Low-Calorie Mediterranean Recipes

The smoky char of roasted eggplant meets the nuttiness of tahini and tang of lemon in this crowd-pleasing dip that's reminiscent of classic baba ganoush. We finish the dip with sizzled garlic and a drizzle of heart-healthy olive oil.

Originating from the Catalonia region of Spain, "salsa romesco" is a tomato sauce made with nuts and peppers. It's traditionally eaten with fish, but in this recipe we pair it with whole-grain pasta for a yummy vegetarian meal. Parmesan is our choice for cheese, but you can substitute Pecorino Romano or Manchego cheese if you'd like.

These quick Mediterranean-inspired couscous bowls come together in 20 minutes thanks to healthy convenience items like frozen falafel and steam-in-bag fresh green beans. Whisk together the simple tahini sauce while the other ingredients cook.

A tangy, nutty tahini dressing brings together no-cook ingredients like canned chickpeas and roasted red peppers for these easy meal-prep lettuce wraps. Make these wraps ahead of time for a grab-and-go lunch or dinner. A few wedges of warm pita finish off the meal perfectly.

This sweet and spicy cilantro sauce gets a Mediterranean spin with a little nuttiness from the addition of tahini. Drizzle over fish tacos or roast chicken or even make some ahead to keep in the fridge for salads.

Gazpacho is a delicious cold appetizer or side-dish soup. We've added protein to this version to make it more filling.

Traditional gazpacho is made with raw tomatoes and is a delicious cold soup for warm weather. In this recipe, we've tweaked it a bit, by roasting the tomatoes first, blending the roasted vegetables with some crusty country bread to thicken it, and serving it with chilled shrimp.

Herb-coated roasted chicken is served with a bounty of roasted vegetables and beans in this Mediterranean-inspired main dish. Serve with a slice of crusty bread.

Chopped vegetables take on a Mediterranean flair in this quick and easy salad recipe. Flavored with a simple pesto vinaigrette and topped with crumbled feta cheese, this salad serves two and is ready in just 20 minutes.

This festive twist on classic red sangria combines wine with cranberry juice, oranges, apples and cinnamon for a wintery spin on a traditionally summer cocktail.

This one-pan pasta that combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal is garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. I call it "Mom's Skillet Pasta" and she called it "Devon's Favorite Pasta." Either way it's a quick and easy weeknight dinner we created together and scribbled on a little recipe card more than a decade ago, and it remains in my weekly dinner rotation to this day. It's a simple dinner the whole family will love.

This Provençal sandwich literally means "bathed bread" and gets its name from the juicy dressed vegetables piled liberally into a crusty loaf. This recipe is perfect for toting along to soccer games and concerts in the park. We suggest bringing plenty of napkins.

Fennel seeds give this tomato and balsamic sauce an extra kick, but if you don't have them on hand, try using cumin or coriander seeds, or 1 teaspoon of a ground herb or spice. Serve this easy chicken breast recipe with whole-wheat spaghetti or crusty bread to sop up the sauce. Save the unused chicken tenders in an airtight container in your freezer for up to 3 months. Once you have enough, thaw them out for another use.

Grab a blanket and head to the park! This delicious summer picnic spread is best served with a sparkling wine, such as Cava or Prosecco.

Homemade yogurt cheese is the trick to this make-ahead party dip featuring feta cheese and zesty Mediterranean flavors. To make yogurt cheese, just drain yogurt of excess whey before use.

The delightful flavors of goat cheese and dried tomatoes make a spread that's perfect on crackers for an appetizer or a snack.

Fennel adds a nice flavoring to the marinade in this Mediterranean-inspired chicken souvlaki dish. The kabobs are perfectly paired with a veggie-packed, yogurt-dressed Israeli couscous.

Another time, use the subtly seasoned Dried Tomato-Pepper Spread to spiff up a cold turkey sandwich.

Quinoa is one of our favorite whole-grains because it is gluten-free, loaded with protein and contains all of the essential amino acids. In this recipe, we've paired the quinoa with quickly seared tuna steaks for a delicious main-dish salad that's ready in under an hour.

This classic vegetarian salad is loaded with vegetables, bulgur and chickpeas. Our suggested serving size is 1 1/2 cups, but feel free to cut that in half to serve more people or to make the dish last longer.