Eating the the Mediterranean Way

The Mediterranean way of eating draws inspiration from the traditional cuisines of Greece, Spain, Italy, and southern France. It's focused on eating mostly from five food groups: fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, healthy fats (from olive oil, nuts, and seeds), and fish.

The approach is nutritious and flavorful, with meals rich in antioxidants and aromatic herbs and spices, making healthy eating something you can look forward to. You can enjoy moderate amounts of dairy, eggs, and poultry, and red meat is included occasionally in smaller portions.

My friend Cathy

is a guest foodie today on Ever Ready, sharing her expertise with a delicious meal based on the Mediterranean principles.  The recipes are included below. Thanks, Cathy, for sharing your tasty recipes. 

Tilapia with Corn Salsa

Cook's Notes: The recipe serves four. 

Ingredients:

• 4 tilapia fillets (6 ounces each)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (11 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
• 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped sweet red pepper

Directions:

• Drizzle both sides of fillets with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
• Broil 4-6 in. from the heat until fish flakes easily with a fork, 5-7 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Serve with the fish.

Parmesan Roasted Asparagus with Tomatoes & Balsamic

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (or quartered depending on their size)
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup shaved parmesan
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 7 large basil leaves, sliced thin
• Balsamic reduction (store-bought or homemade)

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  
• Then toss your tomatoes, minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon of olive oil together in a bowl. Season it with salt and pepper to taste, then set it aside.
  
• Next, snap the ends off your asparagus and add them to a large bowl. Toss them with ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and arrange them in a horizontal line on your prepared baking sheet.
  
• Sprinkle your Parmesan cheese evenly over the asparagus and spoon your tomato mixture over the top. 
  
• Place the pan in the oven and roast for 12-15 minutes (or until the asparagus and tomatoes are tender).
  
• Once done, sprinkle your sliced basil over the tomatoes and drizzle with your balsamic reduction. (Alternatively, you can drizzle each individual serving with balsamic and not the entire tray.) Serve immediately.
  
  
  

Sunday Supper with a side of Strawberry Broccoli Salad

Strawberry Broccoli Salad 

 A tasty side that takes center stage in a grilled Salmon BBQ meal. 

The recipe was adapted from carlsbadcravings 

Strawberry Broccoli Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Cook's Notes: The salad is best served if chilled for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight. Toss with avocados just before serving. This recipe serves 6.

Ingredients:

• 5 heaping cups chopped broccoli florets, or can blanch broccoli head before chopping into florets 
• 1- 1/2 cups chopped strawberries (a little less than 1 lb)
• 1/3 cup diced red onion
• 1 pear, peeled and chopped
• 1 small sweet apple, diced, and leave the skin on  
• 1 large avocado, chopped
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds or cashews, roughly chopped
• Optional 1/3 cup crumbled feta

Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup real mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice 
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard 
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper 

Directions: 

Taste test to adjust seasonings. Whisk all ingredients until smooth. The dressing can be made ahead and refrigerated in a screw-type jar.

.

Chinese Chicken Salad

 Chinese Chicken Salad with a whole lotta

Cook's Notes: No surprise I failed to follow the Chinese Chicken Salad recipe posted from damndelicious.com 

I figured out how to shortcut the recipe without compromising the taste. 

I used a rotisserie chicken for 3 cups of cooked meat, purchased a package of Asian Chopped Salad mixture, La Choy Crunchy Noodles, used the dressing from the salad kit, and then added chopped salted cashews on top of the salad.  The mandarin oranges were a tasty contrast to the other ingredients. 

I thought the salad was quite delicious and the perfect light summer meal. I loved all the textures, especially the crunch. The recipe serves four.  

Chinese Chicken Salad Ingredients:

• 1/2 of the package Asian Chopped Salad Kit
• 1/2 of the dressing mix (included in the salad kit package) 
• 1/2 can of the container of La Choy Asian Style Crunchy Noodles
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped salted cashew nuts
• 1 small can of Mandarin oranges, drained, patted dry with a paper towel 
• 2-3 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1/3 cup diced green onions
• 1 cup crispy wonton strips (included in the salad kit) 

Directions:

• Mix all the ingredients above and serve immediately. 
  

Book Review

BOOK REVIEW: The Bric-a-Brac of Mickey Mack

This sharp, witty contemporary poetry collection captures the emotional leap into adulthood through coming-of-age themes, written in a humorous, satirical style using parodies. This book pays homage to the time period where the youthful optimist now bears the weight of adulthood with a sink-or-swim attitude. The parody verses are clever, witty, relatable, and meaningful. It's a light-hearted approach that offers insight into everyday struggles for readers entering a new phase of life. While the book highlights the inevitable sense of crushing defeat and loss one can encounter when becoming an adult, it also shows the importance of laughing anyway. Author Mickey Mack feels life can be a game of avoiding the consequences of your own actions. Illustrations are eye-catching caricatures that punctuate the verses. I enjoyed the preface, a lengthy author overview that defines what bric-à-brac means to him. He is upfront, stating he considers himself a collector of clutter, a great cataloger of nonsensical junk of incalculable sentimental value. But in his defense of clutter and collecting mementos, one can be transported to a time of great significance, when, at some point, this trash becomes your greatest treasure. These treasures may remind us of a moment in time, who we were in our life's story. Don't waste time, jump into the zany world of Mickey Mack and enjoy the hilarious ride through poetic verses.

ALL ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mickey Mack hails from a speck in the flyover zone, a Midwestern

city in the American Heartland. Mack has spent his life tripping

over his shoelaces into success. A walking oxymoron, Mack’s life is a parade of ill-advised decisions that somehow land him in clover. His carefully plotted schemes disastrously explode, while his spur-of-the-moment capers bear the juiciest fruit. He’s fallen backward through existence as a self-proclaimed wiseman in hindsight, a lifelong old soul now exiting youth resentfully and ungracefully.

#parody #mickeymack #bluecottageagency #storylaboratory #poeticverses #clicksbynadison #rendevouswithawriter #midstatedesign

Caprese Pasta Salad

 

FIRE UP THE GRILL

TRY A NEW SIDE: CAPRESE PASTA SALAD

Cook's Notes: An easy side that pairs well with your next BBQ meal, potluck, or picnic. It's fresh and full of summer flavor, made with juicy tomatoes, mozzarella balls, basil, and balsamic glaze. The recipe was adapted from twopeasandtheirpod. 

For the best flavor, marinate the tomatoes for an hour at room temperature before adding the cooked pasta to the dish.  

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 8 oz. bocconcini (small mozzarella balls found in the deli section)  
• 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-1/2 tablespoons high-quality dark balsamic vinegar
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 4 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• Dash of crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 tablespoons minced fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1-1/2 cups dried pasta e.g. bowtie or orecchiette 
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Optional add in seasoned croutons

Directions:

• In a medium-sized bowl, combine chopped tomatoes, cheese balls, olive oil, 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, spices, basil, salt and pepper. Stir until the tomatoes and cheese balls are coated, then let sit for 1 hour at room temperature. 
• Add pasta to boiling salted water, reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook al dente about 7 minutes. 
• Drain pasta and rinse with cold water. Add to marinated tomatoes. 
• Drizzle the top of the salad with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
  
  

LOOKING FOR SOME BBQ MEAL IDEAS TO SERVE WITH THE SALAD?

Raspberry Balsamic Chipotle BBQ Glazed  

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2023/05/fire-up-grill.html

BBQ Bacon Bourbon Chicken Skewers

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2025/07/4th-of-july-round-up_2.html

Honey Garlic BBQ Sauced Sloppy Joes 

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2022/10/honey-garlic-bbq-sauced-sloppy-joes.html

ENJOY YOUR DAY

 

Blueberry Yogurt Parfait

Knowing a Blueberry Yogurt Parfait is waiting for you on the table, no doubt you'll rise and shine quickly.  It's a simple recipe that makes for a delicious breakfast, a tempting midday snack, or part of a Sunday brunch. Simple ingredients come together for yogurt parfait cups packed with smooth, creamy yogurt, crunchy granola, and juicy, colorful fruit. I went "fancy" and used wine glasses for serving this parfait. The blueberry sauce can be made the day before and refrigerated.  The sauce can also be served over cake or ice cream. The recipe was adapted from cookingclassy.com

Ingredients:

• 2-1/2 cups fresh blueberries, divided
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-2/3 cups low-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cup cinnamon granola store-bought (break up clusters before measuring) 

Directions:

• In a saucepan, bring 2 cups of blueberries, sugar, and water to a simmer over medium heat. 
• Cook, stirring frequently, until the berries have mostly burst and the compote has thickened, about 5-7 minutes. 
• Add in vanilla, and there should be 1 cup of blueberry compote.
• Pour sauce into a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. 
• To assemble parfaits among four glasses: layer 1/ 3 cup of yogurt, 2 tablespoons blueberry sauce, 2 tablespoons granola, and 1 tablespoon blueberries. 
• Repeat the layers one more time. Serve immediately. 
  

Looking for another healthy breakfast option? Craving a banana split but too many calories? Try this healthier version, a meal in itself.   

• Split the banana lengthwise. Add several dollops of yogurt down the middle. 
• Load up with fresh fruits and a sprinkle of nuts.
• Whole wheat toast points are added to round out the meal. 
  
  
  

A Winning Combo

 

A toast to summer at the lake

Black-Eyed Susan Cocktail

Cook's Notes:

Since I missed posting this popular Kentucky Derby recipe in May, I thought it was perfect for a lake summer toast in June. The cocktail combines everyday spirits with fruit juices for a refreshing drink.  

The recipe below makes one drink and was adapted from inspiried by charm blog site.

Ingredients: 

• 1 oz. vodka
• 1 oz. white rum or coconut rum
• 1/2 oz. tripe sec
• 2 oz. pineapple juice
• 2 oz. orange juice 
• Optional lime slice and a Luxardo cherry for garnish 

Directions: 

• Fill a glass about 3/4 full of ice.
• Add the ingredients and stir until well combined. 

BBQ Ham, Bacon, and Pineapple Quesadillas 

Cook's notes:  

The recipe makes 1-10-inch tortilla or 2- 6 or 8-inch tortillas

I used a panini maker, but a griddle works just as well. These sandwiches can be cut into smaller pieces and used as an appetizer. I used 2- 6-inch tortillas for this recipe. The recipe was adapted from closetcooking.com

Ingredients:

• 1- 10-inch tortilla or 2- 6 or 8-inch tortilla 
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced deli ham, diced
• 3 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled  
• 1/4 cup drained pineapple tidbits
• 2 tablespoons of your favorite BBQ sauce
• Optional 2 tablespoons jalapeno, sliced

Directions:

• Drain pineapple on a paper towel.
• Place the tortilla on a sheet of wax paper. On half of tortilla spread BBQ sauce. Add  pineapple, ham, bacon, jalapeno if using, and top with shredded cheese. 

• Heat the griddle or panini maker. Fold the top of the tortilla down over the filling ingredients.  
• Cook about 2-4 minutes a side.