Welcome to Day #17

Pasta and starches generally are part of the Mediterranean diet, however that does not mean jumbo servings of pasta with creamy sauces, but pasta with mainly vegetable based sauces.

Everyone can enjoy a moderate amount of pasta and still maintain their weight or blood sugar levels, as long as it is consumed appropriately and within a balanced Mediterranean meal. So, in other words not too much and always accompanied with vegetables.

In Italy pasta is consumed in a small amount as a first course, while in Greece, we do not eat pasta everyday but more like once a week. I would say the same holds for bread.

Bread in itself is not fattening, but if you dip bread in tons of olive oil than the caloric value goes up.

So bottom line: yes, you can eat pasta or rice in moderate amounts, make sure you accompany it with plenty of vegetables in the form of a tomato sauce or consumed with a large salad.

Today’s New Challenge: Have a Pasta or Rice Dish

*Continue drinking 2 herbal beverages and have a leafy salad for dinner tonight (or lunch depending on when you eat your pasta dish)

Mediterranean Pasta Recipes

Greek Pasta Sauce With Chicken

This pasta dish incorporates some of the flavors of Greece. It makes a wonderfully complete and satisfying meal. For extra flavor, toss in a few kalamata olives. Use whatever pasta you have or prefer.

>>> Click here for recipe

Lemon Asparagus Pasta

The key to acing this dish is to cook the asparagus until its tips are crispy and stalks slightly blistered. The slight char will add a whole other dimension to the enticing flavor of this vegetable.

>>> Click here for recipe

Classic Greek Pasta Salad

Greek Pasta Salad is an easy side, perfect to prep ahead and a hit at every party or potluck! Tender pasta, ripe juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, feta cheese and olives are tossed in a Greek dressing for the perfect make ahead side dish.

>>> Click here for recipe

Mediterranean Rice Recipes

Greek Lemon Rice

This lemon rice pilaf is a fairly popular side dish, you may have sampled a version of it at your local Greek restaurant.

>>> Click here for recipe

Greek Cabbage with Rice – Lahanorizo

Greek cuisine has a way of making almost any vegetable desirable. Even if you thought you didn’t like it, somehow, when cooked the Greek way, it manages to be something you want to eat again and again. This can be said for this traditional cabbage and rice dish.

>>> Click here for recipe

Italian rice salad

Delicious healthy, Italian Style Rice Salad so easy to make.

Chopped salad with perfectly cooked cold long grain rice mixed with homemade olive oil, lemon, herb and garlic dressing.

>>> Click here for recipe

Alright we'll see you tomorrow!