An unusual healthy recipe with beetroot baked with olive oil!

Serves 6-8

250g boiled beetroot

75g cocoa powder

4 eggs

200 ml. good quality olive oil

180g flour

250g sugar

2 tsps baking powder

1/3 tsp sweet clove powder

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mash the beetroot into a paste (preferably using a mixer) and then mix with the sugar. Put the mixture into a bowl and slowly add the olive oil and mix well with a whisker.

Add the spices, then the eggs and keep mixing. In another bowl mix the flour, baking powder and cocoa power, then pour into the bowl with the beetroot and mix all ingredients together. Empty the mixture into a well greased pan dusted with a little flour.

Bake for 50 minutes at 180^oC. Let the cake cool down and sprinkle caster sugar on top. You can also serve with ice cream. Yummy!

This is a traditional Greek cake recipe with apple, carrot and walnuts baked with olive oil.

Makes about 50 cup cakes or large cake

1 cup of extra virgin olive oil

2 cups of flour

1¾ cups brown sugar

3 eggs

1 cup shredded carrot

2 cups shredded apple

1 tbs ground cinnamon

1 tbs baking powder

1 cup of chopped coarse walnuts

½ cup raisins (optional)

You do not need a mixer. You can easily mix by hand.

In a large bowl mix well the olive oil, sugar and cinnamon. Add the

eggs, flour and baking powder. Lastly throw in the shredded apple,

carrot, walnuts and raisins.

Pour the mix into individual cup cakes or in a large baking tray.

Bake for about 20 minutes for cup cakes or 40 minutes for a big

cake at 170^OC.

This is a healthy dairy-free chocolate mousse recipe by famous Greek Chef Stelios Parliaros.

Serves: 6

270g ounces dark cooking chocolate
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
7 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp brandy
zest of 1 orange or lemon

Melt the chocolate slowly over low heat. Stir the chocolate frequently with a rubber spatula, once the outer edges start to melt. When smooth remove from heat and add olive oil slowly, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Add brandy.

In a bowl beat egg yolks with ½ cup sugar until light and airy. Then add to chocolate mixture. In another bowl beat egg whites with remaining sugar using a mixer at low speed until stiff peaks form. Pour into chocolate mixture along with the orange or lemon zest. Divide mousse evenly among 6 bowls and put in refrigerator to chill.

You can make it a day before and have it ready to pull out after a special dinner! It can also be served with fruit.

Makes: 15  pancakes

2 cups flour
2 cups of milk
4 eggs beaten
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
olive oil


Greek pancakes or tiganites are relatively small and light, a delight served with honey, jam, cinnamon or sugar and lemon.

It is a good idea to sieve the flour first if you have time. Then mix the flour, salt, and baking powder. In another bowl beat eggs. Make a well in the middle of the flour mix, pour the eggs and start whisking. Then gradually add the milk into the centre, still whisking until the mixture has become smooth with no lumps. Brush the pan with olive oil and fry the pancakes 2-3 minutes on each side until light golden. Brush with more oil between batches. Serve with your choice of honey, jam, syrup or sugar and lemon or cinnamon.

This is a traditional halva recipe that Greeks usually make on Clean Monday, the first Monday of Lent.

1 cup olive oil
2 cups semolina
3 cups sugar
4 cups of water
½ cup walnuts finely chopped
2 cinnamon sticks
3 cloves
2 tsp ground cinnamon
juice of ½ lemon

To make the syrup put water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves and lemon juice into a pan. Bring to boil and cook for 2-3 minutes at high heat. Let the syrup cool down and take the spices out.

In the meantime in another big pan heat up the olive oil and then slowly add the semolina. Keep mixing with a wooden spoon until the semolina becomes golden brown and always careful not to get it stuck at the bottom of the pan. Slowly pour the syrup into the big pan, taking care of the hot fumes! Stir well until the syrup is fully absorbed and the mix has become crumbly. Add the walnuts and the ground cinnamon and mix well.

Take a tray and sprinkle some ground cinnamon and walnuts at the bottom. Place the mixture into a tray and push down to take a nice shape. When it cools down you can reverse the halva onto a serving plate. You can serve it in strips.