Community Chat

[Yardlie]

I always know I can turn to you all when I have questions. My husband and I decided to start following more of a Mediterranean Diet. We had taken my mother in for some dementia testing this week, and they said that she has a fair amount of plaque in the blood vessels in her brain. That definitely contributes to dementia.

So, a few questions:

I've seen the basics of the Mediterranean diet online (fish vs meat, olive oil, etc), but I'm wondering: What do you put on bread like toast? Is there a butter substitute that is good tasting? Same question regarding baked potatoes. How about chicken and turkey sausage. Is there one of them that tastes better than the others? I know that baked potatoes and sausage may not be Mediterranean. We don't have to follow it 100%, but we want to lean more toward that kind of diet. Also, what do people in the Mediterranean areas eat for breakfast? Fruit, I'm sure, but what else?

Thanks for any advice!

[Poodlepet2]

Hi Brinklii! Try posting on the "Wellness Thread".  You will also find great suggestions for recipes on the "Recipe" forum

Poodlepet2

[Bri21]

If you are going to follow the Mediterraneon diet, butter substitutes aren't the best choice.  I would go with real butter instead   Butter substitutes are processed, which aren't advised while following the Mediterraneon lifestyle.

There are other things that you can use instead of butter though - peanut butter, almond butter, tahini, smashed avocado, hummus.  You can even drizzle a little honey or  smash some fresh berries on your toast. 

Breakfast can be oatmeal - not instant oatmeal - with fresh fruit.    Again, the less processed the better.  You can make a veggie omelette with leftover sauteed vegetables.  Greek yohurt is another good choice. 

I don't really eat sausage, but I imagine chicken or turkey would be better than pork sausage.  I guess it depends on the nitrates, salt, and fat. 

I'm sure you'll get a lot of suggestions!

[Laura14]

@Yardlie  If you need to stay away from butter for health reasons (I do), I use Smart Balance Low Sodium which is a blend of oils.  

I also use peanut butter, and a pure fruit jam once in a blue moon.  Polaner all fruit jam is as natural as you can get and natural peanut butter which is just peanuts works for me.  Hummus is also a  substitute for mayo in sandwiches.

I can tell you in our Italian family, potatoes are usually tossed in olive oil with herbs and baked and eaten that way on our table most of the time.

[Yardlie]

Thanks, @Bri21! I guess using a little butter once in awhile wouldn't hurt. My mother used to cook everything in butter. I cook in olive oil whenever possible.

[Bri21]

You can put salsa on baked potatoes instead of butter too.

My mother cooked with real butter and olive oil.    I never used a substitute. 

[SaRina]

You can get a wealth of ideas and information by googling. Yogurt, berries and nuts make a great breakfast. Regarding butter, it's pretty easy to lose your taste for butter by eliminating it slowly. I haven't used butter in more than 20 years. In fact, even the smell of it makes me gag now. It's possible to enjoy the flavor of the food itself without drowning it in butter or oils. You're welcome, lol. :-)

[qualitygal]

@Yardlie, I bought 3 different books from Amazon on that. I don't follow that one. So if you can try your local library, you might find what you want. If I get a chance I'll see what I can find, from your question(s).

[Bri21]

My daughter makes ricotta toast.  She mixes in honey and some cinnamon and puts it on whole grain toast.  You can add some fresh berries to the ricotta.  If you want to be decadant, you can add mini chococlate chips.  LOL

[Yardlie]

@Laura14 ... Thanks so much for your suggestions. No, right now I don't need to stay away from butter or salt for health reasons...but I do want to try to avoid health problems...especially since my mother has vascular dementia due to plaque buildup in the blood vessels in her brain.