3 dinners a dietitian who follows the Mediterranean diet eats when she has no energy to cook

• A dietitian who has followed the Mediterranean diet for decades shared three dinners with Insider.
• The Mediterranean diet has been ranked the best eating plan in the world for six years running.

Clare Thornton-Wood, a UK-based registered dietitian and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association, has followed the Mediterranean diet for decades.

The Mediterranean diet has been ranked the best eating plan in the world by the US News and World Report for six years running. It centers on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes such as chickpeas and beans. It limits red meat, refined sugar, and highly processed foods.

A wealth of research suggests that following the Mediterranean diet is good for heart health and may even help you live longer.

Thornton-Wood, who follows the diet for all of its associated health benefits, told Insider that she has some quick Mediterranean diet recipes to fall back on when she's low on energy.

"I can get my dinner sorted in 15 or 20 minutes," Thornton-Wood said.

She always tries to include protein, carbohydrates, and fiber in each meal, and said that at least half of your plate should be covered with vegetables.

By having a stocked-up store cupboard, and doing a small amount of meal prep, Thornton Wood said she can prepare nutritious meals in no time.

Here are three of her favorite low-effort Mediterranean diet recipes.

Veggie stir fry

One of her go-to dinners is a stir fry packed with vegetables, plant-based protein, and wholewheat noodles or rice.

It involves a bit of chopping, she said, but the cooking time is very short. Thornton-Wood uses whatever vegetables she has in her fridge, but particularly likes onions, peppers, spinach, and cabbage with this dish.

For protein she either uses Quorn, a popular fungus-based meat substitute in the UK, or tofu. You can also add nuts or chickpeas, she said.

To prepare the stir fry, simply place all the ingredients in a pan with a bit of oil and cook until the vegetables and tofu have softened.

Quick mushroom risotto

Thornton-Wood is a big fan of cooking with a pressure cooker as it significantly cuts down cooking time, she said.

She makes a mushroom risotto in hers in 15 minutes, either using risotto rice or more typically pearl barley, because "it really boosts the fiber content and the vitamins and minerals," she said.

Barley contains beta-glucans, a type of soluble fiber, which has been linked to lower cholesterol, better heart health, and stable blood sugar levels, she said.

To make the risotto, she roughly chops up mushrooms and sometimes adds peas or asparagus — but you can really add in anything, she said.

Next, she puts ¼ cup of barley into the pressure cooker, along with 2 cups of vegetable stock, a chopped onion, and the other vegetables.

"Put that in the pressure cooker, turn the lid and 15 minutes later you've got dinner," she said.

Tomato, zucchini, and lentil soup

Another pressure cooker winner for Thornton-Wood is soup. "You can put in whatever you like," she said. One of her favorites is tomato, zucchini, and lentil soup.

She pours two cans of tinned tomatoes and around the same quantity of red lentils into the pressure cooker. She roughly chops three zucchinis and adds them to the soup, along with a dash of vegetable or chicken stock.

Then she sets the cooker to the soup setting and leaves it for 15 minutes. Depending on what consistency you want, you can smooth the soup with a stick blender at the end, or just leave it chunky.

Serve the soup in a bowl and have it with some whole wheat bread, she said.