Tyropitakia or Cheese Pies (Τυροπιτάκια)

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Tyropitakia or Cheese Pies

Crispy phyllo wrapped around a creamy and cheesy feta filling

When we were kids we had this really annoying habit of trying to lure our parents into picking a favourite amongst us. At the time we didn’t think it was annoying, but as parents now ourselves, we can fully appreciate how tiresome this would have been for our folks. We would do things like draw pictures and then go to our parents asking them which one they thought was nicer. Often times we would hold the picture we hadn’t actually drawn; we tried to be tricky that way. Or, we would ask them to consider questions like, “If there was only 1 koulouraki left, and we all wanted it, who would you give it to?” Other times we would ask them outright – Which kid do you love most?

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Blondies

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Blondies

A decadent dessert full of chocolate and coconut

If you are looking for a dessert that is rich and decadent, these blondies are for you. Buttery, full of chocolate and coconut, and with just the right amount of sweetness, these perfect for Valentine’s Day blondies will be loved by anyone who tries them.

Never had a blondie? Think brownie, without the cocoa and with brown sugar. The result is a dessert that is so indulgent that when made correctly, is almost impossible to resist. We think we can help with that! (not the resisting part, but the making correctly part!)

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Alevropita (Αλευρόπιτα)

~ miakouppa ~ 14 Comments
Alevropita

A quick, thin-battered feta pie

Sometimes we are so lazy! Like, stay in bed all day reading and eating bon-bons lazy. Or, too tired to cook so have cereal for dinner lazy. Or no one’s around to judge so I’m going to take the elevator one flight up lazy. It happens, and we don’t have the energy to pretend that it doesn’t.

Laziness however can also result in really lovely things, like alevropita. This is the cheese pie you want to make when you’re too lazy to make your own phyllo, when you’re too lazy to fold kalitsounia, and when you’re too lazy to spend much time in the kitchen.

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Pretty in red fruit salad

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Pretty in red fruit salad

A perfectly delightful and beautiful fruit salad

Sure, it’s easy enough to grab an apple or a handful of grapes and call it a day, but if you’re looking for a way to really celebrate fresh fruit, we think that a fruit salad is the way to do it.

Fruit salads have endless possibilities, and you can’t really go wrong so long as you remember a few key points.

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Heart shaped sugar cookies

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Heart shaped sugar cookies

Festive sugar cookies perfect for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day always makes us smile, not because we happen to each be married to wonderful guys that make love fun (although that is wonderful) but because growing up we were always our parents’ Valentines.

Every February 14th (and sometimes on February 15th when the chocolate hearts and pink stuffed bears were on sale) our parents would surprise us with Valentine treats. As young kids, we were thrilled. Along with the gifts we were given, our parents would also purchase for us large Valentine’s Day books filled with cards that we would punch out of the cardboard pages (remember those?) We would spend hours deciding which classmate would get which card, and which card we would save for our Ma and Ba.

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Mason jar split pea soup with rice

~ miakouppa ~ 2 Comments
Mason jar split pea soup with rice

Meal prep perfection: a vegan and gluten free meal of green and yellow split pea soup

About a year ago one of us had a colleague that gifted her a mason jar soup mix that she had made using a recipe from the amazing blog Trois Fois Par Jour. It was a pretty combination of lentils and barley that was meant to be cooked with water and a can of diced tomatoes. The soup mix sat in the pantry for a few weeks and then, one evening when dinner was getting a late start, into the pot it went. Dinner prep took a total of 3 minutes.

Given the ease that came with that lovely jar of soup we would have been happy if it tasted just meh. But it didn’t. It was actually delicious. So delicious that we asked for the recipe and made several jars of the mix. We tucked them away in the pantry, and trust us when we say that they have saved supper more than a few times.

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Easy Greek olive and oregano bread

~ miakouppa ~ 6 Comments
Easy Greek olive and oregano bread

A quick and easy bread loaded with Kalamata olives and oregano

If you’ve ever been to Greece, or visited a Greek home (or been raised in one!), you know that there are times when meals are very simple affairs. Especially in Greece, where there is the afternoon siesta, lunch is often the largest meal of the day with dinner being a lighter affair. It is not unusual to sit at a table and be offered bread, olives, tomato wedges, feta and maybe some nuts and be told that supper is served.

This bread would be welcome at that Greek dinner table. In fact, it would be welcome anywhere. Loaded with Kalamata olives and flavoured with amazing Greek oregano, this is a bread that you’ll find yourself making again and again.

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Mason jar salad with quinoa and chickpeas

~ miakouppa ~ 2 Comments
Mason jar salad with quinoa and chickpeas

A perfect make ahead meal which is vegan, gluten-free and so very nutritious!

Some days we are so rushed in the morning that we head out for work without packing a lunch, and that really sucks. Can you relate? Every best intention to head to the cafeteria or nearby restaurant to buy something healthy is usurped by the sights and smells of tempting options – like French fries and mayonnaise loaded sandwiches. We try to be strong, but sometimes we’re weak and we give in to greasy temptations.

One solution is to have ready-made, grab-and-go lunches ready and waiting. There is no morning that is so busy that you can’t open the fridge and pull out an already packed lunch to take along with you. And when you make a few of these pre-packed meals at a time, you’re winning at life!

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Spanakopita mac and cheese

~ miakouppa ~ 4 Comments
Spanakopita mac and cheese

Greek-style macaroni and cheese inspired by the flavours of spanakopita

It’s hard to know what constitutes comfort food for some people. Often comfort comes from memories that are associated with a particular food, even more so than what it actually tastes like. Ultimately, we believe that comfort food tastes like home, safety, happiness and love. It’s not unusual for comfort food to be hearty and humble. They are often stews or soups, meals with rich sauces, and very frequently, they are full of cheese.

Mac and cheese is a popular comfort food, and it rates high in our families as well. For one of our husbands, a rough day at work or a need for indulgence means boxed mac and cheese (you know, the kind with the powdered orange cheese in the package) with fried ground beef mixed in. Topped with ketchup and freshly cracked black pepper, and you have a very satisfied man.

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Smoothie with orange juice and berries

~ miakouppa ~ 2 Comments
Smoothie with orange juice and berries

A vegan and fruity pick me up, perfect for any time of day

Many people turn to smoothies when they are trying to lose weight, or eat healthier, or feel better about the 3 pieces of bougatsa they had the night before. We get it, and that’s okay. But we’re here to tell you that there’s another reason to enjoy smoothies – because they are delicious! And, they are a fun way to get some fruits, veggies and other goodies into people (kids? husbands?) who may otherwise be less inclined to welcome them into their diet.

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