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WELLNESS SPOTLIGHT
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CITYVIEWMAG.COM JULY AUGUST 2015
oil, help fight a myriad of illnesses. With only 25 calories per one glass of lemon juice, this Mediterranean fruit is rich in vitamins A and C, calcium, potassium, and pectin fiber. The lemon peel contains a phytonutrient called tangeretin, which fights Parkinson’s disease. In addi-
tion, lemons act as a liver detoxifier and help to balance your body’s pH because of their acidic and alkaline-forming nature.
If you drink a glass of water with lemon juice first thing in the morning, not only will you get a boost of energy but you will jump-start your digestive system. Want a kiss? Lemons help to defeat morning breath with antibacterial powers. Lemons also contain vitamin P, also known as flavonoids, which helps to strengthen blood vessels and to lower blood pres-
sure. Indeed, lemons do so much.
“My mom is from Greece and she used a lot of lemons—lots and lots of lemons,” says Tina Peroulas, an American-born Greek who honors her parents’ roots
by overseeing the ordering and cooking for the annual Greek Fest in Knoxville.
Peroulas’ mom came to the United States and spoke no English. She learned how to cook at an early age from her grand- mother—and now she always uses fresh ingredients. “My favorite food is fresh fish, such as red snapper, baked with vegetables and lemons,” says Peroulas,
“and the Greek basic fours: salt, pepper, olive oil, and oregano. You can really feel the flavor—and feel fuller—when you bake instead of frying. I like red snapper with olive oil, lots of lemon juice, salt, and pepper—but you can also make a sauce with tomato paste. You sauté some onions and then add the onions, cel-
ery, garlic, parsley, and put them all on top of the fish while it’s cooking. You end with a whole different flavor. Take the tail, head, and fins and make a great fish soup, with potatoes, carrots, and, of course, lots of lemon!”
Of course, fish soup isn’t everybody’s cup of ... soup. For Lori Likonis, who married into a Greek family, fish heads and tails are off the menu. Her husband’s father was George Regas, one of the broth-
ers who started Regas restaurant in 1919. “For a lot of Greek immigrants, food—and cooking—was something that they knew,
loved, and could turn into a business in this new country,” says Likonis. “A lot
of Greek families in the community had restaurants in the 1900s, and they found comfort in the Greek Orthodox Church community. Food plays a huge role in the Greek culture and here, in the United States, food continues to serve as a unifier among cultures.” Likonis was introduced to many Greek foods—but took a while
to warm up to some of them. “When I started dating my now-husband, I remem- ber taking my first taste of feta cheese. The smell just grossed me out, but when
I actually tried it, I loved it. Now I put
it on everything, including salads, pizza, noodles, and vegetables. It’s great on toast, with a little bit of honey. Now I really
like Greek food. I love the Old World, old Greek-style cooking—with lots of olive oil, lemons, and herbs. It’s really delicious.”
Oana Harrison is a senior writer for Cityview.
A MEDITERRANEAN DIET HAS BEEN PROVEN TO HAVE NUMEROUS BENEFITS, SUCH ASREDUCING THE RISK OF HEART DISEASE, CANCER, PARKINSON’S, AND ALZHEIMER’S.