3 Essential Meal Prep Pesto Sauces | easy mediterranean diet recipes

[@kathleenkolb3316]

Wow these pesto combos sound amazing. I Never thought about roasting peppers in the air fryer. You are just too brilliant! This was a great collection of recipes. Can't wait to try them. Thank you so much!

[@mediterraneanminutes]

Hi Kathleen! Isn't it funny how the mother of invention comes from necessity...as is the case with the air-fryer idea. I was working on the video, didn't want to pull out the big roasting pan for just 1 bell pepper and...voila! Tried it, worked perfect and now I have another reason to love my air-fryer! Cheers, Caroline

[@kathleenkolb3316]

@@mediterraneanminutes I was just wondering if you could roast the garlic in the air fryer? I might try one head when I am doing the pepper.

[@mediterraneanminutes]

@@kathleenkolb3316 Sounds like a good idea. I’ll try it too!

[@delladearest2511]

Thanks for these sauces and the tips to roast peppers and freeze it too ❣️

[@mediterraneanminutes]

Hi Della - I'm really happy these tips will come in handy. I like them so much because it makes things just that much easier in the kitchen. Especially when I can just pull a pesto cube out of the freezer and have dinner ready in minutes (like yesterday...and the day before!). Cheers, Caroline

[@dArtagnan712]

I'm a huge fan of pesto, for so many reasons; so many ways to make it, so versatile to use and the endless number of foods to which it adds amazing flavors! The first time I had pesto, it was actually on a taco - so unexpected and absolutely unforgettable!

[@mediterraneanminutes]

Tacos sound like a great way to use any pesto. Only wish I could get them here! Cheers, Caroline

[@dArtagnan712]

@@mediterraneanminutes Actually, due to health issues, I can't have what most people think of as tacos, either. Fortunately, there are lots of great vegetarian or vegan taco recipes and one of the best features is being able to tweak them for individual needs and tastes. 😀

[@mediterraneanminutes]

@@dArtagnan712 You’re so right. We’ve shifted too to focus on being even more careful about saturated fats so much more vegetarian and it’s a challenge but working! Cheers, Caroline

[@dArtagnan712]

@@mediterraneanminutes Sadly, the subject is rife with contradictions, even among authoritative sources. Navigating the contradictions is difficult, at best. So, I've done my best to cobble together a hybrid diet that's healthy and sustainable for me. I gravitate toward the tastes of the Mediterranean Diet, though I began my journey with a strictly plant-based approach. Regarding saturated fats, I think the key is to get your fat from the right sources and then, exercise moderation. I think it was you, who said, "Eat the Rainbow". While being mindful of portion size, I try to get as much variety as possible in every meal. This has also led to discovering some intriguing combinations. I have to severely limit sodium, but have been able to find other seasoning options that serve me well and even impart a greater spectrum of flavor options. This is a tricky one, because I don't have the time to make sauces, dressings, etc., from scratch and any prepared foods are going to have some sodium, which adds up over the course of a day. I find the lowest sodium content available for the taste I'm trying to achieve and closely monitor my aggregate sodium intake. The reward in achieving a low-sodium diet is that your sense of taste becomes more acute and you discover/rediscover flavors. Also, I have to severely limit sugar, but shifting to natural sources has served me well and I've been pleasantly surprised at the variety of options available, once you're committed to some diligent research. It's been two years since a catastrophic health emergency forced me to turn my life around on a dime, and though I haven't achieved all my goals, I'm doing well, especially, considering the severity of my condition. After a lot of comparing and contrasting, I've come to realize that the Mediterranean Diet is every bit as much the foundation of the approach I've developed, as is plant-based nutrition. Please keep up the good work! The information you provide has been invaluable to me and I appreciate your friendly, positive, caring presentation style! 😀

[@theresajones8367]

Tomato and almond! That sounds delicious!

[@mediterraneanminutes]

Hi Theresa - Well, if you get to try it to sauce shrimp the way we did the other day, I bet you'll make a big batch for the freezer when tomatoes are in season. Another new favorite in our house! Cheers, Caroline

[@515aleon]

All sound amazing. I do have another one (though, non-tomato season). I think like the red pepper one but instead use sun-dried tomatoes (add a tablespoon of olive oil from the jar; basil or even parsley; almonds; parm and more extra virgin olive oil). I am a fan of pestos on sandwiches. Thanks for new exciting options. (BTW, in the US, Trader Joes has inexpensive !!! sun-dried tomatoes. Probably Aldis--the brothers have similar products sometimes.) BTW, on the sun-dried tomatoes, "Pick Up Limes" (vegan channel) has a recipe. I add a 1/4 c of grated parm.

[@mediterraneanminutes]

Hey hi again and did you change your handle? I recognize your photo I think! And thanks thanks for more great ideas. I so appreciate you sharing them with all of us! Cheers, Caroline

[@515aleon]

@@mediterraneanminutes I did not. Google must have because just one day I had this handle. Not sure why the change. I might have liked a say in it. :D

[@mediterraneanminutes]

@@515aleon Hmmm. well too funny and either way, I just KNEW it was you so Google couldn't fool me!

[@allaboutcanines]

Awesome choices. Fun to experiment with what I have in my pantry too. Love the little food processor.

[@mediterraneanminutes]

Hey there AAC! Let me know how your experiments go. I love hearing brilliant ideas that come from serendipity. And yep, I only wish I could come up with a little processor link for others but I'm just stumped. So many people ask about it but unless you want to move to Spain and convert to 220V power, I don't have another solution. Somebody mentioned a Ninja product but I think it is out-of-production and not quite the same....pity! Cheers, Caroline

[@tereclemmer7923]

Yum! I can't wait to try these. Thanks 👍🏼

[@mediterraneanminutes]

And of course, I can't wait to hear how you liked them! Thanks much for sending me a note. Cheers, Caroline

[@ellenradford8582]

Well, dang! I never thought of using the air fryer for roasted peppers!!

[@mediterraneanminutes]

Me neither until I was working on the recipe and didn't want to heat up the oven with a big ole sheet pan. Worked like a charm and I found another air-fryer trick which is always fun for the future! Cheers, Caroline P.S. I had to smile that you said "dang". It's part of my vocab that my friends laugh at too! Cheers, Caroline

[@ellenradford8582]

@@mediterraneanminutes well, I am glad it made you laugh! I will be using it this week to get prepared for taking some items to the beach with us!

[@mediterraneanminutes]

@@ellenradford8582 Dang, wish I could join you! Have fun at the beach!!!

[@ellenradford8582]

@@mediterraneanminutes thank you! We need this vacation time to relax?

[@ellenradford8582]

You can fly into Myrtle Beach Airport and I can pick you up there! Anymore suggestions for Tapas or Mezze while we have drinks before dinner?

[@mmps18]

I love pesto! My son currently is in a pesto phase as well. He just wants to eat it by the spoonful and I'm like sir... maybe let's eat other foods. 😅

[@mediterraneanminutes]

Too too funny, Maya! And for the red pepper pesto one, watch out for too much garlic for him. It is pretty spicy! Hope you are enjoying a wonderful Michigan summer! Cheers, Caroline

[@constanceferguson7930]

Awesome recipe ideas! Like the idea 💡 to freeze and use later. Always with great recipe tips. Thanks 😊 for sharing!!

[@mediterraneanminutes]

hey Constance, what a coincidence…I used a frozen cube last night for dinner (the cirus pistachio which has become our favorite). Such a godsend when I’m just too tired to pull together a dinner and after harvesting olives all day yesterday, we were definitely ready for a dinner break, so toi speak! Hope you get the chance to put some up, too. Cheers, Caroline

[@walkingWV304]

All of these look soooo good! And the ideas for using them look great as well! Thanks!👍🏼

[@mediterraneanminutes]

Hey 304! Can’t wait for you to try them too…I’ve been using them every day this week since I made so much while testing and filming! Real summer indispensibles…Cheers, Caroline

[@kimberlyberlin4999]

3 wonderful pestos. I can't wait to try some and the fact that you can freeze them is a real bonus. Do you have a cookbook in your future? If so I'd buy one in a heartbeat.

[@mediterraneanminutes]

Hi there Kimberly! How nice to hear from you and I hope you are enjoying the summer months. Cookbook? I only wish. The best thing I can say is after months and months of working on all the backlog of recipe videos, I’m closing in on adding everything to the newly designed website where you can print out the recipes. it’s not a book, but a start! Cheers, Caroline

[@kimberlyberlin4999]

@@mediterraneanminutes that's great! Keep me posted.

[@walkingWV304]

Yes! I’d buy that book too!

[@mediterraneanminutes]

@@walkingWV304 OK, well now that I have two potential buyers, I better get to work! ha ha ha…Caroline

[@onecraftydolo]

Perfect, great recipes and ideas.

[@mediterraneanminutes]

Thanks, Crafty! So nice of you to send me a note. Hope you enjoy these pestos all summer long! Cheers, Caroline

[@joeyk5]

Oh Caroline these pestos sound delicious

[@mediterraneanminutes]

OK, truth be told, the pistachio citrus is the one I always have on repeat and always have in the frrezer and always use for a fast pasta dinner when I’m too tired to do much more. Oh and try it as a sauce for veggies and/or white fish. Yum…. (the others are very good too I’m just partial to ctirusy anything). XO C

[@joeyk5]

@@mediterraneanminutesthank you. I am getting the ingredients for the pistachio citrus one tomorrow and I’m going to freeze them. You have helped me so much. Thanks for the extra tips

[@eddieespinosa6576]

Thank you. Just an FYI, the page on your website for these recipes does not load. I get a blank page.

[@mediterraneanminutes]

Hmmm, thanks much for the heads up. I will check it out right away.

[@eddieespinosa6576]

@@mediterraneanminutes I used the Search this Site function from the home page and searched for pesto.

[@mediterraneanminutes]

Thanks, Eddie. It’s very weird, I have the same problem so I think I will just have to delete the page and start over, Thanks very much for pointing it out. I’ve been making some changes to the website and thought maybe I did something goofy but I can’t seem to figure it out. I will fix it but just in case, the individual recipe pages for the pestos seem to be working. Cheers, and thanks again, Caroline

[@eddieespinosa6576]

@@mediterraneanminutes Loved the red bell pepper pesto! I put it over salmon patties. And I used the leftovers by sauteing Roma tomatoes, garlic with the pesto and a little water for pasta. Great flavor. Green pesto usually gives me a little heartburn, but I think it's mainly the stuff from the jar. I'm doing a kale and butterbean salad today and looking around for flavor profiles.

[@mediterraneanminutes]

@@eddieespinosa6576 Sounds like you are a total natural at mixing and matching in the kitchen. Yay! Thanks for the suggestions.