Crispy Skinned Salmon Over Red Lentils with Caper Dill Yogurt Sauce
Fresh, flavor-filled salmon is a staple in the Mediterranean diet. It’s an oily fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids and protein. Even for “non fish eaters,” salmon provides a delicious and versatile option for a dinner entree. In this recipe for Crispy Skinned Salmon Over Red Lentils with Caper Dill Yogurt Sauce, author Ashley Covelli creates an aromatic and decadent Mediterranean recipe. She created her dish in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill, so we were happy to send her over some of our red lentils and beans to use in her cooking. Our red lentils cook quickly and a have a slightly sweet flavor, making them perfect for this dish! They can be used in crafting a whole bunch of nutritious soups, stews, curries and dips, too. And though they may be small in size, they’re packed with a bunch of health benefits—making them an excellent ingredient to integrate into your Mediterranean diet dinner recipes. It might even surprise you to hear that they’re rich in fiber and contain roughly a steak’s worth of protein! They’re also filled with folate, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and potassium. In addition to lentils, beans are another staple in the Mediterranean diet—from red beans to lima beans. For Ashley’s recipe, try adding garbanzo beans for a creamy and rich flavor. In addition to using the nutty and delicious garbanzo bean (aka chickpea) for this salmon dish, you can also toss this bean into your salads or soups and use it to make hummus. What we especially love about Ashley’s salmon dish is the addition of crispy shallots (so don’t forget them)! They make the already elegant salmon even better. Garnish with lemon wedges and dill sprigs and enjoy! We recommend pairing this dish with a glass of something special.
Tabbouleh
Tabbouleh is a traditional Middle Eastern dish that relies heavily on bulgur and parsley to bring it to life. If you have a leftover bunch of parsley from the farmers’ market, whip up a big batch to have on hand for the week (it’s an excellent choice for Mediterranean diet meal planning, actually). This particular recipe can be found on our bags of bulgur and is made with parsley, mint, scallions, tomatoes and cucumber, with a dressing of salt, cumin, black pepper, lemon juice and olive oil. After your bulgur is soaked in water, just add the rest of the ingredients and enjoy—which means you can whip this dish up even when you’re short for time. If you’ve yet to experiment with bulgur, you’re in for a treat! It’s a quick-cooking whole grain made from cracked wheat berries that are separated into small pieces and then par cooked. Bulgur, like most of our other favorite Mediterranean ingredients, is a nutritional powerhouse. Per 1/4 cup serving, it offers 6 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber and vitamins and minerals like calcium and iron. If you try this recipe for tabbouleh and love it as much as we do, feel free to go wild with all things bulgur! Though it comes as a pleasant surprise to some folks, you can even incorporate bulgur into your breakfast routine. This Breakfast Bulgur and Millet Grain Bowl is savory and delicious, served with olive oil, cherry tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, eggs and avocado. Although it’s especially good in the morning to kickstart your day, you can enjoy it for a weeknight dinner, too! However you choose to eat your bulgur, we know it will be tasty.
Mediterranean Pupusas
These Mediterranean Pupusas are amaranth and masa flatbreads stuffed with roasted beets, smashed chickpeas and two kinds of cheese. They take just one hour of prep time, but the end result will make it seem like you’ve been cooking all day long! The beets are marinated in fresh orange juice, vinegar, olive oil and sea salt, which give them an extra-delicious taste (and almost take the place of a meat). The smashed chickpeas offer that quintessential Mediterranean flavor and the homemade masa dough brings it all to life. Our Organic Amaranth Flour gives the masa an earthy, nutty flavor and is high in the amino acid lysine. Our Organic Masa Harina is made with dried corn kernels that have been cooked and soaked in lime water before grinding. Once the dough balls have been created and flattened, they’re filled with a roasted beet, walnut and chickpea mix, as well as creamy goat cheese and Oaxaca cheese. Top it all with sour cream and chopped parsley, and you’re in for a Mediterranean feast! If you’d like to really wow your guests, you can even do a side of “quick pickles” made with purple cabbage, red onion, white vinegar and sea salt. Not only do the pickles taste wonderful, but they look beautiful, too!
Mediterranean Whole Wheat Pearl Couscous with Scallops
This recipe for Mediterranean Whole Wheat Pearl Couscous with Scallops comes from Pamela Braun of My Man’s Belly. It’s a great dinner recipe for a group or family, as it offers everything you need in one bowl! It’s made with Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Pearl Couscous, olive oil, shallot, preserved lemon, fennel, chicken stock, bay scallops, parsley and black pepper. Couscous is another popular grain you’ll find in Mediterranean dishes and for good reason! Our Whole Wheat Pearl Couscous not only adds a bunch of whole grain nutrition to this dish, but also a lovely texture and nutty flavor. If you love couscous and are looking for additional ways to use it, try this recipe for Grapefruit, Avocado and Crab Couscous Salad Wraps. They’re light, yet rich and satisfying, and showcase this whole grain wonder in a fantastic way. With their use of olive oil, citrus, and fresh herbs and spices, they also go in line with the ingredients of the Mediterranean diet. Serve them for dinner or lunch but rest assured, however you serve them, they’re bound to be delicious! In fact, if you want to go crazy with couscous, you can even make both these dishes at the same time and have one for lunch and one for dinner (that way you’ll get the best of both worlds).
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
There’s nothing quite like a simple Mediterranean Quinoa Salad. At Bob’s Red Mill, we absolutely love our quinoa salads. They’re an easy Mediterranean dish to throw together, refreshing and healthy, and can be entirely customized based on what sort of ingredients you have in the fridge. This recipe is a unique blend of red onion, black olives, raisins, red pepper, parsley, pine nuts, peas, bell pepper and dill. It’s brought to life with a vinaigrette dressing and of course, our Organic Quinoa Grain. This grain is one of our favorite ancient grains and was honored as a sacred crop by the ancient Incas. It’s a good source of iron and high-quality protein and can be used in pilafs, salads, soups and stir fries. Quinoa requires very little meal prep and can be used in both sweet or savory dishes (depending on what you’re in the mood for). Try this recipe for Blueberry and Feta Quinoa Salad for another Mediterranean-inspired meal, complete with the flavors of mint, diced cucumber and thinly sliced green onions. Although these quinoa salads can certainly be served on their own as a main dish, they taste great when served alongside roast grilled chicken or fish, too.
Between salads, scallops and pupusas, we hope there’s something in this list for everyone! When it comes to Mediterranean Diet recipes, dinner time, in particular, offers a chance to be creative with fresh and nutritious ingredients like fruit, vegetables and hearty whole grains.
Do you follow the Mediterranean diet? If so, what are some of your own favorite family-friend recipes? We’d love for you to share any of those Mediterranean diet recipes with our food-loving community in the comments below.
From all of us at Bob’s Red Mill, thanks for reading! We’re wishing you a happy and healthy week ahead. 
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