The MediterrAsian Way: A Cookbook and Guide to Health, Weight Loss, and Longevity, Combining the Best Features of Mediterranean and Asian Diets and Lifestyles
Product Description
Indulge yourself with tasty and satisfying foods like pasta dishes, stir-fries, curries, risottos, noodle dishes, and sushi, all washed down with a glass of wine or beer. Stay active but don’t bother with a formal exercise regimen, and set aside time every day to relax and unwind. You may find it hard to believe, but eating and living this way can help you stay lean and healthy, substantially reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer, and increase your chances of… More >>
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As a fan of the Mediterrasian website and its recipes, I was eager to check out the accompanying book upon its release. While it’s referred to on the website as an “extension of the website,” it’s definitely a book that can stand alone.
The book is wonderful for the recipes alone, but I also found the first half of the book, which provided some background information, reasoning and research behind the Mediterrasian lifestyle, to be interesting reading. It’s presented in a non-stuffy, laid back and friendly way, and perfect for people who aren’t necessarily looking for a “diet” or structured plan, but some simple ways to live well through food choices and lifestyle.
The Asian and Mediterranean inspired recipes are easy to follow in addition to being delicious. Also, it’s a great cookbook for someone who doesn’t eat a lot of red meat…it’s chock full of seafood and poultry recipes.
Since purchasing this book, I’ve ordered additional copies for friends and family and will probably order more. Thanks, Ric and Trudy!
Rating: 5 / 5
It just makes sense. The most delicious food is the most healthful. A few years ago it dawned on me that all my favorite cuisines were either from the Mediterranean or Asian regions. I daydreamed about a “MediterrAsian” restaurant, thinking what a catchy name I had cleverly invented. Surely no one else would ever join such different styles of food together. Or would they? I plunked “mediterrasian” into a search engine and was transported to a place even better than my imaginary restaurant.
Ric and Trudy’s website was like an oasis to me. All my life I had never had to worry about my weight, but that changed when I became pregnant at age 29. By the time I found their website, number two was on the way and my metabolism wasn’t keeping up. Dieting was completely foreign to me, and being a foodie who loved cooking, I dreaded the idea of having to give up fats like cheese, olives and avocados, or carbs like pasta, potatoes, and fresh fruits. All the popular diet programs either consisted of calorie counting (i.e. small portions of reduced fat or non-fat foods) or of eliminating carbs and eating lots of protein. My dream diet was more along the lines of French Women Don’t Get Fat meets Yan Can Cook, but I didn’t know how to translate that to every day life, or if it would even be healthy. Joining a gym sounded about as appealing as going to the dentist. Formal exercise and sports were not this bookworm’s cup of tea.
So when the Mediterrasian Way presented that third, balanced option, it simply felt right…and had the scientific basis to back it up–not just from recent times, but going back centuries. As I explored the extensive website, it was like coming home–from a nutritional and culinary perspective, it all resonated with my knowledge and experience, gleaned from both my own education and being raised by a health-conscious ethnically diverse cooking-oriented family. Not only did the theory make sense, but the authors had translated it into practical menus and recipes for every day living.
The emphasis on natural movement was something I had always intuited, so it was refreshing to see that validated by the longevity reported in studies of Mediterranean and Asian cultures based on an active (and simultaneously restful) lifestyle combined with healthful cooking. Granted, I couldn’t achieve that level of movement with my nose in a book or up against a computer screen all day, but as a mother of little ones and a homemaker in a house with stairs, my once somewhat sedentary existence has been exchanged for a life made up of fairly rigorous hands-on tasks.
I was tempted to print out the whole website, but instead I emailed the authors, thanking them for creating such an amazing resource and suggesting they turn it into a book. Well, I wasn’t the only one, so it came as no surprise when about a year later, Ric informed me they were doing just that. I was quite willing to pay to hold a printed and bound version of their website in my hands, but the book is actually much more than that. It’s a chronological journey and explanation of The MediterrAsian Way, as well as a treasury of creative meal planning ideas and recipes with pages of mouthwatering full color photographs.
Like the way of life it outlines, the book is light enough to read in a day, but so rich in content that I keep returning to it to absorb the principles and implement the techniques. Because no foods are excluded, this style of cooking and eating lends itself to very versatile and flexible menus.
In a literary sense, it reads more like a guidebook than a textbook, perfect for the armchair traveler, but also meaningful to those of us who’ve been overseas and are delighted to revisit the flavors and lifestyle we tasted while abroad. Thanks to Ric and Trudy’s excellent direction, I have found my MediterrAsian restaurant–right in my own kitchen.
Rating: 5 / 5
From: http://www.BasilAndSpice.com
Book Review: The Mediterrasian Way: A Cookbook and Guide to Health, Weight Loss, and Longevity, Combining the Best Features of Mediterranean and Asian Diets and Lifestyles
Authors Ric Watson and Trudy Thelander (Wiley ’07)
Why is it that members of some specific cultures live long healthy lives? Seeking to answer this question, from Down Under comes a phenomenal first book by New Zealanders Ric Watson and Trudy Thelander–The Mediterrasian Way. It is a model of how to live healthily in the modern world using the time-tested cuisines and lifestyles of the Mediterraneans and Asians.
The Mediterrasian Way incorporates the most recent studies regarding nutrition, diet, exercise, and relaxation. Over 150 delicious recipes and beautiful photos of prepared dishes are included. A 14-day meal plan and the MediterrAsian.com website tie-in are also lifestyle change boosters.
Writing from his own experience, author Ric Watson explains how his tragic motorcycle accident altered his physical well being. The road to recovery was long and difficult, but by changing his diet from the standard meat and potatoes to traditional Mediterranean meals, he began to regain his health when doctors believed it was impossible.
The daughter of physicians, Trudy Thelander recalls her family relationship with her sister-in-law, a Chinese-Malaysian, who taught the author her own Asian cooking. Finding similarities between the two cultures, Ric and Trudy researched the basic elements of these 5,000 year old lifestyles. Both cultures include daily physical activity, a base diet of whole grain carbohydrates, fruits, beans, legumes, nuts, olive or vegetable oils, and vegetables. Both consume daily water, tea, and wine in moderation.
Further cutting-edge scientific research cited in their groundbreaking book includes The Seven Countries Study, The China Study, The Lyon Diet Heart Study, among others. The authors developed The MediterrAsian Balanced Meal System (MBMS) based on this background, showing how the Mediterranean or Asian meals are easily prepared, and allow for a greater volume of food with less caloric intake. More importantly, they demonstrate how the MBMS enhances the body’s functioning with its use of vegetables, grains, legumes, fruits, and lean protein (poultry, seafood, soy products).
A best example is p. 95 of the book:
Western Style Meal: 1 quarter-pound burger with cheese, 1 large fry, 1 large soda, 1 ice cream sundae (1,679 calories)
Mediterranean Style Meal: Sicilian salmon and pasta with roasted red pepper, zucchini, basil, and pine nuts, 1 slice crusty whole grain bread drizzled with ½ T extra virgin olive oil, large salad with tomatoes, olives, romaine, and red onion, served with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette, 1 glass red wine, bowl of mixed berries served with a scoop of sorbet (860 calories)
Asian Style Meal: Bowl of fragrant broccoli and mushroom soup, rice paper roll stuffed with chicken breast, snow pea sprouts, and peppers and served with a soy-sesame dipping sauce, Cantonese shrimp, cashew nut, and mixed vegetable stir-fry served over steamed long-grain rice, 1 glass cold beer, fresh fruit salad with mango, lychees, and pineapple (810 calories)
Each meal is generous portions, includes a drink and even dessert. Amazingly, calorie counts for the Mediterranean and Asian meals are about half that of the Western meal.
Living and eating the Mediterrasian Way can help prevent alzheimer’s, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, and heart disease. It can lead to weight loss, increased energy levels, and a strong immune system; in essence The Mediterrasian Way is the secret to a longer and more enjoyable life.
The reader of The Mediterrasian Way will not just be able to try new recipes, but will understand why it is important to eat these foods. This book is not a diet book, it is a way of life, and should be in every American home for reading, tasting, and experiencing.
Rating: 5 / 5
Mediterrasian cooking is something I’ve been searching for for a long time. Like Ric says in his author’s bio, I was confused about what to eat. With all the news stories, articles and studies touting what is “good for you” and contradicting every other thing that you once thought was “good for you,” I was deeply confused and ended up eating out a lot
— fast and unhealthy food. I just felt off and knew there was another way. I also didn’t want to cook for myself if all the recipes I ever found for “healthy cooking” were predominantly Western meals of baked chicken (boring), etc… and nothing with flare like the Asian food I love. Well, I’m writing this review now because I think this book and the http://www.mediterrasian.com website deserve all the praise in the world. It might not work for everyone (I don’t think any ONE thing is the solution for EVERYONE), but I think for most people, the concepts about eating and the recipes will leave you feeling great, as it’s done for me and my family.
I was putting off writing a review until I tried the plan and recipes for a while and it’s been about a month now and the results have been great. I’m not a great cook, but the recipes are fun and easy to make and has made me want to become a better cook altogether. Most of the recipes are really delicious and they feel healthy. I especially like the Greek Salad Pitas, Shrimp and Asparagus pasta, Shrimp Fried Rice and Minestrone soup. I never thought I could make Minestrone soup and have it taste sooo good! There have been a few misses, like the Tuna and Brocolli Pasta with Red Sauce. I think I’ll have to try that one again, it might’ve been my fault it didn’t turn out great because almost everything I’ve made from the site and book has been really tasty. I’ve also definitely lost weight (clothes feel looser) and the best thing is that I FEEL better. Physically, there is a difference in how I feel now eating the Mediterrasian way (feeling full and satisfied most of the day and physically healthy) and the way I felt right before when I was eating out a lot (bloated, unsatisfied and like something was missing).
I really truly want to thank Ric and Trudy for dedicating themselves to spreading the word about eating this way and for creating recipes that taste so good. They really seem like dedicated and good people; you can see this in how detailed their website, book, and blog are. Thank you for trying to help people eat and live better!
Rating: 5 / 5
Not only a cookbook with great, fairly simple recipes but it also offers a unique 14 day menu/lifestyle plan a la mediterraean. I especially love the suggestions for menu/activity/lifestyle based on certain occasions such as a romantic evening, hectic weekend, airplane travel and several others. Great suggestions for living a more balanced, relaxed life and eating healthier as well. Highly recommended for those looking for something beyond the standard cookbook. Beautiful color pics as well of many of the recipes featured.
Rating: 5 / 5