Bright, Delicious and Fresh Medi Meals (1600-1800 calories)

From creamy hummus and juicy tomatoes to olive oil and delicious seafood – the Mediterranean Diet is an undeniably tasty way to eat healthfully. You’re looking at an entire day’s worth of bright, delicious, and fresh dishes handcrafted just for you all for only 1600-1800 calories!

This meal plan will help steer you down the path to more nutritious eating and a healthier way of living using the guidelines from the Mediterranean Diet. Look at all the combinations below to see why eating on a “diet” doesn’t ever have to be boring!

BREAKFAST

Vanilla Cinnamon Quinoa

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• ½ cup low fat milk or soy milk
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 tablespoon ground flax meal or chia seeds
• 2 teaspoons honey or pure maple syrup

Directions:

1. Heat the quinoa in a bowl in the microwave.
2. In a small saucepan over medium low, mix milk, vanilla, and cinnamon until heated through. Stir in quinoa, berries, flax meal or chia seeds, and honey or maple syrup.

Nutrition facts: Cal: 384 Fat: 9g Protein: 14g Carbohydrates: 68g Sodium: 51mg Potassium: 384mg

SNACK

• 1 cup plain 0% Greek yogurt
• ½ cup strawberries

Nutrition facts: Cal: 127 Fat: 6g Protein: 18g Carbohydrates: 7g Sodium: 62mg Potassium: 367mg

SHOW ME YOUR MOVES: High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is all the rage right now– and for good reason! These energizing exercises help you reach your maximum heart rate while strengthening your muscles and boosting your metabolism, all in less time than you might think! Tabata is one example of a HIIT workout that involves 20 seconds of vigorous exercise (like push-ups), followed by 10 seconds of rest, and then repeating it all over again 8 times for a total of 4 minutes. Depending on your fitness level, you can either increase or decrease the intensity. The beauty of this form of exercise is that it only takes about 30 minutes to get in an entire workout (including the 10 minute warm up and stretching)! However, since this is a high impact workout, beginners should use longer rest periods or start with less high impact exercises and then work their way up. Always consult with your doctor before embarking on an exercise program. Look for on-line videos from credible sources for proper form when doing exercises.

LUNCH

Reel Big Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 cup arugula
• ½ cup sliced celery
• 1/8 red onion, diced
• 5 oz. of canned, packed in water, tuna
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 1 tablespoon EVOO
• 1 teaspoon balsamic or red white vinegar

Directions:
Mix spinach, arugula, celery, diced red onion, and tuna in a large bowl. Toss with EVOO and vinegar and sprinkle with sunflower seeds.
SIDE NOTE: Add ½ avocado if need extra creaminess for tuna.

Nutrition facts: Cal: 413 Fat: 25g Protein: 37g Carbohydrates: 16g Sodium: 949mg Potassium: 1479mg

SNACK

• 1 small or medium baked sweet potato
• Drizzle of tahini (about 1 tablespoon)

Nutrition facts using a medium sweet potato: Cal: 192 Fat: 8g Protein: 5g Carbohydrate: 27g Sodium: 46mg Potassium: 611mg
If you need to cut the carbohydrate choose a small sweet potato: 1 small baked sweet potato+1 tablespoon Tahini ~143kcal

DINNER

Loco for Lentils

Ingredients:

• ½ cup cooked lentils
• ½ cup cooked chicken
• ¼ cup chopped tomatoes
• ¼ cup sliced mushrooms
• ½ cup baby spinach
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Bake chicken in oven on lined baking tray with foil on 450F for about 20 minutes
2. In large pot sauté tomatoes, mushrooms, and spinach.
3. Cook lentils in pot according to package instructions and add above spices.
4. Sautee mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes.
5. Mix in mushrooms, spinach and tomatoes with lentils and top with chicken.

Nutrition facts: Cal: 262 Fat: 4g Protein: 22g Carbohydrates: 42g Sodium: 751mg Potassium: 1364mg

FEED YOUR SUCCESS! Making healthy lifestyle changes takes time. A lifetime of habits can’t be undone in a week, month, or year. It takes time!

DESSERT

• 1 rice cake
• 1 tablespoon almond butter
• ½ medium mashed banana

Nutrition facts: Cal: 220 Fat: 9g Protein: 5g Carbohydrates: 31g Sodium: 32mg Potassium: 381mg