Since my time in Greece, several large-scale, long-term studies have shown that a traditional Greek foods may help lower your risk of chronic disease. But it’s not just the foods themselves that provide benefits–it’s how they’re eaten. Time spent eating with friends and family is time spent living well. That’s just one of the many lessons I learned that summer; five others are listed here. Over the years, they’ve helped me craft a balanced diet and healthy relationship with food, even when choices and time were limited.  

  1. Eat fresh! One morning, my fiancé’s mother served me a simple fried egg that was so flavorful I swooned. She took for granted, of course, that the egg had come from the neighbor’s farm just the day before and was cooked in olive oil pressed from the family’s groves. “Freshness and quality are important to Greeks,” explains Elena Paravantes, RD, the American Overseas Dietetic Association media representative for Greece. “It’s a twice-weekly ritual in many cities and towns to buy fresh produce and meats in open-air markets.” I don’t have a chicken coop, nor do I want one. (A private olive grove would be nice, but I don’t have that, either.) Instead, I buy fresh eggs and produce from the farmers’ market as often as I can. The number of these markets in the United States has increased by 79% since 1994, but if your town doesn’t have one, consider subscribing to a Community Supported Agriculture program, in which you contract with a local grower for a steady supply of farm-fresh produce. Find one near you by visiting localharvest.org.  
  2. Switch to olive oil When I first arrived on Corfu, I eyed the vegetables doused in oil–lathera–with a level of suspicion bordering on paranoia. But I ate them anyway–throwing caution to the wind–because (a) I was on vacation and (b) they were so darn delicious. Now I know that olive oil is an integral part of a heart-smart diet. “But that doesn’t mean adding olive oil to everything you’re eating now,” Paravantes warns. “It means replacing your current fats–like butter or margarine–with olive oil and watching overall calorie intake.”  
  3. Focus on veggies I was often stunned by the variety of vegetables accompanying most Greek meals. There was horiatiki, bowls of steamed wild greens, and boiled beets and their leaves bathed in vinaigrette (horta). Often, these veggies would compose a meal, accompanied by a slice of feta or a few sardines. “Vegetables and legumes are the main dishes in Greece, not sides,” says Antonia Trichopoulou, MD, a researcher of the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle at the University of Athens.  
  4. Take your time A meal was never rushed in Greece–it was normal to spend 2 to 3 hours enjoying a lunch. The slower pace of my meals on Corfu may be one reason I dropped pounds; several recent studies have shown that people who eat more slowly consume significantly fewer calories than those who inhale their food. Granted, leisurely lunches like these aren’t likely to become the norm in America, but slowing down even a little can help you eat less overall. “It takes roughly 20 minutes for the mind to register fullness, yet too many of us rush through a meal, consuming excess calories before the brain has time to say stop,” explains Stephanie Meyers, RD, LDN, senior clinical nutritionist at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. She suggests setting a timer for 20 minutes or eating with your nondominant hand to train yourself to slow down.  
  5. Feed your soul For Greeks, meals are about more than just the food. “It’s about meeting your nutrient needs and your emotional ones,” says Meyers. “It’s about nourishing your whole being–mind, body, and spirit.”

Greek Food Recipe: Bone-Building Salad

Village Salad with Feta The village salad, horiatiki, is ubiquitous on Greek tables. It’s a wonderful summertime staple to serve with grilled meats and fish.   TIME: 15 MINUTES SERVINGS: 6   1 lg English cucumber, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick (3 c) 3 med tomatoes, halved and sliced 1/4" thick (3 c) 1 lg onion, halved and sliced 1/4" thick (1 c) 2 oz feta cheese, sliced, or 1/2 c feta cheese crumbles 6 kalamata olives, pitted and halved lengthwise (2 Tbsp) 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/8 tsp ground red pepper   ALTERNATE slices of cucumber and tomato around rim of large platter, spiraling inward. Scatter onion on top. Layer on feta and scatter olives over top. Drizzle all over with oil. Sprinkle with salt, oregano, and pepper.   NUTRITIONAL INFO PER SERVING: 109 cal, 3 g pro, 8 g carb, 8 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 8 mg chol, 2 g fiber, 332 mg sodium

Greek Food Recipe: Low-Calorie Dinner

Pork Souvlaki Occasionally, on a busy night at the restaurant, I’d be charged with cooking these kebabs. To keep the coals hot, we’d give them sporadic blasts with a hair dryer. Don’t try this at home!   TIME: 30 MINUTES SERVINGS: 6   1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tsp dried oregano, divided 1 tsp kosher salt, divided 2 pinches freshly ground black pepper, divided 2 lb boneless pork loin roast, trimmed and cut into 1" cubes  

  1. PREHEAT grill or broiler to high.
  2. WHISK together oil, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of the oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and a pinch of the pepper in small bowl and set aside. Thread pork cubes onto 12 skewers (if using wooden skewers, soak them in water 30 minutes beforehand). Sprinkle skewers with remaining 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper.
  3. GRILL souvlaki 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and just cooked through. Remove from heat and brush generously with oil mixture on all sides. Serve with pitas, tzatziki (recipe at right), chopped tomatoes, and onions.   NUTRITIONAL INFO PER SERVING: (2 pork skewers) 236 cal, 33 g pro, 0.5 g carb, 10 g fat, 3 g sat fat, 83 mg chol, 0 g fiber, 388 mg sodium

Greek Food Recipe: Cancer-Fighting Appetizer

Pitas with Tzatziki The tzatziki–a yogurt and cucumber condiment that graces nearly every table–we made on Corfu was incredibly pungent, laced with lots of garlic.   TIME: 15 MINUTES + CHILLING TIME SERVINGS: 6   2 c low-fat plain Greek-style yogurt (we used Fage 2%) 1 c peeled, grated cucumber, spun dry in salad spinner 4 cloves garlic, grated 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 3/4 tsp kosher salt 1/8 tsp ground red pepper 6 lg whole wheat pitas (6"-7" diameter) 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil  

  1. MIX together yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in medium bowl. Chill, covered, 1 hour.
  2. BRUSH both sides of pitas lightly with oil. Heat in batches in large skillet over medium heat, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden and puffed. Serve pitas with tzatziki and souvlaki.   NUTRITIONAL INFO PER SERVING: 241 cal, 12 g pro, 39 g carb, 5.5 g fat, 1.5 g sat fat, 3 mg chol, 5 g fiber, 603 mg sodium

Greek Food Recipe: Immune-Boosting Side Dish

Lemon Roasted Potatoes The squeeze of lemon at the end adds a tangy note. Serve them warm with fish or as a room-temperature appetizer with tzatziki.   TIME: 1 HOUR SERVINGS: 6   1/4 c water 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper 2 lb boiling potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2" wedges 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice  

  1. PREHEAT oven to 425°F. Pour water into 12" × 9" baking dish.
  2. WHISK together oil, salt, oregano, and pepper in large mixing bowl. Add potatoes and toss. Pour into baking dish.
  3. ROAST potatoes 30 minutes, turning halfway through. Drizzle lemon juice over top and roast 10 to 15 minutes longer until browned and cooked through.   NUTRITIONAL INFO PER SERVING 174 cal, 3 g pro, 31 g carb, 5 g fat, 0.5 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 3 g fiber, 328 mg sodium

Greek Food Recipe: Heart-Healthy Meal

Whole Roasted Fish with Lemon and Oregano Substitute red snapper if you can’t find sea bass, and tuck sprigs of fresh oregano, if you have any on hand, in the cavity along with the garlic and lemon.   TIME: 40 MINUTES SERVINGS: 4   1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp kosher salt, divided 2 whole sea bass (11/4 lb each), cleaned by fishmonger 2 cloves garlic, sliced 8 thin slices lemon  

  1. PREHEAT grill or broiler to medium-high and coat rack lightly with cooking spray.
  2. WHISK together oil, lemon juice, oregano, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in small bowl. Set aside. Make 3 shallow vertical slits along each side of fish and rub with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Brush inside of fish with oil mixture and stuff with garlic and lemon slices.
  3. GRILL fish 16 to 20 minutes, turning and basting twice with remaining oil mixture, until fish is golden brown and flesh begins to turn opaque. Let fish rest 10 minutes before serving.   NUTRITIONAL INFO PER SERVING: 249 cal, 38 g pro, 2 g carb, 8 g fat, 1.5 g sat fat, 84 mg chol, 1 g fiber, 621 mg sodium

Greek Food Recipe: Vitamin-Packed Dessert

Apricots with Yogurt and Honey In Corfu, we often made this simple dessert with fresh figs, plucked from a backyard tree. Any seasonal fruit would work as well. Here, we used apricots.   TIME: 5 MINUTES SERVINGS: 6   1 c low-fat plain Greek-style yogurt (we used Fage 2%) 2 Tbsp honey 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 9 fresh apricots, halved lengthwise   WHISK together yogurt, honey, and vanilla extract in small bowl. Spoon over apricots and serve.   NUTRITIONAL INFO PER SERVING 74 cal, 3 g pro, 13 g carb, 1 g fat, 0.5 g sat fat, 2 mg chol, 0.5 g fiber, 11 mg sodium