A Greek salad with fresh feta. Grilled lamb chops with bright sprigs of mint. Mussels sautéed with flavorful tomatoes and garlic, partnered with earthy olives and potatoes. Now, picture these Mediterranean diet dishes served against a setting as delicious as the meals themselves: a farm-to-table restaurant overlooking rolling vineyards, a cozy neighborhood trattoria, the dining room of a rustic B&B.

A Mediterranean diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, fish and seafood, olive oil and spices, and red wine, has long been credited for heart health, longevity of years, and overall health and wellness. (And the key foods taste pretty amazing, too.) Travel, too, gets kudos for stress reduction, real-world learning opportunities, and the opportunity to forge new connections and relationships.

Which got me to thinking: The Mediterranean diet is local to some of the most beautiful and desirable locations around the world. Why not plan a vacation specifically around these places for an incredibly memorable—and delicious—vacation?

If you’re looking to live more healthfully, consider these destinations for your next vacation, where eating in the Mediterranean fashion is simply the way of life.

1. Bodrum, Turkey

One hallmark of a Mediterranean diet is using spice in place of salt. If you’re looking for a destination that’s full of savory goodness, consider Bodrum in southwest Turkey. Stop by the local market, held every Friday, to shop for fresh fruits, vegetables, and spices, or head to the marina for the catch of the day. And be sure to save some spices to take as souvenirs – in doing so, you’ll import a little bit of the authentic Mediterranean diet to your home kitchen.

2. Napa Valley, California

If you can’t take a vacation to the Mediterranean region itself, do the next best thing and head to California’s Napa Valley. With its comparable climate and agricultural production, Napa Valley vacations offer a delicious way to have the Mediterranean diet on American soil. And while everyone knows Napa for its wine, be sure to try a vintage of locally produced olive oil, which gives Italy a run for its money.

3. Ravello, Italy

Italy’s pedigree as a delicious destination is well established; the challenge is simply choosing which region to visit as part of your Mediterranean diet vacation. Consider the Amalfi Coast for just-caught seafood, lemons right off the vine, and crisp wines harvested from a local vineyard. Make Ravello your home base – it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site, and has no shortage of craggy cliffs, gorgeous architecture, boutique hotels, and fine restaurants.

4. Santorini, Greece

Seafood is a staple of the Mediterranean diet, and the options here range way beyond fish. When in Greece, for example, try the octopus. In Santorini, there’s no shortage of places offering this regional specialty – try it grilled with local vegetables, tossed in a salad, or part of a meze plate. Finish your meal with a glass of vinsanto, a dessert wine produced right on the island.

5. Split, Croatia

Split, Croatia’s second-largest city, is home to the lively Green Market, a daily market with the freshest fruit, vegetables, and meats (and souvenirs, too). Beyond the market, be sure to seek out a konoba, a no-frills restaurant serving regional delicacies such as squid-ink pasta or risotto, grilled lobster, octopus salad, and other delights from the sea.

Which types of cuisine do you seek out when you travel? Share your recommendations and leave a comment below!

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Main photo courtesy Meal Makeover Moms via Flickr Creative Commons

Turkish spice market/bazaar, Bodrum, Turkey photo courtesy Alex Berger via Flickr Creative Commons

Napa Valley olives photo courtesy Nagarjun Kandukuru via Flickr Creative Commons

Ravello, Italy photo courtesy Nate Gray via Flickr Creative Commons

Grilled octopus, Santorini (Photo from Mario Restaurant at Monolithos of Santorini) photo courtesy Klearchos Kapoutsis via Flickr Creative Commons

Croatian cherries from Split, Croatia photo courtesy Josefine Stenudd via Flickr Creative Commons

The post Nourish Your Body and Soul: Plan a Mediterranean Diet Vacation appeared first on EcoSalon.

In my farmers’ markets right now, there are piles upon piles of peppers: Gypsy peppers, banana peppers, poblano peppers, and many unnamed varieties.

My challenge is that I do not like them raw and, even cooked, they are a bit hard for me to love.

I think that is because all year round, misguided restaurants put peppers in salads, in Thai dishes, in pastas, and on pizzas. My personal pet peeve is red pepper hummus and they seem to be the go-to garnish when the cook needs something red. Unfortunately, like every out-of-season vegetable, hothouse bell peppers flown from far away don’t have a whole lot of anything interesting to say.

Can’t we just boycott them except in the fall? And then celebrate them by including them thoughtfully in seasonal dishes? Let’s do it! Here are three recipes to get you started on your pepper celebration.

From Food and Wine, here’s a one-dish meal featuring braised chicken and olives.

Eating Well gives us a savory lentil salad that I would make a big batch of to eat throughout the week.

And for something completely different, Savory Sweet Life brings us a simple sweet red pepper relish. Make up a bowl and serve it in the winter if you must have red peppers.

Image: Andrew Morrell

The post Pick a Peck: It’s Time for Sweet Peppers appeared first on EcoSalon.

With the recent news that the capsaicin in the humble chili pepper can help fight fat, it seems like a fine time to do a round up of fiery foods.

Not only that, spicy foods are great in the summer because, though it may seem counter intuitive, they make you sweat, which cools you off.

So beat the heat and the blubber with chilis!

For a perfect grilled dinner on a hot summer night try this fiery Balinese sambal with grilled shrimp. Make sure you buy U.S Farmed or wild caught spot prawns according to Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program.

Staple of Thai restaurants, the famous Green Papaya Salad is actually surprisingly easy to make at home. Green papayas can be found in Southeast Asian grocery stores and produce markets. It really does matter that you buy a green (unripe) papaya. A ripe papaya just isn’t the same. Here’s a recipe from Food and Wine. I like to make this in the summer and serve it with steamed rice and grilled chicken marinated in fish sauce, pepper, lime juice, and pounded garlic. The leftovers keep well for a refreshing lunch the next day.

If you’ve ever enjoyed Peruvian food, you’ve probably experienced a bright yellow, spicy chili sauce. It’s called Aji Amarillo and here’s a DIY recipe version. Peruvian cooks blend it with feta or ricotta to make a dip for potatoes, or mix it with lime juice and garlic to make a sauce for ceviche. Yum!

Image: Vanessa Barrington

The post Fighting Fat with Fire: Three Spicy Chili Recipes from Around the World appeared first on EcoSalon.