Mediterranean Diet Outline by Mayo Clinic reposted by Ruth Paget

Mediterranean Diet Outline by Mayo Clinic reposted by Ruth Paget

The following outline of the Mediterranean Diet by the Mayo Clinic in Minneapolis, Minnesota describes a meal plan that 

-is delicious

-good for you

-easy to follow in Salinas, California

-good for the economy of the Monterey County region

Mediterranean Diet Outline

I continue to follow the Mediterranean Diet for all the reasons above.

I began eating Greek and Middle Eastern food in Detroit, Michigan where I grew up.  I began eating French Mediterranean food when I lived in Paris.  When I lived in Wisconsin and Virginia. I began preparing Spanish food, which was very fashionable in the 1990s due to the Olympics held in Barcelona. When I moved to California, I added Italian cooking to my repertoire and regularly order from Gino’s in my neighborhood in Salinas.

I can say with 100% accuracy that eating this way has made me a happy middle aged blogger and writer.

Living in Salinas, California  makes it easy to maintain this dietary lifestyle at home and in restaurants too.

Regional tourists can surely find restaurants and fresh produce at markets for an agritourism mini vacation in California focused on Mediterranean food.

Note:  Rsteban Restaurant at the historic Casa Munras in downtown Monterey serves Spanish food and serves tapas on the patio and Nick the Greek just opened up.

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Ancient Western Civilixation Games Background by Ruth Paget

Ancient Western Civilization Games Background by Ruth Paget

Ruth Paget has collected her blogs about Egypt, Greece, and Italy as a background for her ancient Western civilization games.

These blogs follow and contain several ideas for learning about Egypt, Greece,and Italy in Salinas, California.

*Egypt

-Visiting the Papyrus Museum in Syracuse on the Island of Sicily in Italy

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2014/11/papyrus-museum-syracuse-italy.html?m=1

-Visiting the Egyptian Museum in San Jose, California

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2015/03/egyptian-museum-san-jose-california.html?m=

*Greece

-Enjoying Feta Omelets

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2024/01/feta-omelets-at-agora-restaurant-by.html?m=1

-Visiting Knossos on the island of Crete in Greece

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2018/09/knossos-greece-island-of-crete-visiting.html?m=1

-Visiting Chania and Samaria Gorge on the island of Crete in Greece

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2018/09/chania-and-samaria-gorge-visiting-world.html?m=1

-Greek Grape Leaf Recipes

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2025/11/greek-grape-leaf-recipes-reposted-by.html?m=

-Visiting Athens - the Plaka and Parthenon

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2025/11/greek-grape-leaf-recipes-reposted-by.html?m=1

-MENSA Greek Myth Activities

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2025/06/mensa-book-review-writing-for-kids.html?m=1

-Having Fun at Greek Home Parties

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2012/03/honorary-maid-of-athena.html?m=1

-Introducing Greek Culture to Florence Paget

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2018/01/savvy-mom-ruth-paget-takes-juilliard_22.html?m=1

-Preparing Greek Food at Home

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2018/06/greek-meal-preparation-with-juilliard.html?m=1

-Driving Crete

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2018/09/driving-around-crete-exploring-greeces.html?m=1

-Greek Festival - 1

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2019/05/greek-festival-pointers-from-monterey.html?m=1

-Greek Festival - 2

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2019/05/greek-festival-pointers-part-2-by-savvy.html?m=1

*Italy

-Verona and Its Roman Arena

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2012/09/veneto-italy-verona.html?m=1

-Fiesole

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2018/07/touring-hilly-fiesole-outside-florence.html?m=1

-Taormina

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2014/11/sicilian-car-stories.html?m=1

-Vicenza - Eating a Venetian Lunch

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2012/09/veneto-italy-vicenza-2.html?m=1

-Eating an Ancient Roman Meal

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2015/03/ancient-roman-dining.html?m=1

For reference on the ancient Western Civilization Games, click the link below:

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2026/03/ancient-western-civilization-games.html?m=1

Note: For Greek meals for take-out, Woody’s at the Airport serves Greek salads and Nick the Greek in Monterey is now open for business.

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup from Saigon Noodle in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup with Jalapeños (optional) from Saigon Noodle in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

I view the chicken with rice noodle soup at Saigon Noodle in Salinas, California as a tonic recharge when I eat it mid-week, especially if I add in sliced, fresh jalapeño peppers that come with the dish one the side as an add-in item. 

The defatted, chicken bone broth comes in a quart-size container while the cool rice noodles and pulled chicken breast come in a large delivery bowl. The rice noodles take up 2/3 of the delivery bowl while the chicken breast takes up 1/3 of the delivery bowl. Optional add-ins come in a separate bag. 

The add-in items I use include: 

-lemon quarters to squeeze lemon juice into the soup 

-Thai basil leaves that are still attached to stems. I remove the leaves and tear them in half so their oil will come out and place them in the soup. Thai basil has a lemon-pepper flavor unlike its Italian basil cousin that has a savory not tangy flavor. 

-sliced, fresh jalapeño peppers. I eat these with mouthfuls of rice noodles and chicken breast to cut down on the stinging, heat. 

Other items that come in the add-in bag that other family members eat include: 

-sriracha sauce 

-soy sauce 

-fresh bean sprouts 

-sometimes Sichuan pepper corn oil with pepper corns still in the sauce (You might have to order this separate.) 

I prefer eating chicken thigh meat, but I recognize that white breast meat has two important nutrients with less fat that I should eat: protein and selenium. Selenium promotes thyroid wellness. (See the following selenium guide from the National Institutes of Health for further information: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-HealthProfessional/)

Fresh jalapeño peppers have a citrus flavor and a pleasant crunch when you get past the heat. Their nutritional value is high in Vitamin C and capasaicin. These nutrients promote immunity. (See the following website for information: https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/health-benefits-jalapenos)

If you are not allergic to chile peppers, the Vietnamese chicken noodle soup with added jalapeños is very healthy. It is simply seasoned with salt and white pepper and delicious. 

I predict that Vietnamese chicken noodle soup is going to become as popular as pizza and tacos on American dining room tables thanks to restaurants like Saigon Noodle in Salinas, California. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Vienna Coffee Games and Darjeeling: The India Tea Game

Does Coffee Reduce Cancer Risk Article reposted by Ruth Paget

Coffee Consumption Appears to help Reduce the Appearance of Colo-Rectal Cancer according to the following study by the University of Southern California:

https://today.usc.edu/new-study-links-coffee-consumption-to-decreased-risk-of-colorectal-cancer/

I love coffee, but I am still limiting myself to one cup of good coffee in the morning to try and stay with my three meals and no snacking meal plan that is now a Californian Diet of Italian, Asian, and Mexican food.

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Vienna coffee game.

German Spent Grain Bread Recipe reposted by Ruth Paget

German Spent Grain from Beer Making Bread Recipe (Biertreberbrot) follows:

https://www.thespruceeats.com/spent-grain-bread-recipe-1447221

This basic recipe can probably be modified for pizza dough, donuts, and buns as well.

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Gambrinus Beer Game

Chiles as Infection and Cancer Fighters Article Reposted by Ruth Paget

Chiles as Infection and Cancer Fighters Article reposted by Ruth Paget

I have always eaten spicy red and green chile peppers for their Vitamin C content and Vitamin A content for red chile peppers.  Vitamin A is good for your eyes while Vitamin C promotes immune function.

The article below details their antioxidant content which removes free radicals that may cause cancer from the body:

https://wmmc.com/chili-peppers-the-superfood/#:~:text=Fighting%20Infections,absorb%20the%20iron%20it%20contains!

If you like chile peppers you can usually find these in supermarkets and at the Farmers Markets in Salinas,  California in abundance.

Note: This Mayo Clinic Group Interview below is all about eating to prevent cancer;

https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/nutrition-fitness/a-cancer-fighting-diet-managing-symptoms-and-food-safety/

Note: National Institutes of Health examination of antioxidants in chile peppers:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6274000/

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Candy Haul at the Market at Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

Candy Haul at the Market at Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

My husband Laurent, daughter Florence Paget and I went out to Pebble Beach, California after a dinner at Woody’s at the Monterey Regional Airport.

Laurent went candy shopping at the Market and bought Monterey Bay Saltwater Taffy candy, French egg white, almond and honey nougat made by Cartier, blood orange lozenges candy, and a decaf latte for me.  I consider lattes caffeine candy.

The cool breeze off the water and through the forest felt great after our weeklong heat wave in Monterey.

The candy is all good and will be doled out over upcoming weeks.  They are all good souvenir items, too.

This was a fun Salinas night out on the Monterey Peninsula.

Note: This study from the University of Southern California suggests that coffee consumption lowers the risk of colorectal cancer

https://today.usc.edu/new-study-links-coffee-consumption-to-decreased-risk-of-colorectal-cancer/

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games