Dairy Free Recipes
Coconut milk is definitely not a native Mediterranean ingredient and this soup was first developed as a way to avoid using heavy cream. Coconut milk is the liquid naturally found inside of mature coconuts. Coconut cream is essentially full-fat coconut milk, culled from the white, hard coconut “meat.” Sometimes coconut cream and coconut water […]
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Bread, one of the most ancient foods in the world, is an intrinsic part of the Mediterranean diet. It is also the quintessential comfort food. There are many theories as to why bread is so comforting, from the physical act of kneading to the olfactory pleasure brought on by the mere […]
ABOUT ALL-MIGHTY ARUGULA While this salad has so many great things going for it, I want to focus on the arugula, one of the most beloved salad greens in the Mediterranean. Here’s why! Arugula is a nutrient-dense food that is high in fiber and phytochemicals. These include: Calcium, for bone health, tooth health, muscle […]
MUSHROOMS VS MEAT: Mushrooms have “umami,” which is sometimes called the fifth taste (along with sweet, salt, sour and bitter). We have specific receptors for this taste, which is why mushrooms are such a great meat-replacement. But beyond that, mushrooms are better for us than meat in so many ways. They are packed full […]
HELPFUL TIP:Roast raw pine nuts on a tray in a 350℉ (180℃) oven for about 10 minutes, shaking halfway through. They can also be toasted on top of the stove in a heavy skillet, stirring often until they turn golden. Keep a close eye on the pine nuts as they can very quickly move […]
A LITTLE HISTORY AND A HELPFUL TIP: Corn has been an important part of the original Ikaria diet, in so far as one can claim that, with corn being a New World crop. But what I mean is that once established in the Mediterranean, for almost half a millenium now, it became something people […]
HELPFUL TIP: You can also layer the salad as indicated above without dressing or garnishing it. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. The flavors of the beets and onions will marry better that way, but the onions will likely absorb some of the red color of the beets. Dress and garnish […]
BEAN TIPS: There’s always been a lively debate between dried vs. canned beans and which are better for you. Dried beans are definitely more nutritionally dense and taste richer and fresher. But most require soaking, which has become an apparent inconvenience to many people. Canned beans are a close second in terms of nutrition, […]
HELPFUL TIP: Wine in moderate consumption, sipped convivially, is a good thing! Indeed, moderate wine consumption is another one of the longevity secrets of Ikarians, who sip with friends almost daily, but always with good measure. While any dry rosé wine will do in this recipe, I highly recommend looking for one of the […]
HELPFUL TIP: You’ve probably guessed after reading this recipe that tofu is hardly a traditional ingredient in the Blue-Zone longevity diet of Ikaria. But it is elsewhere and it is available and widely embraced among plant-loving, health-conscious Greeks! So, I’ve embraced it, too, and have discovered that its versatility and mild flavor make adapting […]