Healthy with Nedi Blog Creator, Author & Health Coach, Neda Varbanova
Neda Varbanova is the creator of the culinary blog Healthy with Nedi and author of The Mediterranean Meal Plan Cookbook: Simple, Nutritious Recipes to Eat Well, Feel Great and Look Fabulous. She is a certified health coach with a master’s in Food Studies from NYU and a certificate in culinary nutrition from the Natural Gourmet Institute. Her work has been featured in Elle, Grazia, The Chalkboard, Well + Good, Healthline, mindbodygreen, Greatist, Business Insider, NBC News, and more.
A Mediterranean-Inspired Lifestyle: The Key to Thriving Health
Eating fresh, wholesome foods made with love can transform your life
The Mediterranean diet is widely considered one of the healthiest ways to eat. I spent my childhood close to Bulgaria, where the food philosophy is very similar. My family sat down to home-cooked meals every day. We would share our stories and connect over a table spread of vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats prepared with love.
Once we moved to the United States when I was 11, our lives and eating habits changed dramatically. I was taken aback by portion sizes and the fast-food restaurants on every corner. There were many foods I had never eaten, and I took an interest in exploring processed foods in shiny packages. This eating style began making me very sick; I would feel bloated and constipated for days at a time. I seriously struggled with my gut health and was eventually diagnosed with IBS. That’s when I knew I needed to return to the style of eating I had enjoyed as a child. When I began eating a Mediterranean diet again, I felt my vitality return, and my digestive problems almost completely disappeared.
I’ve dedicated the rest of my life to sharing the joys of cooking and eating fresh, wholesome foods prepared with love — a Mediterranean-inspired lifestyle. Year after year, the Mediterranean diet tops lists outlining the healthiest ways to eat. The delight of creating community and connection around healthy, fresh food can amplify transformations in both health and happiness. I’ve seen people who shift to a Mediterranean-inspired lifestyle experience all sorts of benefits, including feeling happier, becoming more energized, getting better sleep, experiencing radiant skin, and improving digestion and weight loss efforts.
If this sounds intriguing, here are a few ways you can start living a Mediterranean-inspired life right now:
Eat Fresh Foods
The Mediterranean diet was ranked as the top healthy diet in 2022, even though this philosophy of nourishment has been around for centuries. Eating a Mediterranean-inspired diet includes meals full of fresh vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, lean meats, and a bit of indulgence. The Mediterranean diet is less about counting calories and more about finding true joy in the abundance of fresh food. If you start eating this way, you’ll almost certainly feel more satisfied and full of energy. You may even find that your cravings and discomforts fall away and that you feel better than you ever have.
Eat Local
Eating local, in-season produce is a life changer. This isn’t always possible or convenient in the United States, but I promise a visit to the local farmers’ market will change your perception of food. You'll have the opportunity to taste produce that is bursting with flavor because it is so fresh and meet the people who are growing your food. The joy and connection that surround purchasing freshly harvested is part of what makes a Mediterranean-inspired lifestyle so healthy.
Get in the Kitchen
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have found that people who cook at home eat healthier and consume fewer calories than people who do not. When you cook at home, you connect with your food on a higher level than going out because you infuse your meal with energy and ingredient awareness. I truly believe that you can taste the difference in food that is made with love.
Share Your Creations with Friends and Family
Nothing is better than sharing a delicious meal with the people you love. We all get busy, but carving out time to really be present with your friends and family over a fresh meal changes everything. In fact, research shows that eating together regularly can create important physical and mental health benefits. This type of connection helps nourish not only your body but your soul as well.
If a Mediterranean-inspired lifestyle sounds like something you want to try, but this all sounds overwhelming, I can help. My new cookbook The Mediterranean Meal Plan Cookbook: Simple, Nutritious Recipes to Eat Well, Feel Great and Look Fabulous, publishing on December 20, 2022, will guide you through a 30-day plan to shift into a thriving and abundant life eating a Mediterranean-inspired diet. This book has over 70 recipes that are delicious, satisfying, and easy to prepare. Everything in the book can be shared with the whole family.
Here is one of my favorite breakfast recipes from the book:
Greek-Style Eggs with Leeks and Feta
This dish offers traditional Mediterranean flavors with a side of nutrients. This recipe is packed with protein, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Plus, it’s absolutely delicious. I can’t think of a better way to start the day.
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
· 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
· 3 leeks (white and light green parts), chopped
· ¼ cup (60 ml) water
· 1 lb (454 g) fresh baby spinach
· 3 tbsp ( 12 g) chopped fresh parsley
· 2 tbsp (7 g) chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish if desired
· Sea salt and pepper to taste
· 6 eggs
· 1/3 cup (75 g) crumbled feta cheese, plus more for garnish if desired
· 1 tsp dried oregano
· ¼ tsp chili flakes
· Lemon zest, for garnish, optional
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook for 1 minute, covered. Then add the water and continue cooking for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are soft. Add the spinach, parsley, and dill, and season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat to high and cook for 5 minutes until the water starts to evaporate. Bring the heat back down to medium.
Using a large spoon, form six nests in the mixture and crack one egg into each nest. Sprinkle the feta around the eggs, then do the same with the oregano and chili flakes.
Cover the pan and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the egg whites are cooked but the yolks are soft. (Cook for longer if you prefer the eggs well done.) Serve hot, topped with lemon zest, feta and chopped dill.
Nedi’s Tip: Frozen spinach can be used in place of fresh spinach if needed. Thaw it in a bowl or colander and squeeze it with paper towels or your hands over a strainer to remove excess water before using in this dish.
You don’t have to be perfect to live a Mediterranean-inspired lifestyle. Start with one meal a day, one a week, or one visit to the farmer’s market a month. I bet that even with these small shifts, your life will begin to change. □
Article Credits
Neda Varbanova, Founder & Creator, Healthy with Nedi, Author The Mediterranean Meal Plan Cookbook: Simple, Nutritious Recipes to Eat Well, Feel Great and Look Fabulous
Neda Varbanova’s Website: https://healthywithnedi.com/
Neda Varbanova’s Instagram: @healthywithnedi
