If you have visited Greece, you must have seen the famous Greek salad named "Choriatiki salata" (village salad) listed on most restaurants' menus. It's undeniably a Greek summer in a bowl and you can make it in the comfort of your own kitchen wherever you are in the world.

 

Enjoy!

To view this recipe in full, please visit: Lemon & Olives

Although indulging in a satisfying meal is a pleasure for most people, Greeks in Athens take their food even more seriously.

Unlike some of the spicier specialties found in other parts of the world, Athenian dishes are mild and flavorsome. For the most part, the seasonings used in Greek cooking are the ones you already y have in your spice rack. Another benefit is that Greek cuisine consistently uses olive oil instead of the unhealthy oils that can harm our circulatory systems and hearts.

We’ve chosen 5 of our favorite dishes that you should make sure to taste whenever you find yourself in Athens.

These crispy deep-fried balls come in many varieties depending on what part of Greece you visit. For example in Santorini, keftedes are made from juicy local tomatoes, and in Sifnos from chickpeas. However, the most typical varieties are meatballs, cheeseballs, and fishballs.

Melitzanosalata is the Greek alternative to Babaganoush, a delicious eggplant dip/spread typically accompanied by crunchy bread or pita bread.

Baked and similar to eggplant parmesan but without as much tomato sauce. The dish contains cinnamon, eggplant, ground beef, onions, oil, potatoes, topped with a thick bechamel sauce.

Pastitsio is much like lasagna but not as saucy. The dish consists of layered bucatini-style pasta, ground beef, tomato sauce, and toppings similar to moussaka but not as thick.

Stifado, one of the most flavorsome stews in Greek cuisine, can be made with beef, octopus, or rabbit– a delicious stifado calls for lots of whole small onions, tomatoes, vinegar, wine, and spices.

Although these are our top 5 picks of dishes to try in Athens, countless other dishes are just as tasty and well worth trying.

1. Vegetable Pies. Yes, you read right. Pies, a health food? Yes actually as long as they are made the Greek way. Pies - or pites as we call them here in Greece (not to be confused with pita bread) - usually contain a bunch of vegetables along with herbs, olive oil and sometimes cheese, wrapped in phyllo. The most popular one is the spinach pie (spanakopita), but you also find greens pie (hortopita), leek pie, pepper pie and the list goes on and on. You get the goodness of vegetables all wrapped up in the crunchy phyllo. They are great to take along on picnics or for a quick lunch or as a side dish.

2. Greens. In Greece they are called horta. Wild greens are the best if you have the opportunity to find them, but cultivated ones will do just fine. This is a unique part of the Greek diet; eating wild plants and leafy greens, lightly boiled with a bit of olive oil and lemon. They are rich in vitamin A, C and calcium, but mainly in antioxidants that play a role in protecting against cancer and other chronic diseases.

How? Buy some leafy greens and boil them. Serve with lemon juice and olive oil, accompany with bread and a piece of feta cheese.

3. Cretan Barley Rusks-Paximadi. These barley rusks are not only a popular food in Crete and the rest of Greece but they are extremely good for you. The authentic Cretan rusks are made from 100% barley flour baked till they are hard. It is a source of whole grains, which means that keep you satisfied, and keeps your appetite under control. Several studies have shown that consumption of whole grain products (at least 3 servings a day) can reduce the risk of diabetes by 30 percent. Furthermore, research conducted by the USDA (U.S Department of Agriculture) showed that a diet rich in barley may reduce cholesterol levels. Barley contains tocotrienol, natural form of vitamin E, which inhibits the production of cholesterol. Finally, preliminary investigations showed that they might reduce the risk of ulcers.

How? Find them online or specialty markets. Soak the rusk in water, drizzle some olive oil, load with tomato and cheese and enjoy.

To read more and to get more recipes with these ingredients, visit Food and Leisure International Guide

We know that the Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest, if not the healthiest diet in the world.

The culinary habits of Greece and southern Italy offer numerous health benefits from heart protection to mental health.

This diet is based on simple ingredients such as olive oil, vegetables, fruit, beans, yogurt, cheese, some fish, a bit of meat and plenty of herbs. And while these ingredients may sound simple, they are nutritionally complex, full of antioxidants, substances that protect the body from various chronic diseases.

Anyone can make their diet more Mediterranean by using mostly olive oil for their cooking needs, eating plenty of seasonal fruit and vegetables and eating less meat. Here are simple steps to get you started:

In Greece partucularly in Crete a popular dish is the Dakos, a whole grain barley rusk (paximadi) topped with soft white cheese, tomatoes, olives and drizzled with olive oil. You can make your own by substituting a thick piece of toasted whole wheat bread. Top first with tomatoes, than crumbled feta cheese, a few olives, add some olive oil and a sprinkle of dry oregano.

Greeks have the highest consumption vegetables in the world according to a latest study from the Tufts University. How do they do this? The answer is vegetable casseroles. Greeks consume so many vegetables because they serve them as a main course. Use fresh or frozen vegetables; almost anything will do, but the best are green beans, peas, okra and cauliflower. Sauté a chopped onion in 4 tablespoons of olive oil, add about 500 grams of vegetables and continue sautéing. Next, add about 250 grams of crushed tomatoes, a bit of parsley, salt and pepper, and some water, enough so that it halfway covers the vegetables. Let it simmer for about an hour. Serve with a slice of fresh bread and feta cheese.

Made with just 5 ingredients with one pot in just under an hour, this traditional Greek potato stew (πατάτες γιαχνί) is rustic potato perfection. Red ripe tomatoes, fresh parsley, sweet red onions, minced garlic and yellow potatoes simmered in olive oil combine to create one of the simplest, most authentic and amazingly delicious Greek dishes you will ever enjoy!

Yellow potatoes seem to work very well in this recipe and much better than, say, red potatoes which just seem to fall apart here. You need a heartier potato that’s able to soak up all the amazing flavors of the sauce while still remaining intact.  And I recommend peeling your potatoes with this recipe. Leaving the peels on takes away from the finished dish for me but you’re welcome to  keep them on if you prefer. Thick slices of potato are my favorite and really give you a meal as opposed to just a side dish, though you can certainly serve it either way- I love a side of patates yiahni with Chickpea fritters (revithokeftedes)!

It’s important to remember that because there are just a few ordinary ingredients in this recipe, you need to make sure they’re the best quality. Ripe, juicy tomatoes and Greek olive oil are must haves in addition to fresh (not dried) parsley which brings such a brightness to this hearty potato dish. I use chopped fresh tomatoes because they make for a sweet and light tomato sauce but in a pinch you can use canned whole peeled tomatoes. If you do go with canned, drain off as much of the liquid as possible before chopping. Do not go with crushed or pureed tomatoes as your sauce will be much heavier and not nearly as light as it should be.

This is a very light, summer dish. You can use either fresh or salted cod. If the fish is salted, you should soak it in water for at least 24 hours, changing the water often so that the salt is washed out. A good idea is to stand the fish on a rack, so that it doesn’t come into direct contact with the salt that has settled at the bottom of the basin. If you have to feed more people, you just increase the ingredients accordingly.

500gr. cod, fresh or salted, cut in portions

3 medium potatoes

3 fresh tomatoes chopped (or a can of chopped tomatoes)

3 green onions

1 clove garlic minced

2 tablespoonfuls parsley finely chopped

4 tablespoonfuls olive oil

Salt, pepper

Peel and wash the potatoes, and cut them into quarters. Remove any yellow or wilted leaves from the green onions, cut off the root part, wash and slice thinly.

Stragalia (στραγάλια)  are a delicious, very healthy, totally addictive snack that are so simple to make and a fantastic on-the-go option for work or school too!  With coriander and fennel seeds, fresh ground black pepper, salt and garlic, this recipe is the perfect combination of traditional Greek spices. The secret to getting crunchy, nutty good bites every time? A very hot oven!

Because of the high heat necessary for good crunchy chickpeas, it's best to stay away from using dried herbs in this recipe.  Dried herbs will often burn and can leave behind an awful, acrid taste.  You can safely add dried herbs (Greek oregano or mint) after the chickpeas are cooked and cooled.

The spices are key here so, when you can, toast and grind them yourself. Lightly toast the fennel, coriander and cumin seeds for just a minute or two in a hot pan before grinding coarsely in your mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Grinding the spices all together helps to combine the flavors most evenly.

Then mix the ground spices with olive oil until you get the consistency of a loose paste. Take a sec here, hold your head over the bowl and inhale – the aromas are absolutely intoxicating!

To read more, please visit: The Greek Vegan

As summer hots up, why not add this spicy dish to your BBQ or gathering?

There's Spicy Feta Spread and Spicy Feta Dip.  The main difference between the two is that the dip is more liquidy.  The ingredients also differ somewhat.   In order to make it more creamy, what better than to use a rich and creamy helping of Greek yogurt to form the basis? It does wonders for tzatziki, why not Spicy Feta Dip?

Use peppers, spice up as much or as little as you like by using chilli powder, serve with pitta or bread (wine optional!) and there you have it.

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

1 large green pepper, miled, sliced in hald and seeded

1 cup crumbled feta

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Pepper

Olive Oil - enough to achiieve dip consistency

Salt*

To read more, please visit: Lemon & Olives

Often thought of as a British dish, this pie tastes delicious with feta cheese and philo pastry.
Don't use the dark green part in the cooking of this recipe, unless you want a stronger flavour.

Leeks are of the onion/garlic family and the reason for cutting them down the middle and rinsing the insides is to rid them of dirt.  

• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 2-3 medium leeks, cleaned (see video) and chopped - you’ll need 3 cups chopped*
• 1 shallot, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• salt
• pepper
• ½ teaspoon chopped dill
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1 cup crumbled feta
• ½ cup shredded parmesan
• 2 eggs
• 1lb box phyllo**
• ⅓ cup butter, melted

To read more and to see a video preparation, please visit: Lemon & Olives

A fabulous summer dish.

• 450g (3 cups) plain flour
• 250g chilled butter, cut into 2cm pieces
• 40g (1/2 cup) shredded pecorino or parmesan
• 2 x 240g packets small cherry trussed tomatoes
• Olive oil spray
• 1 egg
• 2-3 tablespoons chilled water

• 250g packet frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 400g full cream feta, crumbled
• 300g fresh ricotta
• 3 shallots - trimmed, thinly sliced
• 2 tablesppons chopped fresh dill
• 3 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
• 6 eggs, lightly whisked

If this has temped you, go to Taste.com to see the Method for making this dish.