The other day, I went into a supermarket I don’t usually shop at looking for tahini. I asked a cashier where I could find tahini. “What’s tahini?”, was her reply. After a quick “never mind,” I went to ask someone else and got the same response. I ended up asking 3 store employees and no […]
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7 Mediterranean Gluten Free Recipes
Not being able to eat gluten can be frustrating, but there are so many delicious healthy gluten-free recipes that will make eating a gluten-free Mediterranean diet much smoother.
5 Favorite Shrimp Recipes
Shrimp recipes are great for the busy person who wants a quick, delicious, high protein meal. Shrimp take no time to cook and doesn’t need complex flavorings to be delicious
7 Mediterranean Salad Dressings
Here are seven Mediterranean style salad dressings that are simple to make, and much healthier than most of store-bought dressings. These dressings can also be used as marinades for meat and fish.
How to Eat Gluten Free in Italy
When I first informed my friends and family that I would be studying abroad in Italy for a month to study the Mediterranean Diet, their initial response was, “What are you going to eat?” They all know I have been gluten-free (GF) for a year and while they were excited for my opportunity, it was clear that images of pizza, pasta, and grains were flying through their heads.
How to Make Pesto without a Food Processor or Blender (video)
Oh sweet basil, it’s pesto time again! Some say pesto has been around since the 1860’s, others say some version of it has been filling up Italians since the 16th century, but one thing is for sure, it’s been around long before the invention of food processors or blenders. This “old fashioned” recipe uses only […]
Eating Briam on the Island of Ikaria (with recipes)
The jolly middle aged man with slightly rounded features and a walk that reminded us of Andre the Giant rattled off the specials of the day. This was a weekday in the Mediterranean and the specials were the only items on the menu. Goat stew, tzatziki, Greek salad, and Briam. I get such a thrill […]
Stuffed Grape Leaves (with video)
Koula Barydakis shows us how to make vegetarian grape leaves on the island of Crete.
The Power of Olive Oil. Benefits, Myths, and French Fries
In this podcast, we interview Dr. Artemis Morris, a naturopathic physician about the health benefits and myths of olive oil. One of the myths of olive oil is that you cannot use it for frying or deep-frying, because of its low smoking point.
Sofrito in Mediterranean Cooking
Sofrito is a traditional Spanish vegetable base that is a foundation for many other dishes. It has a long a long history and has been referenced in cookbooks as early as the 1300’s.
Sofrito is highly flavorful and makes an excellent base for sauces, stews and other dishes. The elevated flavors are the result of the way the ingredients are prepared; they are cooked in fat (olive oil) to release the flavors. Many cuisines around the world use this technique: In India, dishes like curry and dal (beans) are covered with “tempering” which is a selection of aromatic spices that have been cooked in ghee (clarified butter) to release their flavors. In Thailand, a curry paste is cooked with coconut milk and the flavor of the spices and ingredients are released.
Different Mediterranean cuisines have their own variations of sofrito.
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Foods of Crete Cook Book
Do you want to eat like the
healthiest people in the world?
In the 1960’s, the Greek island of Crete had the highest longevity rates in the world, the men lived to be the same age as the women and researchers could only find one man on the island who had heart disease.
In our cookbook, Foods of Crete: Traditional Recipes from the Healthiest People in the World you will find over 110 delectable recipes by Koula Barydakis, a chef and cooking teacher from the island and a guide to eating the Mediterranean diet by Bill Bradley, Registered Dietician.
Buy Olive Oil From Crete
Delicious and buttery, this is the oil that can be used for all your cooking needs including sauces, dressings, soups, bread dipping and even baking! Makes everything taste better!
