Because we got such a positive response to our pesto pizza recipe earlier this week, we thought we’d share our pesto recipe with you (because homemade pesto is always better than store-bought), plus 17 quick and easy ways to make good use of this delicious and versatile Italian sauce.

Pesto sauce

1 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Place all the ingredients, except the olive oil, in a food processor or blender. While you process, slowly pour the olive oil into the mix until all the ingredients turn into a smooth paste (you may have to scrape the sides occasionally).

17 simple ways with pesto

1. Pesto Pasta with Chicken & Green Beans. Cook the pasta, and 6 minutes before the end of cooking add cubed chicken breast and fresh green beans to the boiling pasta water. Drain all the ingredients in a colander, reserving 2 tablespoons of the cooking water, then toss with pesto and serve.
2. Smoked Salmon & Pesto Wraps. Spread some pesto on your favorite flat-bread, top with smoked salmon, sliced cucumber, lettuce and thinly sliced red onion, then wrap up and enjoy.
3. Pesto Panini Sandwich. Halve some ciabatta bread or sourdough. Spread one half with pesto, then top with cooked shredded chicken, strips of jarred roasted red pepper, and a little shaved Parmesan. Put the other half of the bread on top and cook in a panini press until golden on the outside.
4. Baked Fish with Pesto. Preheat the oven to 225°C /440°F. Place a fish fillet (firm-fleshed fish works best) on a large square of aluminum foil. Spread pesto over the top, then add some halved cherry tomatoes, sliced zucchini and baby spinach. Firmly fold up into a sealed parcel and cook for 20 minutes. Serve on a bed of rice or couscous.
5. Pesto & Ricotta Stuffed Mushrooms. Mix together equal amounts of pesto and ricotta cheese. Remove the mushroom stems and fill the caps with the pesto-ricotta mixture. Place under a hot oven broiler (griller) and cook for around 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender.
6. Pesto with Eggs. Pesto teams up beautifully with eggs. The next time you make a frittata, scrambled eggs or an omelet, simply stir in some pesto when you’re beating the eggs.
7. Pesto Mayo. Add some pesto to your favorite mayo to jazz it up. We’ve found that 2 parts mayo to 1 part pesto works best.
8. Pesto-Infused Soup. Pesto is ideal for livening up soup – particularly vegetable soup because it really helps highlight the natural flavors of the vegetables. Just swirl in a tablespoon or two towards the end of cooking.
9. Pesto Pizza. Pesto makes a very tasty pizza sauce, and can be used to replace tomato sauce in most pizzas. Just remember that pesto already has cheese in it, so you only need a little extra. Here’s our recipe for pesto pizza with shrimp, zucchini and sun-dried tomatoes.
10. Risotto with Pesto. Next time you make a risotto, add a tablespoon or two of pesto at the end of cooking to boost the flavor and creaminess. This works particularly well with seafood or chicken based risottos.
11. Pesto Bread. If you bake your own bread, add some pesto to the bread dough before baking for extra richness and color.
12. Pesto Dip. Fold some mascarpone cheese into pesto and you have a creamy, richly-flavored dip.
13. Pesto-Infused Salad Dressing. To 3 parts pesto add one part white wine vinegar and one part extra virgin olive oil, shake to combine in a screw top jar and you have a delicious creamy and herby salad dressing.
14. Pesto Potato or Pasta Salad. Thin down pesto with a little extra virgin olive oil and use in place of mayo in potato salad and pasta salad.
15. Green Beans with Pesto. For a super simple vegetable side dish, cook some green beans in boiling water for 6 minutes then toss with pesto, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
16. Pesto Crostini. Cut a baguette into thin slices, top with pesto and a little mozzarella cheese, then bake in the oven on a moderate heat until golden.
17. Seared Scallops with Pesto. For a mouthwatering appetizer, pan sear some scallops, then lightly toss them in pesto.

And if that’s not enough ideas for you, here are a couple of recipes from our archive that use pesto as a main ingredient: White bean pesto pasta with fast-roasted tomatoes & zucchini and Soupe au Pistou.

We enjoy pizza regularly at our place, but we rarely order in. And why would we when we can make a tastier, healthier version at home in less time than it takes to have a pizza delivered.

This is one of the most flavorsome pizzas we’ve had in a long time. It’s also slightly unconventional because we use pesto sauce on the crust instead of tomato sauce. The beauty of this is that you get a mouthwatering medley of classic Italian flavors — basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese and pine nuts — all in one hit. And because there’s already cheese in the pesto, you only need to sprinkle a little extra on top of the pizza before baking.

But just because we don’t use tomato sauce in this pizza doesn’t mean it’s lacking in tomatoes (and their accompanying lycopene). We use sun-dried tomatoes, which not only add an intense tomatoey-ness but also a wonderful, slightly chewy texture.

This pizza isn’t lacking in the vegetable department either, so it’s ideal if you’re looking for a tasty way to slip more vegetables unobtrusively into your diet.

We use shrimp in this recipe, as we find it goes particularly well with pesto, but you could also use scallops, chicken or even white beans instead. And if you want to make this pizza extra healthful, do what we often do and use a large whole wheat pita bread (or two regular-sized pitas) as the pizza crust.

Here’s the recipe, and for more pizza recipes check out the pizza section of our site.

Pasta isn’t something most people associate with Greece, but pasta was actually introduced to the Greeks by the Italians centuries ago and they’ve been enjoying it ever since (although it’s not as much of a staple food in Greece as it is in Italy). Two of the most popular types of pasta in Greece are orzo (a rice-shaped pasta) and macaroni, and either of these types of pasta would work well with this dish, but we had some penne on hand, so we used that.

There are a number of things we really love about this dish. Firstly, it’s very easy to make. The spinach and cherry tomatoes are cooked by simply adding them to the boiling pasta water for the last couple of minutes of cooking, and we add the canned beans to heat through in the pasta water too. Then it’s just a matter of draining all the cooked ingredients and mixing them with the olives, walnuts and a simple sauce mixture, and topping with crumbled feta. So this dish comes together, including prep and cooking time, in only around 25 minutes. But the results far outweighed the effort we put in.

Not only is it wonderfully colorful, the robust flavors of the kalamata olives and feta are really nicely counterbalanced by the sweet cherry tomatoes and delicately flavored white beans. And the walnuts add a perfect contrasting crunch.

And this dish isn’t just flavor-packed, it’s also nutrient-packed. The white beans are a good source of protein, slow-releasing carbs and dietary fiber. The walnuts also contain protein and fiber and are a good source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. The spinach is rich in antioxidants, and the tomatoes are a good source of lycopene, a special type of phytochemical with anti-cancer properties.

But we weren’t thinking of any of that when we were scoffing down this dish — we were too busy being transported to Greece!

Here’s the recipe.

The other day I had to laugh after stumbling across a blog post from a woman who talked about how her little boy regularly enjoys our hummus recipe, and how funny she thought it was to have a two-year-old with garlic breath!

It just goes to show that kids, who can be very picky eaters, will happily eat ‘exotic’ foods from other countries if they’re presented in appealing ways. Hummus is a case in point. I don’t know many little ones who would even try eating chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic if they were served separately. But blend them all together into a smooth, creamy dip — served with bread, crackers or colorful veggie sticks — and most kids will eagerly dive in.

Encouraging children to try different foods and getting them involved in preparing meals is a great way for them to learn about healthy eating – an important skill that will serve them well for life. By introducing kids to Mediterranean and Asian foods, ones that are eaten by children in far off countries, it will also instill in them a spirit of discovery and a hunger to explore new foods and flavors. The trick is to make eating an adventure and educate their palates at the same time.

It goes without saying that some ethnic foods such as anchovies, capers, parmesan cheese, fish sauce, shrimp paste, and the like, may be a little too overpowering for youngsters (and unadventurous adults). So go easy on ingredients with strong, spicy flavors, and pungent aromas, and present foods with interesting shapes and colors that are nutritious and fun to eat.

It’s also a good idea to get kids involved in the kitchen, especially for dishes that only take a little preparation. There are many simple tasks that they can perform. Take making hummus for instance: they can tip the chickpeas into the blender (once you’ve opened the can); squeeze the lemon; help measure and add the tahini and salt; and press the start button on the food processor…with adult supervision of course. Keeping them involved and interested in the cooking process is the best way for them to learn and try their hands at new skills, and teaches them how to make dishes that not only taste good but are good for them too.

We’ve come up with a list of Mediterranean and Asian recipes from our archive that kids of all ages love to get their teeth into. From simple pastas and fun homemade ‘fast’ food like pizzas, to mild curries and kid-friendly salads, soups, sandwiches and wraps, there are plenty of delicious, nutritious dishes to satisfy a child’s appetite and encourage a lifetime of healthy MediterrAsian eating.

Pasta and Pizza

Ham, Pepper & Olive Mini-Pizzas
Lentil Tuna Spaghetti Bolognese
Spinach, Pumpkin, Walnut, Basil & Ricotta Lasagna
Sicilian Tuna & Basil Pizza

Rice, Noodle & Stir-Fry dishes

Peanut Chicken Noodles
Honey-Lemon Chicken with Almonds
Mushroom, Bacon & Walnut Risotto
Simple Fried Rice
Salmon Kedgeree
Tofu & Cashew Chow Mein
Teriyaki Chicken Noodles

Curries, Stews & Bakes

Dhal with Carrot & Cauliflower
Lentil, Pea & Potato Curry
Moroccan Chicken & Olive Tagine with Almond Couscous
Aloo Gobi
Spanish Tuna & Vegetable Stew

Salads

Insalata di Riso (Italian Rice Salad)
Provençal Potato & Asparagus Salad
Moroccan Chickpea & Couscous Salad
Asian Noodle Salad
Gado Gado
Tuna & Chickpea Salad

Sandwiches & Wraps

Hummus & Salad Wraps
Chicken & Avocado Salad Wraps
Italian-style Pan-fried Sandwich
Greek Salad Pita Pockets

Soups

Minestrone Soup
Cantonese Chicken & Corn Soup
Provençal Lentil, Cabbage & Bacon Soup
Soupe au Pistou

Breakfasts

Tuna, Pea & Corn Frittata
Tortilla de Patatas
Chakchouka
Italian-style Scrambled Eggs

Appetizers & Sauces

Hummus
Spanakopita Triangles
Falafel with Tahini Sauce
Chicken Satay
Mediterranean Tuna & Vegetable Skewers

Desserts

Greek-Style Strawberry Yogurt
Provençal Apple & Walnut Pie
Mango with Lime Syrup & Toasted Coconut
Melon Salad with Ginger Syrup
Tropical Fruit Salad

The traditional method for making a frittata (Italian omelet) is to sauté most of the filling ingredients in a skillet first, then stir the beaten egg mixture in. The frittata is then cooked over a low heat until the underside is firm and golden, and then either flipped in the pan to cook the other side, or flashed under the broiler to finish cooking the top. However, this simple frittata recipe (which is inspired by a recipe from our friend Emily) makes the process even easier because all the ingredients are simply mixed together and cooked in the oven. (The grated zucchini, thinly sliced mushrooms and scallions in this recipe are delicate enough to cook within the egg mixture.) So, it’s basically set and forget.

Frittatas make a wonderfully versatile base for many different ingredients. Vary the veggies and add peas, diced tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes, cooked asparagus or green beans, sautéed sliced onions or leeks, roasted pumpkin, peppers, or spinach. Boost the protein content and add ham, cooked bacon or proscuitto, or use shredded cooked chicken, canned tuna, or smoked salmon. Experiment with different fresh herbs like parsley, or use dried herbs such as thyme or rosemary. Try different cheeses like ricotta or feta cheese. And if you have some leftover cooked potato or pasta from last night’s dinner then add it to bulk up the frittata.

Frittata tastes just as good at room temperature as it does hot, so it can be served in wedges with salad and crusty bread, and can even be cut into smaller pieces and served as an appetizer.

Here’s the recipe.

January is a peculiar time of year. Our bad habits of the previous year are reflected upon, and in our droves we make heart-felt resolutions for the year ahead. For people living in Western countries one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is to lose weight. That’s not really surprising, because a high-calorie Western-style diet combined with a typical sedentary Western lifestyle can certainly pack on the pounds over the years.

In our efforts to lose weight, many of us opt to go on some kind of diet. And there’s definitely no shortage of diets promising to give you a “leaner, more attractive body.” Some examples include low-carb, low-fat, food combining, raw food and blood type — to name just a few.

Actually, each one of these diets will enable you to lose weight in the short-term — quite simply because they restrict your food choices so you end up consuming less calories.

But in the long-term these diets, because of their restrictiveness, become difficult to stick to. Indeed, by the time April rolls around the majority of people who started one of these diets in January are either already off the diet, or seriously contemplating doing so.

The difficulty of sticking to a diet was demonstrated in a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study, by researchers at Tufts-New England Medical Center, involved 160 overweight and obese men and women who were randomly assigned to one of four diets — Atkins, Ornish, Weight Watchers and the Zone.

It was found that all the diets worked to help people lose weight initially, but after 12 months only 25 percent of people were still closely following their assigned diet.

“I was surprised that so many people had so much difficulty sticking to the diets,” said lead researcher Dr. Michael Dansinger. “Many people lost weight, say 20 pounds or more, and they wanted to stick to their plan, but gradually over time found it more and more difficult.”

This study shows why — year after year — diet resolutions are made, and diet resolutions are broken. Quite simply, diets are just too hard to stick to.

Finding a Weight Loss Method that Works

So, for a diet to be successful in the long-term it mustn’t only reduce your intake of calories, it must also be easy to stick with so you won’t give up.

But is there actually a diet out there that will reduce your calorie intake without leaving you feeling deprived?

Most certainly!

The varied diets of the Mediterranean and Asia share many common elements, including the fact that they’re high in flavor and fill-ability yet only moderate in calories. This is because the staple foods eaten in these regions — vegetables, fruits, grains, beans and fish — have a low to moderate caloric density. And these foods more than counter-balance the higher calorie foods that are traditionally eaten such as nuts, oils and cheese.

As a big bonus, eating this way not only helps you manage your weight while enjoying delicious food, scientific research shows that following traditional Mediterranean and Asian eating patterns can reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancers of the breast, prostate and colon, and can even increase your chances of living longer.

But the traditional diets of the Mediterranean and Asia aren’t the only reason people living in these areas are traditionally so slim. Moderate physical activity, which burns calories, is also a traditional part of daily Mediterranean and Asian life.

DIY MediterrAsian

Learning from the time-tested traditions of Mediterranean and Asian cultures, it seems clear that the two key elements to maintaining a healthy weight are to eat traditional Mediterranean and Asian style foods, while incorporating regular moderate physical activity into your life.

But how?

Well, that’s what this site is all about.

Trudy and I are both Westerners living in this hectic 21st century world, and we’ve figured out, through many years of trial and error, how to incorporate these traditional practices into our lives. And through this site, we’ve provided you with all the information you need to do the same.

But over the years MediterrAsian.com has become a fairly large site, and may seem intimidating to navigate. That’s why, as we enter a new year, I want to outline what I believe is the best strategy for using this site to make long-term changes to your diet and lifestyle so you can achieve a healthy body weight. I’ll go through each of the sections I think you should visit, and in what order. This way, you’ll best be able to use this site to reach your weight loss goals.

Where to Start

Definitely the best place to start is the Site Introduction. This gives you a good overview of what a “MediterrAsian” way of eating and living is all about. You can also read about how this way of living has kept us both healthy and in shape for well over a decade.

The next stop I recommend you make, simply because it’s so motivating, is the Scientific Research section. It still amazes us how a way of eating and living that’s so fun can also be so healthy! For even more motivation, the Scientific Studies section of our blog has all the latest news, gleaned from media sources around the world, detailing the latest research into the benefits of traditional Mediterranean and Asian diets.

After learning about all the wonderful benefits, you’ll probabaly be keen to check out the basic steps involved in following this way of eating and living. Decades of research has identified nine common traits among Mediterranean and Asian populations, which scientists believe are the key reasons they are so healthy, lean and long-lived. MediterrAsian Living explains what these nine key steps actually are, and why they’re so health-giving. You’ll also find lots of tips which show you how to easily incorporate these healthy practices into your own life.

If you have any unanswered questions after exploring MediterrAsian Living, the Frequently Asked Questions section should hopefully provide an answer. Here you’ll find lots of common questions about a MediterrAsian way of eating and living including: “How can a way of eating that includes plenty of pasta, rice, bread and fatty foods like olive oil, nuts and avocados possibly be good for my waistline?” and “Is it difficult to follow a MediterrAsian way of living?” This section also includes the motivating story of Dean Lukin, a former Olympic gold medal weightlifter who lost over 110 pounds in under a year by following a Mediterranean-style diet.

After learning about the fundamentals of a MediterrAsian way of eating and living, the next step is obviously to put what you’ve learned into practice. The 7-day plan, gives you the opportunity to do just that.

The 7-day plan doesn’t just include an eating plan, but also tips on how to easily increase the calorie-burning physical activity in your life — not through exercise, but simply by moving more as part of your everday life. The plan also includes tips on how to incorporate more relaxation time into your life. This is an important part of permanent weight loss because so often, through stress or simply boredom, we eat. By feeding your mind instead of your body it can do wonders for your waistline.

It’s up to you whether you actually follow the 7-day plan, or simple use it as a model for your own customized version. But whichever option you choose, I highly recommend you do the 7-day plan shop — simply because it’s a good way to stock up on the essential Mediterranean and Asian food items that make this way of eating so delicious as well as effective.

Mouthwatering Recipes

One of the reasons most diets are so hard to stick to is because they lack variety. This certainly isn’t the case when you follow traditional Mediterranean and Asian eating practices!

The culinary diversity of the Mediterranean region alone — which encompasses countries such as Greece, Italy, Spain, and Morocco — is remarkable. And the culinary diversity of Asia — which includes countries like China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia — is equally impressive. So I can assure you that you’ll never lack variety.

To give you some idea of the mouthwatering range of foods you can eat, check out the Cuisine Guides. Here you’ll find more in-depth information about the different cuisines of the Mediterranean and Asia, and also lots of tasty recipes, categorized by region.

If you want to browse all the recipes on the site in one place, go to the Delicious Recipes section. The recipes are conveniently divided into 9 different categories including pasta & pizza, curries, stews & bakes, salads, soups, and desserts. (For inspiration, you can see what others are cooking and sharing from our site on Pinterest.)

Other Useful Sections & Resources

The MediterrAsian blog is chock full of useful info and is regularly updated with new recipes, meal ideas and healthy living tips.

To make it easier than ever to enjoy great food while staying lean and healthy, we’ll be sharing lots of simple and delicious recipes, helpful links and other unique content on our new Facebook page this year — so we hope you can join us. Also, if you have any questions about anything MediterrAsian, feel free to post them on our Facebook wall and we’ll do our best to answer them. :)

Hope you have a very happy and healthy 2012!

(These Chunky Tuna Mixes from our archive can be used as the base for a wide variety of tasty meals, and they’re also super quick to make, so they’re ideal if you can’t be bothered spending much time in the kitchen during the holidays.)

Although we usually buy plain canned tuna for its sheer versatility, we’ve occasionally bought cans of ready-made “flavored” tuna to try something different (and, if truth be told, because they’re on sale). However, as convenient as the prepared versions are they don’t exactly get our mouths watering. Plus they’re often high in sodium, use inferior-quality tuna and have an unappetizing mushy texture. So we’ve come up with our own range of flavored tuna mixes, homemade from scratch, that taste so much better than the store-bought stuff.

The concept is simple: take a can of tuna then add all sorts of tasty ingredients and seasonings to create flavorsome tuna concoctions that you can use in an endless variety of quick, easy and delicious meals. The tuna mixes are perfect on bruschetta and pizzas, as a sandwich and wrap filling, tossed into salads, or added to pasta, noodle or rice dishes such as risottos and fried rice.

Here are three chunky tuna mixes — two are Mediterranean inspired and one is based on Southeast Asian flavors — together with recipes using each variety, plus more ideas for serving these ready-to-eat preparations. Of course, the best-quality canned tuna is key to the flavor and texture of these mixtures. We like the taste of light-meat tuna packed in olive oil, and prefer the solid or chunk variety which consists of larger pieces of tuna that can be broken into chunks rather than flaked tuna. But any good-quality canned tuna works well with these recipes.

Black Olive, Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil Tuna Mix

6 oz (180g) can of light-meat tuna in olive oil – drained and broken into chunks
¼ cup jarred marinated sun-dried tomatoes – roughly chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
6 black olives – pitted and finely chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic – minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until well combined.

Pasta with tuna, broccoli and parmesan (pictured): Cook 6 oz (180g) penne pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions, adding the florets from 1 head of broccoli to the pot in the final 6 minutes of cooking. Drain the pasta and broccoli, reserving 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water in the pot. Toss the pasta and broccoli with the black olive, sun-dried tomato and basil tuna mix and serve with finely grated Parmesan cheese.

Pita pizzas with tuna and mozzarella: Preheat the oven to 450F (230C). Spread 2 medium whole-grain pita breads each with 2 tablespoons of passata or tomato pasta sauce. Top each pita with the black olive, sun-dried tomato and basil tuna mix and sprinkle ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese on top of each. Place the pizzas on a baking tray and cook for 10 minutes. Cut into slices to serve.

Lemon, Dill & Red Onion Tuna Mix

6 oz (180g) can of light-meat tuna in olive oil – drained and broken into chunks
2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
small handful of fresh dill – roughly chopped
½ clove garlic – minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until well combined.

Tuna and white bean salad with cherry tomatoes and feta: Toss the lemon, dill and red onion tuna mix with ½ cup rinsed and drained canned white beans, 12 halved cherry tomatoes and 3 cups mixed salad leaves. Fold through 2 oz (60g) crumbled feta cheese.

Bruschetta with tuna and baby spinach: Cut four 1-inch slices from a ciabatta or sourdough loaf and grill under an oven broiler or in a grill pan on both sides. Rub each slice with a cut garlic clove and drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil. Place a handful of baby spinach leaves on each bruschetta and spoon equal amounts of the lemon, dill and red onion tuna mix on top.

Southeast Asian-Style Tuna Mix

6 oz (180g) can of light-meat tuna in olive oil – drained and broken into chunks
¼ red pepper – finely diced
1 scallion (spring onion) – finely sliced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
1 clove garlic – minced
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese soy sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon peanut oil
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
½ teaspoon brown sugar
¼ teaspoon dried chili flakes

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until well combined.

Southeast Asian noodles with tuna and stir-fried vegetables: Cook 4 oz (120g) thin dried wheat noodles in a pot of boiling water for 5 minutes. While the noodles cook, heat a wok over a high heat, then add 1 tablespoon of peanut oil. Stir-fry 1 julienned carrot and 16 halved green beans for around 5 minutes. Drain the noodles and add to the wok with the Southeast Asian-style tuna mix. Toss together to combine well and heat through.
(Variation: you can stir-fry other veggies like snow peas, bok choy, mushrooms or broccoli florets instead.)

Fried rice with tuna, egg, zucchini and peas: Heat a wok over a high heat, then add 1 tablespoon of peanut oil. Add 1 diced zucchini and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add ½ cup thawed peas and stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add 2 lightly beaten eggs and stir-fry for another minute. Add 2 cups leftover cold cooked rice and stir-fry, tossing to separate the grains, and combine well, for a minute. Add the Southeast Asian-style tuna mix and stir-fry for 1 minute to heat through.

Looking for a simple, tasty and exotic vegetable side dish for your Christmas feast? This easy-to-make and remarkably tasty Middle Eastern carrot dish could fit the bill.

The cooking process is as straightforward as boiling some carrots (which have been cut into batons) and tossing them with a mixture that includes ground cumin, coriander and fresh mint. These seasonings really brings out the carrots’ natural sweetness.

You can use pre-ground spices if you want, but we know from our own experience that it doesn’t taste anywhere near as good. Lightly toasting whole cumin and coriander seeds before grinding them with a mortar and pestle releases their distinct taste and fragrance and adds a wonderful aromatic burst of flavor to the dish. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle then you can grind the seeds in a spice or coffee grinder instead. Failing that, you could even use the bottom of a heavy pan to crush the spices. (There’s no need for the spices to be finely ground because a bit of texture actually works well with this dish.)

For something a little more showy, use whole baby carrots if you can get them and keep some of their green tops attached for some contrasting color. This dish can also be served hot or cold.

Here’s the recipe.

A while ago I shared a disturbing story with you from The New York Times about how the Mediterranean diet is dying out in its homeland and being replaced by a modern Western diet. Here’s part of the story:

Dr. Michalis Stagourakis has seen a transformation of his pediatric practice here over the past three years. The usual sniffles and stomachaches of childhood are now interspersed with far more serious conditions: diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. A changing diet, he says, has produced an epidemic of obesity and related maladies.

Small towns like this one in western Crete, considered the birthplace of the famously healthful Mediterranean diet – emphasizing olive oil, fresh produce and fish – are now overflowing with chocolate shops, pizza places, ice cream parlors, soda machines and fast-food joints.

The fact is that the Mediterranean diet, which has been associated with longer life spans and lower rates of heart disease and cancer, is in retreat in its home region. Today it is more likely to be found in the upscale restaurants of London and New York than among the young generation in places like Greece, where two-thirds of children are now overweight and the health effects are mounting, health officials say.

“This is a place where you’d see people who lived to 100, where people were all fit and trim,” Dr. Stagourakis said. “Now you see kids whose longevity is less than their parents’. That’s really scaring people.”

That concern has been echoed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, which said in a report this summer that the region’s diet had “decayed into a moribund state.”

I’ve also talked before about how a modern Western diet has well and truly infiltrated many Asian countries as well. In fact, Japan now has well over 3000 McDonalds restaurants (which is second only to the U.S.). Not surprisingly, obesity rates as well as rates of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer have increased substantially there in recent years.

However, there have been attempts to turn the tide, and health authorities in many Mediterranean and Asian countries have been enthusiastically urging their citizens to return to their traditional diets. Late last year, UNESCO even deemed the traditional Mediterranean diet so important that it granted it protected status as a “Cultural Heritage.”

And it’s not just Mediterranean and Asian countries urging their citizens to adopt these traditional eating practices. The latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans now include several paragraphs recommending the Mediterranean diet, and also a section that points out the health benefits of the Japanese diet.

On top of this, study after study continues to show the wide range of health benefits that can be achieved by eating traditional Mediterranean and Asian diets.

Yet nothing seems to be working. Traditional Mediterranean and Asian eating practices continue to die out in their homelands, and very few of us are adopting these eating practices ourselves (although many of us are quick to embrace the latest fad diet).

At this rate, traditional Mediterranean and Asian diets could eventually be relegated to the history books — and what an absolute shame that would be.

But there is a simple way you can help keep these culinary traditions alive — embrace them yourself. For example, why not have a stir-fry or a risotto for dinner, slowly savor it, and wash it down with a wine or cold beer. Sounds like a tough job doesn’t it?

Also, stock up your kitchen with traditional Mediterranean and Asian ingredients and regularly cook Mediterranean and Asian meals. (Make our recipes, search the Web for recipes, or get out Mediterranean and Asian cookbooks from the library.)

You could even have a dinner party featuring traditional Mediterranean and/or Asian dishes, and let your guests know that these foods aren’t only highly delicious, they’re also highly nutritious. Who knows, maybe they’ll get hooked too.

Of course these are all small steps in the overall picture. But the more of us who get involved, the more chance there is of keeping these wonderful and healthful culinary traditions alive well into the future!

I’ve eaten countless stir-fries since my sister-in-law Vivian (who’s Chinese-Malaysian) introduced me to authentic Asian cooking. This squid stir-fry easily ranks among the best of them. Actually this isn’t specifically a squid stir-fry. We just happened to have some squid rings in our freezer, and thought this would be a good way to use them. But if you don’t like squid, or can’t get your hands any, this dish tastes equally good with shrimp, chicken, scallops or tofu. (Or if you’re still eating your way through leftover turkey, then use it instead and add it at the end of cooking to heat through with the sauce and veggies.)

The main element that makes this stir-fry taste so good is the sauce. The saltiness of the soy sauce and fish sauce, the warmth of the fresh ginger, the nuttiness of the sesame oil, the sourness of the rice vinegar, the sweetness of the sugar, and the heat of the chili all combine to create a wonderful harmony of flavors. In fact the sauce is so tasty that even before we added it to the stir-fry, we both couldn’t help dipping our fingers into it repeatedly for a taste (I know…not very hygienic).

The other ingredient that makes this stir-fry so enjoyable is the cellophane noodles, which are also known as bean thread noodles. They’re typically made from mung bean starch, and when they’re soaked in hot water for a few minutes they become translucent and tender and have a unique, almost elastic, texture. If you’ve got rice vermicelli noodles in your pantry they make a reasonably good substitute.

Here’s the recipe.