Go Greek

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

Greek cuisine is a celebration of time-honored traditions, rich variety and quality ingredients. Greece is known for its Mediterranean eating style that helps reduce risk of chronic disease and promote longevity. Try adding authentic Greek flavor to your meals with these key ingredients.

Grains
Greek meals are centered on grains like crusty bread and pasta that complement other staples such as beans, olives, cheeses and fresh ingredients like greens, lemons, herbs, dates and figs. To introduce Greek cuisine into your diet, start with familiar ingredients layered with ethnic flavors. Build your own Greek-inspired meals around new Ronzoni® Garden Delight™ . These vibrantly colored pasta noodles come in a variety of shapes and they’re made with a blend of dehydrated carrots, spinach and tomatoes.

Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is featured in a variety of Greek recipes as an accompaniment to savory main dishes, a dip or spread for pita bread and vegetables or as the finishing touch to honey-drizzled desserts. Made from cow’s milk, Yoplait® Greek yogurt is strained during preparation to remove the liquid, or whey, from the finished product. It has a thicker and creamier texture than regular yogurt and provides double the protein. It’s also an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D and is fat free. Available in Strawberry, Plain, Blueberry and Vanilla Honey. Try using it in this recipe for traditional Greek cucumber sauce called tzatziki (pronounced “TAT-ziki”).

Hummus
Greeks celebrate food in its simplicity and make fresh ingredients a priority. Sabra Go Mediterranean® Hummus is an artful blend of olive oil, pureed fresh chickpeas, lemon, sesame tahini, garlic and authentic Mediterranean herbs and spices. Savor the velvety texture as a healthful sandwich spread or a dip for pita triangles, vegetables or whole grain crackers. Just two tablespoons supplies a good source of fiber. Take your taste buds on an adventure with flavors like Supremely Spicy, Spinach Artichoke and Greek Olive.

Pita
Hand-shaped artisan pita bread serves as the wrapper of a traditional Greek sandwich, called a gyro (pronounced “YEAR-oh”). Family-owned Atie’s Bakery has been baking specialty bread products like pocket pita bread for over 20 years. Atie’s White, Wheat, Sesame and Onion Pitas are made using natural ingredients and baked in a brick-oven for an authentic taste in every bite.

Try this classic Greek pairing of hummus and pita using baked pita chips:
1.  Slice one Atie’s Bakery Pita Pocket into triangles.
2. Spray lightly with olive oil cooking spray.
3. Sprinkle with oregano and garlic powder.
4.   Bake on a cookie sheet at 300°F until brown and
crispy.

Feta Cheese
Feta is a white, crumbly, rindless cheese with a strong presence in Greek cuisine. You may find it packaged as crumbles or in a block for slicing. Athenos® Natural Feta Cheese is incredibly versatile and adds a distinctive tangy flavor to chicken, wraps, pasta dishes, eggs and most famously–salads. The classic Greek salad combines baby greens with rich kalamata olives, plum tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and a sprinkling of feta. The finishing touch is often an oil-based vinaigrette or extra-virgin olive oil. Athenos® Natural Feta Cheese is also available in Tomato Basil, Reduced Fat and Garlic and Herb varieties.

Tags: cuisine, Greek, healthy, longevity, Mediterranean