I took this awesome Greek-inspired salsa to a pool party recently. Dang, it’s good! I chose to make it because it’s super easy and I had all the makings for it. It’s a perfect summertime appetizer!!!

I followed the recipe for the salsa except that I didn’t have the fresh oregano so I used a little extra fresh dill and parsley. I also added some chopped red bell pepper and a few dashes of dried red pepper flakes for some zip. If you want the salsa to have a bit more tang, add a few dashes of red wine vinegar.

The recipe calls for making fresh pita chips but I didn’t feel like turning on the oven so I served it with store-bought pita chips. Next time I’ll make my own, though, because the store-bought kind were too small and fragile to hold much of the salsa. Bigger pita squares or triangles would work much better. Enjoy!

Greek Salad Salsa with Toasted Pita Chips
-recipe from San Francisco Flavors: Favorite Recipes from The Junior League of San Francisco

This zesty blend of feta cheese, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, and parsley is a wonderful alternative to guacamole and chips. If, by chance, there is any left over, pulse it in a blender or food processor and use as a sauce for grilled fish. Serves 6 to 8.

8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1 1/2 cups)
1 large ripe tomato, seeded and chopped
3 scallions, thinly sliced, including green portions
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano
2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/3 cup olive oil
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Toasted Pita Chips (recipe follows)

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients except the pita chips and gently mix.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to one day.

Toasted Pita Chips
You might want to double this recipe — these chips disappear quickly! Make them the night before you plan to serve them, and leave them in the turned-off oven overnight. Makes about 40 chips.

1 package mini pita breads
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Garlic powder, dried
Dill, and paprika to taste

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Cut the pita rounds in half. Cut each half again into thirds, then separate each piece to make two bite-sized chips. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat each chip with the melted butter.

Lay the chips in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Dust with the garlic powder, dill, and paprika. Place in the oven and turn the oven off. Do not open the oven door until the oven is completely cool and chips are crisp, about 4 hours or overnight. If the chips are still soft, repeat cooking process, preheating oven to 200 degrees F.

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Tags: Appetizer, black olives, cucumber, dill, Feta cheese, lemon, olive oil, oregano, parsley, pita bread, scallions, tomato

Feta Wheat-Berry Salad, which is basically a Greek salad with the addition of wheat berries, is one of my favorite summer recipes. Wheat berries are whole kernels of wheat without the hull, are an excellent source of fiber, and have a chewy texture when cooked. My folks went through a health food kick when I was growing up so Mom snuck wheat berries into a variety of foods (homemade bread, casseroles, hot cereal, etc.).

I pretty much follow the recipe for the salad except for reducing the amount of red onions to 1/4 cup, substituting 1/2 cup fresh red bell peppers for the roasted peppers, and increasing the olives to 1/3 cup (I use kalamata olives). For the veggies, I chop them into small pieces (instead of julienning), and I usually just use Italian parsley (not a blend of herbs). I always let the cooked wheat berries cool before making the salad. Enjoy!

Feta Wheat-Berry Salad
-recipe from Gourmet Magazine

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

1 cup wheat, spelt, or rye berries (available at natural foods stores)
1/2 cup diced Feta (about 2 ounces)
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion (I use 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup julienne strips of seedless cucumber
5 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup julienne strips of drained bottled roasted red pepper (I use 1/2 cup fresh red bell pepper)
1/4 cup mixed minced fresh herbs such as parsley, mint, and dill plus herb sprigs for garnish
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped pitted brine-cured black olives (I use 1/3 cup chopped Kalamata olives)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
dried hot red pepper flakes to taste

In a kettle of boiling salted water cook the wheat berries for 1 hour, or until they are tender, and drain them. In a large bowl stir together the wheat berries, the Feta, the onion, the cucumber, the oil, the roasted pepper, the minced herbs, the lemon juice, the vinegar, the olives, the cumin, the garlic, the red pepper flakes, and salt to taste and garnish the salad with the herb sprigs.

Tags: black olives, cucumber, cumin, Feta cheese, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, red bell pepper, red onion, red wine vinegar, Salad, Side Dish, wheat berry

This is a great salad…delicious, beautiful, and perfect for summer! I used leftover regrigerated cooked rice (about 3 cups), substituted 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano for the 1 teaspoon of fresh, used both red onion and green onion, added a splash of red wine vinegar and some sliced sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil.  I used jasmine rice but basmati rice would also be really good. Be sure to scoop the seeds out of the cuke or you’ll end up with a watery salad. Also, go easy on the salt because both the feta cheese and kalamata olives are salty; mix it all together than season to taste. For a mexi version, add corn, black beans, sliced pimento-stuffed green olives, a little cumin and cilantro; omit the cuke, spinach, kalamata olives and feta. Enjoy!

Mediterranean Rice Salad
-recipe from Sunset Magazine
 
The bright flavors of this dish make it the perfect side dish for anything grilled.

Yield:  Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 cups chopped spinach leaves
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

In a medium saucepan, bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add 1/2 tsp. salt and the rice. Turn heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork.

In a large bowl, whisk lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, pepper, pepper flakes, and remaining teaspoon of salt.

Add rice to dressing and toss to combine. Add spinach, toss, and let sit until no longer steaming, about 20 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Serve at room temperature or cold.

Tags: cucumber, kalamata olives, Mediterranean, red pepper, rice, rice salad, Side Dish