Family Meal Plan: Epic Greek Spanakorizo Rice + Triumphant Tomato Feta Salad + Fruit Ambrosia Shakes

Epic Greek Spanakorizo Rice

Happy & Healthy Cooking,

Fun-Da-Mentals Kitchen Skills

• blend :

  to stir together two or more ingredients until just combined; blending is a gentler process than mixing.

• chop :

  to cut something into small, rough pieces using a blade.

• crumble :

  to break up food into small pieces, like bacon, crackers, or feta cheese.

• measure :

  to calculate the specific amount of an ingredient required using a measuring tool (like measuring cups or spoons).

• pour :

  to cause liquid, granules, or powder to stream from one container into another.

• season :

  to add flavor to food with spices, herbs, and salt.

• simmer :

  to cook a food gently, usually in a liquid, until softened.

• stir :

  to mix together two or more ingredients with a spoon or spatula, usually in a circle pattern, or figure eight, or in whatever direction you like!

• tear :

  to pull or rip apart a food, like basil leaves, into pieces instead of cutting with a knife; cutting breaks cell walls more, so herbs can discolor faster.

• toast :

  to brown and crisp food in a heated skillet or oven, or in a toaster.

• whisk :

  to beat or stir ingredients vigorously with a fork or whisk to mix, blend, or incorporate air.

What is Spanakorizo?

• Spanakorizo is a Greek spinach and rice dish that originated in Greece. The Greek word "spanakorizo" means "spinach with rice." It is considered comfort food but can be eaten either hot, warm, or cold. Along with the rice and spinach, spanakorizo always includes dill and is often topped with feta cheese. Other ingredients may consist of lemon, onion, or tomatoes (or tomato sauce).

Let's Learn About Greece!

Ancient Greece

• Ancient Greece was a civilization in the northeastern Mediterranean region that existed from about 1100 BCE to 600 CE. Democracy began there in Athens in the 5th century BCE.
• The first Olympics were dedicated to the Olympian gods and were staged on the plains of Olympia. Ancient Olympic sports included running, chariot racing, mule-cart racing, boxing, discus throw, long jump, wrestling, and pankration, a wild cross between wrestling and boxing with no rules except biting and eye-gouging!
• A few of the well-known figures from this period were: Alexander the Great, who ruled over the whole empire from 336 to 323 BCE; Hippocrates, a physician referred to as the Father of Medicine; Herodotus, called the Father of History, who wrote his "Histories" about the Greco-Persian wars; Socrates, considered the founder of Western Philosophy; Plato, an author and philosopher who founded the first academy of higher learning in the West; Aristotle, a student of Plato's who also founded a school of philosophy; and Thales, a mathematician, astronomer, philosopher, and one of the Seven Sages of Greece.  

Modern Greece

• Greece, in Southeast Europe, is officially called the Hellenic Republic. Its government is a unitary parliamentary republic with a president, prime minister, and parliament. The capital and largest city is Athens, and the official language is Greek.
• Greece declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1821 and was recognized as an independent country in 1830. 
• The size of Greece is about the same as the US state of Alabama but has twice as many people, over 10.5 million. 
• The country of Greece consists of 6,000 islands, but only 227 are inhabited. Nearly 80 percent of the country is hills and mountains. 
• About four-fifths of the people live in urban areas in Greece, and almost everyone is literate.
• Greece has three times the number of annual tourists (about 31 million) as residents. It is one of the most-visited countries.
• Greece is the third-largest producer of peaches and the fifth-largest producer of olives in the world. 
• In the past, most Greeks were farmers, and they ate the food that they grew. Since Greece had a mild climate, they could grow many different fruits and vegetables as long as they got enough rain. Vegetables were a considerable part of the Greek diet and still are. Most Greeks eat a Mediterranean diet that includes plenty of olive oil, legumes, fruits, veggies, grains, and fish. They generally consume less dairy and meat.
• Greek cuisine includes "fasolada" (soup of white beans, olive oil, and veggies), "moussaka" (eggplant or potato dish with ground or minced meat), "souvlaki" (grilled meat on a skewer), and "gyros" (pita bread filled with meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie, veggies, and tzatziki sauce). 

What's It Like to Be a Kid in Greece?

• Greek kids have three stages of education: primary school for six years, gymnasium (junior high) for three years, and lyceum (senior high) for three years (this stage is not mandatory).
• Kids may participate in sports such as soccer, basketball, baseball, swimming, and handball. 
• There are many museums and ancient sites to explore in Greece. Families love being outdoors and enjoy hiking and going to the many beaches. 
• There are several different sweets that Greek children enjoy. These include "pasteli" (sesame seed candy), "bougatsa" and "galaktoboureko" (phyllo pastries filled with semolina custard), and "baklava" (nut-filled phyllo pastry soaked in a honey syrup).