Like any diet and the Mediterranean, it requires willpower, planning, quality products and ... an enviable budget, but there are ways to be cheap
The health benefits of the Mediterranean diet are well known. It carries the spirit and aroma of the southern peoples, relies on the rich taste of fruits and vegetables, olive oil and nut oils, fish, poultry and legumes, dairy and cereals. And the icing on the cake of this feast of the senses is the traditional glass of red wine - one a day for women and two for men.
A number of studies over the years have attributed to the Mediterranean way of eating exceptional benefits for the heart and brain - diet has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, overweight, type 2 diabetes and improves mental abilities. In addition, he sculpts a beautiful and healthy body - like that of the dizzy Penelope Cruz, who is a zealous admirer of the regime.
But like any diet and the Mediterranean, it requires willpower, planning, quality products and ... an enviable budget. However, there are a few tricks that make adhering to the popular diet easier and not necessarily expensive.
They are cheap, quick to cook and combine easily with more twisted stews or a variety of salads. This group of foods includes oatmeal, brown rice, rye, barley, corn, buckwheat, whole wheat, whole grain bread and pasta.
"The Mediterranean diet was born out of the way people lived in villages where meat was a luxury," said Michael Psilakis, chef and owner of seven restaurants in New York and author of Live to Eat: Cooking the Mediterranean Way.
His advice to anyone who decides to stick to the Mediterranean diet is to fill their plate with more vegetables and keep meat only as a source of protein. He even recommends the introduction of a "meatless Monday" or another day of the week in which the meat is dropped from the menu. The benefits are for both health and budget.
Eggs are cheap, affordable, useful and delicious. The frittata with roasted cherry tomatoes, spinach, a little feta and spices is a rich combination of flavors that will disarm any culinary fan. Eggs go well with all kinds of salads.
Shopping from farmers' markets is a convenient and economical option for planning, shopping and following the Mediterranean diet. The most suitable are the small markets of direct producers, which offer fresh produce, and at the end of the day many of it is offered at a lower price.
Have you tried this gorgeous paste? It is cooked with basic, cheap and tasty products, and the preparation time is no more than 20 minutes. The main thing on the plate is a few spoons of olive oil, garlic, 3-4 canned anchovy fillets, canned tomatoes, 5-6 olives, a little Parmesan, capers, hot pepper, basil and of course pasta.
The flavors of Putanesca pasta are a delight for the palate - super cheap food and at the same time - healthy!
Discounts in food hypermarkets are an excellent opportunity to procure otherwise expensive products such as seafood, nuts, herbs or berries. Most of them can be darkened and used at the right time. One of the favorite tricks of the chefs is the freezing of fresh herbs - basil, thyme, oregano, celery, garlic, etc., in ice cube trays with a little chicken broth. The perfect addition to any recipe.