The Sustainable Mediterranean Diet Cookbook

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

Loved this
Great information and pics and recipes that are really doable
Will be dipping in and out of this over the Christmas period

The Sustainable Mediterranean Diet Cookbook is absolutely lovely and jam-packed with fascinating and practical tips for the beginner to the seasoned cook. Not only do dietician authors include information on eating sustainably (love the better seafood choice list), nutritional details for 100+ recipes, ten helpful ways to utilize this lifestyle (reducing waste, proper storage (ways to use excess such as freezing lemon juice in ice cube trays and using carrot tops), buying local and in season and conserving while cooking. Mindfulness and thoughtful choices make one feel better physically and mentally. Growing one's own food is gratifying and easy to do, even balcony gardening when a container is the only option (see the tip on growing green onions and Romaine lettuce with zero effort). Foraging is another way to introduce new life into your diet. As a mushroom forager I cannot emphasize this enough.

Drawing inspiration from the Mediterranean, the recipes and photographs are beautiful and full of original ideas and ways to see foods differently. Plus many recipes are adapted to various dietary restrictions and choices such as gluten free and vegan. As a celiac, new and fresh gluten-free recipes are always on my radar. I really like the unique spins to the traditional such as Fig-Orange Overnight Oats; Lemon, Black Pepper and Honey Toasted Walnuts (which we made and thoroughly enjoyed), Antipasto Pickles (plus the tip of slicing cucumbers into leftover pickle brine); Loaded Greek Potato Chips (another addition to our repertoire); Rosemary and Chive Whipped Butternut Squash with Mascarpone Swirl which I plan to make tomorrow; Miscellaneous Toasted Cheese with Artichokes (hadn't thought of adding artichokes!), Mascarpone Egg Scramble with Carrot "Bacon" Bits, Roasted Thyme Mushrooms over Parmesan Polenta Squares, Steamed Mussels with Chorizo and Tomatoes and Lemon Ricotta No-Churn Gelato. Though some recipes take more forethought than others, they are simple and doable. If you don't have Za'atar spice, make it!

My only disappointment is the exclusion of Croatia which is on the Mediterranean and my home when not in North America, contributor of unique recipes and the Mediterranean lifestyle with amazing access to the world's best olive oil, white truffles, fish, etc. So much to love in this book but one of my favourite aspects is the Healthy Kitchen Hacks following the recipes. Brilliant tips. Oftentimes there are a few mouthwatering recipes in a food book but I would make most in this one.

This cookbook will appeal to those seeking inspiration on making a few easy (not drastic!) changes to their own diets and way of conservation regardless of knowledge or cooking ability.

My sincere thank you to BenBella Books and NetGalley for the privilege of reading, learning and cooking from this wonderful book!

This is a nicely presented cookbook with a variety of recipes - some familiar and others intriguing. Each recipe comes with a wealth of information to prevent waste and in this regard, the book really excels. Those wondering about a Mediterranean diet: it consists mostly of plants with dairy, fish, and some meats. It is considered by many scientists to be among the healthiest way to eat in the world.

The book breaks down as follows: introduction, eating eco-friendly the Mediterranean way, breakfast, small plates and snacks, salads, sides, soups, sandwiches and pizza, pasta, vegetarian main dishes, seafood, meats and poultry, desserts. There are a wealth of recipes, including: fig -orange overnight oats, lemon/ black pepper/honey toasted walnuts, loaded Greek potato chips, broiled halloumi over mint cucumber salad, smoky split pea soup with frizzled onions, Spanish broccoli stuffed calzones two ways, toasted mushroom ravioli, roasted thyme mushrooms over parmesan polenta squares, smoked seafood farro Risotto, stuffed Greek lam burgers, lemon ricotta no churn gelato, and many more.

Every other recipe has a full page photograph of the recipe. Each recipe tells you if it is egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, vegetarian, etc. The recipes have a large bold faced title, serving size, prep time, cook time, and italicized ingredients list. There is a fantastic information box for each recipe that tells about how/when to buy the ingredients, buying whole vs. pieces, preparation tips, suggestions for when/how to serve the dish, and accompaniments. At the bottom is the nutrition information per serving (not sure what the serving sizes are, though).

The recipe steps are written in essay form - no numbers or paragraph spacing, which is frustrating. This is the one major downside of the recipes in that the steps are not numbered, very blocky, nor are the paragraphs separated by a space. It's just a wall of text.

At the end of the recipes are excellent 'hacks': ingredient swaps or additions, leftovers suggestions, freezing and storing, and uses for ingredients not fully used (such as water that you boiled a vegetable in or the stems of vegetables or herbs). This is where the book excels - there are so many wonderful tips for a truly efficient kitchen. Of note, I do have concerns about some hacks, such as reusing the juice from canned beans as a flavoring or thickening agent could be problematic for diabetic/heart disease sufferers from the sheer amount of sodium that the beans are preserved in.

In all, there are a lot of interesting recipes and they are all fairly healthy. They might be a bit higher in fat, salt, or oils than those trying to lose weight might want to tackle. But there are plenty of suggestions/tips for substitutions as well. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

Super recipe book that works hard to educate you about sustainability in the food chain and waste avoidance. I really liked that angle but the recipes were interesting too. A good mix of achievable recipes.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a great book!!

I really enjoyed this recipe book. While the intro around sustainability is somewhat high-level, I'm impressed by the recipes in this book. There's a variety of recipes from breakfast to dessert and broken down by vegetarian and non-vegetarian entrees. I'm excited to try some of the recipes in this book including the Mediterranean potato chips and the goat cheese muffins. This book is a unique approach to Mediterranean-inspired food with ingredients that are easy to find.

My only complaints are there aren't pictures of every dish which is something I like and the recipes are generally a big paragraph instead of step-by-step so it's not easy to scan through and see where you're at when cooking.

Thank you to BenBellaBooks and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this great book. The concept of the Mediterranean Diet is clearly explained in the beginning of the book. This book is packed with wonderful recipes to appeal to almost anyone for a cook of any level. Would definitely be trying some recipes and hope that my family enjoys them.

This cookbook was amazing, and I want to try so many of the recipes. The recipes are approachable without being overly daunting. As the title says, the book talks a good bit about sustainability and zero-waste in addition to amazing Mediterranean recipes. Each recipe has either a historical or cultural explanation and a healthy hack, which gives other uses for left over and/or rare ingredients. The book ends with a 5-day meal plan that shows how the recipes work together to create a complete weekly diet. If you’ve been overwhelmed by the idea of Mediterranean food but have always wanted to try it, this is the cookbook for you! I can’t wait to try these recipes!

I received a copy of The Sustainable Mediterranean Diet Cookbook in exchange for my honest opinion.

I've just received my copy of this cookbook and cannot WAIT to crack it open and get to cooking. From the start, the book is visually appealing. It is bright with fantastic and appealing images throughout for the different recipes. Visually, the book is enjoyable and the text is easily readable for trying to view on a phone or tablet while cooking said recipe.

I appreciate that this book starts with 10 tips to be sustainable and eco-friendly. These are all great tips or reminders (if one already practices them) and are all things that everyone should easily be able to do. By showing these small tips, it allows the reader to realize how easily they can start to practice a little more sustainability in their home.

The recipes all look easy to make and delicious! I love the little healthy kitchen hacks and tips throughout the recipes to help the chef be even better. I can't wait to try these out!

In the month of December, it's time to start thinking about putting down the gingerbread and picking up better eating habits. This cookbook is my DREAM. I always wanted to eat better, but was never sure how. I don't love "low fat" "fake sugar" substitute kind of diets. So a cookbook full of fresh healthy fruits and vegetables with real ingredients is exactly what I needed!! My mom always jokes that I must have been Greek in a past life because I LOVE mediterranean food so much. This book was seriously made for me! I loved my first meal and I can't wait to try them all!

Love being as sustainable as possible and this cookbook gave me some ideas for items that I normally discard, in addition to some awesome recipes. I can’t wait to apply the knowledge I obtained from this cookbook!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc cookbook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

An interesting cookbook that starts with tips on sustainability and the whys of eating with the Mediterranean lifestyle. Many of the recipes sound very tasty. Tips connected to sustainability are scattered throughout the book (such as using all of your orange in a smoothie or using leftover pickle brine to make cucumber pickles). Each recipe includes helpful information such as serving size, cook/prep time, fiber, protein, cholesterol, etc. Many recipes include extra hacks to help you stretch your food and reduce food waste even more. For those interested either in Mediterranean eating, sustainable living, or both-this cookbook seems like a great place to start or tool to continue building.

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

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.

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.

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.

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