Aside from exercising regularly, taking on a healthy diet is the best way to treat metabolic syndrome. Finding metabolic syndrome recipes is a very good way to start changing your lifestyle. These recipes will not only help you lose excess weight, but control you blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels as well.

New research shows that a Mediterranean diet is probably the best diet to take on for metabolic syndrome, according to WebMD.com. It is low in carbs, and includes a lot of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which exactly what is recommended for lowering your risk of heart disease and diabetes. It has also been found to be beneficial in the treatment of insulin resistance. Therefore the metabolic syndrome recipes listed on this page are designed to fit a Mediterranean diet, although they would fit in well with any type of metabolic syndrome diet.

 

Metabolic Syndrome Recipes for Dinner

 

Shrimp Saganaki

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp. of extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
  • ½ cup Greek Chardonnay
  • 1 finely chopped medium bulb of fennel, cored
  • 1 small minced chili pepper, seeded
  • 12 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (6-8 per pound)
  • 5 thinly sliced scallions
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • ¼ tsp. of salt
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste

 

Instructions:

Toss the shrimp in a medium bowl with salt and 1 tbsp. of lemon juice. Then in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the fennel, chili pepper, and scallions and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins to brown. Stir in the wine and allow the mixture to cook an additional minute. Now place the shrimp in the mixture, cover, and cook until the shrimp are pink (about 3-4 minutes). Remove from heat.

When finished, transfer the shrimp to a plate. Add the other tbsp. of lemon juice along with the feta and pepper to the pan. Stir the mixture together until the cheese begins to melt. Divide the ‘fennel’ mixture among 4 plates, and top each with a piece of jumbo shrimp.

Mediterranean Vegetable Stew

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp. of olive oil, divided
  • 1 cup of chopped red onion
  • 2 cups of chopped green pepper
  • 2 crushed garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp. of chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 cup chopped parsley
  • 1 cup of mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 unpeeled eggplant, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes (28 oz.)
  • 1 can of chickpeas (15 oz), drained and rinsed

 

Instructions:

Use a large skillet to heat 1 tbsp. of oil and sauté the onions, along with the pepper, until they are soft (about 10 minutes). Add the other tbsp. of oil, along with the garlic, mushrooms, and eggplant. Now simmer, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is softened but not mushy (about 15 minutes). Add olives, tomatoes, rosemary, and chickpeas. Continue to simmer until all the ingredients are heated thoroughly (about 10 minutes) and then add in the parsley. Top with feta cheese.

 

Metabolic Syndrome Recipes for Dessert

 

Stuffed Peaches

Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp. of honey
  • ½ tsp. of butter, halved
  • 1 tbsp. of water
  • 1 oz. of Muscat wine
  • ½ tbsp. of chopped almonds
  • ¼ tsp. of minced orange peel
  • ¼ egg white
  • 1 peach
  • 1 amaretto cookie

 

Instructions:

To begin, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the peach in half and remove the pit and flesh from the center while retaining the skin and the rest of the peach. Chop the flesh finely and place it in a bowl. Crush the cookie, adding it to the peach flesh in the bowl. Add orange peel, egg white, almonds, and honey to the mixture. Mix well and spoon the mixture into the peach skin. Top with the butter. Now, place the peaches in a baking pan, and top with the water and wine. Repeat the recipe for additional servings. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Baked Apple for 4

Ingredients:

  • Juice from half a lemon
  • Lemon zest from half a lemon
  • 4 tbsp. of honey
  • ½ tsp. of ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp. of allspice
  • ½ tsp. of ground cinnamon
  • 4 cooking apples
  • ½ cup of chopped walnuts or almonds
  • ½ cup of chopped golden raisins

 

Instructions:

Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F, and then core the apples. Once cored, place them on a baking dish. Mix all of the other ingredients together in a medium sized bowls. Now fill the center core holes of the apples with the mixture, making sure to push it into the holes firmly. Now form mounds on top of the apples with the remaining mixture. Pour about ½ inch of water into the baking dish, and place it in the oven.

Leave the oven temperature at 350 degrees F and bake for approximately 40-45 minutes. Place the apples on the plates to serve, and then pour the juice from the baking dish over the apples. Serve immediately.