Posted April 15, 2020

In Cooking, Low Sodium Diet, Meal Prep, Mediterranean Diet Meal Prep Cookbook, Recipe

I am so happy to finally announce that I am officially a cookbook author! I wrote a cookbook!

When I was a kid, I had this dream of writing a cookbook when I was older, but I never thought it would actually happen! At a holiday party in 2018, I mentioned to a colleague that I was thinking about writing a book. After hurling that thought into the universe, a year later, it actually happened.

I put my heart and soul into writing Mediterranean Diet Meal Prep Cookbook and couldn’t be more thrilled to start giving you some sneak peeks into the book. If you are looking for healthy, tasty, and simple meal prep recipes, then this is the book for you. 🙂

Why the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean diet is my favorite way of eating. Let me point out that even though the word “diet is thrown in there, it’s technically not a diet in the way that we think of weight-loss diets. It’s an overall dietary pattern. A very healthy one in fact!

What are the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet?

If you’re looking for a heart-healthy way of eating, you can’t get much better than this! Not only can you possibly reduce your risk for heart disease, but this dietary pattern may also be beneficial for improved cognitive function, preventing and controlling type 2 diabetes, protecting against some forms of cancer, and improving your gut microbiome.

What types of foods are included in the Mediterranean diet?

The Mediterranean diet includes so many of my favorite ingredients to cook with including:

Olive oil
Avocado
Vegetables and fruit (this can include frozen and canned antipasti style items like roasted peppers, artichokes, and capers)
Potatoes and sweet potatoes
Seafood (includes canned versions like salmon, tuna, and sardines)
Whole grains (such as whole wheat bread, farro, brown rice, oats, and quinoa)
Beans, chickpeas, lentils and dried peas
Nuts, peanuts, and seeds
Eggs and poultry (beef, pork, and lamb are eaten in smaller amounts)
Tofu and tempeh
Plain Greek yogurt
Flavorful cheeses such as feta and parmesan
Herbs and spices + onions and garlic
Red wine

Sounds pretty good right? 🙂

Meal Prep Quinoa Bruschetta Salad

When I was trying to figure out which recipe to share, I wanted to choose a main ingredient that I know a lot of you probably stocked up on at the beginning of the mad COVID-19 grocery rush. Those grocery trips where you grabbed whatever shelf-stable pantry staples you could find! And quinoa is probably one of those items.

I ended up with multiple bags of quinoa, so I’ve been making this salad often for my work-from-home lunches. Quinoa is technically a seed, but categorized nutritionally as a whole grain. In addition to protein and fiber, quinoa contains powerful anti-inflammatory antioxidants, such as quercetin.

Not only is this a great recipe for meal prep, but it’s also a great meatless dish to bring to a picnic or BBQ. That is, when we’re actually allowed to socialize in person again!

Some days I eat this salad at room temperature, other days I heat it up in the microwave. Sometimes I eat it as is, or I’ll add some grilled chicken or even canned tuna for additional protein. Other times I’ll clean out the fridge and add other types of veggies like greens, chopped broccoli, or red peppers. It’s a pretty versatile salad!

If you’re interested in checking out my book, Mediterranean Diet Meal Prep Cookbook, click HERE. Let me know in the comments if you have any questions!

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Quinoa Bruschetta Salad

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 12 reviews

Not only is this a great recipe for meal prep, but it’s also a great meatless dish to bring to a picnic or BBQ. If you want to add additional protein, feel free to top with grilled chicken or even canned tuna.

Author: TastyBalance Nutrition
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 5 (1-1/3 cup) servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup uncooked quinoa

2 cups water

1 (10-ounce) container cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1¼ cups thinly sliced green onions, white and green parts (1 small bunch)

1 (8-ounce) container fresh whole milk mozzarella balls (ciliegine), quartered

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 Tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup fresh basil leaves, chiffonade (cut into strips)

Instructions

Place water and quinoa in a saucepan and bring water to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Cool quinoa before adding remaining ingredients.
While quinoa is cooking, place tomatoes, garlic, green onions, mozzarella, balsamic vinegar, and oil in a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
Once quinoa is cool, add it to the tomatoes along with the salt and basil. Mix to combine.
Meal Prep Step: Place 1⅓ cups into 5 containers and refrigerate. Serve at room temperature.

Notes

Storage: Store covered containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Keywords: mediterranean diet, meal prep, quinoa, salad, gluten free, vegetarian, nut free

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