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.

Great book for beginning cookers and dieters! The recipes are simple and easy to understand. The book looks clean with white font and black backgrounds.
The pictures are pretty. This book as a excellent introduction into what food fit into the Mediterranean diet. Easy stock your pantry list section.

As someone French and totally over using the same handful of recipes on repeat, this cookbook was such a breath of fresh (and delicious) air. The recipes are super accessible, don’t take forever, and still manage to feel flavorful and satisfying. I love that I didn’t need to track down a million obscure ingredients, either—just good, simple cooking with a Mediterranean twist.

It’s perfect if you’re looking to eat a little healthier without sacrificing taste or spending all night in the kitchen. Bonus: it actually made me excited to cook again.

Thank you Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this fabulous book! I loved this great book with so many easy, quick to put together recipes! Looking forward to trying out the recipes and getting the physical book when it becomes available.

The 15-minute Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Beginners by Yolanda Blake is a cookbook and recipe collection slanted toward the Mediterranean Diet with pantry lists, meal plans, and shopping guides included for preparation and time-saving. Released 16th Jan 2025, it's 105 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

The layout is logical and easy to follow. The introduction covers the basics of the Mediterranean Diet, tools, supplies, & how-to. The following chapters include the recipes arranged roughly by category: breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks & sides, soups & salads, and desserts.

Ingredient measurements are supplied in American measurements only. The nutritional information: fat, carbs, protein content are listed for the recipes as well as serving sizes. Extra tips or recipe alternatives are listed in sidebars with the recipes. The recipes themselves are fairly straightforward and are made with easily sourced ingredients. Many are very simple, none of them are overly complex.

The photography is not abundant, however most of the recipes do contain a small color photo of the finished dish.

This is a nice collection of recipes and even allowing for the fact that some of them are very similar to others in the same category, this will keep cooks going for ages. There's also a QR code included to bonus content.

Four stars. Worth a look for readers thinking about giving the diet a try, especially since it's currently included in the kindle unlimited subscription.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

This cookbook gives quick recipes in Mediterranean style. It has a wide range of meals, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, sides, soups/salads and desserts. Each recipe is accompanied by pictures which always helps me visualize meals I want to attempt. I like the concept of fast but healthy meals. Some recipes however will likely take longer than 15 minutes, like a chicken and orzo dish that involves chicken thighs. It’s rare for me to get to safe temps on chicken that fast. But it wouldn’t be much longer or complicated than the given recipes. The ingredients are simple and easy to get from most stores. This provides some great ideas for fast healthy meals especially for those unfamiliar with the Mediterranean diet. Will definitely be using some of these for quick meals soon.
Note: I’m thankful to the publisher Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op for allowing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Like many, I have been wanting to eat healthier, and had heard of the Mediterranean diet, but I like to do my research first, and I had started but didn't get excited about it. Then NetGalley had this book that I could read, and I did.
This got me excited because, it explained what it was, why it was a healthy, and has so many fast and easy recipes. I also like to keep carbs in balance, sugar, the usual and each recipe had the nutritional value. But the selling point for me was it has flexibility, and you can substitute if you don't have something, or you can take their recipe and with what I have learned and make it a little different. I really liked that because I like to try different recipes and tweak them, to what I like.
This book gave me lots and lots of 15 minute healthy recipes so I can have variety, different colors, and I am not getting bored because I am not eating the same things every day. The foods taste good, and I think I eat less because the recipes I have tried, because when I am eating it is like awakening to the spring I have been waiting for.
I received an ARC from Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op through NetGalley.

I often find that cookbooks with an emphasis on fast easy dishes can feel underwhelming and uninspired, that was simply not the case with The 15-minute Mediterranean Cookbook for Beginners!

As someone who has been pursuing the Mediterranean diet for over a year, I found this to be full of delicious and simple options that would work for both beginners and seasoned followers alike. With an emphasis on whole food and fresh produce, this could be an excellent tool for folk looking to pursue overall health!

If you're looking to ease into the Mediterranean diet without spending your whole evening chopping and stirring, this cookbook is a total game changer. It’s full of quick, delicious recipes that prove healthy meals don’t have to be complicated. I love that everything can be made in 15 minutes or less—perfect for those busy nights when I still want something nourishing and flavorful on the table. The recipes are straightforward, use ingredients I actually have on hand, and best of all, they taste amazing.

This book also makes things super beginner-friendly with a simple breakdown of Mediterranean staples, pantry must-haves, and a helpful 4-week meal plan to get you started. Whether you're brand new to the lifestyle or just looking to mix up your usual routine with something fresh, it's a great way to eat well without the stress. From bright veggie dishes to satisfying mains and even some sweet treats, there's a little something for everyone—fast, fresh, and totally doable.

I’ve been looking at ways to make my diet healthier for a while but time constraints and family life have been a constant barrier. However this book has really changed my opinion.

There are so many great recipes which are well set out with great instructions and clear pictures. The grocery list and 4 week meal plan really helps with planning and I can’t wait to try some of the meals.

Thanks to NetGalley, Yolanda Blake and Victory Editing for an advance copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review,

I’ve been curious about the Mediterranean diet but hesitated because I feared it wouldn’t be fast, filling, or toddler-friendly. This book has me convinced to try it! There’s a great variety of tasty recipes here for everything from breakfast to desserts. However, the title is misleading, as a lot of these recipes require pre-chopped or pre-cooked foods, so instead of 15 minutes, prep will actually probably take 30. A few recipes also seem miscategorized. However, this book is still a great resource with lots of cooking tips and even 4 weeks’ worth of meal plans and grocery lists - wow!

I’m grateful to have received a complimentary copy of this eARC for review purposes; thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing Co-op! I post this review with my honest opinions.

This is a simple and healthy recipe book for those starting on Mediterranean Diet. This diet has so many advantages, and this book makes it easy for beginners looking to reap the benefits of this.

This cookbook is filled with healthy, easy recipes that definitely gave me many meals to make. I love the full color pictures of each dish. The seven day meal plan with shopping list is a great addition. This should facilitate our eating healthier, as my doctor recommended.

I received an ARC for free and gave my honest opinion voluntarily.