Simply Delicious Mediterranean Dishes! Recipes for Spaghetti With Yogurt Sauce, Bean Burgers, More

There are plenty of types of cuisine, like Asian or Mediterranean, that we love to eat…but when it comes time to prepare the recipes, we hesitate. They seem too time-consuming or complicated, or we don’t have all the necessary ingredients. In her new cookbook The Feel Good Foodie Cookbook, popular blogger Yumna Jawad is demystifying Mediterranean cooking.

“Today, the way I love to cook and feed my family revolves around unfussy, nutrient dense, back-pocket meals that infuse my Mediterranean upbringing with my new Midwestern roots,” shares Jawad. That means dishes that taste like they took hours to prepare but come together in a flash. Try one tonight!

Spaghetti With Yogurt Sauce

(Serves 4)

8 oz. spaghetti
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. pine nuts
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 tbsp. tahini
1⁄2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Reserve 1⁄4 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Add pine nuts. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pine nuts into a small bowl.
3. Remove skillet from heat. Stir garlic into warm oil until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add
yogurt, tahini and salt and whisk until smooth and creamy.
4. Add cooked pasta and reserved pasta water to skillet with sauce. Place over medium and cook, tossing, until the sauce is thickened, glossy and clinging to the pasta, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Scatter with the toasted pine nuts and the parsley. Serve immediately.

PER SERVING: 345 calories, 10 grams protein, 47 grams carbs, 2 grams fiber, 4 grams sugar, 13 grams fat.

Herby White Bean Burgers

(Serves 4)

1 (15 oz.) can white beans, drained, rinsed and patted dry 1⁄4 cup labneh*
1 shallot, chopped
1⁄2 cup parsley, chopped
1 tsp. oregano
1⁄4 tsp. salt
1⁄2 tsp. pepper
1 large egg
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp. olive oil
4 burger buns

1. In a food processor, process beans and labneh to a coarse puree. Add next 5 ingredients; pulse a few times.
2. Beat egg in a bowl. Add beans, Parmesan nd breadcrumbs; mix to combine. Make 4 1⁄2″-thick patties.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add burgers; cook 5 minutes per side.
Serve in buns with your favorite toppings.

*For labneh: Line a fine-mesh sieve with 2 layers of cheesecloth with 4″ of overhang. Set over a bowl. Pour in 32 oz. plain whole-milk yogurt. Stir in 1⁄2 tsp. salt. Tie ends of cheesecloth over
yogurt. Set in fridge 24 to 48 hours. Unwrap labneh from cheesecloth. Put in a clean bowl.

PER SERVING: 515 calories, 26 grams protein, 70 grams carbs, 9 grams fiber, 3 grams sugar, 17 grams fat.

Cashew-Crusted Cod and Green Beans

(Serves 4)

4 (6 oz.) cod fillets
3⁄4 tsp. salt
1⁄2 tsp. pepper
1⁄4 cup Greek yogurt
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 cup cashews, finely chopped in a food processor
1⁄2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
Olive oil cooking spray
1 lb. green beans, trimmed

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Pat cod dry and season with 1⁄2 tsp. salt and 1⁄4 tsp. pepper.
2. In a bowl, whisk yogurt and mustard. Add cod; turn to coat.
3. In another bowl, combine cashews, breadcrumbs, paprika, cumin and garlic powder. Working with 1 fillet at a time, evenly coat cod in cashew mixture, gently pressing to adhere. Place fillets on baking sheet and generously coat with the cooking spray.
4. Scatter green beans around fish, spray with cooking spray, and season with remaining salt and pepper. Roast until cod is golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes.

PER SERVING: 269 calories, 26 grams protein, 13 grams carbs, 2 grams fiber, 2 grams sugar, 13 grams fat.