Mediterranean Every Day
Simple, Inspired Recipes for Feel-Good Food
by Sheela Prakash
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Pub Date 1 Sep 2020 | Archive Date 26 Aug 2020
Quarto Publishing Group – Harvard Common Press | Harvard Common Press
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Description
Mediterranean Every Day embraces a style of cooking that celebrates flavor with a relaxed, flexible attitude. It’s simple enough for a quick family meal, but never out of place for a weekend gathering with friends. Alongside stunning photography, discover easy crowd-pleasers like Herby Ricotta; weeknight meals like One-Pan Sausage, Pepper, and Onion Bake; and desserts like Roasted Figs with Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt.
Beyond the recipes, this is a book that teaches how to build a wholesome, well-stocked pantry. Start off with an introduction to the Mediterranean style of cooking and then choose your own adventure:
Three-Ingredient (or Fewer) Snacks and Cocktails: Whether it’s a pre-dinner snack you crave or a simple cocktail to shake up for friends, you’ll find easy and fun ideas like Smoky White Bean Hummus, Za’atar Pistachios, and Honeyed Prosecco.
Salads and Soups: Enjoy creative salads like The Easiest Arugula Salad, Smoked Salmon Greek Salad, Peak-Summer Panzanella, and a must-try Niçoise. Hearty soups include Lemon Parmesan Soup with Beans and Greens and Roasted Greek Tomato Soup.
Beans, Grains, and Bready Things: This non-traditional chapter features a variety of main dish–worthy recipes that can also be served as sides. Celebrate the seasons with a Spicy Broccoli Rabe and Chickpea Skillet, Lentil Fritters with Herbed Yogurt Dip, a Cheesy Brussels Sprout and Farro Bake, and risotto ideas for winter, spring, summer, and fall.
Colorful Pastas: Who doesn’t love a diet that lets you eat pasta? Enjoy feel-good pastas that are heavy on vegetables. Recipes include Brown Butter Tortellini with Spinach and Hazelnuts, Melted Broccoli Pasta with Capers and Anchovies, Pasta with Burst Cherry Tomatoes and Swordfish, Israeli Couscous Salad with Herbs, Green Olives and Pistachios, and a No-Cook Summer Tomato Pasta.
Gathering Dishes: The chapter’s name says it all! Whether it’s Tuesday or Saturday, and whether you’re cooking for just your family or a handful of friends, gather around Salmon in Crazy Water, Thyme Pesto Roast Chicken with Crispy Potatoes, Roasted Cod Saltimbocca, and Baked Chicken Milanese with Lemony Escarole.
Desserts: Seasonal and fresh is at the heart of this chapter. Recipes include Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta, Apricot Almond Clafoutis, Rosé-Soaked Peaches, and Chocolate Olive Oil Cake.
Available Editions
EDITION | Other Format |
ISBN | 9781558329997 |
PRICE | US$26.99 (USD) |
PAGES | 208 |
Featured Reviews
Simple nice recipes, lovely colourful photos. Everything I tried turned out and had lots of flavour.
I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Quarto Publishing Group – Harvard Common Press in exchange for an honest review.
This is a great recipe book with a lot of interesting things to make. It cuts down on the faff whilst still maintaining a sense of charm and warmth from the author. It starts off by explaining what a Mediterranean diet means followed by some simple basics to make for various recipes (flour, sauces etc). Recipes themselves are split into several sections: snacks, soups/salads, grains, pasta, larger dishes and desserts. My favourite sections were probably the pasta and larger dishes as they seemed both the most straightforward to make and also the tastiest-looking.
In terms of the recipes themselves, there's a good mix here. At a first glance a lot of the dishes look fancy but when you read the ingredients, they are mostly simple to make. They included a lot of flavours and things I wouldn't normally cook which is exactly what I was looking for, without the downside of being hard to try to make. There were a few exceptions but for the most part, this makes the recipes very accessible. My favourite recipe was for a base risotto with four seasonal variations to then make depending on the time of year. This was a great idea as it felt like the author put in extra effort to think about what would be in season and easy to buy, and I wish this had been done for other recipes. I appreciate it doesn't always work though.
Overall, this is a well put-together recipe book with a lot of neat things to try. It's easy to follow and it is clear a lot of thought has been put into how it has been constructed and the content of the recipes. It looks far fancier than it is and I recommend giving it a read if, like me, you're wanting to expand what you cook without breaking the bank.
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine
This is a great book
Loved the recipes and the way they are set out - Photography is lovely and bright
I would certainly consider buying this once out and could see myself cooking the dishes
I would have given this 5 stars but have marked it down as I had huge difficulties downloading and had to look at it on my phone rather than laptop which would have been a much better experience. This seems to happen a lot with cookbooks but I would rather have them in mobi format so that I could look at either on my kindle or kindle app on my laptop - It does spoil the whole experience - rant over !!
This book is gorgeous and the photos are beautiful! Most of the recipes have photos so it's a plus. The book is clear, organized and easy to follow. The recipes look fancy and I wouldn't make them in a everyday basis, they look like recipes for gathering. I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review
This was a great cookbook with lots of tasty and healthy options. I was a little disappointed that there weren't more recipes but that is just me wanted a ton of options. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for tasty meals that are are still good for you.
This is one of the friendliest cookbooks I have ever had the pleasure to read. This is a guide to recipes from the Mediterranean and the pictures enclosed were absolutely gorgeous! The author suggests “ Eating to feel your best” not to diet, which makes sense because that should be a goal everyone has.
What did I like? I love certain kinds of Mediterranean foods...not all kinds but this cookbook contained enough pleasant stories and a friendly enough vibe that it just belongs on your shelf. Eating to feel your best made me feel a certain inspiration since I know I’ve eaten certain things knowing they don’t always agree with me. From the smoked hummus to the salmon Greek salad...I’m hooked.
Would I buy or recommend? I would love a copy of this cookbook... just the first few recipes sold it to me. I’m always looking for a great hummus recipe, or pesto. Just mouth watering! No calorie information included with recipes, so that was the only thing I felt was missing. Still beautiful pictures and some great tips and tricks.
I received a copy to read and offer an opinion. I loved it! Five stars!
Mediterranean Every Day is a beautiful, classic cookbook. You'll find all of the usual Mediterranean staples within and a few special extras like fennel and parmesan "crostini" which looks delicious or "8 fancy ways to top panna cotta" - would it be Mediterranean if one of the options wasn't olive oil? On the whole, I found the book a little too weighted with grain based dishes and a little too light on protein. This is definitely a book for your risotto and pasta loving friend. The photos are lovely. It would make a great gift for someone looking for an introduction to Mediterranean cuisine.
I’ve recently started trying to live the Mediterranean lifestyle so was excited to try this new cookbook by Sheela Prakash. She does a great job explaining the foods that are predominant in Mediterranean cuisine and how it’s very simple to follow. The recipes are sectioned by category so you can easily find what you are interested in making. I really like how there are pictures for all the recipes. Most of the ingredients are readily available and the recipes are fairly easy to follow. The recipes I’ve made so far have been great.
I would definitely check this one out if you are looking for some new recipes that are easy and follow the Mediterranean lifestyle.
Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to experience this great cookbook
I've been embracing a more Mediterranean way of eating lately, so I've been on the lookout for good recipes/cookbooks that I can use. This cookbook was beautiful. It had the most wonderful pictures. And the recipes were easy to make and delicious!
Delicious food. Gorgeous pictures. Helpful tips. What's not to love?
The author makes amazing food seem very approachable, and I want to cook/eat everything in here. Nothing fussy - just solid recipes that are a cohesive collection but still display variety.
This is a lovely cookbook with tasty sounding recipes and lots of gorgeous photos. The author is a nutritionist who spent time in Italy and elsewhere in the Mediterranean, and the focus is on simple but delicious, healthy foods. Chapters feature staples, three ingredient or less snacks and cocktails, salads and soups, bean and grain dishes, pastas, "gathering dishes" and desserts.
Sample recipes melon and prosciutto caprese, black lentil fritters with lemon-herb yogurt, fresh corn and tomato risotto, quick sausage ragu over polenta, rose soaked peaches, London fog affogato (hot earl gray tea steeped with lavender, poured over vanilla ice cream).
Most of the recipes are naturally gluten free or fairly easy to adapt for those who don't eat gluten, with a few exceptions. Dairy is used fairly heavily. Animal products are used pretty heavily, though some recipes are vegetarian.
Photos are provided for most of the recipes. I was disappointed to see that even though the book was written by a nutritionist, no nutritional information is provided. Considering how many people seek out Mediterranean recipes because of their health benefits and how many people have to monitor their sodium, fat, protein, carbs/sugars, fiber, etc. this seems like a frustrating omission. That said, the recipes seem generally healthy and whole-foods based, and most can be prepared fairly quickly and easily.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
This book will make you want to take a trip to the Mediterranean immediately! The beautiful photography that accompanies the recipes will make them ASAP! Perfect for a gift!
This book was a wonderful exploration into the Mediterranean Diet. I really appreciate Prakash's philosophy on diet and food, and I found it really refreshing coming from a nutritionist! Her descriptions of spending time in Italy and working on a farm were beautiful as well.
And the recipes...... yall. I made the balsamic brown butter tortellini and it is perfection. There were many, many other recipes that I would love to make too. The recipes are easy to follow, there are plenty that would be perfect to make on a weeknight (for me, that means it takes less than an hour from start to finish), and the ingredients are easy to find! For the less-accessible ingredients there are plenty of substitution options! And the photos in the book are truly beautiful. I received a digital advanced copy, so the layout and design typically aren't 100% correct, but from what I could tell its one of the most attractive cookbooks I've seen!
I will definitely be getting a copy of this book for myself, my sister, my mom, my neighbor--it is THAT good. I'm so excited to try more of the recipes!!! I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A beautiful book with vivid photos. A short and powerful explanation of the Mediterranean diet. Spices, sauces, pasta, desserts, and even cocktails and drinks. I love how each photo is displayed on the page with the recipe, and the photos are amazing. Scrumptious recipes. It even offers recipes with 3 ingredients or less. Organized well. Even recipes that were organized by season. The author has an explanation or short personal story before many recipes that made things fun and interesting. A cookbook to turn to again and again. Definitely a keeper.
I just reviewed Mediterranean Every Day by Sheela Prakash. #MediterraneanEveryDay
This beautiful and easy to follow recipe book is for everyone!! The recipes use seasonal ingredients and is health conscience !!
There is a beautiful blend of different flavors to make daily/easy,and larger gathering meals.
Mediterranean Every Day offers options for ,three ingredient or less ,snacks and cocktails,
Soups and salads ,main daily entrees,, pasta (oh wow!!!), gathering special entrees and desserts!!
The recipes are easy to follow and help you to build a pantry just right for your Mediterranean cuisine.
Enjoy the 75 delicious opportunities to evoke a bit of the Mediterranean into your life.
Learn, eat and enjoy!!!
Thank you for the opportunity to review this ARC from NetGalley ,Quarto Publishing Group – Harvard Common Press, and Author Sheela Prakash
Accompanied by gorgeous colorful photos, the recipes in Mediterranean Every Day are approachable and delicious. The book is divided into meal type and include sections on snacks and cocktails and meals for a gathering, in addition to standard soups, salads, pastas, and entrees. All of the ingredients needed are are available in a well stocked grocery store and most recipes are healthy and fresh. I’m most excited by the caramelized mushroom pasta with crispy prosciutto and the risottos for each season using fresh seasonal ingredients.
Advanced copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Know what’s really soothing at the end of a long day? Reading a cookbook. I would recommend waiting until after you’ve eaten, though, or it might make you leave your wanting to rummage around the fridge at bedtime.
I read through this one after a particularly long, draining day, and it was delightful. I am always looking for easy ways to incorporate my heritage into my food, because it’s delicious, and bonus, it’s healthy. Many people have jumped on the Mediterranean diet train for good reason. The women in my family don’t live to be in their 100s just because.
Lebanese people will feed you until you’re stuffed and then insist you have some dessert. It’s what we do. Prakash has combined and adapted some wonderful Mediterranean recipes from across several countries and made them accessible for easier meal prep. I can’t wait to try out some of these in my weekly meal prep routine.
It’s organized like most cookbooks and has several sections depending on what you’re in the mood for. I loved the starter chapter with dressings, dips and the like. I have tried to cut out as much sodium as possible and rarely cook with it, so I appreciate being able to make simple dressings and dips that allow me to control the sodium content. There’s plenty of options for omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans alike. I love that Mediterranean food is so accessible to so many types of eaters.
This one is out on September 1st, so if you want some tasty recipes that you can actually prepare in a timely manner without spending a fortune, check this one out.
I have a lot of Mediterranean cookbooks on my shelves. A lot. And yet I cannot resist buying more. The first thing I look for is combinations of ingredients I wouldn't normally put together. I've lived in Spain, I've enjoyed the wonderful fresh food from the markets, I'm looking for inspiration to cook my favourite type of food ever - a Mediterranean diet, in a new and tasty way.
Sheela Prakash is a food and wine writer as well as recipe developer. She received a master's degree from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy, and she is inspired by the Italian nonne - 'Graziella'. When Sheela met Graziella she discovered what TRUE Mediterranean food was. Consequently this book has an Italian slant to its' taste of the Med. She then returned to The States, hence some 'American' words for vegetables and herbs.
Are there new recipes for me? We're in the middle of a heatwave at the moment, so the first thing that jumped out at me was 'Cucumber Tahini Gazpacho with crispy Chickpeas'. A definite one to try, and not something I've ever seen before, I'm always on the look out for a new risotto combination, and 'Lemony Asparagus' ticks the boxes for me. I've learnt to make sourdough in lockdown, so 'Tomato Bread with Burrata and Salse Verde' will be the next thing I make. I've got a massive packet of Orzo and no inspiration, but now I have 'Orzo Skillet with Shrimp and Feta' to try. I've not tried baking spinach before, or combining it with Artichoke. There are some interesting meat recipes, 'Skillet Lemon Chicken with Blistered Olives' for one. Plus some desserts and entertaining ideas.
The things that work for me in this book, are its' simplicity, fantastic photography for nearly ever recipe (an absolute must for me), and ingredients that you are likely to have in your cupboards and fridge. A Mediterranean diet is rich in fibre which digests slowly, and prevents huge swings in blood sugar.
I might have a lot of Mediterranean books on my shelves, but I need this one too.
This pic is filled with gorgeous pictures of the food. I am a person who likes pictures of the whole cooking process but they are hard to find. My second favorite is when they at least have a picture for each recipe which this book does beautifully. I loved the information offered at the beginning of the stapes and basic pantry for mediterranean cooking and it even tells you how to store it! I am not familiar with some of the dishes that the book contains but they seem pretty straight forward on how to make them and do not seem to be to difficult. Great sections as well.
Thank you so much for my copy of this. This is such a gorgeous recipe book and one of those rare instances were I want to eat pretty much everything in it too! Definitely recommend it for anyone who loves cooking and feeding their loved ones.
Mediterranean Every Day by Sheela Prakash is a cookbook full of delicious and wonderful recipes. They are easy to follow and the book has lots of helpful hints too. The pictures compliment the recipes very well.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book has a variety of Mediterranean recipes from drinks to desserts.
There's a lot of recipes that focus on chicken but there's also things like soups and salads. There's pictures of most of the recipes which is nice! The organization of the recipes are a bit confusing, but overall it's a good variety.
This cookbook has a good array of recipes and beautiful photos. I liked that there were some recipes with variations depending on the seasons, and I also liked that many were twists on classics.
An absolute delight! This is an essential Mediterranean cookbook. The author obviously loves Italy and Italian food and it shows in this lovely book. I read it on an ipad but even on that, the design is beautiful and the photographs are mouth-wateringly good!
Sheela gives us some brief background on her Italian love affair, outlines the Mediterranean diet and takes us through what should be in a good Mediterranean pantry, including in your fridge and freezer. Happily I have most of her recommendations!
Sheela gives some basic useful recipes such as roasted garlic, a basic vinaigrette, any herb pesto and so on. There are chapters on Salads and Soups, Beans and Grains, Pasta, Gathering dishes and Desserts and Cakes. The instructions are very clear and again, beautifully illustrated.
Of course, being a reviewer, it’s my duty to try some of these recipes! I decided firstly to make the Any Herb Pesto and also used the Roasted Garlic. I have made pesto before, but this was undoubtedly the best I’ve ever done. The roasted garlic (I roasted 2 heads of garlic as it keeps for about a week) gives a much more mellow, less raw taste and the whole thing took less time to make than the pasta took to cook. I used walnuts rather than pine nuts but kept the rest of it traditional with parmesan and basil. I also added some freshly picked green beans to the pasta for the last 2 minutes of cooking. It went down a storm and has already been requested again for next week! Next time I might try using mint and add some courgettes to the pasta.
I also made the Braised Harissa Eggplant (Aubergines) and Greens. I didn’t have any kale so left that out - spinach would work just as well. This is a warming flavourful easy vegetarian dish, again, well-written and easy to follow. I will be buying this one.
Note: the author is American and measurements are in cups, but measurements are also given in grams.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
This is a beautiful book, lovely photos, really appetizing recipes, and some I am excited to try. I only wish there were more of it! Nicely done.
Mediterranean Every Day is a well curated cookbook full of Mediterranean comfort food by Sheela Prakash. Due out 1st Sept 2020 from Quarto on their Harvard Common Press imprint, it's 208 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats
The book follows a logical and accessible format. The first chapters covers the background of Mediterranean cuisine and explains the different styles of cooking, and how to streamline meal planning and prep (including a pantry staples lists of pestos, breadcrumbs, salsa, vinaigrette, honeys, oil, and other dish-enhancers) as well as a very general beginner-accessible discussion of the time-saving and streamlining techniques to be adapted to simplified, casual food prep and dining. The recipe chapters are arranged thematically: 3-ingredient snacks & cocktails, salads & soups, beans grains & a few bready things, colorful pastas, special occasion dishes, and desserts. Nutritional information is not included.
The recipes have their ingredients listed bullet style in a sidebar. Measurements are given in US standard with metric/SI units in parentheses (yay!). Special tools and ingredients are also listed, along with yields and cooking directions. Most of the ingredients are easily sourced at any moderately well stocked grocery store. The book also includes a short author bio, bibliography/resource list, and a cross-referenced index.
The included recipe and prep/serving photos are clear and attractive, but they represent a minority of recipes in the book. These are appealing "everyday" recipes which are tasty and family-friendly (no kale smoothies). I especially loved the traditional and modern twists on pestos, dressings, and pasta enhancers. We tried them and found them well developed and delicious (and easy to prepare and use).
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Sheela Prakash’s Mediterranean Every Day is a well done cookbook with intriguing recipes, pretty pictures, and a reasonable pantry list. I don’t know if it’s a classic yet, but I would recommend it for the moderately adept home cook. I received an advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I am predisposed to like this cookbook, because I am comfortable with Mediterranean cuisine. I was able to cook three dishes without going to the store because I had the ingredients on hand already. I appreciate that in a cookbook, but I also recognize that my pantry is not universal.
The Mediterranean basin is large and encompasses many cultures and styles of cooking. Prakash includes recipes from all over, but doesn’t delve deeply into any region or culture. She keeps the focus on the flexibility and casualness of the cuisine. I particularly appreciated that she encourages readers to think of pesto as an equation rather than a recipe and then she provides the equation with some suggested variations. She also offers some foods that are “blank canvases” with season variations. She really encourages readers to experiment and adapt.
I made the smokey white bean hummus, the bucatini aglio e olio with wilted arugula, and the chocolate olive oil cake. There are more exciting recipes in the book, but these are the recipes I could make with what I had on hand. Also, it’s hovering around the 100 degree mark every day and I’m not up to standing over a hot stove for a long period or turning the oven up to a high heat. This is not a vegetarian cookbook, though there are many vegetarian recipes. At this point in the summer I am less inclined to eat meat.
The white bean hummus worked just fine (halved) in my mini processor. I had a tasty dip in my refrigerator which was great on toast and on cucumber slices. I would make it again.
Bucatini is my favorite long pasta – thick, chewy, and bouncy. This recipe calls for 6 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced. It really helped that I have a mandolin and I’m not afraid to use it. The resulting dish was great for a summer night and made an excellent next day cold breakfast. I like arugula, but if you need a milder green, spinach will work as well.
The chocolate olive oil cake was a hit. I was surprised at how quickly it came together. I started making it at 6:30 and it was out of the oven by 7:30. The cake was light and chocolaty with bright notes from the fruity olive oil.
When the weather gets cooler and roasting is more appealing, I want to try the lemony chicken thighs with blistered olives and the shredded brussels sprout and faro bake.
Wonderful book I really taste of the Mediterranean. Well written recipes with a great classical feel. Great info on how to source ingredients
Mediterranean Every Day makes healthful cooking affordable and accessible for weeknight meals. I love that the author shies away from calling this book a blueprint for a “diet;” it seems the book is meant to encourage a long-term trend of eating high protein meals with healthy fats, whole grains and lots of vegetables. I also noticed quite a few recipes relying on chickpea flour instead of traditional flour – great news for my gluten-sensitive family.
I’ve made three dishes from the book and enjoyed each. I made a smoked salmon Greek salad for lunch. I happened to have all of the ingredients on hand, and I thought that was an interesting take on an old favorite. I made the chocolate olive oil cake for dessert, which was yummy even though I overcooked it a bit (my fault, not the book). It was a very forgiving recipe! My favorite dish so far has been the Garlic Parmesan Soup with Greens and Beans. Again, I happened to have all of those ingredients on hand. This will be a repeat meal for my family for sure.
I plan to try many more recipes from this cookbook! I love the Mediterranean way of eating, but its often prohibitively expensive. Sheela Prakash’s recipes are tasty and easy to make with foods you likely have on hand.
This is a really great Mediterranean cookbook with delicious and healthy looking recipes. The layout and photographs are attractive and there’s plenty variety with easy to find ingredients .
Thank you Netgalley/Quarto/Harvard Common Press for my ARC.
Though the Mediterranean Every Day cookbook is written by a dietician, this is not a diet book, but at the Mediterranean way of eating.
There are 6 main chapters plus an introduction, which includes a list of cupboard staples plus a number of dressing recipes:
- Snacks & cocktails (3 ingredients or less)
- Salads & Soups
- Beans, Grains & Bready things
- Colourful Pasta
- Gathering Dishes
- Desserts
The recipes come with both metric and imperial measurements for the ingredients and the amount made. Not all the recipes come with a colour photograph, but those that do look delicious. The recipes come with a comprehensive list of ingredients and instructions.
There are plenty of recipes to choose from and a number of recipes I would love to try from this book, especially Skillet Lemon Chicken Thighs with blistered Olives, Chocolate Pear Crumble and Apricot Almond Clafoutis.
The recipes that are in this book seem to be inspired by the Mediterranean way of cooking, rather than having been passed down from the area, but still look very interesting to try.
I received this book from Netgalley in return for a honest review.
Very nice Mediterranean recipes that are easy but filling and homily.
It's a great mixture of all mediterran areas and a nice mixture of better known but always worth making recipes.
If you want a nice book that combines all greatest hits of the Mediterranean kitchens?
This is the book.
This is an excellent cookbook. Full of great recipes along with simple hacks to make you an even better cook from easy homemade breadcrumbs to infused oils.
This book has snacks, cocktails, soups, salads, beans & grains, pastas (full of veggies), main dishes and desserts. I especially loved all of the risotto options.
Like any great cookbook, this one is full of beautiful photos. Artfully done and mouth watering.
Thank you Quarto Publishing Group – Harvard Common Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a very *cookable* collection of recipes. Covid era cooking seems to be an endless parade of meal preparation in my house. (Is it dinner time again???) I’ve been on the lookout for meals that will excite late summer heat-weary palates. Sheela Prakash’s new book has me happily bookmarking options that are just enough different from my usual meals while still feeling comfortably familiar. Last week’s menu plan included “Crazy Water Salmon,” (Acqua Pazza in Italian), “Braised Eggplant with Harissa,” and "Steak Tagliata with Arugula and Parmesan.” All three were big hits, and all came together in well under an hour.
The recipes remind me of my falling-apart copy of the New York Times 60 Minute Gourmet. I could open that book to nearly any page and happily cook dinner from it. While it feels slightly dated now, many of those recipes became auto-pilot meals for our family, adjusted and lightened slightly over the years.
Few recipes in the book are wildly innovative. I don’t need to be given a recipe for vinaigrette, and my version of spaghetti and meatballs won’t get pushed out of my recipe box. But there is enough here that will hopefully have you going back into the kitchen (yet again) with new-found interest.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Every Mediterranean dish that I have tried, I have loved, so when I saw Mediterranean Every Day I snatched it up as quickly as I could! I was not disappointed! I found so many new recipes that I cannot wait to try!
Mediterranean Every Day started off with explaining what the Mediterranean diet consists of. It included a list of kitchen staples and included recipes for homemade versions of some of the more advanced kitchen staples, like pesto and vinaigrette. The sections were interesting because they weren’t broken into traditional breakfast, lunch and dinner. One section was based on the number of ingredients in each recipe. While another section was simply pastas and grains.
Everything looked and sounded delicious, but I honestly can’t wait to try all of the desserts! I mean, rose soaked peaches?!? Come on!!!
All in all, I would recommend this one for anybody, because if you haven’t tried Mediterranean food, you should and if you have but don’t like it, you’re wrong! Just kidding, but you should definitely give it another shot!
Mediterranean Every Day by Sheela Prakash
Simple, Inspired Recipes for Feel Good Food
Gorgeous, easy to read, simple recipes with ingredients I can find easily where I live made this a delight to peruse today. I found my mouth watering and my fingers itching to get into the kitchen and create. The fact that I live in a small village in Lebanon and often cannot find the ingredients in recipes made this book one that I would gladly pick up and add to my cookbook shelf.
What I liked:
* The backstory to the creation of the book
* The simple to understand and follow recipes
* The availability of ingredients where I live
* That there are vegan and vegetarian recipes included
* That I wanted to immediately start cooking
* The section with three or fewer ingredient recipes for snacks and cocktails
* The idea that any of these recipes would work well for family or as food for entertaining guests
* The variations on recipes that allows the cook to play and create themselves
* And, more
What I did not like: That it is too hot to go into the kitchen right now and bake one or two of the items lingering in my mind.
Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group – Harvard Common Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
Inspiring Mediterranean Cookbook
Having grown up in California, I've always had an interest in Italian and other Mediterranean foods. This is a fantastic cookbook with all sorts of Mediterranean-inspired dishes. Even though the author is a registered dietitian, this is not a “Mediterranean diet” book. As the author states, she doesn't believe in diets, per se. As the title suggests, most recipes are simple enough to make any night of the week, though a few more complex ones would take more time. While not specifically vegetarian, this cookbook has many vegetarian recipes—as most Mediterranean cookbooks do—or ones that could be easily adapted to vegetarian by leaving off or substituting the small amount of meat in some recipes. Every recipe has a photo, though not every photo is of the finished dish. Sometimes, the picture is the recipe ingredients. The pictures are well lit, lush, and beautiful—and certainly get you thinking about going into the kitchen and whipping up some of the dishes. Before getting to the recipes, the author talks briefly about her take on Mediterranean-style eating and pantry staples, which are actually fewer than you might imagine. She gives some basic recipes, like for roasted garlic or any-herb pesto, before diving into recipe chapters: three-ingredient snacks and drinks, soups and salads, greens and beans, pastas, gathering dishes (main dishes, sometimes for a crowd), and desserts. I was certainly struck with the simplicity of many of the recipes, which I appreciate. The older I've gotten, the less I like to prepare and clean up! Some flavor combinations sound amazing but are so simple to put together. The cookbook is not only for the peak-of-summer and fall vegetables (though she provides some recipes for those happy garden times). The author also uses canned vegetables and beans for some recipes, putting them in reach almost any time of the year. If you enjoy Mediterranean eating and cooking as I do, you will most likely enjoy this beautiful and tasty-looking collection of recipes.
This was a good cookbook once I could get into it. I had a lot of issues viewing it on my computer but it finally worked on my phone. Lots of good recipes and seasoning tricks that I look forward to trying out in the future.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.
I absolutely loved this cookbook! The recipes are healthy, simple yet delicious. There is a great variety of recipes and many of them would be perfect for everyday meals however are also elegant enough for special occasions. I especially look forward to preparing the Herby Ricotta, Fig in a Pig, Nicoise Salad, Hot Smoked Salmon Greek Salad, Spicy Broccoli Rabe and Chickpea Skillet, and Tahini Truffles.
Thank you, Quarto Publishing Group and NetGalley, for a digital ARC!
I really enjoyed this cookbook. I use the herb infused honey and everyday vinaigrette on EVERYTHING. Worth it for those two recipes alone. The no cook summer tomato pasta was a great way to use up all the tomatoes from our garden. The caramelized mushroom pasta with crispy prosciutto was so tasty. The dessert chapter is full of easy recipes.
I received this as an ARC in return for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me to read this title.
This is a glorious cookbook with fantastic accompanying photos which really make you want to try every recipe in the book. There is a wide range of recipes, including some exciting vegetarian options, and you will be sure to find something suitable for all occasions. I liked that the recipes were straightforward to follow and gave a range of measurements, so whether you prefer cups and spoons or weighing your ingredients, you will not find this book difficult to use.
There are some really unusual recipes that i can't wait to try: 'Eggs in Purgatory' and 'Tahini Truffles,' particularly! I also like the little anecdotes/culinary lessons along the way; for example, the story about the ingredient farro, which I had never heard of before reading this book.
This is a great addition to anyone's kitchen shelf!
I loved reading this book - a very American perspective on Mediterranean cooking which I enjoyed - and I'm looking forward to cooking more from the book. The Raspberry Ricotta Gratin was wonderful.
I'll be featuring Mediterranean Every Day as my cookbook of the month in next months newsletter ( http://eepurl.com/pa7gv) with a possible feature also on my main site (rachelphipps.com) depending on how the rest of the recipes go!
Sophia Loren — “Everything you see I owe to spaghetti.”
I skimmed through the 75+ scrumptious recipes and gazed at the beautiful color photos and thought, “This is the cookbook of my dreams!”
I adore the essence of Mediterranean meals: Bread, pasta, olive oil, fruits, veggies, salads, soups, nuts, and legumes. Top that off with Honeyed Prosecco and a dessert of Roasted Figs with Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt (two of the recipes) and you have heaven! Plus this way of eating is supposed to produce riotous good health.
You’ll also learn the basics of Mediterranean cooking, how to stock your pantry, and how to plan a menu for one or an entire party. Can’t wait to start cooking! Now where’s that Prosecco?
5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 01 Sep 2020
Mille grazie to the author, Quarto Publishing Group - Harvard Common Press, and NetGalley for the early copy. Opinions are mine.
#MediterraneanEveryDay #NetGalley
A gorgeous enticing recipe book.The pictures are so mouthwatering so wish they would jump off the page. There is a wide variety of recipes for all tastes and abilities. I can't wait to work my way through this and tantalise my tastebuds.
Mediterranean Every Day has simple and delicious recipes with fantastic colorful photos. I found several recipes I just love and I highly recommend the Mixed Melon and Prosciutto Caprese. I would never have thought to combine the fruit with Prosciutto and this recipe will be a delight for many years to come it is refreshing and delicious. I love the cookbook and I highly recommend it!
I received this book from NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group- Harvard Common Press for an honest review.