Secrets of Fat-Free Greek Cooking by Elaine Gavalas

Although not a new cookbook, my interest in “Secrets of Fat-Free Greek Cooking” was piqued by its title (this is one in a series of cookbooks on fat-free cooking). Fat-free Greek cooking seemed to me to be an oxymoron or even a Greek myth. Was I right?
A Greek Paradox?
When I think of Greek cuisine, I think of succulent lamb dishes, creamy moussakas and pastitsios, lots of olives, and heavenly Greek yogurt containing an alarming amount of saturated fat. The Greeks also use liberal amounts of olive oil in their cooking—pretty much measuring it by the cupful rather than the tablespoon, making Rachael Ray’s use of her EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil in Rachael-speak) on the Food Network seem miserly. But a secret lurks somewhere, as the Greeks are a healthy bunch, with much lower instances of diet-related illness and obesity than the United States, and a longer life-expectancy, too. We do know that olive oil is considered a heart-healthy fat that can counter the harmful effects of saturated fats in our diets. But a fat is still a fat in terms of calories, and needs to be used sparingly. There must be something else. (See more below …)
Secrets Revealed
So what are the secrets to fat-free Greek cooking? Well, the book’s title, which is one in a series by the Avery Publishing Group, is slightly misleading. While the recipes are undoubtedly low fat, they are not, in most cases, strictly fat free, as defined by the “less than 0.5g per serving” labeling rule, which appears in an early section of the book. Really, we’re looking at the secrets of low fat Greek cooking, entrenched in the rural Greek diet, which the author, Elaine Gavalas, explains in her book and also in an interview, very well.
The rural Greek diet is quite different to what we see in prime tourist spots. It emphasizes whole grains, beans, fruit, vegetables, fish, some dairy, and actually very little meat, making it naturally low in fat. Here are just a few examples from Ms. Gavalas’s recipes:
• Eggplant Salad
• Stuffed Grape Leaves
• Lemon Chicken Soup
• Spinach Phyllo Pie
• Shrimp with Orzo
• Shellfish Stew
• Chicken Souvlaki
• Village Cucumber Salad
• Orzo Salad
And where she features recipes that usually require heavy inputs from high-fat foods, Ms. Gavalas has quite a few workarounds to lower the fat in those dishes, without compromising their authenticity. See her recipe for Pastitsio, a beef and pasta dish, for example.
The Wisdom of Pericles
Ms. Gavalas is guided by the two golden rules of Pericles: “In all things, moderation is best.” and “Know thyself.” Balance is the key. If you use fat in one place, reduce it in another. She advises us to budget our fat intake, but she also reminds us that it’s actually unhealthy to take in less than 20 grams of fat a day. Some fat in our diet is necessary for optimal health. Ms. Gavalas lists common Greek ingredients, explaining their use and how to substitute them if necessary. She reminds us that even when there’s no real low fat version of a particular ingredient, it’s ok to use sparing amounts of the full-fat version. Kefaloteri cheese is one example she uses. It has a strong flavor, so a little goes a long way. And if you’re really set on a low fat substitute that will yield authentic results, she offers quite a few acceptable alternatives.
Mythbusting
Throughout the book, we learn snippets of Greek culture, and how foods are tied in with it. We find out which foods are reserved for holidays and which ones are never eaten on particular occasions. I discovered that my assumptions about traditional Greek cuisine were indeed largely misplaced. The lamb dishes, moussakas and pastitsios that I referred to in the beginning are not everyday foods, at least in rural Greece. Meat tends to be eaten on Sundays or on special occasions, and sparingly. According to religious custom, it’s never eaten on Wednesdays and Fridays, nor during Lent. Pastitsio tends to be a holiday dish, and Nancy Gaifyllia, About’s Guide to Greek Food, who lives on Crete, says she makes moussaka perhaps once every six months.
Ms. Gavalas has written a practical and engaging low fat cookbook, with lots of tips and suggestions, and plenty of insight into Greek culture and tradition. The illustrations are fun (and some are informative), and there are enough photos to showcase her many recipes. If you have an interest in Greek food or in low fat cooking in general, this book would make an interesting and useful addition to your cookbook library.

Source: http://lowfatcooking.about.com/od/lowfatcookingtools/fr/fatfreegreekcoo.htm

Leading Philippines Wine Supplier Yats Wine Cellars based in Clark Philippines with outlets in Angeles City, Subic Freeport and Manila Philippines has been not only a wine shop for fine wines covering all major wine regions but also a source of reliable and useful information about wine, wine appreciation, wine accessories, wine and health, food and wine pairing and all other matters relating to wine and its appreciation. This Philippines Clark Freeport based Wine Supplier and Wine Shop frequently holds public wine tasting events in Pampana Clark Freeport Zone, Angeles City, Subic Bay area, Makati, Fort Bonifacio and other areas in Philippines capital city Manila. Private Wine events such as private wine tasting and private wine dinners are also designed and organized for private clientele for their wine loving guests.

This wine shop in Angeles Clark Philippines is also renowned for a very unique product called Vintage Beer which many characterize as “Champagne beer” because it comes in a bottle with a Champagne stopper and metal restrainer. Vintage beers are top-of-the-line luxury beers bottle-conditioned for a slow fermentation to take place inside the bottle, a process that is very similar to Champagne which is designed to not only create the bubbles but also for an amazing complexity and depth of flavors.

For fans of Port and Sauternes, this wine shop in Clark Pampanga has a large selection of vintage port, Sauternes and Barsac as well as Eiswein/Icewine from Austria and Germany. Likewise, there is a good selection of Vintage Champagne at the wine shoppers’ disposal in the cellars of this wine shop in Clark Pampanga.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com