Three Greek dishes to elevate your meal plan

2020 has been a tough year, especially for those of us used to a regular getaway from everyday life to places sunnier and sandier. As we find ourselves limited in physical getaways though, there are a lot of small ways you can bring a touch of that summer breeze into your daily life, here at home. So if your summer trip to the Greek isles was cancelled, fret not! We have 3 original (and easy!) recipes that will bring a taste of Greece to your home (until Ryanair is an option again)! 

How to eat like a Greek 

1. THE SALAD. 

Aka Greek Salad (or χωριάτικη as the Greeks would call it)

As these things go, Greeks don't need to call this "Greek". They do call it "choriatiki" or "villager's salad" for obvious reasons. Simple and yet, oh so delicious, this salad requires very few ingredients, all things that you could pick fresh from the family garden (back in the days before city life and supermarkets). 

You'll need the freshest, juiciest tomatoes you can find, cucumber, (sweet) green horn peppers, a bit of red onion. Slice (keep the bites big, no shredding) and mix. Drench in olive oil (extra virgin and Greek, we're not playing around), sprinkle oregano and, of course, feta cheese. 

Optional: add Kalamata olives. 

Forbidden: Never, ever add lettuce or any kind of leaf - or prepare to face the wrath of the ancient gods. And your Greek friends. 

To take it a step further, eat like a local: use your hands to wipe up the tomato infused olive oil at the bottom of the plate with a bite of bread - chef's kisses! 

Don't believe us? Check this marvelous recipe here. 

2. THE PROTEIN. 

Aka Lemon Chicken Roast (or κοτόπουλο στον φούρνο - don't worry, we will not attempt to make you spell this)

Simple yet groundbreaking, this recipe would never be put in cookbook in Greece. A part of the shared wisdom of the Greek grandmas, if you ever attempt to cook chicken for a Greek friend, this is what they'll compare it to. 

Juicy and flavourfull, wholesome and yet low-cost. 

A few more steps than the salad, but hey, you can cook a whole chicken and have leftovers for days! Check a step by step video here. 

Optional: A glass of red wine, moderately sweet, will highlight the tanginess of the lemon. 

Forbidden: Don't even think of a side of greens. Just don't. 

3. THE PASTA. 

Aka the Pastitsio (spelled παστίτσιο - a Greek word but can you see "pasta" surviving in there?)

Oh dear gods! This is the favorite food of every five year old and the comfort food of all adults. 

Thick macaroni (you might have some trouble finding this in Tesco, although it's a staple in Greek supermarkets), minced beef (prepared with tomato puree and cinnamon by the all-knowing Greek grandmas), béchamel sauce (made fresh if you're a chef, made using the box of powder from the supermarket if you just finished work and need to feed the kids). 

Think of it as lasagna a la grecque. The recipe is a bit more complicated but still very doable - and you can prepare large portions to last you a week (or 5 seconds if you are actually feeding the kids). 

Try this step by step - by the way, Akis, the chef whose website we've linked is the source of all food knowledge for modern day Greeks. If you're feeling peckish, have a stay on his website, you'll find a lot more to browse through. 

Optional: Sprinkle cheese gratings on top. 

Forbidden: Bread or potato sides. Believe us, there's enough carbs in there. 

That is all! Tried and tested dishes, that have fed families for generations and will keep doing so. What do you think? Up for some cooking?

And don't forget! Once travel restrictions are finished, our doors will be open for you - we have amazing foodie tours planned for the Greek islands or the Greek mountains: check out the Planned Tours section of our website for items to add to your bucket list!

SEO Strategy:

The long tail keywords for this are “Greek food at home” and “How to cook Greek food”. It would also target some more popular short tails like “meal plan” “Greek dishes”. They deviate a bit from the “what to eat in-country” narrative of our travel blog but I think it could be seen as a response to current events - the blog targeting the needs of visitors at this particular time of COVID and being more relatable which would enhance it’s relevance and quality for the user.

On top of using synonyms of the keywords throughout the text, the SEO has been reinforced by the use of distinct section titles and numbered lists. The structure of the text is easy to read, highlights the main points and does not overwhelm the eye of the reader.

Images have been incorporated but do not overwhelm, and links have been provided to useful, relevant resources. In fact the links lead to legitimate websites that can add to the authority of our blog.