In Greece, all vegetables are considered “salatika” and a meal always has vegetables at the heart of it. Although the Greek people are not considered vegetarians, the Greek diet includes a large percentage of vegetables every day and at every meal with just a small amount of meat or fish (if any at all). The most common way of cooking veggies in Greece (and in our family growing up) is boiled, and adding olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, and a bit of crushed oregano will make any boiled vegetable become “Greek style”. I use this dressing on many vegetables: asparagus, green beans, beets, brussell sprouts, cabbage, spinach and all leafy vegetables like Swiss chard, Kale, dandelion greens and beet greens. One of my favorites is beets. I love the earthy flavor of them and the deep red/purple color of them should be enough to make anyone want to try them! I have read that they are one of the world’s healthiest foods. Beets are a unique source of phytonutrients called betalains which have been shown to provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification support. Look them up for more excellent information on their health benefits!
On page 188 of our book, A Greek Journey With Fork And Pen,we have a recipe for “Beet Root Salad” that is simple. We used fresh beets and their tops in our recipe, but small canned beets are almost as good if you are in a hurry or for the convenience, so I will use canned beets here..
1 can whole small beets Dressing: 3T olive oil, 3 T vinegar (wine or cider) and 1 t Greek oregano (or to taste)
In a small pot, heat the beats and simmer until hot all the way through. Drain them and toss with olive oil, vinegar and oregano. These can be served hot or cold.
If we ever have cooler weather we can start talking about the foods that fill us with warmth and take away the chill! So…see you next time!
Yia Sou!
Don’t forget…you can order our book right here. Just click on it.
{ 0 comments… add one now }