Kukla’s Kouzina Flippin’ Greek!
Flippin’ Greek!, our brand new cooking series on YouTube, is the next exciting chapter in our kouzina. It’s four episodes a week, Monday through Thursday, featuring familiar non-Greek recipes we flipped to Greek-island style using ingredients and cooking techniques found in Karpathos. Each episode runs 2 to 15 minutes, the perfect length for viewers to quickly learn how to recreate foods and beverages/cocktails right alongside us.
The ingredients used in Greek-island cuisine is what sets this style of cooking apart from standard Greek fare, giving meals a fresh take that keeps them interesting. Karpathos, the home of Kukla’s Kouzina, has its own unique style, and we’ll show you how to take common dishes and reinvent them into Karpathian versions with our simple substitutions.
Many think that everyday Greek cooking is made up of dishes like spanakopita (spinach pie), moussaka, and pastitsio. These are classics for sure, but too time-consuming to make on a regular basis. During our time in Karpathos, we learned that the locals’ quick meals made from the island’s staples like fresh vegetables, fruit, herbs, spices, and protein, prepared using certain methods, came out tasting Greek-island delicious. So we thought this would be a great way to bring our hometown flavor into YOUR kouzina, adding some spicy variety to your life while keeping it simple and fast. Recipes for each week will be posted right here on our blog with links to the episodes.
This week is all about sweet endings with Greek yogurt-based dessert makeovers—think healthier versions that no one will guess but everyone will devour. The link from each recipe to its YouTube episode will be active on the day of the week noted. Come create with us!
The ingredients used in Greek-island cuisine is what sets this style of cooking apart from standard Greek fare, giving meals a fresh take that keeps them interesting. Karpathos, the home of Kukla’s Kouzina, has its own unique style, and we’ll show you how to take common dishes and reinvent them into Karpathian versions with our simple substitutions.
Many think that everyday Greek cooking is made up of dishes like spanakopita (spinach pie), moussaka, and pastitsio. These are classics for sure, but too time-consuming to make on a regular basis. During our time in Karpathos, we learned that the locals’ quick meals made from the island’s staples like fresh vegetables, fruit, herbs, spices, and protein, prepared using certain methods, came out tasting Greek-island delicious. So we thought this would be a great way to bring our hometown flavor into YOUR kouzina, adding some spicy variety to your life while keeping it simple and fast. Recipes for each week will be posted right here on our blog with links to the episodes.
This week is all about sweet endings with Greek yogurt-based dessert makeovers—think healthier versions that no one will guess but everyone will devour. The link from each recipe to its YouTube episode will be active on the day of the week noted. Come create with us!
Flippin’ Greek-Yogurt Dessert Makeovers
A basic dessert is usually high in sugar, fat, and carbs but with a few swaps, you can put a healthier spin on it without sacrificing flavor. We’ve taken four standard desserts and deliciously Greek-ified them to spoil you forever. The recipes below partner with our YouTube episodes to show you how we do it in our kouzina. Join us!
Monday
KARPATHIAN FRUIT (episode 113)
Take a step above naked fruit with Greek ingredients that add protein, fiber, and nutrients to freshen up dessert, breakfast, or snack time!
TOTAL PREP TIME 15 minutes
MAKES 4 servings
4 cups cubed melon or a variety of fruit (such as blueberries, sliced strawberries, kiwi, raspberries)
5 ounces 5% Greek yogurt
4 teaspoons Cretan thyme honey
1/4 cup toasted nuts or sesame
Arrange the fruit in 4 serving bowls and top with yogurt, drizzle with honey, then sprinkle with nuts or sesame.
KARPATHIAN FRUIT (episode 113)
Take a step above naked fruit with Greek ingredients that add protein, fiber, and nutrients to freshen up dessert, breakfast, or snack time!
TOTAL PREP TIME 15 minutes
MAKES 4 servings
4 cups cubed melon or a variety of fruit (such as blueberries, sliced strawberries, kiwi, raspberries)
5 ounces 5% Greek yogurt
4 teaspoons Cretan thyme honey
1/4 cup toasted nuts or sesame
Arrange the fruit in 4 serving bowls and top with yogurt, drizzle with honey, then sprinkle with nuts or sesame.
Tuesday
GREEK ROSE (episode 114)
Get creative and make a rose out of an apple! We’re using an organic one because the skin stays on (it’s the color of the petals) and you don’t want to eat those nasty chemicals. Add a yogurt dip and everyone will enjoy eating healthy. Serve the apples raw for a crisp dipper.
PREP TIME 10 minutes
BAKING TIME 10 minutes (optional)
MAKES 1 to 2 servings
1 firm sweet organic red apple (such as honeycrisp), skin on, cut into 1/16 or 1/8-inch half moon slices
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil (for baked apple slices)
1/4 cup 5% Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon Cretan thyme honey
2 tablespoons toasted nuts or sesame
1. You can use the apple raw or baked. If baking, heat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush the apple slices with olive oil, place on prepared sheet, and bake until just starting to soften and turning brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely.
2. In a small serving bowl, mix together the yogurt and honey until combined well, stir in the nuts or sesame. Begin layering and slightly overlapping the apple slices in the center of the yogurt, creating the rose bud, and continue layering to form petals.
GREEK ROSE (episode 114)
Get creative and make a rose out of an apple! We’re using an organic one because the skin stays on (it’s the color of the petals) and you don’t want to eat those nasty chemicals. Add a yogurt dip and everyone will enjoy eating healthy. Serve the apples raw for a crisp dipper.
PREP TIME 10 minutes
BAKING TIME 10 minutes (optional)
MAKES 1 to 2 servings
1 firm sweet organic red apple (such as honeycrisp), skin on, cut into 1/16 or 1/8-inch half moon slices
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil (for baked apple slices)
1/4 cup 5% Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon Cretan thyme honey
2 tablespoons toasted nuts or sesame
1. You can use the apple raw or baked. If baking, heat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush the apple slices with olive oil, place on prepared sheet, and bake until just starting to soften and turning brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely.
2. In a small serving bowl, mix together the yogurt and honey until combined well, stir in the nuts or sesame. Begin layering and slightly overlapping the apple slices in the center of the yogurt, creating the rose bud, and continue layering to form petals.
Wednesday
GREEK-ISLAND PARFAIT (episode 115)
Did you ever buy a lot of baklava at a Greek festival (your eyes were bigger than your stomach!) thinking that everyone would quickly eat it up but by day 4 it’s still sitting on your counter? Here’s a way to give it a delicious new life. Dessert on!
TOTAL PREP TIME 10 minutes
MAKES 4 servings
1/2 cup 5% or 2% Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons Cretan thyme honey, divided
2 large pieces baklava, separated into 8 layers
8 fresh (or frozen, mashed) figs (or 4 jarred/dried), quartered
2 tablespoons toasted sesame or crushed toasted walnuts
1. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt and 1 tablespoon honey.
2. In each of 4 parfait or custard cups, place a layer of baklava on the bottom, top with a tablespoon of the sweetened yogurt, a drizzle of honey, a fig, a layer of baklava, a tablespoon of yogurt, a drizzle of honey, a fig, and finish with some sesame or walnuts.
GREEK-ISLAND PARFAIT (episode 115)
Did you ever buy a lot of baklava at a Greek festival (your eyes were bigger than your stomach!) thinking that everyone would quickly eat it up but by day 4 it’s still sitting on your counter? Here’s a way to give it a delicious new life. Dessert on!
TOTAL PREP TIME 10 minutes
MAKES 4 servings
1/2 cup 5% or 2% Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons Cretan thyme honey, divided
2 large pieces baklava, separated into 8 layers
8 fresh (or frozen, mashed) figs (or 4 jarred/dried), quartered
2 tablespoons toasted sesame or crushed toasted walnuts
1. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt and 1 tablespoon honey.
2. In each of 4 parfait or custard cups, place a layer of baklava on the bottom, top with a tablespoon of the sweetened yogurt, a drizzle of honey, a fig, a layer of baklava, a tablespoon of yogurt, a drizzle of honey, a fig, and finish with some sesame or walnuts.
Thursday
FROZEN MINT-WICH (episode 116)
We’ve reimagined the ice cream sandwich into a frozen Greek-yogurt Sammy! The sandwiches are then dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds. Other toppings you can use include finely chopped candied orange peel, gold sanding sugar, or white chocolate.
PREP TIME 10 minutes
FREEZING TIME 2 hours or overnight
MAKES 4 servings
1/2 cup 5% Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon Cretan thyme honey
8 thin (but not fragile) cookie wafers
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, melted
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, orange rind, mint, and honey. Divide among 4 cookies, spreading evenly to the edges. Top with the remaining 4 cookies, pressing down gently. Transfer to a small cookie sheet and freeze until the yogurt is firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Dip half of each sandwich in chocolate, then sprinkle with sesame. Transfer to a small cookie sheet and freeze until firm, about 5 minutes. (Can be made ahead. Once firm, place in an airtight container and freeze up to 1 month.)
Recipes copyright © Kukla's Kouzina
I hope you enjoyed our week of dessert makeovers. Join us next week for Greek Pizza—two different flips, lots of options!
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
FROZEN MINT-WICH (episode 116)
We’ve reimagined the ice cream sandwich into a frozen Greek-yogurt Sammy! The sandwiches are then dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds. Other toppings you can use include finely chopped candied orange peel, gold sanding sugar, or white chocolate.
PREP TIME 10 minutes
FREEZING TIME 2 hours or overnight
MAKES 4 servings
1/2 cup 5% Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon Cretan thyme honey
8 thin (but not fragile) cookie wafers
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, melted
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, orange rind, mint, and honey. Divide among 4 cookies, spreading evenly to the edges. Top with the remaining 4 cookies, pressing down gently. Transfer to a small cookie sheet and freeze until the yogurt is firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Dip half of each sandwich in chocolate, then sprinkle with sesame. Transfer to a small cookie sheet and freeze until firm, about 5 minutes. (Can be made ahead. Once firm, place in an airtight container and freeze up to 1 month.)
Recipes copyright © Kukla's Kouzina
I hope you enjoyed our week of dessert makeovers. Join us next week for Greek Pizza—two different flips, lots of options!
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 © 2020 Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style / Flippin' Greek! / The Naked Truth About...Greek Cooking!
Web design by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos
Web design by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos
