Mediterranean Diet ~ A Taste of Greece

Okay, time to fess up. . .our time in Greece has seemed an almost non-stop Food Festival.

New flavors. New dishes. New settings. Far too many temptations. Our houseguests usually ask at some point during their visits, 'Do you ever eat at home?' as we race them from one eatery to another trying to show all of our favorites in a short span of time.

We do eat at home, but with so many good eats at affordable -- often ridiculously inexpensive -- prices, we've found ourselves eating out often and soaking up the spirit of dining here.

An array of mezes are offered BEFORE the main course at this taverna

That time honored ritual of eating - not the grab-a-bite-and-be-on-our-way kind-- but that which  makes dining an event is still very real in Greece. A 2015 article in The Atlantic magazine examining the rituals of eating could have been written about dining in Greece:

'How food is experienced has everything to do with the decor, 
with the rituals surrounding the meal, with the company, 
and with the experience.'

Dinner out in the village - good food and good friends 

Going out to dinner -- or even out to lunch here -- can span several hours of savoring tastes, soaking in the atmosphere, and engaging in conversation with your dining companions or even folks you know who might be passing by your street side table.

Summer nights in the village the road closes to accommodate taverna diner

The Mediterranean Diet - Greek-style

The Mediterranean Diet

In general the diet consists of fruits and vegetables, 

beans and nuts,

healthy grains,

fish

olive oil

small amounts of meat and dairy

and . . .red wine!

The 'Mediterranean Diet' is one inspired by the eating habits of Greece, Southern Italy and Spain in the 1940's and 1950's. Those fresh, healthy foods that made up the diet then remain a centerpiece of Greek eats today.

If you've traveled in Greece you know that the flavors and menu offerings vary by region. So while the food items may appear to be the same, the regional influences: spices, preparation and cooking make each dining experience different. Take, for example, our trip to the island of Spetses that I told you about last week. It is only 4.5 hours from our home, and basic menu items appear to be 'like home', but the preparation made the flavors delightfully different.

A typical order of fish

Fish, (which most people seem to think we eat all the time) is a key part of a Mediterranean diet. So, true confession: we seldom eat fish in Greece. Its presentation and cost doesn't appeal. It is usually served whole, and grilled looking much like the one in the photo above. It is sold by the kilo (1 kilo is 2.2.pounds) price, so a whole fish could cost 55 to 60 euros. You could eat several full meals without fish for the price of a single fish.

Marinated anchovies, mussels in mustard sauce, Spetses-style fish, dessert

However, we did eat seafood in Spetses: the presentation, the variety, the flavors and prices all appealed. The collage above shows a selection of foods served to us during our stay on this small Saronic island. The white anchovies (no bones) were marinated in lemon sauce and olive oil, the mussels in a mustard sauce make my mouth-water just writing the words, the Spetses-style fish was a white fish smothered in a red sauce, almost a stew of vegetables, and far more interesting than a whole fish on a plate. The complimentary dessert was a baked apple, scoop of ice cream and philo dough bites.

A pitcher of our fresh-pressed olive oil

So aside from not eating fish regularly you would think that living and dining in the Land of the Mediterranean Diet would keep us fit, trim and healthy, wouldn't you?

Not quite! In February we faced the fact that it wasn't the camera angles, it wasn't the clothes shrinking, it wasn't our bathroom scales or the doctor's office blood tests being out-of-whack: we were having a wee bit too much of a Food Festival. Yes, too much of a good thing can be, too much. And we admit we weren't really eating that healthy version of a Mediterranean diet. After all, those yummy oregano-flavored potato chips, just don't fit the diet's intent. . .

The Ancient Greeks nailed it: In all Things Moderation

So we set out to change our eating: we gave up foods made with refined sugar and flour (pastas and breads and baked goods) and cut back on carbs (potatoes, potato chips and crackers) and passed on the desserts, with a fruit plate being an exception. We refreshed our Mediterranean diets by mixing in a bit of the Keto diet and the Glycemic Load diet philosophies.

You might say we are following the advice of Ancient Greeks who sang the praises of moderation.

Mushrooms stuffed with cheese, green salad 

'Observe due measure, moderation is best in all things,' 

              -- Greek poet Hesiod.

Mediterranean salad with Balsamic dressing and Greek cheese

'We should pursue and practice moderation.'

-- Plato, philosopher.

Grill plate with tomatoes, not potatoes

'Moderation, the noblest gift of Heaven'

--Euripides, Greek playwright.

A meze of fava beans topped with roasted tomatoes, capers,garlic and olive oil

We still drink those 'miso kilos' (pitchers) of Greek wine and we still dine out often. We indulge in a bite-sized piece of dark chocolate regularly. We've found that switching potatoes to tomatoes is quite easy and passing up bread isn't a sacrifice. We've substituted cucumber and zucchini slices for crackers and potato chips at home. We've not sworn off any food completely, allowing guilt-free indulgences every so often. We don't consider ourselves 'dieting'.  Yet, we've each lost 12 pounds.

Kali Orexi

Kali Orexi, means literally, 'good appetite' but is often the wish offered to diners as food is served in Greece, meaning 'have a good meal'.  

A meze dinner is our favorite kind of meal

And having a good meal  isn't hard to do in Greece even when you've modified your eating habits! The photo above shows a recent dinner at a restaurant in Stoupa, our neighboring village. From the top left,tomato balls and a yogurt dip, Mani sausage (orange flavored) with horta (greens instead of potatoes), sautéed mushroom, and oven-baked garbanzo beans with a cheese topping.

With a wish that many of you get a chance to taste the real flavors of Greece one day while sitting at a harbor-side taverna or a sleek 5-star restaurant, we'll sign off for this week. We thank you for the time you spent with us today and look forward to being back next week when we will be back to talking travel.

Linking this week with:

Through My Lens
Our World Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday

Travel Tuesday: Tips and Tidbits

I’ve got a couple health- and fitness-related travel topics this week so without further fanfare, let’s get started:

The ‘Eyes’ Have It. . .

This one is for all you contact lens wearing travelers of a ‘certain age’ (40 is usually when the telltale signs start appearing):  the small print seems to be getting smaller and a bit more blurred each time you try to read your passport or credit card numbers and trying to read the small print on a map is more daunting than getting lost. . .could it be time
for those 'readers' on sale everywhere from grocery to book stores?


One more thing to add to that carry-on bag already is stuffed with documents, medicines, prescription glasses, contact lens case/solution and sunglasses?

I’ve worn gas permeable contact lenses for decades and in the last couple years even the ‘bi-focal’ types weren’t quite doing the job. . .that is until  my optometrist asked me if I’d try out a different type of lens. Another patient of hers, a flight attendant, had tried them and was singing their praises, so I agreed.

That was nearly a year ago.  I waited this long to write about them just to make sure they weren't too good to be true. I couldn’t believe the improved visual acuity - and comfort. (Their only drawback is that like all gas permeable/hard lenses I've worn, they do tend to dry out on long airplane flights.) The smallest of print (including those microscopic numbers on the back corner of the credit cards) are as easy to read as is seeing the far distant stuff. In fact, both of my distances are now a smidgen better than 20/20 -- a real plus when focusing the camera! 


It took a few extra visits to get the fit right because the lenses are weighted to keep the close-up at the bottom and distance at the top – so they have to fit the eye well.

If they are of interest and you are in the Puget Sound area of Washington State, I recommend my optomitrist Dr. Pamela J. Bingham at Market Optical in Seattle’s University Village.

And if you are elsewhere, talk to your eye care professional about “TruForm” rigid, gas permeable lenses.  (I read on the company web site that they even make multi-focal lenses!)


Serving up and Repacking the D2G. . .Diet to Go: 

Three years ago on TravelnWrite we sang the praises of the “Glycemic Load Diet” developed by Seattle cardiologist, Dr. Rob Thompson. We bought his book, tried out his eating recommendations and found the recipes were incredible good and it was a perfect fit for travelers.

So easy to follow when traveling that we called it the D2G; our Diet to Go. Some may even recall the guest post Dr. Thompson wrote for TravelnWrite. If you missed it, click this  link. 

My physical that year showed not only had I lost weight (13 pounds) but my bad cholesterol levels had dropped significantly, as had blood sugar and everything else that gets monitored - despite four-months of living out of a suitcase; drinking and eating on-the-road. (And I was no longer blaming cruise ship photographers for 'making me look fat!')

Fast forward. . .if you saw the post a few weeks ago, A Taste of the World, you know without me telling you that we – me, in particular – slipped off that D2G wagon. A big burger in Arizona, an Australian Pie in Sydney, a basket of bread here and a serving of French fries there and maybe just a tiny bit of dessert. . . The results of an annual physical a few weeks ago showed the bad cholesterol had skyrocketed and a few pounds had returned, despite a regular exercise program both at home and on the road.

So, the new year has begun with D2G once again, our traveling companion.

Instead of that deep fried bacon cheeseburger I told you about in December, take note of the above veggie burger on a whole grain bun with more veggies at the side and red wine (which is allowed on the D2G).  I had this at one of our favorite places, Todd English’s P.U.B. at Crystals in City Center, Las Vegas last week.


That’s it for this week’s Travel Tuesday – the day we share any  new tips related to travel.   How about you?  What new discoveries have you made for travel. . . Health and fitness?  Packing? . . .Ways to save money on travel?  Let us know in the comment section below or send us an email.

Disclosure:  We received no compensation for recommending the contact lenses, Dr. Bingham, Market Optical or the 'Glycemic Load Diet'. (Although if you order the book from Amazon using the link in the post, we make a few pennies; we'll get paid when we have $10 worth of pennies, about 2050 by my calculations.)  We simply think all are worth recommending! 

Linking up with Marcia Mayne's Inside Journeys Foodie Tuesday.

Travel Tuesday: Scottsdale’s “Club Grub”

Whew! We just crossed the finish line after a nine day eat-a-thon in Scottsdale, Arizona. Let me tell you. . .

There is just something about the food in Arizona's 'Valley of the Sun' that makes us throw our Diet2Go out the window. And this trip,contributing to the culinary temptations that snugged up our clothes, is what we’ve dubbed, “Club Grub”.

Not “Pub Grub” –  “Club Grub.”  I am talking a whole new food source:  eateries tucked away in golf courses; some in clubhouses and others in freestanding restaurants.


We don’t even play golf – but we spent a lot of time ‘at the course’ this trip!  Note: these aren’t the members-only places -  all three of our recommendations below are open to the public!

The Grill at the TPC Scottsdale

While munching lunch at The Grill, we had this view over the 18th hole of the Stadium Course at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Hotel. 

Tucked away in a corner of the clubhouse, this place has more than 50 craft beers, cocktails, a gastro-pub style menu, patio (with fire pits – not needed this time of year) and a Happy Hour.

The Grill is located at 17020 N. Hayden Road.




Troon North

Our Seattle/Scottsdale friends, Mike and Joanne, told us to try Happy Hour at the Troon North Golf Club and for that we owe them big time!

We had some of the best- tasting and best-priced margaritas in this restaurant (also tucked away in a beautiful clubhouse), that we’ve had anywhere in Scottsdale. The HH price $4.50 (as compared to the Happy Hour $10 margarita at the nearby Four Seasons).

Troon North also offers full menu options but there were so many temptations on the Happy Hour list we never got beyond it. 


The photo below is of Dynamite Flatbread, $6, a mouthwatering chicken, cheese combo on  focaccia bread, just one of the HH offerings.




Troon North is located at 10320 E. Dynamite Blvd., Scottsdale.

Tonto Bar and Grill at Rancho Manana

The interior of this restaurant has such a wonderful Spanish/Old West feel to it, that it is difficult to choose between sitting inside or on the patio. Both provide beautiful views of this Cave Creek golf course. 

The menu also has so many choices that it should be difficult to choose between them but I have become so enamored with their Southwestern Cobb Salad that I always order it.  (Going there for lunch means I will take enough home  for dinner as well. As you can see from the photo below. . .it is rather large).

This place, like we've noticed at other restaurants, offer a choice of protein toppings for the salad. Mine was chicken and The Scout chose roast pork from the half dozen choices; price depends on the protein chosen.

Tonto Bar and Grill is located at the golf course at 5736 E. Rancho Manana Blvd., Cave Creek.

If you go:  A good source of Arizona golf course information is: www.arizonagolf.com

Your turn!  Do you have any “Club Grub” recommendations for the Phoenix/Scottsdale area?  How about any for golf clubs near where you live or in places you’ve visited?  Tell us about them!

Thanks for visiting today. If you’ve not yet signed up to receive posts in your inbox, please do so! Use the form on the right hand side of www.TravelnWrite.com

D2G loses to Spain’s Tapa Temptations

Yes, that healthy eating we’ve been touting for the last year – our Diet to Go, or D2G – met its challenge in Spain’s Tapa Temptations.

So we said “Adios” to that eating plan and each night saddled up to a tapas bar to eat our way through several of the small plates that offered a variety of meat, fish and vegetable tidbits; some of the best food we’ve had on our travels.

Potatoes and bread  – those things we’ve bragged about eliminating (or greatly reducing) in our lives this last year, were key ingredients in most of the tapas we ate. And Spain’s famous rice paella couldn’t be missed. . .

When in Spain eat as the Spanish do. . .and we did! In a manner of speaking anyway. Each night we’d wait as long as our American appetites allowed (somewhere around 7 or 7:30) and we’d go in search of a tapas bar. Tapas bars, like restaurants, don’t open their kitchens for hot dishes until 8:30 in most cases, so we’d work our way through cold dishes and wind up the feast with a couple hot dishes.

Tapas are generally inexpensive. So were the many varieties of Spanish wine we quaffed down with them.

Our best tapa dinner was eaten in Osuna, that charming small town outside Sevilla. The restaurant Meson del Duque, (Plaza de la Duquesa, 2, phone 95 481 28 45) had been recommended a couple of times so on our last evening we waited as long our our American appetites allowed and we headed out for what would be the culinary treat of the trip
.
As usual ‘los Americanos’ (us!) were unfashionably early so we had the place to ourselves. . .which gave us time to visit with Jose, the owner, left, and Paco, the bartender, to his right in this photo.

Since their tapas weren’t on display and we weren’t sure what was available, we asked Jose and Paco to select some plates for us.

They served us a mouthwatering short rib that you could cut with a fork, a fish dish, a pork dish and shrimp with a presentation resembling the horns of bulls in an unbelievably tasty sauce.

So good were the tapas that we fell further off the diet wagon and ordered dessert – again their choice. Need I say this chocolate morsel was good?

Our last night in Sevilla we dined at Casa Tomate ( on the 'tapa bar street' of Mateos Gagos 24, phone 954 220 421) and decided to try the combination plate of three hot and three cold tapas; to that we added a half racione (half order) of deep fried calimari. 

As we started to order a salad as well – thinking we’d need a bit more, our waiter politely told us we didn’t need it – we had ordered plenty.  He was right as the tapas plate alone had anchovies, meat balls, veggies, Russian salad and a potato torte (tortilla):



If you've been following the blog the last few weeks, I know you are probably thinking, "And then they got on a cruise ship for two weeks and ate some more?"  Yes we did, but I should tell you that we logged some 7 - 10 miles walking each day on land and on the ship either worked out at the gym and walked or did both.

While in Spain we marked the first anniversary of our D2G.  It has been a success despite the eating we did the last few weeks. We weighed in today and Joel weighs five pounds less than he did last year and I am down 13.5 pounds. . .and now that we are home we are back on the D2G way of eating.

Note:  The D2G is based on the Glycemic Load Diet as developed by Seattle doctor, Rob Thompson.  His book of the same title can be purchased from Amazon.com

D2G: A Culinary Journey Road Test

Our "Diet 2 Go" , D2G, in Twitter-talk was 'put to the (road) test' in the Southwest.  Temptations were as prevalent as tumbleweeds.

Our first taste of reality came around noon only a few hours out of Las Vegas en route to Phoenix in a town called Kingman, known for its once strategic location on a section of Historic Route 66, just in case you've never heard of it.  We'd  stopped at a delightful coffee shop in the historic district planning to eat lunch. We ended up with one of the best cups of black coffee ever served, but said adios to the pastry case that offered the only sustenance. On we went to the ubiquitous Arizona convenience store, Circle K,  -- they are on every street corner, I think -- in hopes of finding something healthier.

The wafting scent of deep fry grease as I opened the doors should have told me that the best I would do there was a small carton of low-fat cottage cheese (one of two on the shelf).  Back in Ol' Orange we ate it, split a breakfast bar, and some almonds.

That was one of several times we had to either resist temptation or be creative in food choices as we ate our way through the Southwest.  But we ate a lot, even some of those 'forbidden wheat and sugar-based fruits' -- those, in moderation -- and drank with gusto.  We enjoyed great home-cooked dinners with friends in Phoenix and Tucson and even threw a party at our spacious digs in Scottsdale, and we dined out several times.

Pinnacle Peak General Store breakfast
j. smith photo, (c) 2011

One of the most surprising things we noticed -- now that we are noticing such things -- were the many restaurants offering sides of fruit, sliced tomatoes and cottage cheese for breakfast instead of the traditional hash browns and toast as shown on the photo of my breakfast at the General Store.

I couldn't help but wonder if maybe they have always been offered and we just never noticed.

And for those of you who are following along -- and those who've reported that you've joined this culinary journey:  I am  down 9 pounds and Joel is close behind at 8.

Diet to Go: Tropical Feast - not Famine

Okay, the truth is, we've never lost weight on one of our extended trips. . .until now.

Our culinary journey, our 'Diet to Go' (DTG), kicked off in Kirkland's safe confines.  A quick trip here or there and not of the length that would throw a monkey-wrench into the efforts. Truthfully, our hopes for Hawaii were to not gain as much as previous years. (Four pounds each last year and --oink --about six the year before).

So the fact that I am telling you we are each down 1 - 1.5 pounds from when we arrived, is amazing.

Remember, we were following the Glycemic Load Diet (the book's on the Amazon carousel on our homepage) by Dr. Rob Thompson, who also wrote a guest post about travel and dieting for us. We've not spent time 'thinking diet' but what we've done differently is:

• Maui potato chips gave way to Kim Chee,  home-made Korean spicy cucumber chunks that we discovered at a local farmer's market.
• Baked potatoes of previous years were history with many green salads taking their place; locally-grown Manoa Valley lettuce melts in the mouth.
• We've not had any crackers or corn chips or cookies.

What we have had: 

• a milk shake, a couple Starbucks frozen mochas dripping in chocolate and whipped cream, macaroni salad (in small portions),chocolate covered macadamia nuts every night along with quantities of wine far in excess of what we would have at home. 
• We've also eaten lau lau, the Hawaiian pork and fish wrapped in taro leaves and steamed in tea leaves, steak, fish, and  Hawaiian 'plate lunch' (substituted green salad for the usual scoops of rice and mac salad).
• We've eaten more than a dozen papayas and nine pineapples.

For a number of reasons, but primarily the view from our deck and the cost-savings, we've eaten every meal 'at home' since arriving at Ko Olina. We've been inspired by the discovery of a nearby farmer's market and helped by a new grocery/deli at Ko Olina.

The local fare at our nearby farmers market has been a culinary journey.  Farm fresh eggs, lettuce, fresh fish, homemade goodies have all tempted. We  sampled dark chocolate covered fresh strawberries last week at our Waianae Farmers Market and they gave me the recipe.  I think it fits in with our Diet to Go, so here it is:

Diet to Go, Goes Hawaiian

Hawaiian Plate Lunch

Hawaiian 'plate lunch', Hawaiian bread. Hawaiian style potato chips. . .oh, the tasty memories of trips gone by.

Our Diet to Go will be put to a test in Hawaii, although thanks to Dr. Rob Thompson's guest post (see "Pack the Chocolate and Nuts"), I've already been lusting for those dark chocolate covered macadamia nuts found in nearly every Hawaiian souvenir shop.

Doing things Differently

Actually our first test of new travel eating was our short holiday trip to Las Vegas. We didn't lose weight, but we came back weighing just a blip more than we did when we left - unlike our usual 2 - 3 pound gain.

But we did do things differently - just a bit of behavior modification:

• We took a jar of peanuts and a bag of dried cranberries for in-room snacks. (Turned out to be a smart idea as I searched the gift shop at the Suncoast, and the nearby J.W. Marriott but neither offered  'healthy snacks' -- plenty of pretzels and potato chips, crackers and cookies -- but nothing like bags of snacking veggies/fruit or yogurt to-go-type products. And, there was no grocery store within walking distance.) 
• We gave up our usual giant cookie and coffee mid afternoon snack for coffee and a yogurt parfait from the deli in the Suncoast. (Turned out to be so good, we had it for breakfast the next day).
• We ordered the coffee shop's special breakfast one morning, but substituted at no extra charge a fruit cup for the hash browns and toast that normally came with it. (Now that was a first for this potato lover!)

As we leave for Hawaii I am down 6 pounds and Joel down 5 (without suffering through our traditional 3-day-starvation plan). We don't plan to lose weight while in Aloha Land but hopefully not gain either.
We will see. . .

It's Hula Babe and Beach Boy Back Again!

Watching Waves - Ko Olina

Yes, in a matter of days the tales of Hula Babe (that would be me) and Beach Boy (that would be Joel) and their annual sun and sand adventures in Hawaii return, undoubtedly, a highly anticipated event -- LOL here --  for you regular readers.

BTW, I christened us Hula Babe and Beach Boy last year, after visiting Pioneer Woman, a phenomenally popular blog written by a woman who no more looks like a Pioneer Woman to me, than I believe I look like a Hula Babe.

But if she can be a pioneer woman,  I can be . . well, let's say for a short period of time I will  throw caution to the wind.  Every so often we '50- and 60-somethings' should remind ourselves we aren't as old as those numbers sound! 

And don't you find that when you travel, you re-invent yourself as you go along? 

You can be an adventurer, explorer, food critic, a wilderness trekker or a grand lady or gent. When you don't pack your normal customs and routines of 'how it's done back home';  you have plenty of room to explore and absorb your new surroundings and to re-invent yourself for at least a short period of time.

Hula Babe and Beach Boy are heading to their 'home away from home,' Ko Olina, a 642 acre development on Oahu's western shore.  In coming posts we will tell you all about what's new:  like Aulani, the new Disney resort at Ko Olina, and the new Marriott Edition Hotel on Waikiki beach; old favorites like 'our' sea turtle who frolicked in the waves with us last year. And of course how well our Diet to Go, is going.

So, grab your shades, and sun tan lotion . . .and come along.
Aloha!

A Diet to Go: Pack the Nuts and Chocolate!

 We are taking a "Diet to Go" approach to travel this year. Or call it a 'culinary journey' into a new way of eating when living out of our suitcases. We will follow  -- okay, to be honest, we may not be able to follow quite to the letter, but we will try to be close --  the plan outlined in the book, "Glycemic Load Diet" by Seattle cardiologist Dr. Rob Thompson, who is on staff  at Swedish Medical Center.
We thank Dr. Thompson for writing the following guest post:

Think you’ll gain weight on your vacation?

If you’re off to one of those lie-around-the-pool ones, you could be right.

However, if you’re planning on sightseeing in Europe, you might be surprised. There’s something about the relaxation, daily walking and complex cuisine that seems to make us Americans shed a few pounds.

Here are a few tips that will bring you home a little slimmer:

1. Pack plenty of nuts.
When you travel, hunger often strikes at times when your choices of food are limited. Instead of resorting to starchy snacks or building up a voracious appetite, have some nuts. They’re satisfying, full of protein, fiber and omega-3 fats, and contain little starch or sugar. They’ll keep you going until you can sit down and have a real meal.

2. Eat Tasty Food.
Call them baguettes or call them pommes frites, but they’re still just white bread and French fries – mainly tasteless starch that turns to sugar as soon as it hits your digestive tract. Surely, you want to eat more exciting food than bread dough and potatoes when you’re in Europe. Put the chef to work. Enjoy complex dishes made with the fresh ingredients of the region -- meats, poultry, seafood, cheeses, fruit and vegetables.

3. Bring Fine Chocolate.
Good chocolate will satisfy that after-dinner sweet tooth, and help you avoid the calories and expense of full desserts. You can even carry some with you and sneak little with your after-dinner coffee. A couple squares has negligible effects on your blood sugar, especially if it’s dark chocolate. I never leave home without it.

Can you believe it?! Chocolates and nuts. . .I might actually be able to do it! For more details about the diet, Dr. Thompson's book, Glycemic Load Diet, can be found on the Amazon.com carousel on our home page. He is also author of, The New Low-Carb Way of Life. We will post periodic updates on our progress and additional tips as the year goes along.