Vegetarian Recipes
PERFECT HUMMUS EVERY TIME! Did you know that blending your chickpeas when they’re still hot (right after they’re cooked or reheated canned ones) results in a light and fluffy mix, ready to absorb tahini, olive oil, and spices? Maybe the best tip for consistently good hummus is adding excellent tahini. The rich and complex […]
Greek salad is the ultimate poster-child for the Greek diet and for Greek summer! It contains seasonal vegetables, Greek feta, the country’s national cheese, and, of course, extra virgin Greek olive oil. But there are versions of it, and not all of them need to contain, say, tomatoes. Greek salad at the height of […]
Zucchini is one of the most popular vegetables in the Greek diet and in the Mediterranean diet overall. This garden classic is very versatile. In Greek cooking, it is prepared in countless ways: grated and as a filling for many different regional savory pies, cut into rounds or fingers and pan-fried as a classic meze, stuffed, and also turned into delicious patties. This recipe is a variation of one that I do at my cooking school on the Blue Zone Greek island of Ikaria. It’s packed with Mediterranean diet ingredients and is gorgeous, delicious and nutritious!
Greek summer recipes for peppers abound, from simple roasted peppers garnished with extra virgin Greek olive oil and Greek oregano to stuffed peppers, pepper and sausage stews and more. This simple meze or side dish is a great and easy way to cook summer peppers. Favorite varieties include Anaheim peppers, banana peppers or just […]
In the Greek diet, pasta figures in both vegetarian recipes and with animal protein, such as the classic baked Greek pasta recipe, pastitsio. My personal favorites are the Greek pasta recipes that bring to mind the best of the Mediterranean diet, with Mediterranean ingredients that focus on plants. This Greek recipe for penne calls […]
Chipotle peppers aren’t a traditional variety in the Mediterannean, but this dish was born out of my work in the kitchen at New York’s Pylos, where the chef, Juan Tzitzimititla, sometimes throws together what I like to call Med-Med treats for himself and his Mexican cooks. Munch on this simple sandwich at lunchtime with […]
Eggplants with feta are found in tavernas and prepared at home with equal gusto. You don’t even have to follow through the last step -broiling the dish so that the cheese melts. Once the eggplants are softened in the skillet, you can serve them, warm or at room temperature, with feta crumbled on top.
BEETROOT NUTRITION: Beets – both the greens and the bulbs – are an important part of the Ikaria diet and an important ingredient in the Greek and Mediterranean diets. The greens are nutritionally comparable to iron-rich spinach but the bulbs are also very healthy, although they contain natural sugars and carbs. Overall, beets are […]
ABOUT FARRO: Farro, a high-protein, high-fiber ancient whole-grain wheat, figures prominently in the Mediterranean diet. It looks similar to barley, though with a slightly more oblong and larger grain. Like barley, farro retains a notable amount of chew when it gets cooked. Farro and barley can be used interchangeably in most recipes. Farro is […]