Yiota Giannakopoulou - The Ultimate Healthy Greek Cookbook: 75 Authentic Recipes for a Mediterranean Diet

Copyright 2018, 2019 by Yiota Giannakopoulou All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018. Skyhorse Publishing books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion, corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to specifications. For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or .

Skyhorse and Skyhorse Publishing are registered trademarks of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., a Delaware corporation. Visit our website at www.skyhorsepublishing.com. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file. Cover design by Qualcom Print ISBN: 978-1-5107-4199-7 Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-4203-1 Printed in China D EDICATIONS I dedicate this book to Maria Michael-Giannakopoulou, the kindest nurse matron the General Hospital of Nafplio has ever seen, and my mother. Also, with love to my Paul and to our Hugo, Sheldon, Beatrice, and Rincewind. T ABLE OF C ONTENTS I NTRODUCTION Greek cuisine is one of the healthiest in the world.

It is a cornucopia of fresh produce, flavorful herbs, and recipes that have been passed down through generations. In Greece, food is more than sustenance, it is a celebration, an occasion. Its the centerpiece of every holiday and every circumstancethe thing that brings families and friends together, and the passion that we all share. Food was an intrinsic part of Ancient Greek myth and legend, from the ambrosia eaten by the gods to the magical apples gifted to Hera. It is woven into every facet of Greek history, from the loukoumades gifted to successful Olympians to the sacrifices made to ensure prosperous harvests. And it is the thing that ensures modern Greeks remain connected to their roots and culture, even when everything else seems to be falling apart around them.

The unique ecosystem of the Greek isles means they are home to some of the worlds best oils, fruits, and wines, while Greeces role as one of the oldest civilizations means it has influenced many of the recipes common in Italian, Spanish, and Northern European cuisines. In recent years, it has also been pinpointed as one of the healthiest cuisines in the world, which has inspired many to convert to the Greek way of life. Greece is my home. It is where I was born, raised, and educated, and it was where I learned to cook the dishes you will find in this book. From a very young age I helped my parents and grandparents prepare dishes, for my fathers side of the family in Greece, and my mothers side in Cyprus. This is where I learned the basics of Greek, Cypriot, and Mediterranean cuisine, and where I discovered a passion for cooking.

In later years, after I left my home in the small town of Nafplio to attend university in Athens, food became my ticket to independence. My skills in the kitchen meant that I always ate well, even when living in student digs on a strict budget, with nothing but a single pan, a secondhand microwave, and an oven that had a mind of its own. When I was twenty-three I moved to the United Kingdom and entered a different world, one where processed foods were more common, and where home-grown was a marketing gimmick and not the norm. I continued to cook and it continued to play a big role in my life. It even transformed the health of my partner, a UK native who had previously subsisted on a diet of British meals based on butter and pastry, but now lives as a healthy vegetarian enjoying all the benefits of the Greek diet. Those benefits stem from the fact that Greeks rely on fresh, homegrown produce and on seasonal dishes.

My grandfather, Pappou George, was a big proponent of homegrown food. He lived in a small village in the middle of nowhere. He didnt have access to modern conveniences and for the most part he didnt have basic amenities, but he worked hard as a farmer, he ate well, and he was very healthy. He believed that if you passed gas when planting onion seeds they would grow to be strong crazy belief. But as odd as some of his practices were, he lived a life that let him eat the food he wanted and live off the land, and he ended up living to nearly one hundred years old as a result. Thats what healthy food is to me.

Its not food made in a factory and designed to be low fat or low sugar. Its not food that begins life in a lab and ends it in a jar or a squeezable bottle. Its food that is always natural, fresh, and straight from the land. My grandfather didnt quite make it to 100, but he was climbing mountains (to prove that he could) and living life to his very last day. He never lost his mental or physical faculties and he was able to watch his children and grandchildren grow into healthy adults. I firmly believe that all of this was due to the food he ate and the lifestyle he led, and thats what this book is all about.

I have included recipes that Pappou George himself created and passed down, and I have also included recipes from my father, who is currently still going strong as he approaches 70. I have also included quotes from family members who passed on their recipes and their wisdom. This is modern Greek and Mediterranean cuisine, but with influences from my family and with my own twist added here and there. What makes Greek food so good and so healthy is not a lack of sugar or fat. We use copious amounts of olive oil and were not afraid to eat big portions. The difference is that Greek cuisine is rich in healthy fats and nutritious produce.

It is a diet based on the fruits of the land as well as the sea, so its one that is naturally low in red meats and processed food, and one that is often vegan and vegetarian friendly. Diet food should be healthy food, not food loaded with fat substitutes and chemical sweetness and then processed to within an inch of its life. It should be natural, fresh. And on occasion, it should also be a little naughty, a little too sweet and a little too fattening, because whats the point of living if you cant indulge every now and then? That, in essence, is what Ultimate Healthy Greek Cookbook is. If you want to eat well, stay healthy, and live longer, then this is the book and these are the recipes for you. If you want to lose weight on top of that, then just try to eat less of it.

If you begin with a solid foundation of fresh produce, scratch-cooking, and exciting recipes, then everything else is down to portion controlwhich I am not very good at myself, but hey, you only live once! So, lets get down to it! A PPETIZERS AND S ALADS The Greek salad is one of the most popular and instantly recognizable Greek dishes. Its often the first thing that travelers fall in love with and the first thing they try to replicate when they return home. This chunky, flavorful dish is the epitome of Greek cuisine. It focuses on simple ingredients that are stripped back to basics, and its very good for you. Its the dish youll get if you order a Greek salad in a US/UK-based Greek restaurant, but there are many more variations prepared in homes, delis, and cafes throughout the Greek isles. These dishes are great as light lunches and brunches, or as an appetizer for a bigger family meal.