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Writer's pictureThe D U Love Food Team

A Mediterranean Diet - Good for The Heart & The Wallet


You want good Telomeres? We'll give you good Telemores. But firstly.. what the heck are Telemores?

According to good old science they're little things that sit at the end of our chromosomes to keep them from fraying, and the longer and stronger those are the longer we live.


Turns out that recently Harvard researchers discovered that nutrients in Mediterranean diets can help boost Telemores, ergo, keeping us alive to watch netflix for longer.


Inspired by our recent Lebanese Week at D U Love Food, we figured now was as good a time as any to explain why and how a Mediterranean diet could be good for a broke soul like you.


It doesn't require anything radical, nor does it require a lifestyle change. A Mediterranean diet lets you enjoy life while also providing you with the energy to enjoy it to its fullest.

 

The Essentials for Your Mediterranean Kitchen (you'll be surprised how many you already have!)


- Plant foods

- Vegetables

- Whole Grains

- Fruits

- Nuts

- Seeds

- Spices

- Olive Oil

- Fish

- Eggs & dairy in moderation, particularly Greek yogurt


The benefits (other than those nice little Telemores) is that these products are cheap to buy and can be bought in bulk. As a student, every little helps, so this lets you eat well but doesn't break the bank!


Even better? Mediterranean meals totally enable laziness: all you have to do is meal prep and cook in bulk. This stuff freezes well, so all you have to do is cook once a week and then freeze, just thawing what you want to eat when you're hungry.


To help give you a kickstart on your Mediterranean journey, we've included two short and sweet recipes to spice things up in your kitchen.


First up we have Tabbouleh - a traditional Lebanese salad.


They say the more colorful your food, the better you’re eating, and this sure has a lot of color. Packed with freshness and green goodness, this salad is a special one. Works as a great side dish to something slightly heartier - or simply as a salad dish itself.


Source: TheMeditteraneanDish.com

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: N/A


Ingredients:

        1/2 cup bulgar wheat

        4 tomatoes, very finely chopped

        1 cucumber, very finely chopped

        2 bunches parsley, very finely chopped

        12-15 fresh mint leaves, very finely chopped

        4 green onions, very finely chopped

        Salt

        3-4 tbsp lemon juice

        3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil


Directions:

1. Wash bulgar wheat and soak in water for 5-7 minutes. Drain well and set it aside.

       

2. Chop all the vegetables as indicated in the ingredients section.

     

3. Place all chopped vegetables and herbs in a mixing bowl. Add the bulgar wheat and season with salt to taste. Mix gently.

       

4. Add the lemon juice and olive and mix again.

       

5. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving for the best taste (optional).



Delicious Lebanese rice


Short on ingredients but want a something just a little bit more exciting than white rice? Look no further because what better to fill your life with flavour than delicious Lebanese rice. All you need are three simple ingredients and an open mind.



Source: TheMeditteraneanDish.com

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time : 20 minutes


Ingredients:

       2 cups rice (long or medium grain)

       1 cup broken vermicelli pasta

       2 1/2 tbsp olive oil

       Salt

       1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (optional to finish)


Directions:

1. Rinse the rice a few times and place in a medium bowl and cover with water. Soak for 15-20 minutes - test to see if ready by breaking a grain of rice simply by placing between your thumb and index finger. Drain the water.

       

2. Put olive oil in a pan over medium-high hear. Add the vermicelli and stir continuously until evenly toasted (reach a golden brown colour).

       

3. Add rice and continue to stir so the rice is coated in olive oil. Season with salt to taste.

       

4. Add 3 ½ cups of water and bring the pot to a boil until the water significiantly reduces. Turn heat to low and cover.

     

5. Cook on low for 15-20 minutes. Once fully cooked, turn off the heat and leave the rice undisturbed in it’s cooking pot for 10-15 minutes, then uncover and fluff with a fork.

       

6. Place in serving platter and top with toasted pine nuts for garnish.

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