Mediterranean Month: 5 Recipes for a Big (Healthy) Greek Dinner

To continue our Mediterranean Month, we’re sharing five more flavorful recipes from Dr. Clower, fit for your next big, anything-but-fat, Greek dinner!

Greek Style Potatoes
These potatoes complement many Mediterranean meals. The olive oil works wonderfully with the lemon juice.

What you’ll need:
6 medium potatoes
½ cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
3 cups hot water
Fresh parsley chopped

What you’ll do:
1. Cube potatoes and then toss them with lemon juice, oils, spices, and garlic in a deep flat pan. Add water.
2. Bake uncovered for 1.5 hours at 475 degrees F. Stir every 20 minutes and add more water if necessary.
3. Allow the potatoes to evaporate the water during the last 20 minutes till only the oil is left. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Tortellini Soup
This Mediterranean inspired recipe is so easy to make and will easily become a staple in your kitchen. It works well for a quick meal and prepare in bulk for company too.

What you’ll need:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
29 ounces of chicken or vegetable broth
14.5 ounce can of diced tomato or 1 fresh tomato, diced
9 ounces of packaged of tortellini of choice
½ tablespoon dried basil
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

What you’ll do:
1. In a large pot heat olive oil over medium heat.
2. Slightly lower heat. Add crushed red pepper to your liking, the onion and garlic sauté until garlic is infused (approximately 5 minutes).Next add the spinach, tomato, and broth.
3. Heat to boiling and then reduce heat to low. Stir in tortellini, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the tortellini is cooked to desired tenderness. Season with the basil, salt, and pepper.
4. If you would like you can serve topped with some freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.

Mediterranean Celery
The combination of ingredients in this dish work wonderfully together. This dish makes a nice complement to grilled fish.

What you’ll need:
8 stalks celery (about 1 pound)
¼ cup sliced olives of choice
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1½ teaspoons chopped fresh or ½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 small tomato, seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed

What you’ll do:
1. Cut celery into 1/4-inch slices and boil 3 to 5 minutes or until crisp-tender.
2. Mix all ingredients together and serve.

Mussels in White Wine Cream Sauce
You can go out for mussels or you can have the mussel feast at your own home. Throw a mussel dinner party! They are so easy to make and create a very elegant meal. Enjoy this meal with a nice piece of crusty baguette and a glass of white wine.

What you’ll need:
2 pounds fresh or frozen mussels, thawed 80 percent
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons, butter
2 medium tomatoes, diced (can also use diced canned tomatoes)
½ cup dry white wine
¼ cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

What you’ll do:
1. Find a pot large enough for the mussels to fit in and to be able to stir them. On medium heat, melt the butter in the pot.
3. Add the garlic and mussels and toss until well coated.
4. Add wine, tomatoes, cream, salt and pepper
5. Raise heat to medium-high and cover and cook until mussels are done. For fresh mussels they are done when the shells have opened. For frozen mussels make sure they are completely thawed and heated through. This process should take close to five minutes.
6. Place in bowl topped with parsley and squirt with juice from lemon.
7. Enjoy extra broth with a nice piece of bread.

Fish with Olives

What you’ll need:
3 pounds whole fish such as red snapper or another whole fish or choice
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/3 cup red wine, dry
½ cup onion chopped
1 garlic clove minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
1/3 cup water
¼ cup parsley snipped
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon oregano, dried, crushed
¼ teaspoon cumin, ground
Salt and pepper
½ cup Kalamata seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon capers

What you’ll do:
1. In a medium saucepan cook the onion and garlic in the hot oil until tender but not brown.
2. Add the crushed red pepper and wine to the saucepan. Then add the tomatoes, 1/3 cup of water, parsley, sugar, salt, oregano, and cumin.
3. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, place the fish in a greased 13 X 9 X 2-inch baking dish. Season cavity of the fish with salt and pepper.
5. Stir the olives and capers into the tomato sauce mixture and pour over the fish.
6. Cover and bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for about 45 to 60 minutes or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
7. Carefully remove the fish from oven. Serve with the remaining sauce in baking pan.