In this final installment of MDR Recipes, we’ll celebrate a month of dishes on our feel-good Mediterranean-diet journey featuring indulgent desserts minus the guilt. Nothing tops off a meal better than a treat and when you can have one that checks off the deliciousness box without tipping the scale, well, that’s the embodiment of dining success!
 
This recipe blog is a companion to part 4 of our Mediterranean Diet Resolution: Scaling the Pyramid post, and features recipes that contain amazing MDR elements, like fruit, whole grains, and deep-dark chocolate that will have you saying, How sweet it is!

Get cooking and launch your own Mediterranean Diet Resolution!

Berry-Oat Parfait
Fiber, antioxidants, and fresh sweetness burst from berries, making them the perfect star ingredient in this anytime dessert. There’s a wonderful variety of berries to choose from, so go with one of your favorites or use a variety to add color and rich flavor.
 
COOK TIME: 30 minutes
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
SERVINGS: 6
 
24 ounces (about 2 ½ cups) fresh or frozen berries (one type or mixed, larger berries halved)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 small pinch vanilia or 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
¼ teaspoon cardamom
2 tablespoons Greek thyme honey
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon chopped sunflower seeds
1 ½ to 2 cups reduced fat (2%) Greek yogurt
Fresh berries and mint leaves, for serving (optional)
 
1. Heat oven to 350°F. In a 2-quart casserole dish, combine the berries, lemon juice, vanilia, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and the cardamom. Spread out evenly in the dish.
 
2. In a microwave-safe cup, microwave together the honey and coconut oil on High until melted, about 20 seconds; stir to combine. In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and the remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Pour the honey-coconut oil mixture over the top and stir until combined well and completely coated.
 
3. Evenly spoon the oat mixture over the berry mixture and bake for 30 minutes, until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden.
 
4. Place about 2 tablespoons of yogurt in each parfait cup and top with some berry-oat mixture. Repeat for a total of 2 layers in each cup. If desired, add fresh berries to each layer and garnish with mint leaves.

Dark Chocolate Trail-Mix Bark
For chocolate addicts (myself included), this is a customized bark that you create in your own flavor image. The antioxidant power of the dark side joins forces with the fiber/healthy-oil combo from the nuts, fruit, and seeds in this fast-and-easy treat.
 
TOTAL PREP TIME: 20 minutes plus standing
MAKES: about 30 pieces
 
12 ounces 60% cacao bittersweet dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
½ cup mixed raw nuts (almonds, pecans, cashews, pistachios, hazelnuts, and/or peanuts), coarsely chopped and lightly toasted
¼ cup unsweetened flaked coconut, lightly toasted
¼ cup dried fruit (blueberries, cherries, and/or apricots, larger fruit chopped)
2 tablespoons mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, and/or sesame), lightly toasted
Coarse sea salt, optional
 
1. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the chocolate on High for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat until the chocolate is almost completely melted (stirring every 30 seconds). Stir until the few remaining chocolate pieces have melted.
 
2. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the melted chocolate onto the paper and, using an offset spatula, spread out to ¼-inch thickness (do not spread to the edges of the sheet).
 
3. Evenly sprinkle the nuts and coconut over the chocolate, then the fruit and seeds. Lightly press the toppings into the chocolate, then very lightly sprinkle the chocolate with salt (if using). Let stand at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours, or refrigerate for 20 minutes, until completely hardened.
 
4. Break the bark into pieces (you should have about 30) and serve. (Can be made ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks.)
 
Recipes by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos
Copyright © Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style  
 
Refer to our Mediterranean Diet Resolution: Scaling the Pyramid blog for the basics on each food-level category and our essential tips that will help you incorporate this healthy meal plan into your lifestyle.

I hope you enjoy making this month’s Mediterranean Diet Resolution Recipes and that it helps make your New Year a healthy and happy one. Stin iyia sou! To your health!
 
Sign up for our e-newsletter (if you haven’t already) and stay connected on social media for cooking tips and recipes, as well as for all Kukla's Kouzina updates and news.
 
Thanks for following us and we’ll see you next Monday.
 
Until then~
Kali orexi! Good appetite!
 
Kelly

​Copyright © Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style / The Naked Truth About...Greek Cooking!    
 
Web design by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos

This week, the triple Fs—healthy fats, fiber, and flavor—are the next stop on our Mediterranean-diet recipe journey.

​This recipe blog is a companion to part 3 of our Mediterranean Diet Resolution: Fats, Fiber, and Flavor blog, and features recipes that contain these amazing elements that will have you saying, More please!

Olive oil (virgin and extra-virgin ​), because it’s a fruit oil, is an antioxidant food and a must-have staple in the Mediterranean Diet. Nuts contain unsaturated fatty acids, as well as other nutrients.

Fiber has a ton of benefits, including helping you loose weight by making you feel full. Legumes, fruit, and vegetables are excellent sources of fiber.
​

Chickpea Salad with Walnuts and Grapes
This delicious main-course or side-dish salad is packed with the power of healthy fats and fiber.
 
TOTAL PREP TIME: 20 minutes
MAKES: 6 servings
 
CITRUS DRESSING
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
 
SALAD
2 cans (15.5 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2/3 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1/2 cup diced seedless cucumber
1 plum tomato, diced
1 scallion, finely chopped
 
2 cups (packed) organic spinach or kale leaves
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish
 
1. Make Citrus Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, orange juice, salt, and pepper; set aside.
 
2. Make salad: In a medium bowl, mash half of the chickpeas, then add the remaining chickpeas, grapes, cucumber, tomato, and scallion; stir until combined. Toss with the dressing and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
 
3. To serve: Divide the spinach/kale leaves among 4 shallow serving bowls. Plate the chickpea salad in the center of the leaves, sprinkle with walnuts, and drizzle with oil. Garnish with mint leaves, if desired.

Herbs and spices are great for flavoring your meals and allow you to cut back on salt. At the top of our herb list is garlic, the star ingredient in the famed dip Skordalia.
​

Skordalia
This garlic sauce/dip can be served as an appetizer with vegetables, over fish, or alongside cooked vegetables. Everyone’s taste is different, so if you like the taste of more lemon or feel like there’s no such thing as too much garlic, adjust amounts to what tastes good to you.
 
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOK TIME: 15 minutes
MAKES: about 3 cups
 
2 medium russet potatoes (1 pound), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
Fine sea salt
1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
4 garlic cloves, or more/less to taste
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
2 tablespoons white vinegar
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
1 small red onion, thinly sliced, for garnish
 
Vegetables, for serving
 
1. Place the potato in a large saucepan, add ½ teaspoon salt, and fill with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the potato is fork tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Reserve 2 tablespoons cooking water, then drain the potatoes well. Return potatoes to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until potatoes are dry. Remove from heat and pass through a ricer or thoroughly mash; set aside.
 
2. In a food processor, combine the nuts, garlic, lemon juice, and vinegar. Pulse until the mixture becomes a thick paste. Season with salt. Add the potato to the garlic paste and process until combined well. While the processor is running, slowly pour in the olive oil and process until lightened in color. If the skordalia is too thick, stir in some of the reserved potato water. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. (Can be made ahead. Cover and refrigerate up to 1 week.) Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled with vegetables. Garnish with red onion, if desired.
 
Recipes by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos
Copyright © 2019 Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style  
 
Refer to our Mediterranean Diet Resolution: Fats, Fiber, and Flavor blog for the basics on these essential elements and for food suggestions, introducing a healthy Greek lifestyle for your New Year. 

I hope you enjoyed this week’s fats, fiber, and flavor recipes and that they help make your New Year’s resolution one you enjoy keeping. Join us next week as we take on the final installment of our Mediterranean-diet recipes that will help satisfy your sweet tooth as you map out your way to Greek-eating success.
 
Sign up for our e-newsletter (if you haven’t already) and stay connected on social media for cooking tips and recipes, as well as for all Kukla's Kouzina updates and news.
 
Thanks for following us and we’ll see you next Monday.
 
Until then~
Kali orexi! Good appetite!
 
Kelly

​Copyright © 2019 Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style / The Naked Truth About...Greek Cooking!    
 
Web design by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos

The Mediterranean Diet is multi faceted, and one of its key elements is Omega-3 fatty acids. These are fats that are actually good for you.
 
This week we’ll take a ride on the Alpha-and-Omega fast track to incorporating these healthy Omega-3s into your meals in simple and yummy ways.
 
This recipe blog is a companion to part 2 of our Mediterranean Diet Resolution: Power up with Omega-3s blog featuring the good-fat recipes that will get you on your way to a healthy and happy new you!

​SEAFOOD—the fatty kind, like salmon—is the best source of omega-3s. Aim for at least 2 to 3 servings (one serving can be just 3 oz) per week. Adding leafy-green vegetables to meals boosts your intake of these amazing fatty acids.

Greek-Style Roasted Salmon Fillets with Greens
This dish has it all—lemon, dill, garlic, veggies—in a one-meal package!
 
PREP 10 minutes
BAKING about 30 minutes
MAKES 4 servings
 
¼ cup olive oil, plus more for pan
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus sprigs for garnish
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¾ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
1 pint Brussels sprouts, cut into quarters
1 bunch kale or collard greens, stems removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 (3 to 5 ounces each) salmon fillets
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 large lemon, cut into thin slices, plus wedges for serving
 
1. Heat oven to 450°F. Line a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with heavy-duty foil, then coat with olive oil. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, dill, garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme.
 
2. Toss the vegetables with 2 tablespoons of olive-oil mixture and spread out evenly in the prepared pan. Roast about 20 minutes, until sprouts are just fork tender and greens are wilted.
 
3. Place the fillets, skin side down, over the vegetables and evenly coat the fillets with the remaining olive-oil mixture. Sprinkle lemon juice over the fillets and vegetables. Top the fillets with the lemon slices.
 
4. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes, until the fillets flake easily with a fork. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side and garnish with dill sprigs, if desired. ​

​
NUTS—like walnuts or flaxseeds—and BERRIES offer a healthy dose of omega-3s. Adding them to oatmeal boosts your Mediterranean diet with heart-healthy fiber!

Baked Oatmeal with Berries
Not just for breakfast, this recipe is portable and makes a great on-the-go snack, and feel free to add it to your list of guilt-free desserts.
 
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking)
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 large eggs
1 cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk (or a combination)
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted
1 ½ cups fresh berries, divided
 
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-9 square baking pan with vegetable cooking spray.
 
2. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flaxseed meal, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
 
3. In a microwave-safe cup, microwave together the honey and maple syrup on High about 10 seconds, until warm. Stir to combine and set aside.
 
4. In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs, then whisk in the milk, applesauce, coconut oil, and extract. Whisk in the maple-honey mixture until combined.
 
5. Add the oatmeal mixture to the egg-milk mixture and stir just until combined. Fold in the walnuts and ¾ cup berries.
 
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown and the center is just set. Cool to warm or room temperature before cutting into squares. Top with the remaining ¾ cup berries just before serving.

Recipes by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos
Copyright © 2019 Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style
​
Refer to our Mediterranean Diet Resolution: Power up with Omega-3s blog for the basics on omega-3s and food suggestions, introducing a healthy Greek lifestyle for your New Year. 
 
I hope you enjoy this week’s omega-3 recipes and that they help jumpstart your healthy New Year lifestyle. Join us next week for level 3 of our Mediterranean-diet recipes featuring good fats and fiber.
 
Sign up for our e-newsletter (if you haven’t already) and stay connected on social media for cooking tips and recipes, as well as for all Kukla's Kouzina updates and news.
 
Thanks for following us and we’ll see you next Monday.
 
Until then~
Kali orexi! Good appetite!
 
Kelly

​Copyright © 2019 Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style / The Naked Truth About...Greek Cooking!    
 
Web design by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos

Deemed one of the world’s healthiest ways to eat, the Mediterranean diet is also a great way to loose weight while adopting a delicious lifestyle. Salmon, olive oil, almonds, and red wine are just some of the key foods in this cuisine.

​Greece, especially Karpathos (the island where we’re from), is surrounded by water, so fish is plentiful, making it the country’s main source of protein. Greeks eat more lower-fat plant proteins (such as nuts, seeds, and legumes) and fewer high-fat meats. Whole foods are the norm and processed foods are frowned upon. Daily meals include whole grains, healthy fats (like omega-3s), and fresh vegetables and fruits are in abundance. And lets not forget the red wine!
 
This blog is a companion to part 1 of our Mediterranean Diet Resolution blog featuring recipes that will get you on your way to a healthy and happy new you!

​Following are a couple of staples no self-respecting Greek would ever be without. If you want to cook like a healthy Greek, you have to stock up like one.
 
Lemon
Though this isn’t a spice or herb, it’s necessary to mention because just about everything in Greek cooking has lemon in it and it adds iconic flavor. Bottom line, lemons are to Greek cuisine like curry is to Indian food. You’ll find lemon mostly combined with the other Greek essentials of olive oil, oregano, and garlic. Together, these four flavors can turn ordinary food into a Greek dish—poultry, fish, lamb, tomato salad, artichokes, avgolemono soup, sauces, and so much more—and the result will make you a hero in your own kitchen. Our favorite uses include ladolemono (olive-oil and lemon dressing, λαδολέμονο, pronounced lah-thoh-LEH-moh-noh): Toss with cooked broccoli or spinach; combine with oregano and garlic to marinate lamb and roast with potatoes; combine with parsley to dress grilled/broiled fish. Growing up, our mom gave us cold lemon juice for nausea and warm juice for diarrhea. It worked every time and we’re never without lemons in our fridges! So when life hands you lemons, be Greek about it!

LADOLEMONO
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest (optional)
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons to ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (for fish dishes)
 
In a large bowl, w​hisk together the olive oil, zest (if using), and lemon juice until emulsified. For fish dishes, stir in the parsley (to taste) just before serving. Use about 2 tablespoons dressing per serving, tossing to combine with vegetables. Pour over fish just before serving. Store dressing (without parsley) in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

Garlic
No matter how you slice, chop, crush or mash it, ya gotta have garlic when it comes to making skordalia (garlic dip, σκορδαλιά pronounced skor-thah-LIAH), slow-roasted lamb, lentil soup, and a ton of other dishes. In Greek cooking, its usual companion is lemon juice or vinegar, which balances out the flavor of each dish perfectly. Eating garlic also helps to ward off a cold and lower cholesterol.

​GARLIC LADOLEMONO (for marinating or serving with grilled/broiled vegetables, pork, lamb, or chicken)
 
3 to 5 cloves unpeeled garlic (to taste)
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
​1 teaspoon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
 
1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Place garlic cloves on a cookie sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil to coat. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until fragrant and golden brown (do not burn). Let stand until cool enough to handle, then peel and mash. Set aside.
 
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed garlic, lemon juice, mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper until combined well. While whisking, slowly pour in the remaining 1 cup olive oil, whisking until emulsified. Store dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

Recipes by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos
Copyright © 2019 Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style

I hope you enjoy cooking and eating the classic Greek way, and that these recipes help bring a healthy lifestyle into your New Year. Join us next week for level 2 of our Mediterranean-diet recipes featuring omega-3s.

​Refer to our Mediterranean Diet Resolution blog for our plan and suggestions, introducing a healthy Greek lifestyle for your New Year.
 
Sign up for our e-newsletter (if you haven’t already) and stay connected on social media for cooking tips and recipes, as well as for all Kukla's Kouzina updates and news.
 
Thanks for following us and we’ll see you next Monday.
 
Until then~
Kali orexi! Good appetite!
 
Kelly

​Copyright © 2019 Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style / The Naked Truth About...Greek Cooking!    
 
Web design by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos