You can use any nut you like, or even seeds, such as roasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds, for the pesto. But if you do use pistachios, I highly recommend the amazing Aegina pistachios from my online shop. A word about mushrooms and eating for longevity: Mushrooms have always been a part of the longevity diet […]
The concept of using ground nuts, especially walnuts, to help thicken a sauce is rooted in some of the regional Lenten traditions of Greece. It was a brilliant way for cooks to mimic the texture of, say, ground meat, during periods of fasting, and to provide important nutrition. (read more on Notes below)
CAULIFLOWER & LONGEVITY: It is usually the colorful veggies that get all the attention for being the brightest stars in the healthy diet universe. But cauliflower, which has grown in popularity, is an exception. All the cruciferous vegetables play an important role in eating for health and longevity. In Ikaria, people grow all manner of […]
HELPFUL TIP: The reason I suggest breaking the eggs one at a time into a cup first is so that you have better control of the yolk. The dish looks so much better if the yolk is unbroken!
Chestnut trees grow all over Greece, especially in the mountains, which account for 80% of the Greek landscape. They are one of the traditional ingredients in the rice stuffing for the Christmas or New Year’s turkey. They often stud wine-braised pork dishes, also served on the holidays. Chestnut spoon sweets, chestnut puree and chestnut flour […]
One doesn’t usually think of anything Greek when it comes to a Waldorf salad, named for the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York City. It was first created there, by Oscar Tschirky, maître d’hotel, to be served at a charity ball in honor of St. mary’s Childrens’ Hospital in March of 1896. It has become a […]
FACTS & TIPS: Why Hazelnuts? I had originally created this recipe with bits of cured pork in mind, using a very small amount of meat the way my ancestors would have a few generations ago. But then I wanted to challenge myself and make the recipe totally vegan. Nuts do the trick, and hazelnuts are […]
FUN TIP: Creamy texture doesn’t have to be achieved with, well, cream! In this recipe, I call for an age-old Greek tradition for using nuts as a thickener. Cashews, while not native to Greece, are a much-loved nut. They are super rich in iron and copper, which impacts our metabolism in a positive way. Cashews […]
There’s no end to the good things cauliflower gives our bodies. But did you also know that it is one of the best detox vegetables around? There are many ways to detox but nixing the refined carbohydrates and sugar from our diet is first and foremost. If we focus on adding nutritious vegetables to our […]
FUN FACT:Quinoa is a very new ingredient in the Greek kitchen and has been embraced for its versatility, healthfulness and ease of use. Quinoa is a great addition to the diet of anyone who wants to cut back on meat. A single cup of cooked quinoa has around 8 grams of protein, which is roughly […]