The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Two: 100 Perfectly Portioned Recipes for Healthy Eating

by Anne Danahy

Set your Mediterranean table for two with perfectly portioned dishes


With crisp veggies, succulent seafood, hearty grains, and healthy oils, the Mediterranean diet makes nutritious eating a pleasure. This cookbook brings its bright flavors and bountiful health benefits to your table with recipes designed for two people. Relax and savor a delicious breezy seaside breakfast or a simple rustic dinner, all without leaving home. Together, discover how a Mediterranean lifestyle can reduce the risk of heart disease, aid in weight loss, and more. Change your life with healthy eating by cooking up meals that feature quick prep times and seasonal, accessible ingredients like the below:


CITRUS FENNEL SALAD: Bursting with fresh oranges, creamy goat cheese, and toasted pecans, this bright and aromatic salad is like a plateful of sunshine.

POACHED SALMON WITH MUSTARD-HERB SAUCE: Poaching rich salmon in a tangy mustard-yogurt sauce keeps the fish moist and flaky, with an added pop of flavor from dried tarragon.

GREEK-INSPIRED BEEF KEBABS: Perfect for grilling on a summer night, these colorful beef and vegetable kebabs are marinated in tangy balsamic vinegar and fragrant rosemary.

CHOCOLATE TURTLE HUMMUS: Discover the unexpected magic of chocolate with chickpeas in a sweet twist on a Mediterranean classic.


Share the healthy Mediterranean diet with someone special. This cookbook for two makes it easy to cook in your kitchen and enjoy delicious, healthy food together.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Health, Nonfiction, Reference

212 pages, Paperback

Published April 14, 2020

Reviews

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the clarity of the information and the span of topics in regards to types of recipes. Overall a good book. Feels weird to read and review a recipe book!

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wish there were more pictures of the many recipes presented. Overall a pretty good cookbook with clear and easy to follow recipes. Each recipe includes helpful tips by the author who is a registered dietician.

[Kathleen Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Two is just that, a diet book for two, comprised of mostly vegetarian recipes.
There is an overview of the Mediterranean diet which helps you to understand what the diet is.
There are 8 principles of the Mediterranean Diet:
Focus on Vegetables
Change your thoughts about meat
Herbs and spices
Dairy foods
Grains
Fruits
The Mediterrean diet reduces the risk of heart disease
Beneficial for weight management
May reverse metabolic sydrome
Reduces the risk of, and helps manage Diabetes
Improves brain health and cognitive function
It may also reduce the risk of cancer.
The recipes are simple, easy to make and don't take a lot of time. there are recipes for breakfast, snacks, soups, salads, vegetable mains, fish and seafood mains, poultry mains, beef, pork and lamb mains, simple side dishes and desserts and sweets.
I have marked several recipes that I want to try.
The book is easy to read and understand, I just wish there were more pictures. Other than that, this book is certainly one to have on the cookbook shelf!

[Julie Barrett]

Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Two: 100 Perfectly Portioned Recipes for Healthy Eating by Anne Danahy,RDN
Dedication page and then starts with table of contents where recipes are broken up into meal categories.
Lots of basic information about the Med diet plan and other aspects of it=-good resource.
Like chart showing portion sizes you need to be in taking, so clear.
Each meal section starts with a full color photo and a summary of the category.
Each recipe starts with a title, prep and cook times and servings. also total time, allergy free, gluten, etc are mentioned
Summary of the ingredients and why they are so special to the recipe and health benefits.
List of ingredients is given and you should be able to use a low fat, low sugar, low sodium product as well for your healthier dietary needs.
Directions are given and there is some nutritional information: calories, total fat, total carbs, fiber, protein, sugar, sodium and cholesterol. Fat is NOT broken up into good or bad.
There are no individual pictures for recipes.
Wish at the start of each of the chapters there was an index of the recipes included.
Conversion measurement charts are also included at the end along with references, index, and about the author.
A KEEPER for me because of nutritional information included and wide variety of items.
I received this review copy from The Callisto Publisher's Club and this is my honest opinion.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a well-laid out book with brightly colored pictures and a lot of good information. It is definitely a good addition to any cookbook collection.

What I liked: the recipes are really good with easy to follow instructions. Each recipe also includes information on whether it is gluten free, lactose free, vegan, vegetarian, and so on. And the nutritional info is there as well (a definite bonus that I love). At the end of the book are several pages of references for you to look further if you want.

What I didn’t like: Quite a few of the recipes either included ingredients that are not familiar to me (though the author did include explanations on some of them) or are not available in my small-town grocery. I’d have to drive to another town and a bigger (and more expensive) store to find some of these items. Or order them online. Not worth my time and money for things I might rarely use.

Recommendation: While I really liked some of the recipes (especially the olive oil orange cake!), some of them included ingredients not readily available to me. I do recommend this cookbook, but keep that caveat in mind.

This book was given to me by the publisher.

[Kimba Tichenor · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent cookbook. Directions are clear; recipes are tasty; and nutritional information is provided.

The cookbook consists of 11 chapters -- 9 of which provide recipes, while the other two provide an overview of the Mediterranean diet and information on cooking for two and how to stock your pantry for this diet. The recipe sections are as follows: Breakfast, snacks, soups and salads, vegetarian mains, fish and seafood mains, poultry mains, beef, pork, and lamb mains, simple side dishes, and desserts and sweets. Thus, there is something for everyone interested in following this diet.

My one critique is that a few of the recipes included in the "Vegetarian Main Dish" section sometimes lack sufficient protein to qualify as a main dish. For example: Beet and Carrot fritters with yogurt sauce is listed as a vegetarian main dish, but it only has 6 grams of protein. Similarly Orzo-Stuffed Tomatoes also has only 7 grams of protein. That said, there are many vegetarian main dish recipes included that have more than enough protein.

Overall, a soldi cookbook that makes it easy to cook for 2 without a ridiculous amount of leftovers.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

You had me at Mug Cake

Ok, for starters, I like beans. Doing without beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, even pork is no big deal. I rarely eat out and I eat alone. All that info is just so you know where I started at with this cookbook. Way too few fish and seafood recipes. I would have liked to see more on tinned fish. Also more on beans such as flavoring without a soup bone.

The meals that are meat-centric are nice, just not an every day thing. If you do prefer meat daily, this cookbook offers some strong technique and ingredient tips to take your meals for two past sad steaks and chicken breasts.

Now what did I like, a lot? Excellent background info. Good nutrition details. I learned that Branzino is mostly a framed fish. How to shop smart for small quantities of the freshest vegetables. How nice it is to enjoy fresh fruit and a little cheese instead of a fat- or sugar-laden dessert.

Finally for those once or twice a month special treats, that Orange Olive Oil Mug Cake is a single diners' dream.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to learn more about the Mediterranean Diet and enjoyed reading this book. Some of the recipes have more ingredients required for dishes yet I found many that I would make on a weeknight. Prep is easy and a lot of these meals are 30 about minutes. It's great for planning quick entrees for busy schedules.

[Judy Maron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent cookbook

I love this cookbook. It is well written. The recipes are not complicated. I especially like the dietary breakdown at the end of the r cope. Highly recommend this cookbook!

[Carol Preflatish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great cookbook with easy recipes, and using ingredients that I mostly have on my shelf. I'm looking forward to making many of these dishes. I gave it 4 stars because the only photos are at the beginning of each chapter. I'd love to have seen more photos of the dishes.

[Judy Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a perfect cookbook for empty nesters. I like to cook and this book offered new choices to sample. Some of our favorite recipes are the mushrooms and pasta with marscapone (I substituted cream cheese), halloumi with pesto and tomato, and the lemon chicken soup.

[Deborah Weston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to understand and recipes sized for two

I really liked the introduction and the recipes are easy to follow. Nice to have downsized recipes for two. No leftovers and no waste on most things.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good recipes

Some good recipes, I am not a fish eater which is always a problem for me with most healthy eating cookbooks.

[Chrissie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect portions for two people. Definitely gourmet but easy to make meals. A great cookbook for those that want to eat healthier.

[Norma · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like to see photos with recipes. At least to show me what it's supposed to look like.

[Lucie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good recipes

This is a very good Mediterranean cookbook. I did not know what to expect and these recipes are foods I will usually eat.

[Nightraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recipes

Some great recipe ideas for eating healthier. I am looking forward to cooking some tasty foods. The soups will be my first tries.

[Theanne Sue Keffeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looks like a lot of good recipes

A lot of inspiration in this cookbook. Everything looks delicious. I hope that I can get my own copy of it.

[Brett Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite a few really good recipes

Most cookbooks maybe have one recipe that I really use. This has a bunch. I definitely recommend giving this book a try

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most ingredients are readily available. Noted a few recipes to try.

[Dee Tighe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good recipes . Wish satured fat was listed in nutritional information.

[MARSHA · Rating 4 out of 5]

The recipes were pretty good but not necessarily doable because of the availability of ingredients.

[Conny Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each dish is specifically created for two people–so cooking is a breeze, nothing is wasted, and everything is savored,” states the back cover of Anne Danahy’s book, The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Two: 100 Perfectly Portioned Recipes for Healthy Eating.

~ What ~
This two-hundred-and-twelve-page paperback targets those interested in Mediterranean cooking with smaller portioned dishes. After an introduction, the book is divided into eleven sections that contain one hundred recipes, followed by measurement conversions, references, index, and the author’s biography.

The first chapter offers an overview of the Mediterranean diet, focusing on eight principles, its science, and health benefits. The next chapter is about plate portions, pantry options, shopping, and saving money. Chapters three through eleven have breakfast, snacks, soups, salads, vegetarian, fish/seafood, poultry, beef, pork, lamb, simple sides, desserts, and sweets recipes.

Each one-to-two-page recipe begins with its title, followed by prep time, serving size, and a descriptive paragraph. The ingredients are listed in order used on the left side of the page with numbered directions on the right side. Often added are variation, ingredient, substitution, and prep tips. All include caloric information.

~ Why ~
Now that my husband and I are empty-nesters, we tend to make meals together so this is a lovely book for partners who want to eat healthily. I like the simplistic instructions and variety of so many dish options with sometimes unique ingredients.

Some of the notable recipes are Tomato Goat Cheese Stovetop Frittata, Apple Chips with Chocolate Tahini, Green Bean and Halloumi Salad, Grilled Eggplant Stacks, Salmon Cakes with Tzatziki Sauce, Skillet Greek Turkey and Rice, Baked Lamb Kofta Meatballs, Toasted Grain and Almond Pilaf, and Orange Olive Oil Mug Cakes.

~ Why Not ~
Those who do not like cooking, especially with someone else, may have no need for this book. Others may have issues with finding some of the uncommon ingredients.

~ Wish ~
Being a visual person, I wish there were colored photographs of all completed dishes. Adding a list of recipes at the beginning of each chapter instead of on the table of contents page would make them easier to look up.

~ Want ~
If there is only one or two of you to cook for, this makes a lovely cookbook that concentrates on healthy, fresh dishes portioned perfectly for two.

Thanks to Callisto Publisher’s Club and the author for this complimentary book that I am under no obligation to review.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Two: 100 Perfectly Portioned Recipes for Healthy Eating is a good cookbook for those looking nutritious recipes that are scaled back for smaller households. The author takes the time to explain the principles of the Mediterranean diet, the science behind it, the essential ingredients, and shopping tips.

The recipes themselves are laid out in logical sections, which I have listed below along with some of my favorites.

Breakfast: Cherry Almond Baked Oatmeal Cups; Spinach, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Feta Egg Wraps

Snacks: Stuffed Cucumber Cups

Soups and Salads: Spicy Sausage Lentil Soup; Citrus Fennel Salad

Vegetarian Mains: Stuffed Pepper Stew; Lentil Bolognese; Orzo-Stuffed Tomatoes

Fish and Seafood Mains: Cioppino; Roasted Branzino with Lemon and Herbs

Poultry Mains: Chicken Cutlet with Greek Salsa; Stovetop Chicken Cacciatore; Skillet Greek Turkey and Rice

Beef, Pork, and Lamb Mains: Lemon Herb-Crusted Pork Tenderloin; Grilled Filet Mignon with Red Wine-Mushroom Sauce; Baked Lamb Kofta Meatballs

Simple Sides: Crispy Roasted Red Potatoes with Garlice, Rosemary, and Parmesan; Roasted Broccolini with Garlic and Romano; Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Tahini Sauce

Desserts and Sweets: Orange Olive Oil Mug Cakes; Mini Mixed Berry Crumbles

There is a lot to like about The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Two: 100 Perfectly Portioned Recipes for Healthy Eating. I enjoyed the recipes and would incorporate many of them into my menu planning. Eaters who have particular dietary restrictions will like that the author lists attributes of the recipes, such as dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian, and so on. I wish that there were more photos of the finished dishes, as there is only one at the beginning of each section. Overall, this cookbook shows the Mediterranean diet to be healthy and accessible.

I was given a copy of The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Two: 100 Perfectly Portioned Recipes for Healthy Eating via the publisher. I chose to review this cookbook and my opinion is freely given.

[Renee Knoblauch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love eating Mediterranean foods and I really appreciate all the health benefits that go with it. Unfortunately I’m the only one in my family that eats Mediterranean foods. I really like having recipes that are meant for smaller portions as I don’t have to eat it for a week or freeze a bunch of leftovers-some foods just don’t taste as good.

If you’re not familiar with the Mediterranean diet there is some information about it and the health benefits. A beneficial list of items to keep stocked up in your pantry along with other perishable foods.

The chapters are broken up by: Breakfast, Snacks, Soups and Salads, Vegetarian Mains, Fish and Seafood Mains, Poultry Mains, Beef, Pork, and Lamb Mains, Simple Sides, and Desserts and Sweets. All the recipes are easy to follow with ingredients you can find easily in your grocery store. The recipes are also listed if they are Vegetarian, 30 Minute, 10 Minutes, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, and a few others.

I’ve made a few recipes like the Individual Baked Egg Casseroles, Mediterranean Chicken Salad Wraps, and the Moroccan-Style Couscous. They were all very good and I have several others I plan on making.

I received a copy of this product from Callisto Publisher's in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review.

[Gerry O'Meara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rather American for my taste.