If you are looking for a healthy, quick, and flavorful weeknight meal, this easy, Mediterranean-style baked haddock is a delicious and completely foolproof recipe to try. Tender, flaky white fish is perfectly cooked surrounded by a medley of tomatoes, shallots, garlic, olives and thyme.  This dish is the perfect one-pan meal.  Versatile and convenient, it takes only minutes to prep and it is ready to serve in just twenty minutes. Essential Ingredients White Fish:  firm fish fillets such as cod, haddock, or, striped bass can be used.  Be sure that the fish is about 1″ thi ..read more

These luscious sweet and tart mini filo tartlets with lemon curd and fresh berries are the perfect dessert for Mother’s Day, all your spring gatherings and celebrations, and of course, all those upcoming graduation parties! The great thing about these filo tartlets is that they are very easy to assemble, they can be made ahead of time, and they do not require any last minute fuss.  These little tarts, are small, portable, and definitely attract attention!  This makes them perfect for buffets, as your guests can just pick up one or more! Essential Ingredients for the Mini Filo Tartl ..read more

This easy recipe for Savory Kataifi Rolls with Ham and Cheese combines crispy kataifi pastry wrapped around a delicious ham and cheese mixture that is baked until golden brown.  It is served with a drizzle of honey, topped with chopped pistachio nuts, and is an elegant, savory treat that is surprisingly easy to make. Everyone is familiar with filo pastry and its many popular savory and sweet preparations.  Kataifi, is its slightly lesser-known cousin with a distinctive crispy texture and “Shredded Wheat” look.  It is also used in a similar way to filo to make delicious syrupy ..read more

This healthy Mediterranean tuna salad bowl is the perfect dish for those days we need a fast and satisfying meal:  it is light and flavorful with bright flavors and great texture. We all know that the classic tuna salad is often loaded with mayonnaise and served between two pieces of bread.  A Mediterranean tuna salad, served here as a bowl, is quite different and it makes for a delicious lunch or light dinner alternative.  With crunchy, chopped vegetables, peppery greens, briny olives, sharp radishes, quality tuna packed in olive oil, and a bright lemon vinaigrette, you do no ..read more

In my family, we always celebrate Easter twice as more often than not Orthodox Easter does not coincide with Western Easter.  Orthodox Easter usually falls one to four weeks after its celebration by Western Christians, but occasionally, the two coincide.  This year, just like last year, Orthodox Easter falls one week after the Western celebration and will be celebrated on April 16. The Week Leading to Orthodox Easter:  Holy Week  Easter is the most important religious holiday in the Orthodox Christian calendar.  During the Holy Week, that is the week betwee ..read more

Spring is finally here and this means that very soon a bounty of young asparagus bundles will be making their yearly debut at the markets!  The season for this versatile vegetable extends from spring all the way until early summer, which is great because today I am sharing six delicious asparagus recipes that you will want to make during these few short months! How to select and store asparagus  Asparagus comes in different sizes with some thicker and some pencil thin.  Thicker asparagus is best for roasting and grilling whereas thinner asparagus is ideal for pan searing and s ..read more

These crispy filo parcels are the perfect appetizer to share and really fun to put together.  The filling, packed with healthy leafy greens, fresh herbs and feta cheese, pairs so well with the crispy, flaky filo pastry which is then baked to golden perfection.  These little parcels can be assembled ahead of time, or, even baked several hours before you need them! Tips for Working with Filo Dough If you have never used filo pastry before, you might think of it as intimidating.  The reality is far from it, especially when assembling easy appetizers such as this one.  Filo i ..read more

These easy green beans with gremolata and pine nuts is a simple and irresistible Italian side dish.  In this recipe, green beans are cooked and then tossed with a classic herb condiment–the gremolata–a combination of lemon zest, fresh parsley and garlic.  The addition of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts gives this dish an even greater depth of flavor.  As an added bonus, this dish can be made ahead of time! This combination of sharp flavors is typically also used in the Italian cuisine with osso bucco, but it is a great condiment for any simple protein ..read more

Oven-roasted branzino with Greek ladolemono sauce is probably the simplest way to cook a whole fish and have an easy and healthy meal ready in just half an hour!  This recipe is an example of how exceptional simple recipes can be!  Delicate fish like branzino tastes best when cooked whole; bones, skin on, head on, and all.  This easy cooking method results in tender, succulent and very flavorful fish every time! What kind of fish is branzino? It is called  branzino in Italian, lavraki in Greek, or, loup de mer in French, this fish is a Mediterranean se ..read more

This easy potato pizza with Fontina cheese and rosemary is one of the classic Roman pizzas which Italians adore.  A potato pizza, or, pizza con patate, is a thin pizza topped with sliced yellow potatoes, grated Fontina cheese and fresh rosemary–that’s all!  While the combination of two starches in a pizza might seem a little strange to some Americans, it is considered a classic topping for pizza in Italy. As is always the case with recipes that call for very few and simple ingredients, the quality of those ingredients is very important:  for this pizza, we will use plenty of go ..read more