Dawn Altomari-Rathjen - The Everything Mediterranean Cookbook: An Enticing Collection of 300 Healthy, Delicious Recipes from the Land of Sun and Sea

To the strongest and most courageous females in my life: my mother Mary Theresa Altomari, my daughters Jule and Quinn Rathjen, my mentors Patti Rosenbloom, Kate McBride, and Lianne Haney.
Dawn Altomari-Rathjen To the lights of my life: Jamie, Robbie Joseph, and my mom.
Jennifer M. Bendelius THE
EVERYTHING
MEDITERRANEAN
COOKBOOK An enticing collection of 300
healthy, delicious recipes from
the land of sun and seaDawn Altomari-Rathjen, L.P.N., B.P.S., and
Jennifer M. Bendelius, M.S., R.D. The EVERYTHING Series Editorial

Publishing Director	Gary M. Krebs
Managing Editor	Kate McBride
Copy Chief	Laura MacLaughlin
Acquisitions Editor	Bethany Brown
Development Editor	Karen Johnson Jacot
Production Editor	Khrysti Nazzaro

Production

Production Director	Susan Beale
Production Manager	Michelle Roy Kelly
Series Designers	Daria Perreault
Colleen Cunningham
Cover Design	Paul Beatrice
Frank Rivera
Layout and Graphics	Colleen Cunningham
Rachael Eiben
Michelle Roy Kelly
Daria Perreault
Erin Ring
Series Cover Artist	Barry Littmann

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Published by Adams Media, an F+W Publications Company
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322 U.S.A.
www.adamsmedia.com ISBN: 1-58062-869-9
Printed in the United States of America. J I H G F E D C B A Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Altomari-Rathjen, Dawn.
The everything Mediterranean cookbook / Dawn Altomari-Rathjen and Jennifer Bendelius.
p. cm. (An everything series book)
ISBN 1-58062-869-9
eISBN 13: 978-1-44052-251-2
1. Cookery, Mediterranean. I.

Bendelius, Jennifer. II. Title. III. Series: Everything series.
TX725.M35A48 2003
641.59'1822-dc21 2002153889 This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice.

If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the
American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Adams Media was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters. This book is available at quantity discounts for bulk purchases.
For information, call 1-800-872-5627. The EVERYTHING Mediterranean Cookbook Dear Reader: It was early on Christmas Eve morning and we were doing our normal exercise routine at our local YMCA. Due to the holiday there were few people in the workout room. This allowed us to each be on our respective machines on opposite sides of the room and still hold a conversation.

The conversation meandered from the holiday, to the weather, and then on to our two favorite topics, nutrition and recipes. This was no huge surprise as the two of us were in the food business, one a dietician, the other a chef. Wouldnt it be great to write a book together? The book could incorporate indicated latest nutrition research each of us had to offer. The Mediterranean diet and the best of what consuming foods from the the benefits of luscious talking about the flying a few feet away, we started Mediterranean and all the health lifestyle. With the snow the sun drenched food associated with benefits derived from following such a diet. The Everything Mediterranean Cookbook is the culmination of that best of each of our current book combines the morning.

The the snowy Christmas Eve book. It incorporates grounds in a fun, easy, and comprehensive Mediterranean lifestyle, informs back research indicating the benefits of the one how to implement this lifestyle, and offers 300 delicious, easy, and authentic recipes for you to try at home. The book was challenging and rewarding and we hope youll enjoy reading it, cooking the recipes, and tasting the delightful meals as much as we enjoyed writing it. Happy reading. Contents Acknowledgments Many thanks to Kate McBride for her unwavering encouragement, support, and copious amounts of editorial assistance. I'd also like to thank Pat Lackner, graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, for her time and help with recipe testing.

Thanks also to the Pagliaro and Altomari families for all their culinary guidance and influence. This book contains many family recipes that have been slightly altered. And last but not least, my gratitude goes out to the many residents of Georgetown, Guyana, South America, for their support. Dawn Altomari-Rathjen
A special thanks to my family and friends for their support and patience, especially Alan and Ruth, and Bonnie. Thank you to Maria Kaufer for editing the nutrition content of the book. Jennifer M.

Bendelius IntroductionTHE BOUNTIFUL CUISINE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN evokes thoughts of luscious grains, pasta, vegetables, fruits, and, of course, olive oil. The colorful vegetables and rich taste of olive oil make this cuisine a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds. The traditional Mediterranean diet is based on the dietary traditions of Crete, the rest of Greece, and southern Italy. Variations on the diet come from other parts of Italy, parts of Spain, Portugal, southern France, parts of North Africa, parts of Turkey, and even parts of the Middle East! As a way to provide you with a well-rounded look at Mediterranean cuisines, this book includes recipes that embrace all of these regions. The unique flavors of these regions have caused some enthusiasts to call this the best cuisine on earth! When doing research for this book it became evident that an important decision had to be made: Should the book include recipes made only with foods indigenous to the Mediterranean regions or should the book include foods that people in the Mediterranean cook and eat, even if the foods are not grown or produced in the area? In order to give the widest variety of foods to suit everyones taste and budget, it was decided to include the latter. Who can resist such temptations as walnut pesto, roasted vegetables, and sun-drenched poached apples? The Mediterranean lifestyle has been touted to bless its recipients with a long and healthy life.

Research indicates that the people in these regions have the lowest rates of chronic diseases and one of the highest life expectancies in the world. This is astonishing when coupled with the fact that medical services and income are fairly limited, compared to the United States. So why does the Mediterranean lifestyle work? It works because it isnt only a diet. It works because its a lifestyle, and a diet. The dietary component is not broken down into exact percentages of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats; its a loose framework that includes intake guidelines. The food portion contains a lot of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.

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