Written by Karen Watts
Photography by Pete Wilcock
σιγά-σιγά. Siga Siga – A Greek phrase one hears alot on Rodos it mean slowly slowly. This life “philosophy” applies to almost everything – walking up Lindos alleyways, carrying anything heavy for any distance in the midday heat, eating, working and getting things delivered from anywhere other than the island. While the Dodekanese has for many years had solar and wind power, recycling has always seemed an alien concept to locals, however last week, only about 20 years after most of Northern Europe started doing it, glass recycling receptacles sprouted all over Rhodes Town. Siga siga – now we just have to convince local restaurants and bars to use them.
Last Monday and Tuesday Rodos caught the tail end of a cyclone, in town on the Monday evening we had about 5 hours of rain while down south on the Monday and Tuesday there was storm weather in the daytime causing havoc on Trip Advisor as visitors complained about the weather and questioned what anybody was going to “do” about it. The upshot of this storm is that we have had an unusual, for the time of year, heatwave with temperatures rising to 42° and not really dropping much below 38° even in the evenings. As I write these conditions remain. Those of us who live here all year round are used to this kind of heat at the tail end of July and throughout August – but it is a shock to the unprepared system to experience this heat in June.
The heat combined with the imminent visit of friends from London who we inevitably always over consume with led me to a diet this week of mostly healthy eating and drinking. I am addicted to fresh fruit juice and could not live without my juicer, your hosts at VLK have the same addiction to the Nutri-Bullet so most of this week’s really very simple recipes hinge around having access to one or the other appliance.
Cool Cabbage
Juice 1/3 of a White Cabbage with 3 Peaches and 1 Pineapple. Rich in Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Beta-Carotene and Calcium this is a sweet juice that will start your day with a pleasant zing.
Super Spinach
Juice 100 gr Baby Spinach with 3 Apples. Reserve the rests from the spinach before adding the apples to the juicer (recipe for Spinach Rests to to follow). Rich in Iron and a beautiful dark green colour this is another drink that will kick start your day.
Phil kindly sent me over some of his favourite Nutri-Bullet Breakfast recipes to share with you. For my own enjoyment I “christened” them.
As a base Phil uses two main items – 1small bunch of spinach in the bottom of the Nutri-Bullet cup topped with 2 heaped tablespoons of porridge oats for slow release energy so great for start of the day like breakfast.
Nutty Nutri
Put in the cup with the spinach and porridge: 1 banana, 1 heaped tablespoon of peanut butter, 1 teaspoon of honey, a sprinkling of sultanas and flax seeds, then top up to the line with chilled water, put lid on and blitz for about 40 seconds.
Berry Bullet
On top of the spinach and porridge put yogurt, strawberries, blueberries and flax seeds, top up with skimmed milk to the fill line, then blitz. It’s like a great healthy milkshake.
Some of us, however, live with Chrisetarians who generally refuse healthy eating “options”, especially juice, so here’s a few light but healthy recipes for those hot mornings or late light suppers.
Spinach Pancakes
Making pancakes has always been a favourite with me and who hasn’t been to Lindos and fallen in love with the cheap and cheerful Crepe shops? the trick for successful pancakes or crepes lies in the batter ingredients and in the pan you use. 5 euros on a dedicated crepe pan was one of the best 5 euros I have ever spent, but even with a perfect recipe and a dedicated pan I always allow for the fact that the first one out of the pan will be rubbish – after that they are, mostly, just perfect.
100 gr Flour
Pinch of Sea Salt
2 Eggs
300 ml Milk
1 tbsp Good Olive Oil
The rests (leftovers) from juicing 100 gr Spinach
Put the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the eggs and oil. Whisk until completely combined. Stir in the spinach. Heat your pan (if you are not using a dedicated crepe pan, wipe the base with kitchen paper moistened with a little oil). Ladle a small amount of the batter into the pan and swirl around to cover the entire pan thinly. Cook for 40 seconds then flip over and cook for another 30 seconds.
These amounts will make 7 pancakes plus one disaster at the beginning.
Stuff your green pancakes with what ever you like as a filling but my favourite is cheesey mushrooms.
Fry some crushed garlic in a knob of butter. Add a few sliced mushrooms and cook till soft. Grate lots of cheese on top and place under a hot grill for a few minutes. Spoon on to your green crepes and fold.
And finally a super but simple breakfast or supper for two of :
Eggs and Mushrooms
250 gr Mushrooms, wiped and sliced
50 gr Butter
Sea Salt & Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Juice of half a Lemon
2 Eggs
2 Slices of Bread, toasted or fried
1 Tomato, sliced
Lots of Grated Cheese
Fry the mushrooms in the butter with the salt pepper and lemon till soft.
In another pan fry or poach the eggs as you prefer. Place the mushrooms on the toast or fried bread, top with an egg, layer a few tomato slices on the egg, top with grated cheese and grill for a few minutes till the cheese is bubbling.
Man Meets Fish on the next Kalliopi Kitchen! CLICK HERE
