Amy Riolo is an award-winning and bestselling author, chef, TV personality, and educator. She is one of the world's foremost authorities on culinary culture and the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle in particular.

Achieve optimal health and live longer with timeless advice from Mediterranean culture
The Mediterranean lifestyle offers achievable and enjoyable opportunities for a longer, healthier, and happier life. By incorporating simple and fun habits into your daily life, you can enjoy these lasting benefits. In Mediterranean Lifestyle For Dummies, best-selling author, Mediterranean lifestyle ambassador, chef, and culinary expert Amy Riolo walks you through the basic lifestyle practices that have stood the test of time and will transform the way you eat, socialize, and experience life.
You'll find practical ways to enjoy increased energy, better sleep, an improved attitude, and a revitalized social life. You'll learn to make a healthy, produce-based diet the centerpiece of a new approach to living that includes engaging with nature, making mealtimes sacred, and laughing at life every day.
More than 30 delicious, simple, and authentic Mediterranean recipes from various countries in the region, this book shows you how to:
* Benefit from ancient wisdom which has enabled people to survive and thrive well into their 90s for millennia
* Adopt a food-friendly approach that makes cooking for yourself, friends, and family an opportunity for fun and memorable experiences
* Organize your pantry and kitchen around Mediterranean principles so making simple, healthy foods becomes second nature
* Make time for yourself, your family, and your friends by reconnecting with the outdoors, siestas, and communal meals
The transformational opportunity found in this lifestyle guide is about more than improving your diet and losing a few pounds. It's about showing you how to find a happier and healthier you without resorting to fads, tricks, shortcuts, or diets that only last a few days. By revealing the often-overlooked cultural traditions and lifestyle components that have earned the Mediterranean Diet top ranking among the world's diets, this book will help you to achieve lasting and meaningful results, anytime and anywhere. Mediterranean Lifestyle For Dummies is for anyone who wants more flavor in their food, more wine in their glass, more friends at their table, and more life in their life.

Introduction 1
Part 1: Getting Started with the Mediterranean Lifestyle 7
Chapter 1: Defining the Mediterranean Lifestyle 9
Chapter 2: Living the Mediterranean Approach to Food 15
Chapter 3: Looking Forward to a Long and Healthful Life 35
Chapter 4: Achieving the Mediterranean Lifestyle Abroad 43
Part 2: Making the Mediterranean Lifestyle Work for You 57
Chapter 5: Making Meals a Priority 59
Chapter 6: Laughing at Everyday Life 65
Chapter 7: Participating in Pleasurable Activity 71
Chapter 8: Engaging with Nature 81
Chapter 9: Setting Aside Time for Siestas 91
Part 3: Adopting Healthful Cultural Attitudes 99
Chapter 10: Living Mediterranean-Style Daily 101
Chapter 11: Seeing Food as a Metaphor for Life 119
Part 4: Preparing and Eating Food with Pleasure 133
Chapter 12: Ancient Flavor Enhancers and Plant-Based Menus 135
Chapter 13: Planning Meals with the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid 147
Chapter 14: Stocking a Mediterranean-Style Kitchen 159
Chapter 15: Shopping for Food the Mediterranean Way 173
Part 5: Authentic Mediterranean Recipes for All Occasions 181
Chapter 16: What to Serve and When to Serve It 183
Chapter 17: Breakfast 189
Chapter 18: Small Plates and Snacks 207
Chapter 19: Base Recipes and Main Courses 229
Chapter 20: Fruit, Cheese, Nuts, and Desserts 251
Part 6: The Part of Tens 263
Chapter 21: Ten Easy Ways to Enjoy the Mediterranean Lifestyle Anywhere 265
Chapter 22: Ten (or So) Creative Strategies for Communal Eating 275
Chapter 23: Ten (or So) Fun Ways to Repurpose Food and Eliminate Waste 281
Appendix A: Metric Conversion Guide 287
Index 291