Welcome to Mediterranean Minutes, the best channel for Mediterranean diet information, healthy recipes, tips & guides for how to follow the best diet in the world, the Mediterranean diet & how to eat the Mediterranean way every day to help you on your healthy journey. I'm Caroline, author, recipe developer, RU-vidr, and a big believer in the incredibly healthy Mediterranean diet. I’ll share what I’ve learned living in Spain as well as the wealth of nutritional science I gained from my education at Stanford University's Center for Health Education.
My book, "Every Day Mediterranean 30-Day Kick-Start Plan" is available at amzn.to/4fskCvI
Legal Disclaimer: Channel content is NOT medical advice, nor can I give medical advice. I'm not a licensed nutritionist, dietician or doctor. Everything here is for general informational purposes. Do not use to self-diagnose nor substitute for a medical exam, diagnosis, or other recommendations by a professional medical health care provider.
@@mediterraneanminutes your videos and pdfs have been a divine intervention for me. Thank you so much! I used to follow the keto diet. It worked great! I lost a lot of weight. But, after a year or so I felt so deprived. Meat and non-starch vegetables. There was only so many ways I could eat them. And I started “cheating” with cookies and cakes. And I gained most of my weight back. But, since starting the Mediterranean way of eating I don’t feel so deprived. I get to eat fruit, again! And whole grain bread! It’s been too long since I’ve actually been able to eat a sandwich and still feel like it’s healthy. I greatly appreciate the time and effort you’ve put in to making all these wonderful videos and downloadable documents. Thank you from the very bottom of my heart.
@@melissaandrews1603 So nice of you to send me such a supportive message. I’m really glad I could help in a small way. Keep it up! Sounds like you are on a very good path! Cheers, Caroline
@@mediterraneanminutes I actually used pepperoni, asparagus, and Swiss shredded cheese because it was what I had. I'm working on developing a Mediterranean pantry
@@exploringpaws3828 Hey, that sounds like a really tasty combo! And it sounds like you are aware of the right direciton to head as you transform your pantry and fridge! Good for you!
Hi - And welcome to the channel. I'm so honored you bought my book. Your question opens a wide range of options... eggs are healthy proteins, but so are lots of lean protein souces like chicken and fish, plant-based options like nut butters, yogurt, cheeses. For avocado, if you are trying to replace it with a healthy fat, then olive oil is the best I can suggest or nut butters for a creamy option (check out my cashew cream video which could be a really good alternative). If you're looking for an alternative to guacamole, then hummus is awesome or cottage cheese or whipped feta dip... all options I am a big fan of. Banana can provide the same types of nutrients with a creamy finish like avocado but of course it depends on the recipe! Neither of these ingredients are critical to your healthy eating, just two of many options that are part of the Mediterranean way of eating. If you happen to watch my recent video about what I eat in a day, it can give you a pretty good idea of the flexibility of any day's menu so you might have fun watching it. And don't hesitate to send another comment if you come across other questions as you go! Best of luck! Caroline
Lucky you! I can smell those delicious fruits and vegetables through your video! Here in Canada grocery stores sell often hard unripened fruit at high prices.
Ouch! But very nice to hear from you, scrappin'... it was the same in Michigan for part of the year when I grew up there too. And, hey, you have smelly-vision? Wish everybody did. It is really quite the sensory experience. I was back there this morning scouting out spices from the guy who was on vacay last week. Always something fun to see and buy! Enjoy the cooler fall weather before winter sets in! Cheers, Caroline
@@dyanneall8921 EXACTLY how I feel! The biggest risk is buying more than I can handle…! Glad you enjoyed this little slice of my life. Cheers, Caroline
@@plantlady65 Thanks. I hope you find the book helpful. As far as a cookbook with recipes, I’d recommend America’s Test Kitchen Complete Mediterranean book. It’s very comprehensive and would give you a wide range of options for different ingredients to include in your diet. best of luck on this healthy road. I’m glad you’re along for the ride! Cheers, Caroline
Going to spain in a few days !!! Will visit a mercado for sure !!! love going to markets in every country a visit….see what the locals eat and drink….sipping a coffee and just enjoy watching people live !!!
Well, sounds like you travel like I do! Food and fun...I know you're going to enjoy Spain. It's a wonderful place to visit 9and live ;) Cheers, Caroline
Hi Margo - Well, the colors are even more vibrant in person. It was quite hard for me to capture them accurately since the lighting is different in almost every stall but I tried my best to come close to replicating it: the sights, the sounds, the aromas, the entertaining chaos of shopping here! Cheers, Caroline
Wow! What a wonderful market! Most of our stores are loaded with processed foods. In the summer there are a few farmers markets, but I rarely get a chance to go to them.
So glad you had fun joining me at the market. George and I used to sell our olive oil and jams at the farmer’s markets in California so we know how wonderful they can be too. Cheers, Caroline
Hey there, Jennifer! Isn’t it the best? The most difficult part for me was about 300 different types of lights to shoot under and me not knowing much about what to do but after 3 days of shooting, I had to let it go and just enjoy the process of filming out of the kitchen! Glad you liked it. XO Caroline
Hey P Mom! Yep, it is pretty special and I know how lucky we are to be right down the block from it. It’s definitely a special part of living here in Spain. Hope you are doing well and enjoying a change of weather. Fall is just starting to really kick in here. XO Caroline
That mercado looks wonderful. So much variety to choose from, and they all look so fresh and healthy. Thanks for the tour. I’m looking forward to using the pdf to help tailor my grocery shopping to more closely fit my health needs. You’ve done all the research! Enjoy your week.
Thanks much, Linda! Glad you enjoyed seeing a little it of my neighborhood. Enjoy the PDF... I hope it's helpful and that you enjoy your week too! Cheers, Caroline
Your new book was delivered a few days ago. Love it! I plan to get a spiral binding put on it to make it easier to use each day. Lately I have been reading and listening to "experts" on all sorts of diets from vegan to carnivore. Very confusing! I find the Mediterranean diet, while slightly different from country to country, to be nutritious, fairly easy to follow and therefore more sustainable, and absolutely delicious! While I can't get much fresh fish here in Arizona (as recommended in your book) without $$$, I can get a good variety of organic produce, legumes, and whole grains. So, because of several recent health issue and excess weight, I am getting serious now about filling up a Mediterranean despensa. I just wish I could visit Spain, Porugal, Greece, or Italy. Perhaps you could do a video soon on how and why you and George moved to Spain. Thanks, Caroline, for your book and RU-vid channel.
Oh you are lucky. I wanted to publish it in spiral bound because that would have been my choice too, but Amazon publishing doesn't offer that. Hopefully someday in the future... Either way though, I really hope you find it helpful and easy to follow. Arizona? George and I did a lot fo camping there for years, lovely state! Best of luck... sounds like you are deidicated to making it happen and I'm really confident you will do it... fish or not! XO Caroline
I so agree on the expert confusion. Nearly every one of them has a different opinion on any given topic. And managing multiple health issues? Confusion multiplied.
Love this Mercado.. very clean and the displays are inviting! There are two in the USA that I know of that would come close (but not really): Gelsons in the West and Wagmans in the East… great video. Thank you for sharing.
Ha! Too funny, Carmen. I used to shop at Gelson's when I lived in southern California, then when I moved to northern California, I bought my house because of its walking distance to Draeger's in Menlo Park! So I guess there is a pattern I never quite paid attention to... this market is a 5-minute walk up the promenade from my apartment!
@@mandyb7277 I was glad to turned out the way it did but boy oh boy … it might have been the most difficult video I’ve ever tried to do. It helped that George kept encouraging me with positive feedback! Glad you enjoyed it! C
I purchased your book, I’m half Spanish, my great grandfather went to the Art Institute and was taught by Picasso’s father, Picasso was his classmate and I have my great grandfather’s sketches framed on my wall.
@@ingrid2543 Oh what an exciting personal history of Spain! Lucky you… and thanks much for supporting my effort and buying the book. I truly hope you enjoy it. Cheers, Caroline
@@kleptodathief3946 Sounds like something both George and I would love… I’ll try it! George loves honey from his bees and I adore lemon zest. Thanks for chiming in with a great idea. XO Caroline
Hello, my name is Elaine live in Western Australia and I need to loose weight, I have been looking at your videos and they are inspiring me thank you for making these videos
HI Elaine - Welcome to my channel, I’m so glad you found it! I think you’ll find a lot of videos here that might help you along your journey. In fact, today one of my “pen pals” just reported in on the Community posts that she has lost 14 pounds since following my book for the past month! She is one of the regular viewers that has been part of the group for a few years. So I hope you will find the same success! Welcome, welcome and best of luck with your own healthy goals. Cheers, Caroline
Love all your videos and recipes! The gorgeous colors alone make my mouth water! I have always eaten this way since I grew up in a Lebanese family! Thank you for making these videos and recipes available to us!
Hi Tammy - Thanks for chiming in. You’ll find a few different videos already on the channel all about meal prepping and meal planning, including one that covers a full week of “classes” and cooking with me. This week’s video on Sunday will cover the Mediterranean diet food list with a visit to my local market. Plus, if you are really looking for some extra help, I just published a book last month on Amazon for a 30-day kick start plan with 30 days of menus and a full overview of the diet that you might be interested in taking a look at. Welcome to the channel, I’m glad you’re along for the healthy journey! Cheers, Caroline
HI - I think you could be onto something really tasty. I’ve never tried it but the very next batch I make, I’m going to give it a whirl. I bet we will have some seriously yummy and healthy mayo! Thanks for the question, I have a feeling the answer is going to be a standard in my kitchen from now on! Cheers, Caroline
