Take eighty-seven ambrosial recipes designed for the needs and appetites of everyday cooks, leaven with delectable anecdotes about the Greek lifestyle, then pepper with revealing scientific insight, and the result is Greek Revival: Cooking for Life-an appetising introduction to wonderful flavours and health benefits of the traditional Mediterranean diet. Patricia Moore-Pastides, an accomplished cook and public-health professional, presents dozens of easy-to-make and impossible-to-resist recipes that infuse a healthful diet with the enticement of great taste.

Greek Revival showcases a pantheon of healthy recipes, accompanied by beautiful color illustrations, helpful preparation techniques, and tips for making the most of familiar ingredients, from colourful fresh fruits and vegetables, to whole grains, beans, and seafood. These natural flavours are enhanced by rich extra-virgin olive oil, so the delectable dishes are savoured without guilt. Following Greek tradition, meat is not eliminated from the diet, but rather saved for special occasion, and you will find a variety of succulent and creative meat recipes in Greek Revival as well. Always mindful of time, health, and budget, the author makes wonderful use of natural, minimally processed ingredients readily found in most neighbourhood supermarkets. Recipes include dolmades (grape leaves stuffed with cracked wheat and pine nuts), imam baildi (caramelised eggplant), gemista (vegetables stuffed with barley and mint), xifias souvlaki (herbed swordfish kebabs), tavas (oven-roasted onion, tomato and lamb stew), karidopita (spiced walnut cake), and many more.

Throughout the book Moore-Pastides shares lively stories of her days living in Greece and Cyprus that exemplify the enduring charm of an Old World lifestyle. Through her tales we see a snapshot of a world lost to fast-paced modern living, and we are introduced to the health benefits of the Mediterranean lifestyle. Her observations are supported with illuminating summaries of current scientific research. Health-conscious readers looking to improve their diets and protect themselves from the perils of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease will find hope in the author’s research, presented in a way that is accessible and inspiring.

In Greek Revival, Moore-Pastides happily eliminates the frustration and deprivation so often associated with dieting and gives us instead a fresh and exciting approach to a lifestyle wherein food is healthy, simple, and most of all, delicious.