A healthy diet begins with healthy bread and Cretans eat a lot of it with every meal. The most traditional Cretan bread is the barley rusk (“dakos”). Apart from “dakos”, Cretans eat a great deal of whole grain bread.
Health benefits
Spelt flour is full of fiber, vitamins (especially of the B family), minerals and also a good source of protein. Spelt is known to assist metabolism, ease digestion, improve circulation of blood and lower cholesterol levels. It has also been suggested that spelt strengthens the immune system and controls blood sugar levels. Rye bread is a dietary fiber bomb, contains a lot of magnesium (which regulates blood pressure) and controls blood sugars. It is low in calories and therefore diet friendly.
Wheat flour is also fairly rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals although less so compared to spelt or rye wholemeal. However, wheat flour gives volume to our bread and is therefore desirable. A very Cretan addition to our bread a little carob flour, being full of antioxidants, calcium and fiber while providing a little of its natural sweetness.
You can eat this delicious bread any time during the day and with any meal. At breakfast time spread some plant based butter and jam. If you want a more Cretan version, spread some ricotta or mizithra cheese with thyme honey on top.
It greatly accompanies any kind of soup, such as fish soup, lentil soup, bean soup or chickpea soup. It also matches very well any vegetable based Cretan or mediterranean dish.
photo:myloikritis
