Greece on our minds

They say the Mediterranean diet is the healthiest diet.  We have tried to incorporate this in our lives which isn't hard because it's so good, plus our travels in Greece keep our cooking memories alive.  We spent weeks in the Greek Isles aboard the beautiful and breath-taking 78ft Pacific Breeze with our friends, owners and operators, Dada and Paul Hess.  Not only did they show us the best of the Dodecanese last year but cooked for us traditional Greek dishes as well as fusion cuisine from Germany and the Baltics. Recipes to follow for a simple Greek Salad and quickly Sauteed Pink Shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico. 

Greek Salad
- 4 cups assorted ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped 
- 1 cup red onion, thinly sliced 
- 3 cups cucumbers, coarsely chopped 
- 1 cup red bell pepper, seeded and chopped, optional
- 1/2 cup Greek olives, pitted and sliced in half 
- 1 cup good quality feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped 
- 1/4 cup good quality olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano, optional
- 1 Tbsp. fresh mint, minced, optional
- kosher salt and ground black pepper


* Try to use as many organic vegetables as you can. I add red bell peppers to my salad for added sweetness and crunch, but it is not found in all Greek salad recipes. 


Mix tomatoes, cucumbers, red bell pepper, red onion, olives, parsley into a large mixing bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk  together olive oil, red wine vinegar, parsley and oregano or mint, if using. Season with salt and pepper. Add dressing and feta cheese to salad, mix well and serve. Serves 4.