Member Reviews

There are lots of recipes here and they use very authentic, sustainable ingredients. Some of the recipes used ingredients that my family probably wouldn't eat, but there are some that look easy and delicious that I am going to try. I really enjoyed reading the tiny stories that go with each recipe and add a more personal touch. There were lots of healthy hacks, so this is certainly a way to eat very healthily. Quite a few of the recipes would take a while to prepare by the time you make sure you have all the ingredients, and do all the chopping and cooking. But that's to be expected with authentic home cooking. This book has given me the motivation to give some of these Mediterranean recipes a go.

Was this review helpful?

I love this book, I’ve been using it for a while now. The recipes are great, very easy to prepare and are tasty. I’ve managed to lose some weight which is a bonus and I feel healthier for the change in my eating habits. Highly recommend this book.

Was this review helpful?

All the recipes are easy follow with easily assessable ingredients. I love the helpful substitution suggestions and prep tips. However I wish for more photos because I like to see how my recipes compares to the cookbook. I’m very much a visual learner.

Was this review helpful?

This is another good addition to the Mediterranean cookbooks out there, and there are many. I appreciate the nutritional information for each recipe and the beautiful photos. I wasn't super inspired by the recipes but they seem health and manageable. I do wish cookbooks would stop featuring lamb, as it is an especially cruel ingredient. All in all, a good cookbook.

Was this review helpful?

Perfect. This is an excellent cookbook that has a great variety and quality of recipes. Would 100% buy.

Was this review helpful?

This was a great representation of how to eat healthy flavorful food following the Mediterranean Diet.
We enjoyed this book and look forward to making even more recipes. The recipes are easy to follow and the items are not hard to find.

Was this review helpful?

It seems publishers and authors of cookbooks still don't understand: we need pictures.

This is a gripe I often have with cookbooks. It shouldn't have to be explained at this point, and I won't. Include pictures for all items.

I did appreciate the calories and macros for each recipe, as well as guidance on sustainability. There were several "reviews" included in the book, and while sometimes those can be interesting, it just reminded me that recipes were lacking pictures.

Was this review helpful?

I love the concept of this cookbook, as stated in the subtitle: . . Easy, Healthy Recipes to Reduce Food Waste, Eat in Season, and Help the Earth. As a proponent of the Mediterranean Diet lifestyle, I enjoyed this fresh slant on the familiar ingredients and benefits of this way of eating. The introductory chapters about choosing and utilizing foods in an eco-protective way were worth reading regardless of what diet you follow! Many of the recipes were refreshing variations on familiar dishes, and sounded delicious. The layout and clarity of the recipes was also a plus. I recommend this title especially to health-and earth-conscious readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and BenBella Books for providing a digital review copy!

Was this review helpful?

A delicious book with easy recipes. I tried quite a few while reading the book and they were so good.

Was this review helpful?

As someone who hasn't delved into the Mediterranean diet much, I found this cookbook to be super approachable. I really appreciated all of the explanations and useful information in here, as well as the eco-friendly aspect. I wish I would've had more time with it to further try the recipes, but everything sounded so flavorful!

Was this review helpful?

Mediterranean food is my favorite kind of food, and this cookbook here has easily risen to my favorite spot. These dishes aren't just yummy; they help your body, and the planet. I appreciate both the expertise shared by both Serena Ball and Deanna Segrave-Daly but also the well-thought-out layout and selection at our hands. I only wish I'd had this digital copy longer to try more recipes! Guess I'll have to buy it once it comes out!

Was this review helpful?

If you've ever been curious about the Mediterranean Diet but too overwhelmed to consider it, read this book. It breaks it down into the reasons why it's a sustainable way of eating. It describes the ingredients required and ways to be planet-friendly and save energy and resources. The book is easy to read and implement. The recipes are easy and most require just a few ingredients. Read it.

Was this review helpful?

Did you know that the stalks are the sweetest part of broccoli, and that you shouldn't throw them away? This book by two dietitians is full of interesting and useful information such as this, as well as being full of recipes that look delicious with easy instructions.
The Mediterranean diet is not only good for the heart, but also good for the planet. It's full of seeds, nuts, vegetables, fruits and of course, olive oil. However, even if you don't try the recipes, this book contains tips for the food you should have for emergencies, using less plastic, using leftover food in recipes, and many other things. The attractive pictures also provide inspiration. I highly recommend it.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I have recently been trying to diversify my cooking skills by adding different cuisines and foods into my diet. I do not, and have not, eaten much food from the mediterranean region so I was excited to see what the cuisine is like.

The Sustainable Mediterranean Diet Cookbook not only introduces you mediterranean cuisine, but also give you advice on how to get the most out of your food that you use. It is separated into 12 chapters, the first one being on how to eat eco-friendly with a mediterranean diet. After that, the chapters are separated in meal types. Breakfast; small plates and snacks; salads; sides; soups; sandwiches and pizza; pasta; vegetarian main dishes; seafood; meats and poultry; and deserts. also included is a sample 5 day meal planner for what to have for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack and pudding. 4 different options are available for your dietary preferences.

I have 2 main gripes with this cookbook. The first is that not every recipe has a photo. They say a picture paints a thousand words, and this is especially true when it comes to food. I was unable to tell how some recipes were going to look, or even what it was supposed to be since I am not familiar with the recipes in this book. I could understand even 10 years ago in 2010 not having photos for every single dish, but in 2023 I cannot understand why you would not include them for everything! Especially if the recipes that you are using are going to be more unknown to your intended audience, they need the visual guidance to understand what it is they are supposed to be creating. Another bugbear that I had with this cookbook is that some of the recipes (I think around 1/3 of them) had mini reviews for the recipe inside the book. Why do you need someone to say this dish is easy to make and pretty while including their name and where they are from? If someone buys this book, surely they are interested in the recipes and do not need any reviews saying that the dish is easy to cook and that their husband ate it even though he normally doesn’t like eggplants.

The only things that I found to be a big positive about this book is that each recipe includes the calories and macros for each recipe, including if the recipe has any written modification so two seperate sets are provided.

If you already have a mediterranean influence diet, then the recipes in here will be a good addition to your repertoire. Otherwise I would not really recommend this book for the average home cook.

Was this review helpful?

Very interesting book to read. I learned a lot from it. The Mediterranean diet is one we should all follow. Very well written and put together

Was this review helpful?

The Sustainable Mediterranean Diet Cookbook: More Than 100 Easy, Healthy Recipes to Reduce Food Waste, Eat in Season, and Help the Earth jumps right in with ecofriendly guidelines, ways to help the planet under the guise of healthy eating. I have been utilizing many of the methods listed in this cookbook for years, like saving vegetable "waste" in the freezer to use for stock enhancement, making bone broth, substituting ingredients in recipes to avoid countless trips to the store, and buying ugly produce like bananas. The tips to helping the planet, like using reusable containers instead of zip-top bags or plastic wrap, are economical as well. Changing out storage containers for glass ones can be a bit expensive, but will save money in the long run. The authors did a good job of educating readers in ways that will ultimately save their budgets and be more sustainable.

I have tried some of the recipes and have, so far, been impressed with the overall dishes. I like how many of the recipes include homemade marinades and spice blends, especially for the more exotic flavor profiles. Being taught to make a spice blend out of more readily available herbs and spices makes this cookbook accessible to those living in all areas and regions. One of my favorites is Honey, Orange, and Scallions Vinaigrette Over Romaine because of the delicious dressing. I plan on using it for other type of salads, such as pasta salad. The Everyday Pot of Lentils recipe is great because of the spice variations listed at the end of the recipe. Lentils are heart healthy and full of protein, lending themselves well to many different types of cuisine. I am also a fan of the Very Veggie Sustainable Soup for One, as it utilizes the microwave to be an energy and time saver.

The recipes are divided into logical sections, which I have listed below with some of the standout dishes.

Breakfast: Lentils, Greens, and Parmesan Frittata; Spiced Turkish Coffee Coffee Cake
Small Plates and Snacks: Cassoulet Bean Dip; Pumpkin Hummus; Vanilla and Fruit Seeded Granola Bars
Salads: Honey, Orange, and Scallions Vinaigrette Over Romaine; Grilled Greek Salad Skewers
Sides: Tahini Roasted Carrots and Parsnips; Toasted Cauliflower Tabbouleh
Soups: Whole Leek and Asparagus Soup; Very Veggie Sustainable Soup For One; Chicken Couscous Soup with Herb Pesto
Sandwiches and Pizza: Speedy Pizza Dough
Pasta: Carrot Top Pesto with Orzo; Homemade Spinach-Ricotta Gnocchi
Vegetarian Main Dishes: Inside-Out Vegan Cabbage Rolls; Everyday Pot of Lentils
Seafood: So-Good Grilled Fish with Limes; Sheet Pan Sesame Seed Fish with Baby Potatoes
Meats and Poultry: Cumin-Marinated Steak with Charred Peppers and Onions; Spicy Red Lentil and Chorizo Stew; North African Chicken Couscous Bowls
Desserts: Salted Dark Chocolate and Orange Mug Cake; Smoked Paprika Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

The Sustainable Mediterranean Diet Cookbook has a clear point of view and is inspiring. I do wish there were more photographs, but the overall effect of the cookbook is bright and colorful. For all of the reasons listed above, I highly recommend The Sustainable Mediterranean Diet Cookbook to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher, BenBella Books. The decision to read and review this cookbook entirely rests with me.

Was this review helpful?

Great variety of Mediterranean-based recipes. Some of the recipes are more involved than others, which for me is a plus since there are times when cooking a meal is more of an event than others. All the recipes include information on serving size, prep time, cook time, ingredients, and nutrition information per serving. Every other recipe has a full-page color photo of the recipe results. Although the recipes overall are healthy I would add the note that not all would be good for weight loss or restricted diets. The recipe steps are not numbered or separated by paragraphs, which can make it hard to keep your place when cooking. I loved that the authors offered information on ingredient swaps, and what to do with leftover ingredients.

Was this review helpful?

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
The book opens with ten steps to living a more sustainable life. The dishes are divided into breakfast, small plates and snacks, salads, sides, soups, sandwiches and pizza, pasta, vegetarian main dishes, seafood, meats and poultry, desserts, and an appendix with five-day meal plans. Each dish has nutrition information and if it is gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, egg-free, or nut free. The dishes do not seem overly complicated to make. There are plenty of options to choose from. There are many tips throughout on how to make the dish more sustainable.
I would suggest this book to anyone interested in Mediterranean cooking.

Was this review helpful?

A wonderful cookbook featuring so many recipes I want to try! A lovely addition to any cook's kitchen.

Was this review helpful?

Hello!
Thank you to Netgalley and Banbella books for the ARC.
i’m sorry, but I didn’t really like this book.
But first, the pros:
- the photos are beautiful and elegant
- the recipes are easy to follow

What went wrong for me, might not be a problem for you, but even a good thing.
First of all I didn’t expect the recipes to be diet and low calorie oriented.
Second of all I expected some classic mediterranean recipes, instead the book is mainly american style recipes with a mediterranean inspiration.
Also some italian terms are, in my opinion, used improperly.

Was this review helpful?