (about 1 small) onion, finely chopped

1¼ pounds ground turkey, breast meat only

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

½ cup plain, dry breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1½ teaspoons garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped, or 1 tablespoon dried

2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped, or 1 tablespoon dried

Directions

1. For sauce: In a medium-sized pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, and reduce heat to medium low, stirring until onions are soft, 10–12 minutes. Add garlic, and cook 2–4 minutes, until aroma is released. Add tomatoes; stir to combine.

2. Pour water into tomato container, and swirl to dissolve any remaining tomato. Add water to pot. Increase heat to medium-high, and when sauce starts to boil, reduce to medium-low to maintain a slight bubbling in center of sauce.

3. Add basil, salt and red pepper flakes; stir to combine. Simmer 30–40 minutes. Stir, taste, and adjust seasoning as needed. If sauce gets too thick, add water ¼ cup at a time. Remove and discard garlic and basil sprigs.

4. For meatballs, preheat oven to 450°. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine all ingredients. With clean, wet hands, form mixture into 10 meatballs by rolling between the palms of your hands.

5. Place meatballs in a large baking pan with a small amount of water— just enough to coat the pan. Cook 25 minutes or until done. Keep an eye on pan, and add water if needed.

6. Serve two meatballs per person, with a generous dollop of sauce.

Per serving: 383 cal; 29 g protein; 21 g fat; 19 g carb (5 g sugars); 390 mg sodium; 3 g fiber

Tip: Consider buying an extra mango, just in case one is brown or sour.

Slightly Sweet Ricotta-Yogurt Cheesecake Muffins

This easy recipe is sure to satisfy those with a craving for a slightly sweet high-calcium breakfast treat or a pick-me-up protein-packed afternoon snack. Any of your favorite seasonal fruits can be used as a topping. Makes 12 muffins

3 large eggs

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 (15-ounce) container whole or part-skim ricotta cheese (avoid brands with gum additives)

1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons lemon zest

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

2 small mangoes, peeled and diced

Nonstick cooking spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place muffin liners into a standard 12-cavity muffin pan. Spray liners with nonstick cooking spray. You can opt to prepare muffin pan without liners and directly spray each cavity with nonstick cooking spray. Liners create a nicer aesthetic.

2. Place ingredients in a food processor, and process until light and foamy, about 1 minute, stopping once to scrape sides with a spatula.

3. Evenly distribute batter into prepared pan. Bake until muffins are golden and set, 45–60 minutes. If muffins brown before 45 minutes, loosely cover pan with foil to prevent overbrowning.

4. Cool muffins for an hour; then remove from pan. If you are not using liners, place muffins on a paper towel to absorb extra moisture.

5. When ready to serve, top each muffin with 1½ tablespoons of mango. Muffins can be stored in a sealed container in refrigerator 3–4 days.

Per serving: 123 cal; 7 g protein; 4 g fat; 14 g carb (11 g sugars); 77 mg sodium; 1 g fiber

By Layne Lieberman, R.D., C.D.N. | Photos Jennifer Olson | Food styling Eric Leskovar | Prop styling Nicole Dominic