Got the travel bug but can’t get away right now? Take your taste buds on a virtual adventure to Sylia Reppa’s Athens kitchen. Sylia was born and raised in Greece. After earning two master’s degrees, she took the corporate world by storm then chose to step away to away to raise her children. Two years ago, she began her blog, 30 Days of Greek Food, and has absolutely loved it. “I wanted to share my love for healthy, real food, and a sustainable way of eating through Mediterranean and Greek cuisine,” she told us. The success of the blog has even inspired Sylia to begin training to become a chef so she can introduce even more people to her country’s cuisine.

 

Step into Sylia’s world via her blog or Instagram account, and you’ll be transported to a country steeped in beauty and tradition. Her passion for the flavors, culinary traditions, and healthfulness of Greek food shines through in every recipe. Sylia truly believes in the enormous benefits of the Mediterranean way of eating (and living!). “Your diet should be sustainable, balanced, and not exclude whole food categories,” she advises. Lucky for us, that includes desserts!

 

Where do dried beans fit into the Greek diet? “Beans are a huge part of the Mediterranean way of eating,” says Sylia. “In Greece, we used to say, ‘Beans are the poor man’s meat.’ because those who couldn’t afford the meat were eating beans instead. According to the Mediterranean food pyramid, we should eat at least two servings weekly.” For Sylia, those servings are likely to come from two traditional Greek dishes: Baked giant beans and white bean soup. “They are delicious, easy to cook, and nutritious,” she tells us.

Start your gastronomic getaway today with Sylia’s Greek White Bean Soup (Fasolada). You’ll also get a big helping of the fascinating mythology behind this dish. Opa!