5 Must-Have Cookbooks: How to Be Successful on the Mediterranean Diet

5 Must-Have Cookbooks #3

The Mediterranean Diabetes Cookbook: A Flavorful Heart-Healthy Approach to Cooking

Please do not pass this by, just because you are not a diabetic. Neither are we. Amy Riolo, the author, is a masterful Chef who has created a book that allows the meal to deliciously nourish all who gather around the table – including those who may have special health conditions. While Chef Riolo is not a medical expert, Sam Pappas, M.D. wrote the foreword to her cookbook and attests to and nutritional expertise.

Are you wondering how I came to buy this cookbook, especially since Riolo has several others from which to choose? I love shopping at bookstores. Shopping is not really my thing, but spending time at a bookstore, especially in the cooking section, with a cup of coffee is a favorite outing for me. Almost every cookbook I own, I have purchased while at a bookstore. When I saw this book, I did not plan to buy it, but I saw it was a worthwhile cookbook.

My plan was to flip through it to see if I should order a “more fitting” cookbook from the author. Reading the forward, I knew that this book belonged in my kitchen.

Delicious not Deprivation

When I select recipes from this book, I do not feel at all deprived. It is a pleasurable international exploration of Mediterranean-style eating patterns. Riolo includes recipes inspired from Italy and Greece but she also includes recipes from countries like Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon and Morocco. When I first bought the book, I was a bit overwhelmed, and spent at least two weeks just reading it and soaking it in before making my first dish. The pictures and the narrative makes this a book that you could leave on your coffee table.

The Layout is Everything

The layout of the cookbook is very thoughtful. Organizing the food categories within the tiers of Mediterranean Diet Pyramid is inspirational. She also organizes the sections within the chapter by the ingredient, such as olives, chickpeas, or potatoes, saving you from having to flip to the index to find a particular food. Finally, and my favorite part of this cookbook is the lists of menus which encourage enjoying meals with others. This is a foundational principle of the Mediterranean Diet and this cookbook captures it more than any other I own. I live to entertain.

Entertaining

This cookbook provides menus for each season. Within each season there are various menus such as: easy entertaining, spa meals, Sunday brunch and elegant evening meals, and make-ahead meals to name a few in each seasonal selection. I suspect the enthusiasm I feel about this book is readily apparent. I love this book.

A word of caution, if your family is just transitioning to the Mediterranean Diet way of eating, and more used to fast food burgers, and fries, this may take some adjustment. But if you come to the Mediterranean Diet already enjoying fruits, vegetables and grain, then you will enjoy this book. My first foray into this cookbook was a weeknight dinner for close girlfriends. I made a hearty salad, it was noted to be both gluten free and vegetarian. A complete meal, I also made a rustic bread and a delicious dip both recipes from one of the fall menus. The meal was a huge hit and no one suspected it was from a diabetes cookbook.