Ushering in a new year—the perfect occasion to recite the most fundamental of all food adages: “You are what you eat.” And so it follows that eating healthy, natural foods will make you, well… naturally healthy. We all know this, yet with the increase of fast foods and crash diets in our busy, modern lives, healthy eating tends to sit on the “I’ll get to that one day” backburner for most of us.
A healthy diet means more than just eating the right foods—it means eating the right foods on a regular basis. Healthy food needs to be delicious, satisfying and easy to prepare so that it’s more likely to fit into your lifestyle and become part of your routine. Though making this commitment might feel like a big shift at first, you’ll soon get into the swing of things, and your body will thank you—in how you look, at the doctor's office, and in how you feel every day.
When it comes to delicious, easy, and healthy eating, we often look to the Mediterranean Diet as a source of inspiration. Traditional Mediterranean meals are based on fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes, an abundance of whole grains, nuts, olives and olive oil, fish, cheese and yogurt, and moderate amounts of wine. Sounds too good to be true, but Mediterranean fare is in fact both delicious and very healthy!
Olives, of course, are packed with nutrition. They have a deliciously salty flavor, yet contain less sodium than a slice of bread. Their low-carb, low-calorie profile and monounsaturated fat content (i.e. “the good fat”) make them a great option for healthy diets.
Here are a few of our favorite, healthy olive-based recipes to get you started:
Spicy Marinated Olives
Quick and easy, the olives pack a kick of spices and great olive flavor. This low-carb dish makes a great appetizer, side dish, or tossed onto pasta or a salad for a fast meal or snack.
Get the Recipe »
Santa Fe Pork with Corn and Olive Salsa
Add color and zest to tonight’s dinner without heavy sauces. Low-carb, but high in great Southwestern flavors, your entire family will thank you.
Get the Recipe »
Tangy Shrimp Appetizer Skewers
This delicious, low-carb appetizer is as easy to make as it is to devour.
Get the Recipe »
Garlic Lemon Chicken Salad
Savor the tastes of the Mediterranean with this refreshing salad. Full of flavor, while still low-carb and low-fat, this is the perfect addition to your healthy menu.
Get the Recipe »