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mastichas09

Active member
I am on a healthy eating kick - happens to me every year after the holidays! It feels like a reset, but Greek food is so delicious it puts me in a happy place anyway. I am brainstorming a list of healthy meals.

Grilled Greek Chicken: Marinate boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and oregano before grilling them to perfection. Serve with a side of grilled vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, and peppers.

Greek Salad with Grilled Shrimp: Combine fresh chopped vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, and bell peppers with feta cheese and kalamata olives. Top with grilled shrimp and a homemade vinaigrette made with olive oil and red wine vinegar.

Baked Lemon and Herb Fish: Coat pieces of fish in a mixture made with lemon juice, garlic, and herbs like dill and parsley before baking in the oven.

Lamb Souvlaki with Tzatziki: Skewer pieces of lamb marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and oregano and grill until cooked through. Serve with a side of tzatziki sauce made with Greek yogurt, dill, and cucumbers.

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Turkey: Stuff bell peppers with a mixture of lean ground turkey, brown rice, chopped tomatoes, and herbs like basil and thyme. Bake in the oven until the peppers are tender and the filling is cooked through. Usually it is made with beef, but turkey is healthier.

Greek Chickpea Salad: Combine chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and feta cheese with a dressing made from olive oil and lemon juice. Serve as a side salad or add grilled chicken for a complete meal.

Greek-Style Stuffed Zucchini: Hollow out zucchinis and stuff them with a mixture of ground beef, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and Greek herbs. Bake until the zucchinis are tender and the filling is cooked through, then sprinkle with feta cheese before serving.

Eggplant Moussaka: This hearty casserole is made with layers of eggplant, lean ground beef, tomatoes, and a creamy béchamel sauce. It's a great way to get your daily dose of vegetables and protein in one meal.

Grilled Octopus with Lemon and Olive Oil: While it may sound a bit adventurous, grilled octopus is a classic Greek dish that's packed with flavor and nutrition. Marinate the octopus in a mixture of lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic before grilling on high heat until slightly charred.
 
This a great list! I am on a similar kick, as well. Here is what I came up with:

- Greek Salads - like horiatiki, cabbage salad, etc
- Grilled or baked fish with lemon - I agree on that one
- Horta - this makes me feel so healthy when it's on the table!
- Healthy soups, like tomato soup, chickpea soup, vegetable soup, etc.

Also, I am not sure about moussaka. The béchamel sauce can use a lot of better and cream. Can you leave it out?
 
This a great list! I am on a similar kick, as well. Here is what I came up with:

- Greek Salads - like horiatiki, cabbage salad, etc
- Grilled or baked fish with lemon - I agree on that one
- Horta - this makes me feel so healthy when it's on the table!
- Healthy soups, like tomato soup, chickpea soup, vegetable soup, etc.

Also, I am not sure about moussaka. The béchamel sauce can use a lot of better and cream. Can you leave it out?
I was thinking the same thing. The butter and carbs in the béchamel seem opposite of a healthy diet! I had a friend once make a no-meat moussaka without the béchamel (used that famous meat substitute, I forget the name). It was pretty good, but not the same thing - real moussaka I decided to save as a special occasion food.
 

Do you make Greek lentil soup with vinegar

I’ve always made fakes with a splash of vinegar, either stirred into the pot near the end or added individually at the table. To me, that little bit of acidity is part of what makes the soup taste right, especially with the earthy lentils, olive oil, onion, garlic, and bay leaf.

But I have a Greek friend who makes hers very differently. She doesn’t use vinegar at all and instead adds quite a lot of tomato product, so her version is much redder and more tomato-forward than mine.

Now I’m curious about what is considered more traditional in Greek cooking. Is vinegar usually a standard part of fakes, or is it more of a regional or family preference? Are tomato-heavy versions just as traditional?

How do you make yours, and what did your family serve growing up?

Do you make your pastitsio with a thick or thin layer of krema?

I've always preferred my pastitsio with a nice, thick layer of béchamel on top. To me, that's one of the best parts of the dish! I love when the krema is rich, creamy, and thick enough to hold its shape when you cut into the pastitsio.

The problem is that I've been having trouble getting my krema just right. Sometimes it comes out too thin, and other times the texture isn't quite as smooth as I'd like. I've tried adjusting the amount of flour and milk, but I still haven't found the perfect balance.

I'm curious how everyone else makes theirs. Do you prefer a thick layer of béchamel or just enough to cover the pasta? Does your family add eggs or cheese to the mixture?

I'd especially love to hear any tips for making a thick, smooth krema that sets beautifully when baked!

Is lamb or beef more traditional for giouvetsi?

I've been looking into traditional Greek giouvetsi recipes lately, and I'm curious about which meat is considered the most traditional. I've seen recipes that use lamb, others that call for beef, and even some that use chicken.

I love the idea of slowly cooking the meat in a rich tomato sauce with orzo until everything becomes tender and flavorful. However, I'm wondering whether lamb or beef would be the more authentic choice.

Is one traditionally preferred in certain regions of Greece? I've read that lamb is often associated with older Greek recipes, but beef seems to be very common in modern versions of giouvetsi.

I'm also curious whether the choice of meat changes the way the dish is prepared. Does lamb require different seasonings or cooking times than beef?

For those familiar with traditional Greek cooking, which version do you prefer, and which would you recommend trying first?

What is your favorite Greek potato dish?

Potatoes show up in so many Greek meals, and I think they are often at their best when they soak up plenty of olive oil, lemon, herbs, and cooking juices.

Greek lemon potatoes are probably the first thing that comes to mind for me. I love when they are roasted until they are soft inside, a little crisp around the edges, and full of lemon and oregano. Potatoes cooked alongside chicken or lamb are also hard to beat because they absorb so much flavor from the pan.

I also enjoy simple boiled potatoes dressed with olive oil, lemon, parsley, and salt, especially with fish or grilled meat.

What Greek potato dish do you make most often? Do you prefer lemon potatoes, potatoes roasted with meat, fried potatoes, or something else? And is there a particular seasoning or family method that makes your version especially good?

Favorite Greek Cheeses Beyond Feta

Feta gets most of the attention when people talk about Greek cheese, but there are so many other varieties worth trying. I’m curious which Greek cheeses everyone enjoys most beyond feta.

Graviera is one of my favorites because it works so well on a cheese plate, grated over dishes, or just eaten with bread. Kasseri is another one I really like, especially melted. I’ve also been interested in trying more regional cheeses like metsovone, manouri, kefalotyri, and formaela.

Some Greek cheeses seem to be much easier to find outside Greece than others, so I’d also love to know which ones people regularly buy and where they usually find them.

What Greek cheeses do you keep coming back to? Are there certain ones you associate with a particular region, dish, or family tradition? And if someone has mostly eaten feta, which Greek cheese would you recommend they try next?
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