Did you know that Shakespeare was the first to pen “It was Greek to me.”? Yup. You can look it up in Julius Caesar.  For today’s meals we dream of feasting with the gods of classical Greece.  And after you enjoy the omelette and the Meze meal, I hope you will say, “It was delicious to me.”

Creamy Greek Omelette  292 cal.     10.3 g. fat     18.9 g. protein    30.9 g. carb                               Oh boy is this yummy! The feta lends a tang to the eggs, while the cottage cheese gives a wonderful melting texture. A real treat.

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                                               3/8 oz feta cheese                                                                                                                                                   1 ½ Tbsp non-fat cottage cheese                                                                                                                     Greek oregano, salt, pepper                                                                                                                                  ½ slice 70-calorie bread [I like Nature’s Own multigrain]                                                                            1 1/2 oz of apple                                                                                                                                                           5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                                                               blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water

Mince the feta and combine with cottage cheese and oregano. Spritz a non-stick skillet with oil or non-stick spray and heat the pan over medium-low heat. Beat the eggs well with 1 spoonful of the cheese mixture using a rotary mixer. Pour the eggs into the pan and let cook undisturbed until the edges set. Lift the edges gently to allow the uncooked egg to flow underneath. Before the top surface sets, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put dollops of the cheese mixture on half the omelette and make an attempt to spread it out. Fold the omelette in half and continue to heat in the pan. Filling will heat and may ooze out a bit. Brew and pour your beverages. Plate the apple and the omelette. Oh yum.

Meze Meal         297 calories            10 g. fat            36 g protein           21.8 g carb               ‘Mezedakia’ is a bit like the Greek equivalent of Spanish Tapas. Small servings chosen from multiple small plates which make it easy to eat on a hot Mediterranean night. Well, we don’t live on a vast inland sea, but we’ll take good low calorie, low fat, delicious food where ever we can find it. There are lots of good recipes in the book Meze by Rosemary Barron.

1/4 cup white beans    I like Goya brand                                                                                                  ½ Tbsp capers                                                                                                                                                    1 oz marinated mushrooms                                                                                                                          3 oz tomato, cubed                                                                                                                              generous pinch Greek oregano                                                                                                                   3 oz cooked shrimp [or 2 oz cooked chicken breast]                                                                                1 oz mozzerella cheese [or use feta, same amount]                                                                                   1 ½ oz lemon-marinated carrots                                                                                                   marinade: 1 tsp olive oil + 1 tsp lemon juice + pinch of granulated garlic + pinch oregano

Combine the white beans with the capers in a small bowl. In another bowl, combine the tomatoes and the oregano. Slice the carrots into 2″ logs or coins and cook until tender. Drain and combine with the marinade in a small jar with a lid. Shake well, remove the lid and let the carrots cool in the marinade. Attend to the shrimp by cooking it and removing the shells, if necessary. Drain the marinade from the jar and pour it over the shrimp. Plate the ingredients to please the eye. Look at photos of the Agean Sea….