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main mediterranean products

Do you know how to enjoy the Mediterranean diet? The best way is to get to know its traditional cuisine and the fresh ingredients that are so important for this diet.

What are the main products of the Mediterranean diet? The most famous, olive oil, known as "liquid gold". It is obtained from the olive, rich in oleic acid, which reduces cholesterol levels. You can learn about the most important oils in Spain and their denomination of origin in the "olive oil" section of this blog.
Vegetables and fruits are also essential products in Spanish recipes, such as the banana from the Canary Islands or grapes, the main fruit of the Spanish New Year's ritual, among many others.

SPANISH PRODUCTS MAP

As you can see in the previous map, in Spain we have a large variety of products, which are part of the mediterranean diet. The main ones are wine and olive oil. But there are others such as oranges in Valencia, bananas in the Canary Islands, ham in Salamanca and southern Spain and cheese in northern Spain.

INTRODUCTION VIDEO

Here's an introduction video about the mediterranean diet, explaining that it's not just food, but a lifestyle.

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mediterranean recipes

Now that we have learned which are the main ingredients of the mediterranean diet, we have to mix them up to create healthy and delicious dishes, here you will learn how to cook gazpacho, pisto and ,mediterranean macedonia. Some typical spanish meals using the products shown previously.

Gazpacho

Gazpacho is one the most famous dishes outside Spain, and the favorite for those who come looking for gastronomic tourism in the south of the country. As we will see, it's made out of ripe tomatoes, green pepper, onion, olive oil, croutons and white wine vinegar which give rise to a healthy recipe, perfect to consume cold and in summer.

ingredients:

1 kg of Pear tomato
1 italian green pepper
1 Cucumber
2 garlic cloves
50 ml of extra virgin olive oil
50 g of hard loaf bread
250 ml of water
5 g of salt
30 ml of Vinegar from Jerez

steps:

1. Chop all the indicated ingredients and add 50 ml of olive oil, 250 ml of water and 50 ml of vinegar, blending everything in the blender.

2. If you have a Thermomix you can put all the ingredients in the glass and blend them at maximum speed for 4 minutes to obtain a perfect texture. Once crushed, we pass the resulting gazpacho through the fine sieve, so that there is a cream without seeds and we put it in the fridge for a couple of hours to cool well.

Pisto:

The authentic recipe is made with only tomatoes, green and red peppers, and zucchini, but many prefer to substitute the zucchini for the aubergine. It can be served cold or hot (traditionally it is usually presented in the latter way, but in summer many prefer it fresh from the fridge) and it is especially typical of Castilla-La Mancha.

ingredients:

400g of ripe tomatoes
1 large onion
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 zucchini
1 clove garlic
50ml of white wine
Salt (to taste of each house)
Mild extra virgin olive oil

Wash the vegetables. Chop them into “brunoise” (small cubes), of similar size.
In a casserole or a high frying pan, add a sheet of extra virgin olive oil and heat. When it takes temperature, add the onion and fry it. Next, add the garlic and peppers. Mix well.
Salt to taste, and add a good splash of white wine. At this point, cover the pan, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. The next step is to incorporate the zucchini. Mix again, cover and continue cooking for another 20 minutes. Over low heat, but let a continuous “chup chup” be appreciated.
Crush diced tomatoes with a blender, and add them to the rest of the vegetables. Mix,
Let cook 20 more minutes (with the pan covered). After some time, we will have a delicious vegetable ratatouille ready.

mediterranean macedonia

Although these types of recipes can (and should) be eaten throughout the year, I especially like them during the hottest seasons as they are refreshing and are one of the fastest and healthiest desserts to prepare. I am referring, of course, to desserts with fruit, and this one in particular, a classic.

ingredients:

1/2 pineapple.
2 peaches.
8 strawberries.
2 bananas
2 kiwis.
2 slices of watermelon.
Juice of 1 or 2 oranges, depending on whether you like it with more or less liquid.
Sugar, you can not add it or add it to your liking,
A few mint leaves or fresh mint.

Macedonia-de-frutas-casera-la-receta-del-postre-mas-saludable-y-sabroso.jpg

steps:

Cut all fruits into medium portions and mix them in a large bowl.
Look the orange juice with the sugar to create a syrup. add to fruit mixture when cool.
Add a few mint leaves for a fresh touch. Let cool completely and serve in glasses.

Now you know how to prepare three delicious spanish mediterranean meals, as you can see they are really easy to make. There's no excuse to join the mediterranean diet! a healthier way of eating.