Healthy Greek Recipes

We steam brightly colored bell peppers in the microwave to save time and then stuff them with orzo, spinach and feta. This basic recipe will work with almost any filling--try substituting different types of cheese, herbs or beans. Serve with whole-wheat pita bread and cucumber salad.

This mushroom sandwich comes topped with a luscious Greek-style salad. Make it a meal: Serve with cucumber spears and a glass of Firestone Gewürztraminer.

This recipe combines two popular components of Greek cuisine: souvlaki and tzatziki. Souvlaki consists of skewered, grilled meat, and tzatziki is a yogurt-based sauce traditionally served with grilled meats.

Orzo, a rice-shaped pasta, makes a delightful base for an authentically Greek combination of shrimp, tomatoes and feta. To serve as a side dish, omit the shrimp and drain the tomatoes before adding them.

This frothy delight is a great summer treat when the summer heat makes hot coffee less appealing.

In Greece, moussaka is made with beef or lamb, layers of sliced eggplant and a creamy béchamel sauce all baked together in the oven. This variation takes plenty of liberties to make it easy, quick and healthful. Serve over whole-wheat pasta or with potatoes.

Have a warm-weather supper on the table quickly with this Greek-inspired chicken salad. Feel free to substitute other chopped fresh vegetables, such as broccoli or bell peppers, for the tomatoes or cucumber. Use leftover chicken, store-roasted chicken or quickly poach a couple boneless, skinless chicken breasts while you prepare the rest of the salad. Serve with pita bread and hummus.

The fresh, tangy elements of a Greek salad--tomato, cucumber, feta, olives and lemony vinaigrette--pair well with rich-tasting sardines. Look for sardines with skin and bones (which are edible) as they have more than four times the amount of calcium as skinless, boneless sardines. If you're lucky enough to have fresh sardines available in your supermarket, try them in place of the canned sardines. Lightly dredge them in salt-and-pepper-seasoned flour and sauté them in a little olive oil. Serve with: Warm pita bread and a cold beer.

Briny feta, tangy buttermilk and fresh herbs combine in a yummy dressing for steamed green beans in this healthy side dish recipe. Serve with grilled chicken, pork or steak for an easy dinner.

This attractive, full-bodied dish celebrates the Greek flavors of feta, black olives and plenty of oregano.

Feta and spinach not only add great flavor to these Greek-inspired burgers, but also provide moisture and texture to lean ground bison. The yogurt sauce is a perfect condiment, with much less fat than regular mayonnaise.

Canned tomatoes and frozen chopped onions and lima beans make this hearty side dish a cinch. If you like, make it more substantial with the addition of crumbled feta cheese or chopped Greek olives.

Chicken thighs stay moist and succulent during slow cooking, infusing the accompanying vegetables with superb flavor. This easy braise has a luxurious finish of avgolémono, a versatile Greek sauce made with egg, lemon and fresh dill.

Thinly sliced radishes lend a peppery bite and pretty pink hue to this traditional Greek cucumber yogurt dip recipe. Serve the tzatziki as an appetizer with pita bread, lavash-style flatbread or vegetable crudités, or as a refreshing sauce with grilled fish or chicken.

Quintessential Greek flavors--feta, lemon and dill--combine perfectly in this hearty salad. To complete the Mediterranean mood, try pairing it with a Greek Retsina or a Portuguese Vinho Verde.

Lamb and eggplant are combined in dishes throughout the Mediterranean. Together they deliver a complex, hearty, earthy flavor that's truly satisfying. In this dish, toasted pine nuts and tangy feta cheese are excellent accents.

Lamb loin chops are a healthy alternative to the more popular and more fatty lamb shoulder chops. The loin chops have quite enough flavor to stand up to this herbaceous couscous.

All the flavors of a Greek pizza make these savory muffins bite-size treats for adults and kids alike.

Feta, spinach and dill flavor these tofu patties. Slice some lemon wedges and pick up some whole-wheat pita bread to serve with this Greek-inspired meal.

Homemade broths are easy to whip up with leftover bones and freeze well.

Serve this delicious cheese spread on crostini. Remember to start draining the yogurt the day before blending the cheese.

Sautéed mushrooms, celery and garlic add flavor and help keep calories in check and portions hearty in this easy lamb meatball recipe. We like to serve these meatballs Middle Eastern-style: with warm pita, cucumbers, tomatoes and tzatziki sauce or hummus.

Surprise your taste buds with this Greek twist on the Mexican staple.

In this beautiful grapefruit salad recipe we pair the salty flavor of halloumi cheese with sweet-tart ruby grapefruit and aromatic mint. Halloumi cheese has a texture similar to mozzarella, but it browns rather than melts when it is heated. Look for halloumi in tubs or airtight packs near other imported cheese in large supermarkets.