Best of the Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan
Here’s the final meal plan in my Mediterranean Diet meal plan series! And this one is literally my favorite. It’s a meal plan with some of my favorite recipes and snacks of the Mediterranean Diet. Admittedly, it’s a bit more protein heavy than other Mediterranean Diet meal plans but you can ALWAYS customize to make it more plant-dominant if desired.
Here’s what you will need!
GROCERY LIST
PRODUCE
- Small carton blueberries or blackberries
- Watermelon
- 2 lemons
- 2 white onions
- 2 vine tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Arugula
- Red grapefruit
- Pineapple
- Garlic bundle
- Frozen peas
- Parsley
- Red bell pepper
PROTEIN
- Carton of eggs
- Prosciutto
- Chicken thighs
- Lean Spanish (or smoky) chorizo
- 1.5 lb raw shrimp
OILS/SEASONINGS/CONDIMENTS
- Ground cinnamon
- Olive oil
- Turmeric
- Cumin
- Coriander
- Smoked paprika
- Cloves
- Dried rosemary
- Dried oregano
- Dijon
- The Fit Cook citrus Sea seasoning
DAIRY
- Part-skim ricotta cheese
- Reduced fat string cheese
- 2% cottage cheese
GRAINS/NUTS/SEEDS
- Chia seeds
- Shaved almonds
- Long grain brown rice
- Whole wheat pita
- Tahini
OTHER
- Rolled oats
- Unsweetened Almond milk
- Vanilla extract
- Vanilla whey protein powder (OPTIONAL)
- Honey
- 28oz no salt added canned whole tomatoes
- Seafood stock
OVERNIGHT CHIA OATS WITH BOILED EGGS
Ingredients for 1 serving
Oats
- 1/2 cup dry, uncooked rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or water)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (OPTIONAL)
- 1 scoop lean whey protein powder (OPTIONAL – you will need to add more almond milk)
Topping
- 2 tablespoons part skim ricotta cheese (OR 2% Greek yogurt or almond yogurt)
- 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon (or pumpkin spice or nutmeg)
- 1/3 cup mixed berries (or just one type of berry)
- 1 tablespoon shaved almonds (OPTIONAL)
2 boiled eggs
Steps
Step 1
In an 8oz jar or airtight container, add the ingredients for the Oats. Mix it all up and place in the fridge overnight. Note: You can prep up to 5 jars so you can enjoy throughout the week.
Step 2
When you’re ready to enjoy the oats, mix up mixture with a spoon. Add tablespoons of almond milk or water if needed to make it creamier. Add the topping and enjoy!
Step 3
For a protein boost, enjoy the oats with 2 boiled eggs. Alternatively add a scoop of your favorite lean protein powder to the oats.
Melon, Prosciutto & Mozzarella
Ingredients for 1 serving
- Two 1-oz reduced-fat mozzarella string cheese
- 28g (2 slices) prosciutto (OR turkey meat)
- 1 cup watermelon, cubed
Steps
Step 1
Wrap a slice of the prosciutto around one of the string cheese. Repeat for the other (if you decide to eat two).
Step 2
Enjoy with freshly chopped watermelon.
Chicken Shawarma Pita With Fruit
Ingredients for 3 servings
Chicken
- 1 lb chicken thighs, fat trimmed and sliced into thin strips
- Substitute: large portobello mushroom caps sliced into strips
- Seasoning
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 tablespoon coriander
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cloves
- Pinch of cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- Pinch of sea salt & pepper
Pita
- 3 whole wheat pita bread
- 3 tablespoons tahini (OR 2% Greek yogurt)
- 1 vine tomatoes, sliced
- 1/2 medium cucumber, sliced
- 2 cups arugula (or spinach or romaine lettuce)
Fresh Fruit – your choice of 1 serving of fruit
Steps
Step 1
Add chicken thigh pieces to a mixing bowl. Pat the pieces dry with a paper towel to remove any excess water. In a separate small bowl or cup, mix together the seasoning. Drizzle olive oil on the chicken thigh pieces, then sprinkle in the seasoning. Mix together thoroughly and let marinate for 10 – 20 minutes (or up to overnight in the fridge).
Step 2
Set a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet on medium high heat. Once hot, add olive oil, then onion and chicken thighs. Cook for 12 – 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. As the chicken cooks, add a pinch of sea salt & pepper.
Step 3
Assemble the pita at mealtime to avoid the pita bread getting soggy.
Step 4
Add tahini or yogurt to the pita. Stuff it with arugula, tomato, cucumber and the chicken. Enjoy the pita with your choice of fresh fruit like ruby red grapefruit.
Cinnamon Pineapple Protein “Pudding”
Ingredients for 1 serving
- 1 cup 2% cottage cheese
- 3/4 cup diced or chopped pineapple
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Steps
Step 1
Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and mix together!
Spanish-Inspired Shrimp & Chorizo Brown Rice
Ingredients for 4 servings
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 7oz lean Spanish chorizo (sausage), diced (OR lean spicy/smoked turkey sausage)
- 3/4 cup long grain brown rice
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon The Fit Cook Sea blend (OR lemon zest)
- 28oz (800g) no salt added canned whole tomatoes, drained
- 2 cups low sodium seafood stock (or chicken broth)
- Sea salt & pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 3/4 cup frozen peas
Salad (OPTIONAL but recommended)
- 4 cups arugula (or spinach)
- Dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (or yellow mustard)
- Juice from 1 lemon
- Sea salt & pepper to taste
Steps
Step 1
Set a large deep skillet on medium high heat.
Step 2
Once hot, add olive oil, onions, garlic and chorizo. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes, or until edges of the chorizo are seared and the onions have turned brown and translucent. Add the rice and seasonings. Mix together ensuring every grain of rice is covered in oil and seasoning, 1 – 2 minutes.
Step 3
Add the canned whole tomatoes, not the juice. Use the back of the spatula to gently mash and explode the tomatoes in the pan to create tomato juice. Keep the heat of the skillet consistent and stir and mix everything together for about 3 to 5 minutes to create a paste. There should be no visible huge chunks of tomatoes and use the spatula to deglaze the bottom of the skillet in case some of the seasoning got stuck at the bottom.
Step 4
Reduce the heat to medium, then pour in the seafood stock. Add a pinch of sea salt & pepper and bring to a gentle simmer. Partially cover and cook for about 22 to 25 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed the majority of the liquid and is almost cooked through.
Step 5
Add the raw shrimp right on top of the rice, then cover and cook for the remaining time until the rice is completely cooked, about 5 to 7 minutes. All of the liquid should NOT be absorbed or evaporated – the rice needs some moisture to be creamy. Taste the rice as you go to ensure readiness. Note: monitor the liquid level of the skillet so you can add tablespoons of stock or water if needed.
Step 6
Stir everything together; the shrimp should be plump and cooked through as well. Fold in frozen peas and remove from the heat.
Step 7
Season to taste with sea salt & pepper, then garnish with fresh parsley.
Step 8
For the salad, mix together the ingredients for the dressing, drizzle over the arugula and toss together!
Step 9
Enjoy the rice with an arugula salad!
**Note: calories & macronutrient do not include the side salad**
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hey, I'm Kevin
My name is Kevin. My life changed when I realized that healthy living is a lifelong journey, mainly won by having a well-balanced diet and maintaining an active lifestyle.
By experimenting in the kitchen and sharing my meals on Tumblr, I learned healthy eating is not boring! By making a few adjustments to my favorite foods, I could design a diet that could help me achieve my wellness goals while satisfying my desire for BANGIN food! 😅 Now I try to help people around the world realize that same level of freedom in eating regardless of budget. Welcome, let's #DemocratizeWellness together!