Mediterranean Diet Cookbook For Dummies

I browsed a LOT of Mediterranean cookbooks before settling on this one. I was actually shocked that this "for Dummies" wound up being my first choice, because I never really thought much of the series. As it turns out, this book does a great job of explaining the lifestyle without filling pages with questionable medical "facts" or stories about people's weight loss "journeys."Yes, you can lose weight on this diet. But that's not the point. This "diet" has a lot more to do with lifestyle. You don't count calories (though you are mindful of them), and you don't have to spend hours and hours on a treadmill. You find ways to make exercise a normal part of your day to day life. In the end, I find that a lot more sustainable. Not everyone has the time/inclination to measure and log every bite at MyFitnessPal. The recipes do have calorie and nutrition information for people who are into that, though.There's also a 1 week sample menu that shows you how to put it all together. There are days when you will be out and about, and want food you can take with you. Days when you can linger in the kitchen. Days when you just want to come home and throw together some comfort food. The recipes are simple, and the food tastes great. You tend to eat less without thinking about it, because the quality of the food makes it so much more satisfying.Everyone tells you to make small, permanent changes for a longer, healthier life. This book shows you how.The other benefit: these meals actually have me craving water. I've drunk nothing but soda for YEARS. I've tried to stop more times than I can count, but always end up drinking it again in a matter of days. Since I started eating like this, soda has begun to taste too sweet. Chips have become too salty. They don't feel as good in my mouth or stomach as they used to. I actually WANT to drink water, and I WANT to eat fresh fruit. I always hated water, and didn't really think of fruit other than the occasional banana or chocolate covered strawberry.I don't know or care if I have lost any weight. It's been a few weeks, and I haven't measured anything. For now, I am just trying it out. I do know that I feel better, have more energy, less headaches, and am waaaaayyyy more comfortable with what's on my plate than I have been with any other diet. I think I'm going to stick with it. My husband has been very happy with it, too.

This book has a lot of tasty looking and healthy recipes. I like that it provides the prep and cook times (even though I think the prep times are low). I also like that each recipe has nutrition information, which is really important to me. I have only made 1 recipe from the book so far - Moroccan Chicken with Tomatoes and Zucchini - and it was very good, healthy and easy.As far as the book in general, many of the recipes are for large batches: 6-8 servings. It is much easier to make a recipe bigger than to make it smaller. I would prefer the book cater more easily to those of us who are not feeding a family and provide smaller recipes that can be increased.As mentioned in the subject of this review, the table of contents does not list the individual recipes but only the category. This makes finding a recipe more difficult, particularly on the Kindle. The individual chapters have the list of recipes for each section but the page numbers are not there. For the Kindle edition, it would be MUCH easier to use the book if there were hyperlinks from the listed recipe to the recipe itself. I find myself having to take the time to highlight the recipe titles so that I can see a list and get to them more easily.

OK first review was wrong. I hav learned so much more from book. Yes it mentioned butter and frozen foods n sugar but it works around it n shows great ways of enjoying foods. Short cuts. The book was in excellent condition. Would order from Colorado Goodwill again n again. Thanks for the book

We purchased this book after our doctor suggested this diet in order to control our cholesterol. The book explains the "diet" (really a lifestyle change) as a different more healthy way of eating (and exercising). It is not necessarily a way to drop off pounds although it does help with weight issues - not just loosing weight but also keeping the weight off. After reading and understanding the lifestyle change we tried a number of recipes included. Some are great others not so great. However that would be true of any cookbook. We have embraced the suggested eating habits (and exercising routines - something that was already part of our lifestyle) and slowly are adjusting to different recipes. We would recommend this book for someone embarking on the Mediterranean Diet. We would also suggest picking up a few other cookbooks that have Mediterranean diet recipes as this book has a limited number of recipes.

Watch carefully what the book's recipe's call for! Some of these are not great for the cholesterol conscious. I turned out not to be diabetic, but, the recipes don't really call for refined sugar, which is a plus for all. All in all, I believe there are better Mediterrean books on the market, and beware.........the body does NOT just need fish every 2 or 3 days, while red meat is not healthy, lean cuts ONLY.......in small amounts while watching LDL and VLDL is extremely important for collagen and bone marrow as well. the book does help in weight loss, but, I am so thin, I didn't need to lose the almost 10 lbs that came off immediately........that was frightening to someone who is thin to begin with. I would choose another book, a more comprehensive one. However, intermixing this type diet as the most contibutory foods to your diet is excellent, just make sure to use some Westen foods, as the choices here get tedious quickly. Again, being an MD myself, I would not simply follow the "suggestions" on how to eat this type diet ONLY.........just be very sensible!

This book is written for America. I eat more fresh produce now than they recommend eating in the book. Also I was surprised to find convenience foods recommended in it, like tinned soup, bought mayonnaise, granola bars and getting a sandwich from a Deli. I can't see a 90 year old Italian Grandmother opening a tin of Heinz, ordering a sandwich from a Deli (with mayo) or eating a ready made cereal bar.

This book, as with all of the "dummies" books, was easy to follow. The basic premise of the diet is right there in front of you and easy to follow as well as fantastic recipes that are easy to make.

interesting and tasty selection of meals.

Very good

Brilliant - very helpful