I just love books! My dad gave me my first positive thinking book when I was ten and I’ve been hooked every since. It was the Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale – how one’s thoughts create our reality and if you can believe it you can achieve it. My father who was the son of Immigrant parents – and didn’t go to college said whenever he wanted to learn something he would see if there was a book written on it and there usually was. I feel the same way. I love reading a good book and I have quite an extensive library of books that have inspired me. Thank goodness for my library card because I’ve run out of bookcase space to hold more books. I see myself as an archaeologist of the soul – who enjoys unearthing my soul’s essence and inspiring others to discover the treasures within. Books have had a very positive impact on my life, which is part of the reason I was inspired to write my first book Diary of A Modern Day Goddess – a lighthearted guide to nurturing your body, mind and soul. I know the impact of positive words and ideas on one’s life and I wanted to share with other’s what I’ve learned so I could contribute to their well-being through the use of my writing, speaking, TV work and wisdom.

I have many books that I love but I just chose a few for this video. They include Broken Open, by Elizabeth Lesser which I learned about on Oprah, You Can Heal Your Life by self-help pioneer Louise Hay who discovered that loving one’s self is the way to heal every area of your life, The Success Principles by Mega-successful Coach and Chicken Soup for the Soul co-creator Jack Canfield who offers the tried-and true steps that make living a successful life attainable, Being a goddess who love to cook – The Oprah Magazine Cookbook – Yum!, the inspiring stories and recipes from – The Hallelujah Table by Dr. Maya Angelou who I had the honor of meeting when this gracious icon came to speak in Santa Barbara. Then The Daily Word of Unity’s prayerful affirmations, Time for Joy Affirmations and one of my favorite authors from the early 1900′s who was part of the New Thought movement – Florence Scovel Shinn’s The Game of Life. She has powerful affirmations and stories that always inspire me. One of her affirmations that I say often is may “The divine plan of my life now manifest under grace in perfect ways!” She defined the divine plan of one’s life as perfect health, wealth, love, and self-expression. So I hope I’ve inspired you to read, learn or remember your favorite books. Feel free to let me know what books have inspired you and I thank all of you who continue to share how my book has inspired you. It makes my heart very happy to know my words have helped or inspired you. From one goddess to another, I Bless You! Cynthia

The Montecito Inn, one of Santa Barbara’s landmark boutique luxury hotels, tastefully combines the history of Charlie Chaplin, who built the in Inn in 1928, with an elegant Mediterranean charm.

My husband Jim and I feel fortunate to already live in Santa Barbara and when it comes time to plan a romantic getaway, we often find that Santa Barbara is so beautiful why not have a “staycation” in our town of paradise. This time we chose The Montecito Inn. Being of Mediterranean descent and film lovers, we also enjoyed the Mediterranean design and the feeling as if we had stepped into a time capsule of Hollywood’s Golden Years of Film. We enjoyed the Charlie Chaplin movie posters in the hallways, the original and still operating 1927 Otis elevator, the history about Charlie Chaplin and the Inn’s first guests that ranged from the Who’s Who of Hollywood’s Golden Years such as Carole Lombard and Norma Shearer.

In our room, black and white framed photos of Montecito of yesteryears decorated the wall, which helped us picture what the Inn’s surroundings once looked like. The Inn is located on Montecito’s upscale Coast Village Road and back then it was called Old Coast Village Road and was the only major highway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. For guests, The Montecito Inn’s location is ideal since it is only steps away from fine dining, boutique shops and a breathtaking beach. The beauty of the Santa Barbara with its majestic mountain views, beaches, culinary and cultural offerings makes the area a destination for travelers around the world and especially those in California looking for a romantic getaway.

Danny Copus, General Manager of the family run Montecito Inn says the Inn has a variety of accommodations. “We have room styles for everyone from those on a weekend getaway to a those on a longer trip to ‘A‘ list celebrities who enjoy staying in the private Tower Suite apartment.” The inn has 61 rooms that include 9 luxury award-winning suites.

Bedroom inside the Tower Suite apartment at the Montecito Inn

Marble Bathroom witha Charlie Chaplin touch in one of the Montecito Inn suites

We enjoyed touring the property and seeing the suites with their arched windows, French doors, spacious Italian marble bathroom with spa bathtubs and many of the suites had custom fireplaces. The Tower suite apartment has 2 bedrooms, a sitting room, kitchen, dining area and stunning views of the ocean and mountains that can be enjoyed on the patio.

At the Montecito Inn, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Our room was a Mountain View Queen with lovely views of the Mountains and colorful window flower boxes.

Enjoying a goddess moment of relaxation in our cozy Montecito Inn room.

Our Queen Mountain View Inn Room

The Mediterranean style furnishings were elegant and our bed plush. I enjoyed a relaxing bath in the sunny bathroom decorated with hand-painted tiles. The service of the staff was excellent and we enjoyed the self-serve gourmet coffee and herbal tea that was available anytime in the lobby. In the morning we had a continental breakfast in the light filled Montecito Café, which is located within the Inn. The Montecito Café is independently owned by husband and wife team Mark and Margaret Huston, both graduates of the California Culinary Academy, who create a simple and delicious California-Mediterranean menu. Many of the café’s menu items are available on the Inn’s room service menu.

Being locals we have enjoyed many delicious meals at the Montecito Café located within the Inn – including one of our first lunch dates that included their delicious spinach & grilled homemade lamb Sausage salad with marinated tomatoes, olives with a lemon goat cheese dressing. I enjoyed learning the history of the café’s beautiful fountain filled with fresh flowers. Before the hotel was renovated, it was the site of a wishing well that inspired Richard Rodgers to write the song “There is an old hotel with a wishing well.”

Standing by the beautiful fountain in the Montecito Cafe located in the Inn that marked where a wishing well that Richard Rodgers wrote about in a song once stood.

We were charmed by our visit to the Montecito Inn, and our wishing well wish would be to return to the Montecito Inn and the Montecito Café again in the future.

If you’d like more ideas on romantic getaways, tips and delicious date night recipes, sign up for my e-newsletter on the homepage of RomancingTheTable.com and you will also receive downloadable bonuses that include my date night scheduler and 12 tips for happier times at the table.

For more information on the Montecito Inn go to www.MontecitoInn.com and for the Montecito Café go MontecitoCafe.com. To read the fascinating history of film pioneer Charlie Chaplin click here.

My wish for you is that by the end of reading this you will be inspired to create your own romantic getaway and romantic dining experience to reconnect and celebrate someone you love.

As a Mediterranean-California home cook and newlywed of almost two years with a passion for celebrating love, life & delicious food, I love taking romantic getaways with my husband James and sharing our dining, destinations and recipes so you can do the same. While I always look forward to our weekly date nights that include a romantic meal at home or at a restaurant, (we take turns planning them and we love Mediterranean cuisine) there is something magical about getting away from it all together to reconnect and celebrating our relationship. And for my single readers, remember a solo trip just for you or with friends is a great way to celebrate your own loving self and friendships.

FOUR SEASONS RESORT THE BILTMORE SANTA BARBARA

[Show as slideshow]

For a First Class Luxury Getaway and Dining Destination Getaway, I highly recommend The Four Seasons Resort – The Biltmore Santa Barbara. The hotel is a Spanish Colonial treasure built in 1927 that recently completed a comprehensive $240 million renovation. I am happy to report that Owner’s Ty Warner’s vision of restoring this “jewel of the American Riveria” back to its glamour and grandeur of its golden era has been a success. I was also glad to discover that The Biltmore is a “Green” Hotel that makes it a priority to create environmentally safe procedures.With picturesque views of the Pacific Ocean and Santa Ynez Mountains, red roof tiles, ivory adobe and graceful archways, – it is a luxurious and intimate retreat. After our heavenly couples massage we were ready to enjoy our romantic dinner. (See prior post on couples massage in private spa room)
The Fours Seasons Biltmore Santa Barbara has a wonderful restaurant called Bella Vista. My husband Jim and I enjoyed a first class romantic dinner we shall savor in our memories for a very long time. The presentation by Sous-Chef Tory Martindale was true artistry. The California atmosphere was heavenly with views of the ocean, palm trees and sunset followed by a full moon. Some of our menu highlights were fire roasted pepper and goat cheese soufflé, a delicious chilled heirloom tomato soup, a wild salmon with Yukon potato and herb fennel salad and a mango-lychee panna cotta dessert and dark chocolate soufflé with vanilla cream and raspberry that captured the best of Mediterranean California cuisine has to offer. I was delighted when Bella Vista agreed to provide my readers and listeners with the recipe below.

To hear my Romancing the Table® interview with chef Tory Martindale, click here for a replay of the show where I talk with Tory about our Bella Vista dinner, what inspired him to become a chef, and how you can make the Chilled Heirloom Tomato Soup we enjoyed at home. I hope this story inspires you to plan a romantic getaway for you and your beloved wherever it may be and may you one day be able to visit my beautiful town of Santa Barbara and dine at Bella Vista or stay at The Four Seasons the Biltmore.

» Click here for the Chilled Heirloom Tomato Soup recipe

Dr. Maya Angelou, global renaissance woman, will be speaking in Santa Barbara, California Sept. 9 at the Arlington Theater

Pulse Production will be presenting an “Evening with Dr. Angelou.” Michael Horne of Pulse Productions, who has presented Dr. Angelou to audiences over the years, says audiences enjoy Maya’s talks which are always uplifting and inspiring and the topics a delightful surprise.

As a journalist/author, home cook and host of RomancingTheTable.com, which celebrates life, love, food, travel and wisdom at the table, I was so happy when I discovered among Dr. Angelou’s many accomplishments that she can also be found in the kitchen cooking or at the table serving up meals made with love.

Her first food-related book Hallelujah! The Welcome Table is a delicious collection with stories and recipes that includes stories from her childhood in Stamps, Arkansas, the first night in her new home in Sonoma, California and the first time she invited M. F. K. Fisher over for dinner and served a cassoulet.

Maya's latest book, "Great Food, All Day Long: Cook Splendidly, Eat Smart"

Her second book Great Food, All Day Long: Cook Splendidly, Eat Smart was inspired by Dr. Angelou’s desire to become healthier. By using portion control of “good food, well made and eaten in moderation” she experienced a dramatic weight loss and her book includes recipes she hopes the reader will find “to be delicious and fulfilling.” Dr. Angelou will also be hosting a Food-related TV show on the Hallmark Channel that will air this spring.

Just recently I was re-reading Dr. Angelou’s first food book Hallelujah! The Welcome Table and was touched by the story of how she began experimenting with vegetarian meals when Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson (singer/songwriters of some of Motown’s biggest hits) first came to visit her in North Carolina. Dr. Angelou said “Ashford and Simpson” were a “bright beautiful couple with gentle personalities” that won her heart and inspired Dr. Angelou to create several vegetarian recipes because Nick was a vegetarian. In her book, Dr. Angelou includes the recipes she made for the couple such as a tomato soufflé, a Moroccan stew, a mixed salad with feta and raisins and a salad made with romaine lettuce and avocado that she named the Ashford Salad – because Nick loved it so much.

Only days after rereading Dr. Angelou’s first book and the Ashford Salad recipe I felt sad after hearing that Nicholas Ashford had passed away at age 70. Dr. Angelou said in a recent interview by Sojourner Kincaid Rolle, that Nicholas was like a son to her and she had just spent the last 36 hours holding his wife Valerie’s hand. On Dr. Angelou’s facebook page she wrote “If Nicholas Ashford had lived as long as we wanted him to, he would have attained kingship. As he did live, he was prince; a courtly, generous, kind, gracious prince.”

After I heard the news I decided I would make the Ashford salad. And so I did. Before I shared the salad with my husband Jim, I said a prayer in of honor Nicholas, his wife Valerie and Maya.

My husband and I enjoy having a salad each day, especially our Greek horiatiki (villager) salad that we began eating during our courtship. We found Dr. Agnelou’s Ashford salad to be a delicious combination of flavors and we especially enjoyed the way the mashed avocado adds texture and coats the romaine lettuce. Below is the recipe. *When I made the salad I omitted the sugar and vinegar and made it with some extra lemon juice.

Delicious Ashford salad recipe I made from Maya Angelou's Hallelujah! The Welcome Table book

ASHFORD SALAD ’96
From The Hallelujah! Welcome Table by Maya Angelou.

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:
2 heads of Romaine lettuce, with tough outer leaves removed
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar *
1 tablespoon of sugar*
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 large English cucumber, sliced

Directions:
Wash lettuce, dry, wrap in paper towels and put in refrigerator. Mix oil, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar and garlic in a large salad bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mash avocado with potato masher, and mix with ingredients in salad bowl. Mix in tomato and cucumber. Break lettuce into large pieces and toss into salad bowl. Mix vigorously with salad tongs until each lettuce leaf has been flavored with dressing. Enjoy!

Tickets for an evening with Dr. Maya Angelou are available at the Arlington Theater in Santa Barbara, California and at ticketmaster.com or the Arlington Box office 805-963-4408.
For more info about Dr. Angelou you can visit her website at www.mayaangelou.com

I drove down from Santa Barbara, California to Orange County for a premiere party for the 2nd Great Food Truck Race that is airing Sunday nights at 9/8c on the Food Network. This second season has special meaning to me because my little sister Nicole is on the Seabirds Food Truck from Costa Mesa, California. They are an all girl vegan food truck serving up delicious organic vegan food and lots of girl power! The team is made up of Seabirds owner/chef Stephanie Morgan, raw vegan chef Raya Belna and my sister Nicole.

The Seabirds Food Truck women (L to R, owner Stephanie Morgan, Caroline, Raya Belna, my sister Nicole Daddona) and I (Cynthia Daddona, last on right) at the CA Premiere of the Food Network's "The Great Food Truck Race." The men of The Lime Truck are (L to R) Jason Quinn, Jesse Brockman and owner Daniel Shemtob.

Cynthia Daddona (right) with sister Nicole Daddona (member of The Seabirds Food Truck) pose with the truck at the Premiere Party for the Food Network's "The Great Food Truck Race."

The premiere party took place at the So Cal eco-mall and was hosted by The Lime Truck – another popular California food truck on the series that is from Irvine, California. The Lime Truck’s team is owner Daniel Shemtob, along with Jason Quinn and Jesse Brockman who are known for serving up tasty gourmet food.

Food montage featuring delicious dishes from the Seabirds Food Truck and the Lime Food Truck (both participants in the Food Network's "The Great Food Truck Race.")

At the premiere we enjoyed sampling the food from the two trucks. From the Seabird Food Truck we had the delicious and organic tomato/watermelon salad with almond feta (dairy free), a vegan quesadilla, grilled asparagus and a vegan and raw food chocolate cupcake that was also gluten-free. It was a decadent delight! My husband also ordered the Lime Truck’s gourmet cuisine, namely, its popular Yum, Yum lamb – ground lamb and 10-hour cooked pork served with guacamole, Cotija cheese and fries that were also quite good.

It was a fun time had by everyone who enjoyed eating the delectables from the two food trucks, meeting the personalities and watching the show together while cheering whenever the Orange County trucks appeared on Great Food Truck Race.

Sisters Cynthia Daddona (RomancingTheTable.com) & illustrator/artist Nicole Daddona (member of the Seabirds Food Truck) pose on the red carpet at the Premiere Party for the Food Network's "The Great Food Truck Race."

Eating healthy and delicious food is a joyful topic between my sis and I that comes from growing up in an ethnic family who loves to eat! So when Nicole comes to visit us in Santa Barbara it is great fun for me to create recipes with options – that includes Mediterranean for my husband and I and vegan for Nicole. When I returned from my visit to the Mediterranean where they love to savor times at the table, I was inspired to create RomancingTheTable.com which celebrates life, love, food, travel, wisdom and romance. I’m also married to an American-Greek who loves to eat and lucky for him I love cooking and creating happy, delicious and healthy times at the table. Best of all I love having Nicole assist me in the kitchen while we chat about life and celebrate our culinary sister connection. I was so glad to be with her on her special night.

The Great Food Truck Race is an entertaining and fun foodie series that will leave you hungering for more episodes each week. The series began last week and will continue until a winner is selected from the 8 trucks that compete against each other in different cities. The truck with the lowest amount of food sales is eliminated each week and the grand prize winner receives $100,000. The trucks competing this year are The Seabirds Food Truck, The Lime Truck, Café Con Leche, Hodge Podge, Korilla, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, Devilicious and Sky’s Gourmet Tacos. You can read more about the trucks on the Food Network website.

So tune in to the Food Network on Sunday nights at 9/8c.

One of my extra romantic and healthy Date Night Mediterranean Meals with my Greek god on the beach in Santa Barbara, California Photo by RomancingtheTable.com

This month is National Mediterranean Diet Month (Med Month!) created by Oldways, a world-renowned source of Mediterranean diet information, “to highlight the healthy Mediterranean Diet and its lifestyle practices.” It is based healthy foods “that have traditionally been consumed by people living in the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.”

To me, every month is Med Month! As an American Italian-Greek, married to an American-Greek who loves to eat, I’m often found in the kitchen cooking delicious Mediterranean meals and testing recipes for date nights, my blog, my upcoming book and my website (RomancingTheTable.com). I strongly believe in an Oldways’s quote on how the Mediterranean diet affects your love relationships, “You need to eat well to love well.”

Research that began on the Greek island of Crete after World War II proved that the Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest in the world. It is often described as the “gold standard for healthy eating” and has been proven to reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases and increasing brainpower.

Oldways created the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid along with the Harvard School of Public Health. According to the pyramid, we should eat mostly vegetables, legumes, grains, fruits, herbs, spices, and healthy fats such as olive oil on a regular basis. Seafood should be eaten at least twice a week, poultry, diary, and eggs consumed daily to weekly, and red meats and sweets should be on the menu less often. Being physically active and enjoying meals with others is also an important part of the pyramid and the Mediterranean lifestyle. Below are images of the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid along with a Vegetarian Diet Pyramid.

Mediterranean Diet Pyramid by Oldwayspt.org

Vegetarian Diet Pyramid by Oldwayspt.org

I’ve found that delicious and healthy Mediterranean meals with quality time at the table definitely contribute to my happy and healthy marriage. Each week, my husband and I take turns planning our weekly date nights (I’m lucky that he can cook, too!) The person whose week it is makes a Mediterranean dinner and chooses an arts and entertainment activity for the night. We occasionally save up and go out to one of our favorite California-Mediterranean restaurants. The ultimate Mediterranean eating experience was when we were in Greece to produce our #1 NY Times About.com culinary travel DVD - A Greek Islands Destination Cooking Class DVD that took place at a top gourmet Greek restaurant. Back home, when we sit at the table we love recreating a Mediterranean atmosphere with a delicious and healthy Mediterranean Meal. To date, my husband Jim and I have been married for five years and if you count the year of our engagement, we’ve had over one year (365 days) worth of date nights in total. That’s a lot of romantic eating! You can do the same by downloading the Date Night Scheduler HERE.

My Grecian Goddess Greek salad that was inspired by the salad we shared on our first dates causing love at first Mediterranean bite!

Oldways also has a Mediterranean Foods Alliance, which I enjoy being one of their culinary advisors. We’ve all teamed up to put together a list of vegetable recipes for Med Month. You can find my info and recipe here, the fourth from the bottom. For more information on National Mediterranean Diet Month by Oldways go here.

I send you Goddess Blessings for your own romantic and healthy Mediterranean date nights! Click here for extra tips on creating a romantic atmosphere for your date night meals. Write me and let me know about your own culinary date nights.

Photo by RomancingTheTable.com

Dark Leafy Greens are an important part of the Mediterranean Diet. Research that began on the Greek Island of Crete in the 1940’s and later included the rest of the Mediterranean, determined that the Mediterranean Diet contributes to living a longer life. My grandfather who migrated from Italy to the US, ate bowls of steamed greens with olive oil and garlic and lived to be 97. My husband Jim’s Greek Yia, Yia (Greek for grandmother) who migrated from Greece to the US lived to be 101 and her sisters that are living are in their 90’s. When you ask them what contributes to living a longer life – they answer Horta! (Dark leafy Greens picked in the fields and eaten daily in Greece and cooked with olive oil and lemon.) This recipe was inspired by meeting the three Yia Yias and eating delicious horta in Greece. Listed first is a classic recipe for greens and the second is one I created with a Mediterranean twist by adding several spices and feta. Click here to see a video filmed in Santa Barbara and Crete that includes how to make my award-winning horta recipe!

Classical Greek Horta

2 lbs of Greens:
Suggestions of Greens to choose from:
Swiss Chard
Kale
Spinach
Dandelion – (Here in the United States, I’ve found that the white or green stemmed dandelions and especially the younger/shorter ones are less bitter than the red stems).

Feel free to combine different greens as well.

(Whenever possible buy organic greens to avoid ingesting the pesticides – if not available soak and rinse greens several times)

1 1/2 cups of water
Extra Virgin Olive oil
Salt to taste
2 lemons
(optional – 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder)

P r e p a r a t i o n :
Cut the Greens into bite size pieces. Wash several times in bowl with water to remove any soil. If using kale with thick stems tear the leaves off the stems and discard stems.

In a large pot, add water, bring to a boil and add greens. Cover. Boil until stems and leaves are soft depending upon which greens you use. Check after 10 minutes by tasting to see if greens are tender and continue up to 20 minutes. Add more water if needed. Strain water from greens and return to pot. Add juice of two lemons, one turn of olive oil, salt and mix. Let sit for a few minutes in warm pot with flame turned off. Serve on plate or in bowl.

This makes 5 to 6 servings. Make extra since it tastes delicious the next day.

Dandelion Leaves Tip: If you want to make dandelion greens only (a bitter green) – use younger leaves if possible. Whatever length you use, I have found that by cooking dandelion greens in a steamer you reduce bitterness and follow directions to season with lemon, olive oil and salt above while still hot. Dandelion also taste milder when combined with another milder green such as Swiss Chard.

Mediterranean Goddess Greens
(Horta with a Mediterranean Twist)

Photo by RomancingTheTable.com

Eat your cooked greens as much as possible each week and you’ll feel like a healthier goddess. This is also a wonderful recipe to get your loved ones to also eat their greens. The extra ingredients of spices and feta caused my father-in-law who doesn’t like to eat greens to ask for seconds. One mother of two who tried the recipe told me that her children loved making and eating the greens with feta.

Ingredients:

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon of turmeric
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

1 1/2 cups of water
1/4 teaspoon of salt or salt to taste
2 tablespoons of Olive oil

Use these greens of your choice:

3 bunches of Swiss Chard (regular or red or yellow colored stems)

(2 bunches of Swiss chard and 1 bunch of kale – flat leafed versus curly)

or Spinach (2 pounds)

I find that the Swiss chard alone or Swiss Chard with Flat Leaf kale works well for this recipe. If not available use Spinach.

(Whenever possible buy organic greens to avoid ingesting the pesticides – if not available soak and then rinse greens several times)

1 lemon – juiced

A delicious option: 1/2 cup of Feta cheese crumbled on top of cooked greens while still hot and before serving (use sheep’s milk or sheep-goat mixture for true Greek taste)

To prepare:
Cut the Greens into bite size pieces. Wash several times in bowl with water to remove any soil. If using kale with thick stems tear the leaves off the stems and discard stems. For Swiss chard add stems to pot.

In a large pot add all the spices including garlic powder except for the salt. Stir together and cook and cover over Medium heat for 30 seconds to release the aromas.

Add water, salt and Greens, then olive oil and stir together. Cook on Medium heat until stems and leaves are soft depending upon which greens you use. Check after 10 minutes and stir again. Taste to see if greens are tender and continue cooking up to 20 to 30 minutes. Add more water if needed. Strain water from greens and return to warm pot with burner off. Squeeze lemon juice on greens. Add crumble Feta cheese and toss lightly. This can also be made without the feta for those who prefer dairy-free. Place in serving plate. Taste delicious warm.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

For more recipes, videos, and tips for celebrating Life, Love Food and Travel with a Mediterranean twist, visit www.RomancingTheTable.com.

Additional Bio info:
Cynthia is an award-winning on-camera personality, lifestyle journalist, Author and Mediterranean home cook. Her Romancing the Table®.com blog/website celebrates life, love, food and travel with a Mediterranean twist. She is also the co-producer and host of #1 NY Times About.com culinary travel DVD – A Greek Islands Destination Cooking Class that was filmed in Santorini Greece. Cynthia is an American Greek-Italian who enjoys celebrating her heritage and living in Santa Barbara with her American-Greek husband James, a documentary filmmaker. She is also the author of Diary of A Modern Day Goddess®, – a lighthearted guide to creating a life that nurtures your body, mind and soul. For recipes, podcasts, videos, tips and DVD go to www.RomancingtheTable.com and www.CelebrateGreece.com.

If sharing this recipe please credit recipe to its creator – Cynthia Daddona www.RomancingTheTable.com Thank you!
© C.Daddona 2011

Watch this video filmed in Santa Barbara and Crete that includes how to make my award-winning horta recipe!

Eating a consistent amount of greens – raw and lightly cooked or steamed can help you live a longer life! I now realize this is what contributed to the longevity of my Mediterranean relatives. Greens are a staple of the Mediterranean diet, one of the healthiest cuisines in the world. My Grandfather Benny (originally from Southern Italy and former Greek colony) ate a green salad fresh from his garden and bowls of steamed spinach splashed lavishly with olive oil as often as possible and lived to be 97 years old.

Grandfather Daddona by Dianne Daddona.

My husband’s Greek Yai Yai (grandmother) Jean loved talking about and eating her horta. She lived to be 101 years old. Her sisters eat horta as well and are now in their 90′s. I was thrilled to make my classical horta recipe and my other horta recipe with a twist for Jean and my mother-in-law Helen months before Jean passed away. My father-in-law who doesn’t like eating greens, even enjoyed eating his greens.

Cynthia smiling after talking horta with a Cretan Yia Yia (Grandmother)

Filming a video about the Mediterranean Diet & Lifestyle at Kosta Mare Palace Resort & Spa

What joy I had was when I found out that my greens recipe was selected as 1st place in the 2nd Annual Mediterranean Diet Recipe Contest sponsored by Oldways, a culinary think tank advocating a return to healthy, traditional old ways of eating. Their letter said: “Congratulations. We thoroughly enjoyed making and tasting your Greek Horta recipe!” I gave my greens recipes with some twists of spices and the option of adding feta to a friend of mine who made them at home and she loved them and so did her children.

I am especially thrilled that there was a Greens recipe selected since it celebrates my passion for showing others how eating from the Mediterranean diet can be healthy while also tasting delicious. Most of all I was inspired to create RomancingTheTable.com after visiting the Mediterranean and seeing how they savor times at the table.

UPDATE: This month Oldways is sponsoring Mediterranean Month and we are eating our greens as usual but a bit more this month. Here is a post I wrote about how we are celebrating Med. Month at our house during our date nights.

The Mediterranean diet includes an abundance of food from plant sources, including fruits and vegetables, grains, beans, nuts. There is also an emphasis on fish and replacing butter for extra virgin olive oil, a heart-healthy fat. Meat and dairy are eaten in small amounts. There is also a vegetarian meatless Mediterranean Diet Pyramid. Research that began on the Greek Island of Crete after WWII confirmed that the Mediterranean Diet is one of the healthiest cuisines in the world that contributes to longevity. Research then expanded to Italy and other parts of the Mediterranean. Of course exercise and the enjoyment of sharing food around the table contributes to one’s well being as well.

Whenever possible eat seasonally fresh and locally grown food which maximize the health-promoting nutrients, minerals and antioxidants of the foods. I am a big advocate of eating organic and local whenever possible since it supports the farmers, the environment and a healthy and pesticide free body! As an American Greek Italian married to an American Greek who loves to eat food of his heritage — we eat the Mediterranean diet on a consistent basis. Since we live in California, our menu is often an organic California-Mediterranean menu. We like to eat the way our grandmothers and grandfathers ate back in their native land – which would be naturally organic and seasonal. You can often find organic produce at your a local farmers market or CSA (Community Shared Agriculture) program in your area that offers a weekly subscription to a farm’s harvest by checking out localharvest.org.

Check out this video I did as AphFoodite™ – the Greek goddess of food, romance and love – that was filmed in Crete.

What brought us to Crete? My husband Jim and I were delighted when the Pan-Cretan Association of America (through the Greek Trade Office and the Greek National Tourist Organization) invited us on a press trip to the wonderful island of Crete during the summer.

Filming a segment about the Mediterranean Diet & Lifestyle at Kosta Mare Palace Resort & Spa

Cynthia at the Minoan Palace of Knossos

During our visit to Crete, we enjoyed the beauty, romance, culture, history and cuisine of Crete. Back in 2006, we spent part of our honeymoon in Elounda, Crete after being married in a Greek island wedding in Santorini. We were very happy when we returned to Crete and had the opportunity to visit a variety of wonderful new locations. We discovered that Crete has something for everyone – from the finest hotels, located on the magnificent Mediterranean Sea, to the agro-tourism farms/wineries to the archaeological splendors of Knossos Palace and the Herakleion Archaeological Museum.

We particularly enjoyed the hospitality shown to us whether it was from an owner of a hotel, agro-tourism farm, or even a psaro-taverna (fish restaurant).

Cynthia smiling after talking horta with a real Cretan Yiayia.

Click here to see a video filmed in Santa Barbara and Crete that includes my award-winning horta (greens) recipe.

2011 UPDATE: This month is also National Mediterranean Diet Month (Med Month!) created by Oldways, a world-renowned source of Mediterranean diet information, “to highlight the healthy Mediterranean Diet and its lifestyle practices.” It is based healthy foods “that have traditionally been consumed by people living in the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.” In celebration of Med Month I have also posted my video on Romantic, Healthy and Delicious Mediterranean Date Nights with recipes.

The quintessential romantic table at Manousakis Winery (Nostos Wines) near Chania.

Agreco Farms, an agro-tourism site.

Oldways created the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid along with the Harvard School of Public Health. According to the pyramid, we should eat mostly vegetables, legumes, grains, fruits, herbs, spices, and healthy fats such as olive oil on a regular basis. Seafood should be eaten at least twice a week, poultry, diary, and eggs consumed daily to weekly, and red meats and sweets should be on the menu less often. Being physically active and enjoying meals with others is also an important part of the pyramid and the Mediterranean lifestyle.

James and Cynthia enjoying fish, horta, Greek salad and Octopus seaside in Crete.

One of my extra romantic and healthy Date Night Mediterranean Meals with my Greek god on the beach in Santa Barbara, California Photo by RomancingtheTable.com

This month is National Mediterranean Diet Month (Med Month!) created by Oldways, a world-renowned source of Mediterranean diet information, “to highlight the healthy Mediterranean Diet and its lifestyle practices.” It is based healthy foods “that have traditionally been consumed by people living in the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.”

To me, every month is Med Month! As an American Italian-Greek, married to an American-Greek who loves to eat, I’m often found in the kitchen cooking delicious Mediterranean meals and testing recipes for date nights, my blog, my upcoming book and my website (RomancingTheTable.com). I strongly believe in an Oldways’s quote on how the Mediterranean diet affects your love relationships, “You need to eat well to love well.”

Research that began on the Greek island of Crete after World War II proved that the Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest in the world. It is often described as the “gold standard for healthy eating” and has been proven to reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases and increasing brainpower.

Oldways created the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid along with the Harvard School of Public Health. According to the pyramid, we should eat mostly vegetables, legumes, grains, fruits, herbs, spices, and healthy fats such as olive oil on a regular basis. Seafood should be eaten at least twice a week, poultry, diary, and eggs consumed daily to weekly, and red meats and sweets should be on the menu less often. Being physically active and enjoying meals with others is also an important part of the pyramid and the Mediterranean lifestyle. Below are images of the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid along with a Vegetarian Diet Pyramid.

Mediterranean Diet Pyramid by Oldwayspt.org

Vegetarian Diet Pyramid by Oldwayspt.org

I’ve found that delicious and healthy Mediterranean meals with quality time at the table definitely contribute to my happy and healthy marriage. Each week, my husband and I take turns planning our weekly date nights (I’m lucky that he can cook, too!) The person whose week it is makes a Mediterranean dinner and chooses an arts and entertainment activity for the night. We occasionally save up and go out to one of our favorite California-Mediterranean restaurants. The ultimate Mediterranean eating experience was when we were in Greece to produce our #1 NY Times About.com culinary travel DVD - A Greek Islands Destination Cooking Class DVD that took place at a top gourmet Greek restaurant. Back home, when we sit at the table we love recreating a Mediterranean atmosphere with a delicious and healthy Mediterranean Meal. To date, my husband Jim and I have been married for five years and if you count the year of our engagement, we’ve had over one year (365 days) worth of date nights in total. That’s a lot of romantic eating! You can do the same by downloading the Date Night Scheduler HERE.

My Grecian Goddess Greek salad that was inspired by the salad we shared on our first dates causing love at first Mediterranean bite!

Oldways also has a Mediterranean Foods Alliance, which I enjoy being one of their culinary advisors. We’ve all teamed up to put together a list of vegetable recipes for Med Month. You can find my info and recipe here, the fourth from the bottom. For more information on National Mediterranean Diet Month by Oldways go here.

I send you Goddess Blessings for your own romantic and healthy Mediterranean date nights! Click here for extra tips on creating a romantic atmosphere for your date night meals. Write me and let me know about your own culinary date nights.