The Summer season has officially ended
here at the Jersey Shore...Snooki and company have packed their bags (actually, she's in Court in Toms' River
tomorrow...a little bad behavior on her part I guess) and the summer renters have left..school has started, back
to work, vacations over...however the good weather is still in full force.  After a Labor Day Weekend of lots of good
food it was time to be back to sensible eating habits.  For some this may mean Lean Cuisines in the afternoon,
a rice cake or two for a snack, and  a salad for dinner.  Not for A Food Obsession..yet, I thought it was in everybody's
best interest to lighten the meal selections..Light does not mean bland and hospital-esque.  Many cuisines have
light ingredients and fresh flavors that satisfy even the most hungry person.  Greek Cuisine in particular is
a perfect example of this style.  The Mediterranean lends its' warm comforting arms around that country and lemons
grow in abundance, herbs are full of sun and flavor, poultry, lamb, pork, fish, all flourish in this ancient land.
We were in Katakolon a few years ago on a Mediterranean Cruise...it is a scenic little tourist port which is the
gateway to the historic city of Olympia, birthplace of the Olympics...


     A line of awninged tavernas line the quay with the
ubitquous souvenir stalls and shops on the main drag...Not the most picturesque Greek port, but quaint without
being garish or overly-touristed.  Believe is or not, we did not eat in the town..but, (and how could I not) I strolled
around looking at the menus...We had to jump onto a bus that was taking us up to Olympia, so there was no time
to eat.  But I remembered some of the dishes, one was a mushroom, chicken or fish, broccoli, lemon and
dill dish.  Going through the storage file in my head, I pulled this idea out when, after a day of trading, I looked into
the refrigerator to decide what's for dinner.  I had all the ingredients and decided that this would be a great light
choice for the family's meal.
Let's go back for a minute for a foodie memory from Olympia.



There you see the name of the town (Olympia) written in the Greek Alphabet.  Those are the things that get me so ex-
cited when traveling.  Very cool.  On the right you see the Palestra, part of the extensive ruins in Olympia.  The day
couldn't have been hotter..kind of like everyday in New York and New Jersey this Summer.  My three kids (I'm lumping
my wife in there) were dying of the heat, and  a tour of dusty ancient ruins was only made hotter by our tour guide,
Stathi, who repeated everything three times.  One by one they fell out of group and we made our way to the Snack
stand.  Ok, best part of the day was ready to happen..and it was a food and travel moment..we ordered simple
hero sandwiches of sliced August ripe tomatoes, with a drizzle of Kalamata Greek Olive Oil, dried local oregano, and
a few slabs of tangy, salty feta, made no more than 15 miles from where we were.  The first one was so good, we
ordered again.  Even found a bench under a group of trees where the temperature was a good 10 degrees cooler.

Now let's tackle this chicken dish, here for 4 people.  Use 3 whole boneless chicken breasts, remove all fat and
cartilage. Nobody, I mean nobody enjoys biting into a piece of chicken that will not let your teeth meet.  Cut these into
strips about 1/4 inch thick.  Add the chicken to a bowl and squeeze the juice of two lemons over it. Sprinkle with salt,
2 tsp. of white wine, black pepper.  Mix well.  Let this sit in the fridge for 30 minutes.  Steam 2 large broccoli crowns
for about 8 minutes, then plunge them into ice water.  This will keep the bright green  you want.  Now, sprinkle 2

tbs. of sifted flour over the chicken and toss well to cover all the pieces.  In a large skillet, add 2 tbs. of olive oil.  Heat.
Add the chicken in batches, sauteing for 8 minutes on one side, then 5 minutes on the other.  Transfer them to a
bowl and cover.  When you are done with the chicken, add 4 thinly sliced mushrooms to the pan and
 saute' this for about 5 minutes,  Add one small onion, minced finely and saute' this for
about 8 minutes, then add 1 thinly sliced clove of garlic, the broccoli, and season with salt and pepper.  Now add
the chicken and 2 tsps. of freshly chopped dill.  Heat this through for a good 6 or 7 minutes on medium.  The
chicken should be completely done now, you can test a piece by cutting it in half.  Now add 1 tbs of good Greek
Yoghurt to the pan and mix in...this will add a creamy texture, but not a cream sauce..It is wonderful over a buttered
seasoned mound of Orzo..Garnish the dish with fresh lemon slices, crumbled feta and scallions..





There you have it...a plate full of all the Sunshine of a Summer's day, a light , healthy mix of protein and
vegetables...with lots of citrusy bright notes...the dill brings me back to that glistening harbor of
Katakolon and it's line up of outdoor restaurants...A typical Greek Salad would also be an awesome
addition to your meal.