The Mediterranean Dish: Simple Dinner

Recipes Tested: 6
Recipe Success: 5/6

Difficulty: Medium
Ingredient Accessibility: Amazon to the rescue.
Best For: Anyone

I had just made a tzatziki recipe from the Mediterranean Dish’s website when I saw this cookbook at the library a few days later. I picked it up on a whim, because my husband had been going through a major Mediterranean food phase.

I’m not going to lie. My first impression of the book was not favorable. There were so many ingredients that I didn’t have. HEB didn’t have them. World Market, Target, Walmart… none of them had Aleppo pepper or Urfa flakes.

Since I had the book, I decided to start with a few recipes with readily accessible ingredients. They were so good that I sucked it up and ordered the missing ingredients online. And I’m so glad I did!

I returned it to the library and immediately ordered a copy from Amazon.

Flavor: There is just so much goodness packed into the recipes. No bland or boring dishes here.

Health-Conscious Choices: We all know the Mediterranean Diet is one of the healthiest ways of eating. This cookbook offers the healthy options you want without sacrificing taste-and with a few treats in because #moderation.

Expensive Ingredients: It’s not just that the ingredients themselves are always expensive, though many tend to be on the pricier side. Some of the ingredients are expensive and I won’t really use them for much else. I’m looking at you pomegranate molasses. I’m not really into paying $10 for something I’m going to use once and then will collect dust in my pantry for the next 5 years.

💸 Actually Worth the Grocery Bill: Baked Halibut with Za’atar
I’ll be honest, not everyone loved this. But my BFF and I -who both love Za’atar – were both fans. 

🧒 Kid-Approved: Anginetti Cookies
Light. Bright. Not too sweet. These soft cookies have a cake vibe and got an immediate thumbs up from our young food critic.

⭐ Family Favorite: Grilled Pineapple, Mango & Avocado Salad
This is perfection on a hot summer night. Paired with the broiled salmon recipe from the book for an easy dinner that the whole house loved.

🎉 Best for Hosting a Group: Farmhouse Hummus
I eat a lot of store-bought hummus but after discovering how easy this was to make, I’m #teamhomemade now. Love the extra nutrition boost from the avocado.

😞 Biggest Disappointment: Baked Meatballs with Caramelized Onions and Pomegranate Molasses
Expensive to make and they didn’t pay off. Dry and just… weird.

If ingredients are not available at your grocery store, Amazon has your back. Here’s what I ordered specifically from this cookbook:

• Pomegranate molasses
• Urfa & Aleppo pepper flakes
• Za’atar seasoning

Buy!