Moving to a more Mediterranean-influenced diet is an easy and delicious experience. Gradually replace butter and margarine with olive oil in dishes—to sauté vegetables, to add to soup for flavoring, or to keep pasta from sticking. Olive oil even works for baking. The distinctive olive oil flavor disappears during the baking process (or, if you find olive oil undesirable for baking, try the milder-tasting canola oil). Then stock up on whole grains, legumes, pasta, canned tomatoes, and in-season produce, when available. Have fun with meal planning, and keep a few guidelines in mind: Feature fresh fruits, seasonal vegetables, and wholesome whole grains like rice, cornmeal, and bread at every meal, but keep the butter or margarine off the table.
Get in the habit of using meat for flavoring only, and not at every meal. Many delicious Mediterranean dishes don’t use meat at all, and are, consequently, economical as well as delicious. Remember that legumes, nuts, and seeds are ex cellent sources of protein. If you eat a lot of meat, slowly decrease portion sizes. Don’t eliminate it entirely, or all at once, or the change will be too difficult.
Visit farmer’s markets, produce stands, or the produce de- partment at your local grocery store to find the best, freshest seasonal fruits and vegetables available. Remember, to eat Mediterranean is largely a matter of eating what’s in season. Jettison the dessert course. If you are in the habit of finishing with something sweet, choose the best, ripest, freshest fruit when available, or dried fruit such as sweet, plump dried figs, dates, or a handful of raisins to satisfy your sweet tooth. Even canned fruit, in its own juice, is preferable to high-fat, high-sugar fare. Although certain Mediterranean desserts may be famous worldwide (baklava from Greece or canoli from Italy, for example), such extravagance is traditionally reserved for special occasions. Last, if you drink alcohol, try drinking wine, but only with meals and in small amounts. (More on this later.) Remember the Mediterranean rules: Quality, not quantity. Fresh and whole, not processed and preserved. And most important, relish the experience of eating. Savor every bite.
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