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8 “To truly follow the Mediterranean lifestyle, Suzy highlights her three main principles: Eat with the seasons; use mostly whole foods; and above all, share!” — “FOR THE LOVE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN,” PAGE 6
ON THE COVER Recipes from the Healthiest Diet 13 Top 5 Mediterranean Herbs 39 Brain-Training Foods 88 Smart Shopper’s Guide 63
Photo: olhaafanasieva/Adobe Stock
Basics
SALADS AND MEZZE
Meet Suzy Karadsheh, Egypt native and founder of the blog The Mediterranean Dish.
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FOR THE LOVE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN
BASICS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET A lifestyle rather than a diet, this way of eating helps lower inflammation that is at the heart of many modern-day diseases.
Mediterranean Dishes
From the world’s healthiest diet, these recipes—courtesy The Mediterranean Dish— include mezze platters, seafood dishes and desserts.
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Traditional Greek Salad Tabouli Salad Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Homemade Labneh Za’atar Manaqish
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LEGUMES AND VEGETARIAN ✽ Mediterranean-Style Grain Bowl 20 ✽ Shakshuka 22 ✽ Greek-Style Green Beans 23
SEAFOOD ✽ One-Pan Mediterranean Baked Halibut ✽ Shrimp Orzo Soup
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MEAT AND POULTRY ✽ Lebanese Rice ✽ Greek Meatballs ✽ Greek Chicken & Potatoes
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DESSERT ✽ Baklava ✽ Italian Apple Olive Oil Cake
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In Your Pantry
Herbs to Know GROWING, HARVESTING & USING ROSEMARY
BUY THE BEST OLIVE OIL
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Along with its delicious flavor, rosemary offers a multitude of culinary and health benefits.
GROWING, HARVESTING & USING THYME
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GROW KILLER TOMATOES! 44
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Use our guide to replace white flour with high-quality, nutritious alternatives.
OUTSTANDING OREGANO
WHOLE-GRAIN FLOUR GUIDE
Learn more about the miraculous capabilities of this shrub and how to incorporate its unmistakable flavor in your kitchen.
THE NOBLE BAY
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For an herb rich in ancient lore, sweet bay is certainly a plant with myriad modern uses.
EXPLORING ARABIAN SPICES
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From exotic saffron to flavorful za’atar, the ancient flavors of the Middle East tempt modern palates.
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EXERCISE FOR EVERY DECADE 80
11 HABITS HAPPY PEOPLE HAVE IN COMMON
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Discover the secret habits all happy people have in common, including the foods they eat and the choices they make.
EASY MEDITERRANEAN SPA TREATMENTS
SMART SHOPPER’S FISH PICKS 77 Wade through worries about endangerment and mercury with ease.
General Wellness Enjoy the benefits of exercise throughout your life with these workout tips for every age.
Nutritious and versatile, nuts are some of the best foods we can eat. Learn how to transform nuts into three pantry staples. From plant selection to harvest, our tips will help you grow amazing garden tomatoes.
It’s easy to enjoy the healthpromoting properties of parsley. It’s a cinch to grow.
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Learn how to identify healthful, high-quality oils, plus how best to cook with them.
NUTS FOR HEALTH
Easy to grow, thyme is the perfect addition to your garden and medicine cabinet.
GROWING, HARVESTING & USING PARSLEY
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Whip up these simple at-home beauty treatments for a glow straight from the Mediterranean.
THE ANTI-ALZHEIMER’S DIET
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Protect yourself from degenerative disease with these delicious, brain-healthy foods.
TAKE HEART
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Reduce your risk of heart disease with these nine easyto-follow steps.
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ated out and efore .
SALADS AND MEZZE TABOULI SALAD PREP TIME: 20 minutes TOTAL TIME: 20 minutes CATEGORY: Salad CUISINE: Middle Eastern Tabouli (or Tabbouleh) is a popular Middle Eastern salad made of finely chopped vegetables, lots of fresh parsley, mint, and fine bulgur wheat. A healthy splash of olive oil and lime (or lemon juice) brings it all together. Seedless cucumbers are not a traditional tabouli ingredient, but they add great crunch. Turn your tabouli into a meal by stuffing it into a warm pita pocket with a dollop of hummus. ½ cup extra-fine bulgur wheat 4 firm Roma tomatoes, very finely chopped 1 English cucumber, or ¾ hothouse cucumber, very finely chopped 2 bunches parsley, part of the stems removed, washed and well-dried, very finely chopped 12 to 15 fresh mint leaves, stems removed, washed, well-dried, very finely chopped 4 green onions, white and green parts, very finely chopped Salt, to taste 3 to 4 tablespoons lime juice or lemon juice 3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Romaine lettuce leaves, to serve (optional)
1. Wash bulgur wheat and soak it in water
LE F TOV E RS You can keep tabouli refrigerated in a tight-lid container for about two days. It’s important to try to drain some of the juice out before refrigerating any leftovers.
for 5 to 7 minute. Drain well (squeeze bulgur wheat by hand to get rid of any excess water). Set aside. 2. Very finely chop vegetables and herbs as indicated above. Be sure to place tomatoes in a colander to drain excess juice. 3. Place chopped vegetables and herbs in a mixing bowl or dish. Add bulgur and season with salt. Mix gently. 4. Add lime juice and olive oil; mix again. 5. For best results, cover tabouli and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter. If you like, serve tabouli with a side of pita and romaine lettuce leaves, which act as wraps or “boats” for tabouli. Serves 6 to 8. –The MediterraneanDish.com
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SALADS AND MEZZE ROASTED RED PEPPER HUMMUS PREP TIME: 5 minutes COOK TIME: 25 minutes TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes CATEGORY: Appetizer CUISINE: Mediterranean In the world of Mediterranean mezze, hummus is king! For a little twist on traditional hummus, add roasted red peppers, garlic, jalapeño and a couple of my favorite Mediterranean spices—sumac and paprika. The result? A rustic, flavor-packed hummus that’s a bit on the punchy side. Omit the jalapeño to keep it mild, if you prefer. 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch strips 1 jalapeño pepper, sliced in half lengthwise (optional) Extra virgin olive oil 2 cups cooked chickpeas 3 to 4 cloves garlic, chopped 5 tablespoons tahini 2 teaspoons sumac, plus extra for garnish 1 teaspoon paprika, plus extra for garnish Juice of 1 lemon Salt, to taste 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (optional)
1 . Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 2 . Place red bell pepper strips and jalapeño in a small baking dish or cast-iron pan. Drizzle generously with olive oil. Bake for 25 minutes, or until tender. (If the skin is slightly charred, that’s a good thing!) 3 . Remove from oven and let cool completely before starting next step. 4. In the large bowl of a food processor, add roasted peppers and all the remaining ingredients except the pine nuts. Add a little more olive oil and run processor until you reach the desired creamy paste consistency. Taste and add salt as needed. Run processor again to combine. 5. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with a little more olive oil and pine nuts if you like. Add a pinch of paprika or sumac for garnish. Serve with warm pita bread and sliced veggies. Serves 6. –The MediterraneanDish.com
IN A P INC H You may notice I don’t do the work of removing the skins on either the chickpeas or the roasted peppers in this recipe. The result is not meant to be the most ethereally smooth hummus, but rather a rustic, “kicky” dip. To save time, use a 16-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed.
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MEAT AND POULTRY GREEK CHICKEN & POTATOES PREP TIME: 20 minutes ■ COOK TIME: 55 minutes ■ TOTAL TIME: 1 hour and 15 minutes CATEGORY: Entrée ■ CUISINE: Grecian All the comfort of Greek-inspired cooking comes in this one-pan dinner. First, we simply season the chicken pieces with salt and sear them in extra virgin olive oil to crisp up the skin. Then, in one large pan, we arrange the chicken along with potato wedges, and cover with an out-of-this-world cooking liquid of garlic (and lots of it), citrus, and a generous pinch of quality rosemary. And in the oven it goes!
4 to 5 pieces chicken, bone in, skin on (I use 2 breasts and 3 legs) Salt 4 gold potatoes (about 2 pounds), scrubbed clean and cut into thin wedges 1 medium yellow onion, halved then sliced 1 teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus ½ cup
¼ cup lemon juice 12 cloves garlic, minced 1½ tablespoons dried rosemary ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 cups chicken broth 1 lemon, sliced 12 pitted Kalamata olives (optional) Fresh parsley, for garnish
What was once mundane turns into a tangy, vibrant sheetpan dinner. (And with little effort!) I like to complete this dish with a traditional Greek salad and a side of creamy tzatziki sauce.
1. Pat chicken dry and season generously with salt. (Lift skins and apply salt underneath as well.) Leave at room temperature for 30 minutes. Pat dry again if needed. 2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 3. Place potato wedges and onions on large sheet pan. Season with salt and black pepper. 4. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken skin-side down to brown, 5 to 7 minutes, then flip over and sear briefly, about another 3 minutes. (Do this in batches, if needed.) Transfer from skillet to prepared sheet pan, nestled between potato wedges, keeping everything in one layer. 5. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together ½ cup olive oil with lemon juice, minced garlic, rosemary and nutmeg. Pour all over chicken and potatoes; lift chicken pieces so some of the juice will flow under, and toss potatoes until well-coated. 6. Pour chicken broth into sheet pan, but don’t pour over chicken. Add lemon slices on top. 7. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until chicken and potatoes are tender. Occasionally flip potatoes over. (Chicken’s internal temperature should register at 165 degrees.) 8. Remove from heat and add Kalamata olives, if you want. Garnish with a little bit of fresh parsley. Serve with Greek salad, tzatziki sauce and a side of pita bread. Serves 4 to 8. –The MediterraneanDish.com 32 THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS GUIDE TO MEDITERRANEAN EATING
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This Mediterranean shrub is among the world’s most effective healing plants. Learn about its miraculous capabilities— and how to incorporate its unmistakable flavor into your kitchen. BY M I C H E L L E S C H O F F R O CO O K
oday, with our access to foods from all over the world and technologically advanced modern medicine, it can be hard to remember that, until very recently in our human history, people have relied on regional plants for wellness. That’s probably why so many humble herbs we sometimes take for granted today were revered by ancient peoples, who used their critical healing abilities to enhance health, treat illness and ailments, and live longer lives. Indeed, the ancient Greeks believed the goddess Aphrodite invented oregano to make the lives of humans happier, and they used it as a culinary and medicinal staple. One of the ancient Greek names for oregano means “mountain joy.” Although we often think of herbs in categories of use, such as culinary or medicinal, oregano proves the significant crossover between them. Today, research bears out the folk uses of many culinary herbs, including oregano, proving the adage “food is the best medicine.” A research-proven antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal medicine, oregano is also a powerful antioxidant—and that’s just the beginning of the amazing health benefits of this delicious and pungent herb.
A Brief History of Oregano If you’re familiar with its role as a signature flavor in Greek cuisine, it will probably come as no surprise that oregano was first used by the ancient Greeks. In Greece, oregano is commonly combined with olive oil and lemon juice, and used to flavor meat and fish dishes. Along with eating it in a huge variety of dishes, ancient Greeks also crowned newlyweds with wreaths of the herb and placed it on the graves of the deceased to help bring peace to their spirits. These ancients were also aware of oregano’s medicinal properties and prescribed the herb regularly to aid in the treatment of many afflictions, including as a cure for stomach and respiratory ailments; for bacterial skin infections and wounds; to treat and prevent food poisoning; and in creams used for aching muscles. Oregano has become popular around the world, although it’s often confused with other plants. These include oregano’s milderflavored cousin, marjoram, as well as Mexican oregano, which is actually a completely different plant (from the genus Lippia). Oregano is especially prominent in Italian cuisine, where it’s a quintessential flavor in tomato-based sauces, lamb dishes and garlicflavored dishes. The herb didn’t become popular in North America until after World War II, but it quickly gained popularity—today, more than 14 million pounds of oregano are consumed each year in the U.S. alone. 46 THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS GUIDE TO MEDITERRANEAN EATING
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arabian
EXPLORING
From exotic saffron to the flavorful za’atar, the ancient flavors of the Middle East tempt modern palates.
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I often encountered familiar Western herbs used in ways I found exotic. For example, I was surprised to find cinnamon sprinkled with lemon juice over cucumber and tomato. But one salad ingredient whose taste I couldn’t place turned out to be sumac. This spice comes from the dried berries of a bush (Rhus coriaria) that grows wild throughout the Mediterranean and parts of the Middle East. Sumac is distantly related to North America’s poison ivy. Dried and ground, this purple-reddish powder is often mixed with salt to produce a spice that is wonderfully tart. I first tasted sumac in my favorite Lebanese restaurant in Dubai, the wonderful Istanbouli. The chef uses it to flavor fatoosh salads—a combination of cucumber, lettuce, tomato, onion and scraps of toasted pita bread. I have also encountered sumac in Turkey and Iran, where the ground fruits are liberally sprinkled over rice. The well-known Turkish fast food specialty döner kebab sometimes is flavored with sumac powder.
Herbs and spices define a country’s cuisine: Think Italy, and you’ll imagine basil and oregano. China? Ginger will come to mind. Thailand must be lemongrass; Mexico, the piquant chile. For the Middle East, would you know to say sumac, za’atar or karkadey? No? Then please read on.
The King of Arabia: Cumin Any description of Middle Eastern herbs and spices starts with the king of the crop: cumin. This distinctive herb is found everywhere: freshly ground on top of hummus, sprinkled over bubbling chickpea broths with lemon, or used as the backbone of most curries and kebabs. A couple of years ago, I traveled to Luxor, Egypt, and found myself meandering through the food markets looking for a meal, bewildered at the chaos of daily life there. A rotund spice seller called me over to sell me little bags of cumin. As I declined politely he thrust a pinch of cumin into my palm and crushed it with his thumb. I took a good sniff and was instantly impressed by the wild intensity of the herb. I bought several bags. Cultivated since biblical times, cumin is found across the Middle East. In Yemen, cumin is employed in a mixture known as zhoug, and in Saudi Arabia, it’s a signature ingredient in baharat. Many
Za’atar and Dukkah
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T
he irresistible aroma of chile, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves lured me many years ago into my love affair with Arabian food. So far, it’s been a lasting relationship. A decade ago my sister moved to Egypt, giving me a perfect reason to immerse myself in the delights of Cairo’s markets (souqs in Arabic). For anyone who’s been there, the word souq conjures up scenes of dusty alleyways spilling over with goods and provisions whose variety defies description. Many of these markets have been modernized, but some still retain their biblical feel. Visiting Westerners might notice a curious phenomenon in Arabian souqs. Unlike North American department stores that compete to offer the most variety under one roof, souqs geographically concentrate competing vendors. For instance, all the kitchen utensil sellers will be found in the pots and pans souq. All the carpet sellers will be found in the carpet souq. Herbs and spices will be found in the spice souq. Grouping products together in this way lets customers easily compare goods and prices—and provides an additional benefit: Wherever you are in town, the spice souq is easy to find thanks to its cloud of pungent scents.
spices
Sumac
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BY A D R I A N B R I D G WAT E R
people might be more familiar with its use in Moroccan tagines, the comforting meat and vegetable stews named after the conical cooking pot used to prepare them.
Challenging to pronounce and definitely an unfamiliar flavor is the mixture of sumac, thyme and sesame seeds that is za’atar. I have found this tasty combination of flavors used throughout the Middle East and the
Mediterranean. It’s usually mixed with olive oil and spread on bread, sometimes at the table. At other times, it’s spread onto fresh dough and baked. Za’atar also serves as a seasoning on vegetables, salads, meatballs or kebabs. My memories of za’atar come hot from the ovens of the Lebanese bakeries that serve freshly baked bread rounds called manakeesh. They are a little chewy, but the tasty herb flavor is worth the effort. In the same league as za’atar is dukkah, a typical Egyptian spice mixture. A slightly salty combination of roasted sesame seeds and hazelnuts, coriander, cumin, black pepper and thyme, dukkah predominantly is used to flavor meat. Egyptian white bread eaten together with olive oil and dukkah is a simple but delicious meal.
Chile On the subject of Arabic cookery, one can’t forget chile, or to use the Arabic term, fil fil. Arabic food is not excessively hot in the same sense as Indian, Thai or Mexican food, but there are plenty of occasions when I’ve been left gasping for the water jug. I got my first taste of Arabian chile sauce during a trip to the Egyptian desert oasis of El Fayoumm in the Libyan plateau. After a six-hour taxi ride, I went into a restaurant with no menu and only one dish to offer. Kushari is a national dish in Egypt and consists of a bowl of vermicelli pasta, rice, lentils, onions and a stock sauce. On top of this you get a big spoonful of fil fil. This fiery relish is a perfect counterpart to the blandness of pasta and lentils.
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