Greek Recipes

For those of you who are fasting for Lent or practicing vegetarian/vegans, this is your lucky day. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Irish eyes are smilin'! :) Halva ready for service - Click to enlarge image One of the hardest aspects of a fast or strict dietary regimen is avoiding tempting sweets and finding acceptable substitutes for dessert courses. This is especially hard on kids. Confections like this one are popular amongst Greek families during the Lenten period. I simply loved this stuff as a child. Still do! There are probably as many variations on this recipe as there are Greek matrons with culinary opinions. My recipe is quite basic, feel free to add or substitute other elements like pine nuts, sesame seeds, walnuts, or whatever else tickles your fancy. A few drops of orange blossom water or even some lemon rind in the syrup could also be a nice touch. I should mention that not only are there numerous permutations for this recipe, there are also alterna

Many of you are likely already familiar with the Greek dish, Spanakorizo (spinach and rice), but how many of you have tried Prasorizo? Leeks have been a part of the Greek pantry for millenia. In ancient Greece, there were leek growing competitions and the largest specimens were awarded as offerings to the gods . Prasorizo - served with a lemon wedge The fresh green onions and garlic are excellent complements to the leeks in this dish as they are all part of the genus Allium . This dish is vegan and fast-friendly. However, for those of you who are not (or only partially) fasting, some real Greek Feta cheese also goes well with this dish, whether on the side, or crumbled over top as a finishing touch. An easy and quick Greek recipe that is tasty and seasonal. Ingredients: 3 large leeks sliced into thin discs 4 - 6 green onions sliced 1 yellow onion, diced 1 cup long grain rice ½ cup of extra-virgin olive oil ¼ cup pine nuts ¼ cup of chopped parsle