We’re probably not the only ones inspired by The Julie/Julia Project, better known as the 2009 motion picture Julie & Julia, starring Meryl Streep. But, as much as we adore the late Julia Child, traditional French cuisine won’t be partnering with our Metro Cheapo lifestyle design. Though it may be divinely delicious, French food is neither budget-friendly nor is it healthy — unless you’re drinking a case of Bordeaux per day to offset the saturated fat. Since we don’t live in a medieval chateau bordering vineyards (quelle tristesse!), we’ve opted for a more sustainable cuisine for our adventure.
The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook has been around for years and Kat owns what appears to be a first edition copy. Published in July 1994, it was written by Nancy Harmon Jenkins, a contributor to the food and travel sections of The New York Times. With introductions by two world-renowned physicians of Greek descent, this book easily passes the credibility test. And the proof is in pudding. Kat’s been making scrumptious meals from this cookbook for a few years now — and it’s one of her trusted resources. Kat says that she likes the book’s “comprehensiveness” (range of recipes), as well as its emphasis on health. She also observes that the recipes don’t call for too many costly items. We’re both semi-vegetarians, so we won’t be digging into our life savings to buy expensive cuts of meat. In a word, the Mediterranean Diet is CHEAP!
With about 420 pages of actual recipes and approximately one recipe to every 1-2 pages, I figure we’ll be sampling just about one dish a day. Of course, there will be times when we can’t cook (vacations, etc.) but we can compensate for those by making two or three dishes in a single day. It’s yet another challenge for Metro Cheapo. Since we cook at home and we love Mediterranean foods, it should be an easy challenge for us.
Did I mention the deliciousness? Kat makes an awesome hummus from this book — lemony, nutty, garlicky. Superb! And the best meal of my life took place in Greece: a moonlight al fresco banquet that I won’t ever forget.
Tonight’s recipe? Mediterranean Vegetable Soup (Minestrone). Slurp! Stay tuned for more posts about this project. We’ll definitely keep our blog updated with our discoveries as we explore the cuisine of the sunny Mediterranean.
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