Mostly Moussaka

Mostly Moussaka
Turkey Chili with a Greek Influence
Prep Time
1 hour
Number of Servings
Serves 6
Ingredients
  • [q:1/2] cup olive oil
  • 2 leeks OR 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 lb. ground turkey
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 medium eggplant, chopped
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp mint
  • 2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice blend
    • 4 tsp cinnamon
    • 2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1 tsp ground cloves
    • [q:1/2] tsp ground nutmeg
  • [q:1/2] tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp salt
  • [q:1/2] tsp black pepper
  • [q:1/2] cup dry white wine
  • 2 cans fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 1 Tbsp tomato paste
  • Grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
  • Heat oil in large skillet or stock pot that has a lid, brown onions, turkey, and garlic.
  • Add vegetables, spices, wine, and tomato paste. Stir often and use lid to help steam ingredients. Simmer until everything is soft, about 45 minutes. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition Info
382 Calories, 19 g Protein, 19 g Carbohydrates, 6 g Fiber, 25 g Total fat (5 g sat), 513 mg Sodium, [nutrition:5] Vitamin B6, C, [nutrition:4] Vitamin B3 (niacin), [nutrition:3] Vitamin B12, K, Phosphorus, [nutrition:2] Vitamin E, Zinc, [nutrition:1] Vitamin A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), Calcium, Folate, Magnesium, Iron, Potassium

Greek Avocado Toast

Greek Avocado Toast
Prep Time
15 min prep time
Number of Servings
4
Ingredients
  • 2 ripe avocados
  • Juice of [q:1/2] lemon
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • Pinch crushed red pepper (chili) flakes
  • Few dill sprigs, chopped, plus extra for garnish
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 slices crusty bread
  • [q:1/4] cucumber, diced
  • 8 cherry or baby plum tomatoes, quartered or chopped
  • 8 black olives, pitted and chopped
  • 1 tsp capers, chopped
  • 3 oz feta cheese, crumbled
  • Fruity green olive oil, for drizzling
Directions
  1. Cut avocados in half, remove stones, and scoop out flesh into a bowl. Mash coarsely with lemon juice, garlic, red pepper (chili) flakes, and dill. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Lightly toast bread and spread mashed avocado over it, right up to edges.
  3. Mix cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and capers together in a bowl and use to cover avocado toasts. Crumble feta over top and drizzle with oil. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Info
Per serving: 344 Calories, 10 g Protein, 26 g Carbohydrates, 10 g Fiber, 25 g Total fat (6 g sat), 432 mg Sodium, [nutrition:3] Vitamin B6, [nutrition:2] Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), C, E, K, Folate, Phosphorus, [nutrition:1] Vitamin B1 (thiamine), B12, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Zinc

Greek Spaghetti Squash Toss

Greek Spaghetti Squash Toss
Prep Time
20 minutes
Number of Servings
4
Ingredients
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 (15 oz) can no-salt added chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 6 cup cooked spaghetti squash strands*
  • 4 cup torn fresh baby spinach leaves
  • [q:1/2] tsp kosher salt
  • 6 Tbsp crumbled feta cheese
Directions
  1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.
  2. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 4 minutes. Add chickpeas, thyme, and tomatoes; cook for 1 minute. Add cooked spaghetti squash, spinach, and salt; toss gently to combine.** Cook for 2 minutes or until spinach is just wilted.
  3. Divide squash mixture among 4 bowls. Sprinkle each serving with [q:1 1/2] tablespoons of the cheese.
Nutrition Info
569 Calories, 27 g Protein, 85 g Carbohydrates, 17 g Fiber, 16 g Total fat (5 g sat), 565 mg Sodium, [nutrition:5] Vitamin B1 (thiamine), B6, K, Folate, Phosphorus, [nutrition:3] Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Iron, Magnesium, Zinc, [nutrition:2] Vitamin B3 (niacin), C, Calcium, Potassium, [nutrition:1] Vitamin A, B12, E

Tzatziki

Tzatziki
Prep Time
10 minutes prep time + 3 hours drain time
Number of Servings
4
Ingredients
  • 1 cup (scant) plain Greek yogurt
  • [q:1/4] of a long cucumber, grated, excess liquid squeezed out
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 Tbsp finely chopped dill
  • [q:1/2] tsp lemon juice, or to taste
  • 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, or to taste
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
  1. Line a sieve with muslin or paper towels, set it over a bowl, and pour yogurt into it. Leave to drain for a couple of hours, or overnight, in the fridge. Discard liquid.
  2. Add cucumber, garlic, and dill. Pour in lemon juice and oil gradually, seasoning as you do, tasting until flavors are perfectly balanced. Chill until ready to serve.
Nutrition Info
Per serving (1/4 cup): 70 Calories, 3 g Protein, 5 g Carbohydrates, 4 g Total fat (1 g sat, 3 g mono), 113 mg Sodium 

Chicken Souvlaki

Chicken Souvlaki
Prep Time
35 minutes prep time + 2 hours marinate time
Number of Servings
4 (1 wrap each)
Ingredients
  • Chicken and Marinade
  • 10 oz skinless chicken breasts, cut into large chunks
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp dried Greek oregano
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp red wine vinegar
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • Souvlaki
  • A little olive oil
  • [q:1/2] zucchini, shaved or sliced into thin strips
  • 4 warm flatbreads
  • [q:1/2] red onion, finely sliced
  • Tzatziki
Directions
  1. Place chicken in a bowl with all other marinade ingredients. Cover and leave in fridge for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
  2. Preheat oven broiler to maximum or heat an outdoor grill. Thread marinated meat onto metal skewers. Broil in the oven or on the grill for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through.
  3. Heat a griddle or frying pan over high heat with a little oil. Cook zucchini until it just begins to brown, just a minute or two.
  4. Stack each flatbread with chicken, zucchini, a little onion, and tzatziki. Roll up and serve immediately.
Nutrition Info
Without tzatziki: 334 Calories, 26 g Protein, 42 g Carbohydrates, 2 g Fiber, 6 g Total fat (1 g sat, 3 g mono, 1 g poly), 485 mg Sodium

Avgolemono Soup

Avgolemono Soup
Ingredients
  • 6 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • [q:3/4] cup orzo
  • 2 cooked chicken-breast halves, shredded
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • [q:1/3] cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 lemon, thinly sliced
Directions
  1. Place the broth and orzo in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.
  2. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
  3. Add the chicken. Remove the soup from heat and cover.
  4. In a separate bowl: Whisk the eggs and lemon juice in a medium bowl until frothy.
  5. Slowly add 1 cup hot chicken broth to the lemon and eggs, whisking continually.
  6. Slowly stir the warmed eggs into the soup.
  7. Ladle soup into bowls. Serve immediately with a slice of lemon.

Heart-Healthy Greek Coffee

Heart-Healthy Greek Coffee
Lynn Tryba
Greek coffee

You think you’ve got it tough? Consider Zeus.

Among the Greek gods, he was the top god, god of all the other gods. And they were a quite a cantankerous crew to keep tabs on with all those super powers and super egos constantly clashing. So, where did Zeus get the stamina to deal with it all? Maybe the answer lies in a simple cup of coffee—Greek coffee.

Your average Dunkin’ Donuts cup of java, Greek coffee is not. The Greeks on the island of Ikaria who consume it regularly live into their 90s at a rate 10 times that of their European counterparts. And, a recent study published in Vascular Medicine may reveal why.

To begin with, Greek coffee is boiled, not brewed. That means less caffeine, only 74 milligrams (mg) per 8-ounce serving, compared to 112 mg for filtered coffee or 135 mg for brewed coffee.

Because Greek coffee uses Arabica beans ground very finely, the coffee is concentrated and richer in antioxidants than a typical cup of joe.

Boiling coffee also extracts more nutrients from the coffee, including chlorogenic acid  and polyphenols (both thought to prevent cancer), and lipid-soluble substances. These help reduce your risk of diabetes, boost your immune system, and protect your arteries from endothelial cell dysfunction, something especially harmful to women.

Greek coffee improves endothelial function by reducing inflammation in your blood vessels, allowing blood to flow freely and denying damaging plaque someplace to attach and build up.

You can find Greek coffee in Greek markets locally or online.

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heart health
Greek
coffee

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