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 […]
In the vast majority of recipes in this ongoing collection, I’ve steered clear of refined sugar as an ingredient. But the truth is that some of the most traditional preparations on Ikaria and elsewhere in Greece are the fruits, nuts, and young vegetables preserved in sugar syrup called glyka tou koutaliou. or spoon sweets. Vyssino, […]
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: Many of us have seen, tried or at least heard of a Greek salad, but chances are we may also have experienced it in its American version, with lettuce and vinaigrette. Real Greek salad calls for neither! The brininess of the olives and/or capers or sea fennel provides ample acidity and lots of […]
Everyone loves an easy dip and Greek yogurt makes a great base for almost any flavors. You can spice this up your way and add as much heat as you like. I love the combination of sweetness and spice in this Greek recipe for an easy dip because it speaks to the simplicity of great […]
Kale is a relative newcomer to Greek farmers’ markets, but it’s made headway in the last few years and people have come to love it in salads and grain-based dishes. It’s not surprising, since this crunchy member of the brassica family taps into Greeks’ love with all things cabbagy – they’re related, of course! I […]
Greek-Style Vegan Hasselback Sweet Potatoes always impress company and they're easy to make, too! In this Greek-inspired recipe for Hasselback sweet potatoes, I like to use dried Greek sage tea leaves and fresh mint together. The pine nuts add crunch and a delicate flavor.