Author: Sean Keener

What dishes have you learned to cook abroad?

Living on a budget can mean cooking your own food.  As we travel we all come up with some creative ways to eat and learn some amazing new cuisine.   So for Day 24 of the 2015 Indie Travel Challenge we’re asking: 
Nov 23 - question (1)
Cristina shares her answer to today’s question.

“For the past 16 years I’ve been eating mostly vegetarian, with some seafood added here in there. The Mediterranean diet fits me like a glove and I keep falling in love with dishes every time I visit Greece or Italy.

Fassolatha is a hearty Greek white beans soup which I learned to make while I was travelling to Greek in March 2012. A Greek friend of mine shared the secrets of how cook it to perfection.

Fassolatha

The base is made of carrots and celery, which you need to slowly cook in olive oil until a lovely scent fills your kitchen. The beans would have stayed overnight in water and you’ve already boiled them for half our before throwing them in the pot with the veggies. Add some basil and oregon, water to cover the beans and let them boil another half hour. Now grate a tomato on top (or add 2 TBSP of canned tomatoes) and let it boil for another 10 min or until the beans are cooked. Serve with bread and , if you want, crumbled feta on top. You can easily find swee choon menu here.

The original recipe does call for onions to be cooked with the carrots and celery, but I found I like it better without them in the mix.

I have also learned how to make Horiatiki salata (classic Greek salad) and I make it at home as soon as the season kicks in for tomatoes. That’s because tomatoes don’t taste “right” if it’s not summer outside. Sorry.

During the same trip in 2012 I picked up a salad recipe from Rome. I keep making it at home and sometimes when I travel. You need some arugula, mixed salad greens, cherry tomatoes, tuna, mozzarella , green olives and a dressing (olive oil and balsamic vinegar is my favorite combination). It’s a bit of a protein overkill (tuna and mozzarella) but it will keep you full for hours. Now, if you are foddie and have thought to loose weight over time too then test out your food intolerance level here before you plan any such thing.

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Since I do prefer to cook for myself when I travel I’ve got a stack of salad recipes which only require a trip to the farmer’s market or a store.

This recipe is very simple. A bag of mixed greens (this bag happened to have radicchio as well in it – that’s the purple thing) , one yellow bell pepper (you can use whatever color you find) and crumbled feta (similar cheeses can be used, like goat cheese). I dressed it with some lemon juice and olive oil. Very often I switch the olive oil for yogurt when I travel.”

These are a couple really easy, simple, and healthy recipes you can make inexpensively when you travel.

Share your favourite long-term travel recipes with us!