Mediterranean: Naturally Nutritious Recipes from the World’s Healthiest Diet

Theodorou (Coffee and Bites), a professional food stylist, celebrates the Mediterranean diet in this appealing and beautifully photographed volume. She provides an array of recipes—mostly from Greece, Italy, and Spain—for simple dishes. Theodorou explains that this way of eating, which she says is optimal for weight control, is not a diet plan but a healthy lifestyle choice full of plant-based foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. She embraces flour made from buckwheat, rye, spelt, and chestnut, as well as whole grain rice and farro (which is substituted for rice in Venetian risotto). The recipes include a glorious orecchiette with butternut squash and sage, white bean puree, and olive oil–fried eggs. Lamb and pork are highlighted in an array of preparations including barbecued lamb rib chops with rosemary and cherry tomatoes and roasted pork chops with broccoli rapini. She also provides ample fish, shellfish, and poultry recipes (including grilled mackerel, mussels with nduja, and barbecue chicken with green olives) along with salads and a wonderful chapter on slow-cooked meals such as beetroot with feta. Suitable for cooks at all levels, this enticing cookbook will be embraced by those looking to improve the healthfulness of their diets. (Oct.)