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.

Here is my Grecian-Goddess Village Salad that my husband and I fell in love over and the host enjoyed during the interview. See the recipe. You can watch the trailer of our #1 New York Times’ About.com culinary-travel DVD, A Greek Islands Destination Cooking class, filmed in romantic Santorini, Greece as well as order a copy which makes a great gift for yourself or loved ones.

Wear these silk ivy leaf crowns to access your highlighted and magnificent self and feel like the modern day Greco-Roman god or goddess you were born to be. Great for romantic, Mediterranean date nights! Click Here to Order

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[Pictured above] My husband Jim (of CelebrateGreece.com) and I were in New York as honored guests in the Greek Independence Day parade on Fifth Avenue and I was interviewed live by FOX’s MY9 TV. It was great fun crowning her during the interview with one of my goddess ivy crowns which I designed.