Baked Greek Scalloped Potatoes

I put my wholefoods spin on this classic Greek side dish which my kids adore!

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Ingredients:

500g potatoes
200g onions
100ml tomato puree
50ml extra virgin cold pressed olive oil
50ml chicken bone broth
Unrefined salt
Cracked pepper
Cinnamon powder

Directions:

Preheat onion to 150 degrees Celsius. Line 2 large oven proof baking dishes with baking paper. 

Ensure potatoes and onions are roughly the same size. No need to peel organic potatoes but do give them a little scrub or rinse in filtered water to remove any obvious soil.

Use a mandolin to thinly and evenly slice the potatoes. (I like the small Borner mandolin made in Germany sold at most homeware stores).

Peel the onions and thinly slice with a mandolin. 

Layer the potatoes and the onions in the baking trays so that for every 3 slices of potatoes add one slice of onion. Continue to layer in a scalloped fashion until all of the potatoes and onions are used up (you may need to use slightly less or more potatoes and onions depending on how tightly you layer).  

Blend the tomato puree, olive oil and bone broth together in food processor or in a small container with a stick blender and pour over the veggies to coat them evenly. 

Season liberally with salt and pepper and a small sprinkling of cinnamon powder (the secret spice!). 

Bake uncovered at 150 degrees Celsius for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender and a rich rosy colour.

Serves 6 as a side.

Cypriot Flaounes (cheese and currant slices)

This is a uniquely Cypriot recipe served at Greek Easter. I took my mama’s traditional recipe and “wholefoodised” it to make it gluten-free and maximise nutrient-density. I think of this as a healthy bread /slice with a slightly sweet twist.  As a result kids LOVE it!

Traditionally each flaouna is made individually in the shape of a square about an inch heigh, but for convenience I simply pour the batter into a square baking tray and cut them up in the desired size after they are cooked. 

Ingredients:

• 300g Reggiano Parmigiano (parmesan) cheese (or other cheese or combination of cheeses), roughly chopped

• 1.5 cups (250g) of activated savoury buckwheat 

• 1 cup whole full fat milk

• 1 cup Greek style full fat yogurt (255g Meredith Sheeps Milk European set yogurt with the blue lid)

• ½ cup extra virgin cold pressed olive oil

• ¾ cup (125g) currants (or 100g sultanas)

• 4 eggs

• 1 bunch (approx 50g) mint leaves, roughly chopped, stems removed

• Sesame seeds for decorating the top of the loaf, preferably activated

Directions:

Rehydrate currants/sultanas to bring them back to wholefoods by soaking them in a bowl of filtered water for several hours or overnight then discard soaking water. 

Process activated buckwheat in a nut grinder or Theromix until it resembles a soft fine flour and add it to a large mixing bowl.

Beat the eggs with stick blender, or process them in a food processor or Theromix until fluffy and add to the large mixing bowl.

Grate the cheese by processing it in a food processor or Theromix then add to the large mixing bowl.

Add the rest of the ingredients (other than sesame seeds) to the large mixing bowl and stir until they are well combined to form a batter. 

Pour batter into a 20cm2 square cake tin or rectangular loaf tin lined with baking paper and liberally scatter sesame seeds on top. Alternatively, pour batter into cupcake/muffins cases then scatter with sesame seeds. Makes approx 20-27 muffins depending on size. 

Bake at 180 degrees for 60 mins or until a skewer comes out clean. For a double batch bake for 1 hour 20 minutes. 

Place under heated grill element to brown the top of the slice (if desired). 

Allow to cool before cutting into large square segments of about 10 cm2 (for square cake tin) or 1 inch slices (for loaf tin). Serve at room temperature.

Slices can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days before requiring refrigeration. They can be frozen up to 3 months. 

If you make these please tag me in your post as I’d love to see them. Happy gluten-free Greek Easter! Remember – this is not about deprivation, it’s about healthy swaps! ;-) 

Potato salad with home-made mayonnaise

Cooked and cooled potatoes are an excellent source of resistant starch, a prebiotic that helps feed the probiotics (good bacteria) in our gut. Potato salad is one easy and yummy way to incorporate cooked and cooled potatoes into your diet. It readily lends itself for school or work lunches, eaten straight from the fridge as leftovers or prepared ahead of time for every day dinners, dinner parties or picnic lunches.

Ingredients:

• 1 potato, cut into 1cm cubes (approx 150g)

• ½ carrot, cut lengthways then into rounds

• ¼ cup peas (you can buy frozen organic peas in most organic shops)

• 1-2 rashes of pastured bacon or rounds of diced pastured ham (optional)

• tallow (or natural fat of choice) for frying bacon

• 1-2 tablespoons home made mayonnaise (see recipe below)

• unrefined salt

• cracked pepper

Directions:

Steam potato, carrots and peas until soft. Add to a bowl.

Meanwhile, dice bacon and stir fry in a small saucepan in tallow (or fat of choice) until cooked. Add to the bowl. If using ham instead of bacon add it to the bowl.

Mix ingredients in bowl to combine.

Refrigerate for 24 hours to allow resistant starch properties of the cooked and cooled potatoes to form. When ready to consume, stir through mayonnaise and season with any additional salt and pepper.

Serves 1-2 depending if consuming as a side or a main.

Note: I tend not to peel the skin on potatoes unless they are particularly grubby / full of soil. This typically depends on the variety of the potato. Sometimes a little scrub with a brush and water is enough to remove excess dirt.

Mayonnaise

Ingredients:

• 3 egg yolks

• 1 tsp Dijon style mustard

• 1.5 tbsps lemon juice

• 1 tbsp whey (optional)

• 1/8 tsp unrefined salt

• cracked pepper

• ¾ cup olive oil

Directions:

Blend together all ingredients, other than the olive oil, with a hand held blender. With the blender still running, very slowly pour in the olive oil a little at a time. The result should be a thick creamy paste.

Makes 1 cup. Keep refrigerated.

Note: Without the whey, mayonnaise will keep for about 2 weeks. The addition of whey will help your mayonnaise last longer, adds enzymes and increases nutrient content. With the whey, mayonnaise keeps for several weeks in the fridge and will become firmer with time.