If you’re in the habit of making appetizers for get togethers or some other types
of events, you may want to forgo the deviled eggs, chicken wings and pigs in
a blanket and go Greek instead.

Go Greek?
Yes, not only will you be making and trying something new and different,
you may also be extending your life by 3, 5 or even 10 years.

That’s right, look up the countries with the longest lifespans and
Greece (Ikaria and Crete) always comes up.

They (the Greeks) follow a Mediterranean diet of fresh vegetables,
fruit, lamb, olive oil, fish, nuts, and yogurt.

So, if you need some appetizers to wow your guests, just continue
reading for the recipes.

a) Caprese Skewers!
Now that’s it Summer, you’re probably making more skewers, but these
skewers don’t require any time on the grill.
Ingredients:
1 cup of balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. of sugar
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
12 cherry tomatoes
12 cherry-size (ciliegine) fresh mozzarella balls or buy a package
of mozzarella and cut out the balls yourself.
12 large fresh basil leaves
12 metal or wooden skewers
To make:
In a pot, mix the first 4 ingredients; over medium high-heat, bring to
a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook until mixture is reduced
to 1/4 cup, 10 to 15 mins. Strain. Season to taste. Let cool.
Thread tomatoes, mozzarella and basil onto 12 small skewers.
Drizzle with glaze.
Calories per skewer-108, Prot-4g, Carbs-10g.

b) Spinach Feta Squares!
This is a lighter version of the popular dish known as Pastitsio,
aka “Greek Lasagne” without the meat, extra layers, extra cheese
and sauce.
Ingredients:
3 (10 oz.) packages of frozen chopped spinach
(thawed and squeezed dry) *
8 oz. of feta cheese, crumbled
4 eggs
4 scallions, chopped
1/3 cup of chopped dill (fresh)
8 (14″x 9″) sheets phyllo dough, thaw it out before using
To make:
Heat oven to 350*F. Grease a 11″x 7″ baking dish. In a bowl,
mix first 5 ingredients and 1/4 tsp. of pepper. Transfer to a baking dish.
Layer phyllo dough, coating each sheet with cooking spray. Place
on filling, fold edges over. Bake until golden about 25 to 30 mins. Let
stand for 10 to 15 mins. before cutting.
Calories per serving-140, Carbs-11g. Prot-8g.
* Spinach- Some people don’t like the taste of frozen spinach,
and if you’re in that category, go ahead and use fresh spinach.

c) Lamb Meatballs!
Take a break from ground beef or turkey and dish up some unique-tasting
lamb instead.
Ingredients:
1 egg
1/3 cup of plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1/3 cup of seasoned dry breadcrumbs
1 lb. of ground lamb
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbs. of chopped fresh oregano
1 tsp. of grated fresh lemon zest (make sure to clean the peel
thoroughly before zesting).
To make:
In a bowl, mix the egg, yogurt and breadcrumbs. Add ground lamb,
garlic, oregano, lemon zest, 1/4 tsp. of salt and 1/4 tsp. of black pepper.
Shape into 18 meatballs. Coat non-stick skillet with cooking spray; heat
over medium heat. Add meatball; cook, turning occasionally, until
browned, about 5 mins. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until
no longer pink in the centers, 5 to 7 minutes.
Calories for 3 meatballs-190, Carbs-6g. Prot-16g.

d) Roasted Eggplant Dip!
Are you tired of eggplant parmigiana? No problem, just bake it and
then blend it to make a tasty dip.
Ingredients:
1 eggplant, (2 pounds) trimmed, halved lengthwise
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup of tahini
2 Tbs. of olive oil
1 Tbs. of lemon juice
1/4 tsp. of paprika
To make:
Heat the oven to 375*F. Coat trimmed baking sheet with
cooking spray. Place eggplant halves, cut sides down, on
baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 30 mins. Let cool.
Scoop out eggplant flesh; transfer to a food processor or
blender. Add the garlic, tahini, oil, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. of
salt and 1/4 tsp. of black pepper. Process until smooth.
Transfer to a serving bowl; sprinkle with paprika. If desired,
drizzle with olive oil and garnish with mint sprigs.
Serve with gluten-free crackers or cut-up fresh vegetables.
Calories for 1/4 cup of dip-100, Carbs-8g. Prot-2g.

Sources:
Books:
* Blue Zone Kitchens Cookbook
* A Taste of Greece-Cookbook
* The Ultimate Healthy Greek Cookbook
Magazine-
* Ambrosia Magazine
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Coming Attraction:
Look for our Red, White and Blue Desserts just in time for the 4th of July.
Available in our store very soon.