The benefits of following the Mediterranean diet are many—from reducing the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancers to lowering cholesterol and improving cognitive health. Plus, since it focuses on filling your plate with whole grains, legumes and beans, fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and lean protein, it’s easy to follow no matter your dietary preferences. This week’s dinners all adhere to the Mediterranean diet, and they can be made in three steps or less. Let’s get cooking!
Your Weekly Plan
Sunday: Loaded Chicken & Broccoli Salad
Monday: Sheet-Pan Shrimp Fried Rice
Tuesday: Creamy Pesto Beans
Wednesday: Crispy Salmon Rice Bowl
Thursday: Gut-Friendly Veggie Sandwich
Friday: Melting Cherry Tomato & Mozzarella Pasta
Our column, ThePrep, has everything you’ll need to make dinner planning and grocery shopping as easy as can be. Nutritional needs differ from one individual to another, and we invite you to use these dinner plans as inspiration and adjust them as you see fit. Sign up to get a dinner plan delivered to your inbox every Saturday!
Sunday: Loaded Chicken & Broccoli Salad
Photographer: Hannah Hufham, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Packed with lean chicken breast and crisp broccoli, plus a creamy dressing, crunchy bacon, Cheddar cheese and scallions, this salad features the “loaded” flavors of your favorite baked potato. We swapped strained (Greek-style) yogurt for some of the mayo for extra protein.
Monday: Sheet-Pan Shrimp Fried Rice
Tossing the rice and vegetables with sauce before baking them creates a flavorful base for this shrimp dinner. Carrots, red bell pepper, scallions and peas add color and lots of nutrients, including fiber and vitamins A and C.
Tuesday: Creamy Pesto Beans
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong
This comforting dish of creamy cannellini beans in a fragrant sauce comes together in just 30 minutes. The beans are rich in fiber, which helps support your gut health. Store-bought pesto, plus additional fresh basil leaves, lemon juice and grated Parmesan, gives the beans herby, bright and nutty flavors. Swipe up the beans with toasted hunks of whole-wheat baguette.
Wednesday: Crispy Salmon Rice Bowl
Ali Redmond
Omega-3-rich salmon is roasted then glazed with teriyaki sauce before taking its place as the star of these brown rice bowls. Some edamame, cucumber and avocado add contrasting crunchy and creamy textures.
Thursday: Gut-Friendly Veggie Sandwich
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
Toasted sprouted whole-wheat bread, lots of gut-friendly vegetables and a creamy yogurt sauce come together to form these mouthwatering sandwiches. The sprouted whole-wheat bread contains insoluble fiber, which helps your digestion. Fiber-rich veggies, like asparagus and artichoke hearts, also support gut health and help ensure that this sandwich keeps you satisfied.
Friday: Melting Cherry Tomato & Mozzarella Pasta
Ali Redmond
A bowl of whole-wheat pasta dotted with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella pearls just feels right as the days heat up. It’s perfect for eating al fresco. Rinse a can of white beans and stir them in to heat through; they’ll add even more fiber and protein to ensure that this vegetarian dish meets our Mediterranean diet parameters.
I wish you all a great week, and I hope you enjoy this dinner plan. If you try a recipe, remember to add a review.