I'm trying to cook more in the Mediterranean diet aspects and this was a great addition and has really great recipes.

This cookbook has a long list of simple Mediterranean diet recipes split up into meal categories and with some 4-week meal plans at the end. The introduction goes over the basics of the Mediterranean Diet and provides lists of pantry and fresh ingredient staples. It also includes information about swapping ingredients, which is always helpful. What it does not included is information about sizes which would be helpful for the recipes.
I tested out two recipes: the Greek Chickpea and Spinach Sauté from the lunch section and the Olive oil and Orange Semolina Cake from the dessert section. Both recipes took longer than 15 minutes because of ingredient prep. The introduction mentions prepping ingredients should make the recipe be even faster than 15 minutes, not that it is needed for the 15 minutes. Neither looked very appetizing. However, they both tasted great. The cake did not behave like cake at all and may have been a victim of the vague direction to use a ‘small baking pan’. The batter was also not pourable at all. If I were to make this kind of cake again I would look for a different recipe.

Overall, the recipes to me are decent basic recipes to get someone started or for days when something simple is needed, but not anything I would trust if cooking for other people

The 15-Minute Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Beginners is an absolute gem for anyone looking to embrace healthier eating habits without spending hours in the kitchen. Focused on quick, nutritious meals inspired by the flavors of the Mediterranean, this cookbook is perfect for those trying to reduce their carb intake while still enjoying satisfying, flavorful dishes.

One of the standout features of this cookbook is its simplicity and practicality. The recipes are easy to follow, with clear instructions that make cooking accessible even for beginners. The book also provides valuable information about the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, emphasizing whole foods, lean proteins, and vibrant vegetables.

The variety of recipes is impressive. From hearty meat dishes like the beef kofta with yogurt sauce to delicious vegetarian options like spiced chickpeas and roasted garlic and herb carrot sticks, there’s something to suit every taste. The fact that these meals can be prepared in just 15 minutes is a game-changer for busy individuals or those new to cooking.

What makes this cookbook truly enjoyable is how it encourages a balanced approach to healthy eating without feeling restrictive. It’s a fantastic resource for anyone wanting to eat better, reduce carbs, and explore Mediterranean flavors—all while keeping cooking simple and enjoyable.

Whether you’re looking to kick-start a healthier lifestyle or simply add some fresh, quick meals to your routine, The 15-Minute Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Beginners is a must-have.

Some really drool worthy recipes! I'm not sure I would class them as recipes as they are mostly super straight forward/assembling which is very helpful with my skill level in the kitchen. It is certainly helping me with my ambition to eat more healthy, and I feel more energised. Definitely some great inspiration.

This was one of the best Mediterranean diet cookbooks I have seen so far. The table of contents is laid out perfectly by meal. The recipes are straightforward and easy to read. I love that they have long winded explanations like blog recipes. The photos are also very detailed and appealed. The vast array of recipes is amazing and offers a wide variety of choices.

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

This cookbook is exactly what it says it is. Breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks and desserts that take 15 minutes and look healthy, delicious and easy to make all in the Mediterranean style. I good cookbook to own!

These recipes are certainly quicker be easy for beginners - the flavour combinations look delicious but each 'recipe' is largely just assembling ingredients together, especially until you get to the dinners chapter and seven then they're very easy to do.. this ain't necessarily a bad thing and it's a great book for inspiring meal collections - there are some handy meal plans at the back of the book which have accompanying shopping lists too.

It is written using the imperial (American) measuring system but there is a conversion guide at the end too.

This cookbook is a great begin to the Mediterranean diet. I loved the recipes and the menus. Highly recommend!

I'm always excited to find a Mediterranean Cookbook because this is my preferred way of eating. I've been eating this way exclusively for a little over two years and my cholesterol has reduced by 50 points.....no medication required!! BIG WIN!! For me, this was a better option than taking a statin with all the negative side effects.

I enjoyed looking at all the recipes/photos and have already marked several to try. The instructions are all simple and easy to follow.

I highly recommend this lifestyle and this cookbook will be of great assistance to get you started!! Even if this isn't your way of eating every day, you'll find some great recipes to mix in with your current meal plannning.

This cookbook is a total game-changer! The Mediterranean-inspired recipes are bursting with flavor and come together so quickly—perfect for my busy schedule. I love that the ingredients are simple and easy to find, and the 4-week meal plan takes all the stress out of healthy eating. From breakfast to dessert, every dish I’ve tried has been delicious. Highly recommend for anyone looking to eat better without spending hours in the kitchen!

I’ve been wanting to cook healthier and try more mediterranean meals. This book provided the organization I needed. I like the way it begins with a list of items to keep on hand so you can quickly throw a meal together.
The recipes weren’t very original. It was basically changing the main ingredients and it seemed some repeated in lunch and dinner.
It provided some good new recipes and hopefully will be the organization I need to eat healthier and lose weight.
I received this galley from NetGalley

The Mediterranean diet is considered extremely healthy, and there are hundreds of mouthwatering dishes in that genre. However, many readers don’t have time to prepare their favorite Mediterranean dishes. The 15-minute Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Beginners: 150 Fast, Fresh, and Flavorful Recipes with 4-week Meal Plan and Easy Shopping Lists by Yolanda Blake, is a good way to speed up preparation to improve health in general and also to drop a few pounds.

The beginning of this cookbook has information on the Mediterranean diet, including ingredients and ways to incorporate them in the diet. The recipes include all courses – appetizers, breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, and desserts – all that are supposed to take 15 minutes to make. The recipes are written in the traditional manner with the ingredients listed first, followed by step-by-step instructions that are easy to follow. Most of the recipes have short lists of ingredients, and there are comments at the beginning of each recipe. There are a few problems with some of the recipes: the author doesn’t specify what size of pan to use for the cakes and just says “small baking pan,” which is relative, and small is different to everyone. Then it says to bake for 10 minutes. I don’t know of a cake that is done in 10 minutes, so in order to keep with the 15 minute label, she instructs to bake so little that the batter will still be liquid and the cakes won’t be baked through.

The dishes are accompanied by beautiful, albeit small, photographs that are very nice and make the dishes very inviting.

All told, there are some good quick recipes in this cookbook, but most take more than 15 minutes to make.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

The 15-Minute Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Beginners is a refreshing and practical guide for anyone looking to embrace the Mediterranean diet without the intimidation of complex recipes or lengthy prep times. As someone who already gravitates toward Mediterranean flavors (with a bit of carnivore on the side — I love cheeseburgers, so shoot me), I found this cookbook to be a delightful discovery that aligns perfectly with my lifestyle. Its promise of 150 quick, healthy, and flavorful recipes—all ready in 15 minutes—is not an empty one, making it a standout for busy home cooks, beginners, and seasoned foodies alike.

What sets this cookbook apart is its accessibility. Unlike many cookbooks that tout “easy” recipes but demand exotic ingredients or specialized equipment, this one delivers on its beginner-friendly premise. The recipes rely on affordable, pantry-staple ingredients, and the directions are clear and concise. I was particularly impressed by the vibrant full-color photos accompanying each dish, which not only make the book visually appealing but also inspire confidence to recreate the recipes. The categorized shopping lists and 4-week meal plan are thoughtful additions, streamlining grocery trips and meal prep for those new to the Mediterranean diet.

The variety of recipes is another highlight. From hearty breakfasts like Mediterranean Breakfast Tostadas to satisfying mains like One-Pan Lemon Garlic Chicken with Artichokes, the dishes burst with fresh, summery flavors. I tried the Tomato Basil Flatbread, and it was an absolute hit—crisp, flavorful, and effortlessly prepared. Even the desserts, like Olive Oil Brownies and Honey-Drizzled Baked Pears, feel indulgent yet guilt-free. The nutritional information provided for each recipe is a boon for those mindful of carbs, sugar, or calories, and the ingredient substitution guide adds flexibility for creative cooks who like to tweak recipes to their taste.

The cookbook’s structure is intuitive, with sections covering breakfasts, lunches, suppers, snacks, soups, salads, and desserts. Standout recipes include Baked Eggs in Bell Peppers, Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono), and Honey Almond Biscotti, each showcasing the diet’s emphasis on fresh, wholesome ingredients. The inclusion of a Mediterranean Celebration Cookbook with 50 holiday recipes and a FAQ section further enhances its value, offering practical tips for mastering the diet.

What truly won me over was how this book transformed my perception of healthy eating. The recipes are not only quick and budget-friendly but also exciting, with vibrant colors and flavors that make every meal feel like a celebration of spring. As someone who values variety, I appreciated the sheer number of recipes that prevent me from falling into a monotonous routine. The fact that the dishes are satisfying enough to curb overeating is an added bonus, making this cookbook a powerful tool for anyone aiming to eat healthier without sacrificing taste.

All of this said, I do have a caveat. In some instances the photos don’t appear to exactly match the recipe. In the recipe for One Pan Lemon Garlic Chicken with Artichokes, the chicken in the photo did not look at all like chicken breasts. The photo that accompanies the recipe for Greek Stuffed Avocado clearly shows red onion and yet that is not listed among the ingredients. These are just a few of the photos that I caught. I have not yet done a thorough analysis, but this does affect the overall credibility. With all of this considered, I’m going to give this cookbook 3 1/2 stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and author Yolanda Blake for providing me with a digital copy and exchange for an honest review.

Informative, fast and not a million ingredients! Sounds like a doable lifestyle. I especially liked that there was a menu for a month and the accompanying grocery lists.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I have no imagination when it comes to meals. I have read numerous cookbooks on Mediterranean Cooking and found them daunting and with a lot of ingredients.

This is my way of eating. Simple, fresh and good for your body. Every recipe looked and sounded yummy and I will happily try all of them.

NetGalley/ Victory Editing/ January 2025

Rating: 5 ⭐️
How I Read It: 📱

My recipe collection is now complete. This cookbook is AMAZING. The book starts off with one of my favorite Mediterranean meals, Greek yogurt with honey and nuts! I never thought to add cinnamon to it, so I’m definitely going to try that. It also has another one of my favorite breakfasts, avocado toast with tomatoes, then it has omelets, frittatas, and other delicious breakfasts, giving you a great variety of breakfasts to choose from. Lunches are a blend of mouthwatering wraps, salads, pita sandwiches, bowls, and a veggie stir fry. Dinners include fresh pasta dishes, grilled dishes, seafood, chicken, and stews. Then there’s a chapter on snacks and sides, soups and salads, and desserts. The end is a 4-Week Meal Plan and Weekly Shopping Guide.

Every recipe has a photo, which is a must for me with a cookbook! Not only are these recipes quick, but the ingredients are fresh, healthy, and everything just looks incredibly delicious! If you’re looking to start a Mediterranean diet, pick up this cookbook, I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for an ARC of this cookbook!

A useful book with plenty of inspiration.
This was packed full of ideas for adapting your usual lifestyle eating to one that was more Mediterranean without taking all day preparing the dishes. It was well laid out incorporating plenty of images and each recipe had the calorific value included. Very handy if you are trying to balance your intake.

The 15-minute Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Beginners delivers on its premise.
It has practical and healthy recipes - many of them, with easy-to-f0llow instructions.

Too often, we pick up cookbooks that flash the words "easy" and "for beginners" in the title, only to find out that we need to purchase expensive ingredients, special cookware and have been classically trained in the art of sauteing shrimp or whatever (yes, I'm rolling my eyes here). This cookbook, however, is a miracle in that it is Exactly what it says it is - for beginners. What a delightful and delicious discovery! The recipes are easy to prepare, don't take a lot of effort and don't cost much to make at home. This cookbook is absolutely perfect for new home-cooks who are on a budget or anyone who's searching for some light summery recipes. Let me tell you, their Mediterranean Breakfast Tostadas are a brilliant way to begin your day and the Tomato Basil Flatbread is perfection. I can't wait to buy a copy for myself soon, along with one for my favorite college student kiddo who's learning to cook and loving it.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Great simple, healthy recipes. A wonderful reference to those of us looking for some new ideas and recipes! I enjoyed this book a lot.