Green Monday 2011

Green Monday not only marks the beginning of the greek orthodox Lent, but also presents the perfect opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors, have picnics, eat lots of vegetables, dress up, and maybe fly a kite. Today was a typical early spring day, slightly windy albeit perfect for flying a kite, with occasional showers in Larnaca and long sunny spells in-between. I woke  to bright blue skies and had breakfast in the sun, but, as per usual in early March, the sunshine gave way to rain, yet  by lunchtime the sun was back again or almost. At least, it wasn't cold and it wasn't raining! Alkis and I had invited some good friends to celebrate and, of course, I had planned lunch outdoors. I spent all morning cooking but when I cook for good friends, it's a real pleasure.

Here are some of the dishes I prepared:

Chick Peas with Spinach - Revithia Me Spanaki

Ingredients

• 2 cups chick peas
• 3 bunches of spinach
• salt and pepper

Directions

• Soak the chick peas in water overnight.
• Drain, place them in a medium pan and cover them with water.
• Bring to the boil on high heat, then cover and reduce the heat to medium-low.
• Cook for about 45 minutes, then add salt, pepper and the spinach.
• Cook for 20 minutes with the pan uncovered.
• Drain and serve hot or cold with some olive oil and fresh lemon juice.

Spring Salad - Anixiatiki Salata

Ingredients

• half of a small red cabbage
• half of a small green cabbage
• 2 bunches of rocket
• 4 red onions cut in rings
• 4-5 radishes 

Directions

• Finely grate the cabbage in the blender.
• Finely cut the rocket leaves with a sharp knife.
• Cut the onions in fine rings.
• In a glass bowl put one layer of onions, one layer of red cabbage and salt to taste, one layer of rocket and salt to taste, cover with the green cabbage and salt to taste.
• Decorate with radishes.
• In the blender mix salad herbs, some olive oil and the juice of three lemons and pour over the salad before serving.

Serve everything with lagana

 

Comments

[Account Deleted]

Is it cold in Greece at this time? It looks like a sunny, warm beautiful day in that picture. Spring comes earlier there? How I love spinach.....thanks for this recipe.
Hope you have a beautiful week!

[Stefania]

Your salads are lovely! I could eat them both in a day! We went for a picnic in the fields but were caught in the rain, so we had to drive all the way back home which spoilt part of the fun. Sounds like it didn't rain a lot in Larnaca.

[Laura]

I wish I were one of your guests! Everything looks so inviting. I'll certainly try your spinach salad with chick peas...yet another greek recipe to surprise my family with. Thanks to your Monday's recipes, they're now beginning to love greek food, including my youngest son who would only eat fish and chips or bangers and mash! I'll look for the bread - not sure I can find it in Yorkshire. take care, dear.

[Haruko N]

Green Monday sounds like a healthy-eating day with all these vegetables I can see on your table. What are chick peas??

[Karolina]

I love the flowers in the vase and all that spring air in your post. I generally love all vegetables but spinach is my favorite. I have never tried it with chick peas, though. Sounds a great option. I also had a great time in Xanthi enjoying the great carnival parade on Sunday and a picnic on Monday. It was very cold in my area but we had so much fun and I even flew a kite!!

[Lakis Ioannou]

I had a very traditional green monday in the mountains where I spent the long weekend with the family. It was too cold to sit outside but we enjoyed the snow, the food and some great village wine.

[Jean-Paul Bouvier]

Chez nous, c'est le Mardi Gras. Le Mardi Gras en France est un jour plus faste que dans les autres pays européens:la coutume veut que l’on se déguise, que l’on savoure de bons plats … Bref, que l’on s’amuse à volonté!Pour le dernier jour avant la période de Carême,les catholiques et tous ceux qui veulent faire la fête,organisent de délicieux repas et des défilés.Le Mardi Gras est associé aux carnavals:les déguisements,les parades,les orchestres et les fanfares défilent dans les rues.Les masques servaient à incarner d’autres personnages le temps d’une fête. Selon la tradition,tous les types de plaisirs sont autorisés durant le Mardi Gras en prévision de la longue période de Carême. C'est pourquoi c'est aussi la fête des crêpes!

Comme les œufs ne sont pas autorisés lors du jeûne du Carême, les chrétiens avaient l’habitude de les utiliser durant le Mardi Gras. C’est de cette manière que les gâteaux et friandises,plus particulièrement les crêpes,sont devenus des mets de Mardi Gras.Servis avec du sucre,de la confiture, de la crème ou présentées en gâteau, elles font le bonheur des gourmands. Toutes sortes de fritures sucrées, bugnes ou beignets aux fruits sont aussi au menu.

[Anastasia]

Spring usually comes earlier in Cyprus than in Greece, but it looks as if we're into a cold spell these days! It was 5*C (41*F) at 9:00 pm tonight but on Green Monday the weather was pretty moody! Sunny for a while, then rainy, then stormy on the coast and I hear it's been snowing in the mountains! I also love spinach very much!

[Anastasia]

I was preparing lunch for eight people when it started to rain at about 11 am. But thank God it stopped raining by lunchtime! The sun was on and off but we enjoyed our outdoor lunch, anyway.

[Anastasia]

I'm glad your family likes greek food!

[Anastasia]

Chick peas are perhaps better known by their name garbanzo beans. They are roundish, beige to light green, members of the legume family grown primarily in parts of West Asia, India, and in the Mediterranean. Most are familiar with chick peas as either used whole in salads, or ground up to make the popular Middle Eastern dish hummus.

[Anastasia]

...and just when I thought Spring was on the way, March surprised us today with a cold spell, grey skies and a stormy day...it felt like winter!

[Anastasia]

That's what Green Monday is for, after all. A day to celebrate and have fun .... regardless of the weather!

[Anastasia]

A Chypre, c'est le contraire. Le premier jour du Carême on commence le jeun, on ne mange donc que des legumes et des fruits de mer. Je te remercie de tout coeur d'avoir partagé les coutumes et les traditions françaises.

[Kim]

What a beautiful post. Your salads look absolutely amazing! Thank you for your comment, it definitely gave me hope. :) Happy Thursday, Anastasia.

[Anastasia]

Don't give up hope, Kim, and always think that the best is yet to come! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post.

[Phivos Nicolaides]

Inviting dishes with a high food calories though!!

[Anastasia]

Not really, Phivo, apart from some olive oil.... the lagana excepted!!!