Josh has the farm with eggs, lambs and herbs. I have my garden with even more herbs, plus a tendency to turn just about anything we grow into something I can cook, bake or pickle. We talked about it for a few minutes, and within that same half hour, we were planning the event.

What started as a simple idea turned into a few months of prepping. We dried oregano and thyme for herb blends, chamomile and lemon balm for tea, made rosemary salt, saved up farm-fresh eggs for pickling and planned out everything we wanted to bake.

Both of our moms and even my godfather got in on the action and helped make a few things for the table because apparently we can never have too many goods. One of my clients even made ceramic snails, and Josh’s friend, who has a farm not too far from us, brought beef to sell. At that point, it had basically turned into a mini farmers market.

Then we made a digital flyer, sent it around to friends and family and hoped people would actually come.

And they did!

About 50 people showed up in my parents’ backyard to eat, shop and support us. I had friends show up in cowboy hats with grocery bags ready to shop, which made all those months of drying herbs (and the very long days of baking) worth it.

The final spread was a pretty good representation of the two of us: things from the farm, things from the garden and a LOT of food.

And now for the important part: what everyone ate and bought! recipes included.

The #1 seller: Mama Saltas’ rizogalo

I baked for DAYS, and the item that got some of the biggest praise was, naturally, something I didn’t make.

My mom’s rizogalo (Greek rice pudding), straight from my cookbook, was the star of the show. It’s creamy, comforting, cinnamon-topped and proof that sometimes you just don’t mess with the classics.

Then there were the paximadia.

I made three kinds: plain, chocolate chip and lemon. And when I say I made a lot, I mean 85 bags with six paximadia in each. You can do the math on how many cookies that required.

The lemon paximadia sold out FAST. Bright, crisp and just lemony enough, they were easily one of the favorites of the day. The plain and chocolate chip leftovers came with Any leftovers from the other flavors came with me to the gym for my clients.

Job security!!

Never underestimate a classic koulouraki (note to self)

I also spent a couple of days rolling koulourakia, because apparently I enjoy giving myself very labor-intensive hobbies.

I made 50 bags and fully expected my two-tone chocolate coffee version to go first. Nope.

Everyone wanted the classic koulourakia.

Cinnamon rolls earned a permanent spot

These might have been my personal favorite to make.

I prepped the cinnamon rolls the night before, then baked them fresh the morning of the sale so they hit the table soft, warm and covered in icing.

They’re officially on the permanent farm + bake sale roster. I don’t think I’m allowed to have another one without them. That or Josh will order them all he loves them that much.

And then there were the pickled eggs

One of the things I was most excited to put on the table was our pickled eggs, made with eggs straight from Lambros Farms.

They ended up being another favorite, which made me very happy because there is something extremely satisfying about taking a simple farm egg and turning it into something people get excited to bring home.

I’m already thinking about the next batch.

Straight from the garden

Not everything needed butter and sugar to sell.

We also had dried Greek oregano, rosemary salt, herb blends and teas made with herbs we grew and dried ourselves, including chamomile and lemon balm. These were a huge hit, and I think part of the fun was getting to take home something you don’t necessarily find at a regular grocery store, especially something grown right here in Utah.

Josh’s mom, Shanon, also made sugar cookies that were a huge hit. I’m hoping I can get my hands on that family recipe soon so I can share it here, too.

And because apparently baked goods, farm eggs, herbs and beef weren’t enough, my mom was whipping up Greek frappes on the spot as people ordered them.

Like I said: mini farmers market.

One more thing we snuck onto the table…

We also used the sale to quietly test something new we’re really excited about: Medusa’s Mix, our Greek mythology-inspired all-purpose herb blend made with herbs grown in Rush Valley, Utah.

Let’s just say Medusa isn’t done yet.

Neither are the pickled eggs.

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Because I’m satisfied with the boxed brownies, I hardly make them from scratch, or maybe didn’t care to recognize how easy they are to make on your own. But then one day, when my brownie craving hit unusually early in the morning as I was making a cup of Greek coffee, I decided to make my own brownies—with Greek coffee. Coffee and chocolate is a classic combo, so it just made sense. My recipe blends the grounds of Greek coffee with cocoa powder for a dark and decadent result that’s just as gooey as the boxed brownies I’ve adored for so many years. Now, I don’t have to run to the store at random hours, because all the ingredients are always in my fridge and pantry—just waiting to be whipped up together for a delicious treat.

Ingredients

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, dark or regular
2 tablespoons Greek coffee powder*
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, optional
Flaky sea salt, for finishing
Nonstick cooking spray, for the pan

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang, and lightly grease with nonstick spray.

2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Continue cooking, swirling the pan and stirring occasionally with a silicone spatula. The butter will foam, then begin to develop golden-brown bits on the bottom and smell nutty. This should take about 5–8 minutes once melted. Immediately pour the browned butter, including all those brown bits, into a mixing bowl. Let cool for about 5 minutes. You want it warm, not piping hot.

3. While the butter is still warm, whisk in the sugar until well combined. Add the 2 whole eggs and 1 egg yolk, one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in the vanilla.

4. Add the cocoa powder, Greek coffee, salt and flour. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, if using. Don’t overmix.

5. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake on the middle rack for 22–27 minutes, beginning to check around 21–22 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with moist, fudgy crumbs, not completely clean. A little melted chocolate is perfectly fine. Don’t overbake—they’ll continue to set as they cool.

6. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan before cutting for the fudgiest texture. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt before serving.

recipe note:

*For a stronger coffee flavor, add an extra tablespoon of Greek coffee. I use Bravo coffee, and the grounds are fine and powdery. If the coffee you’re using is grainy, I would suggest grinding the coffee a bit beforehand to avoid graininess.

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When the tomatoes are at their best, this is one of the first thing I'm making. It's one of those recipes that proves good ingredients don't need much, just fresh mozzarella, basil, a drizzle of balsamic glaze, and flaky salt. And any good garden tomato. It's so simple and one of my favorite dish…

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The first time I made koliva was in…

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Fall is when the tomatoes slow down and the basil has seen better days. Fall is when my neighbors rejoice, because that’s also when it means no more zucchini bread. Our once-colorful garden has turned to fifty shades of brown. This is when most gardeners hang up their rakes, hoes, and shovels.

But in our garden, fall means we still might get cabbage and certain root crops that like cooler weather. It also means come late October or early November, it’s time to plant garlic with my dad.

And when it comes to my dad, we cannot just stick garlic in the ground and call it a day.

First comes the string that will properly align and space each row, which we build with the rake, hoe, and shovel we didn’t put away. Each row is spaced 8 to 12 inches apart depending on our mood, our ambition, and our willingness to make lots of skordalia (Greek garlic dip) the following spring.

Along each string we mark where each new garlic will grow. Usually around 4 to 6 inches apart depending on variety. We give more room to hardneck varieties like Italian or Music, and closer spacing for softneck varieties like Greek — they don’t create giant heads anyway, but they are great for braiding.

If a line becomes crooked, I will quickly hear about it, and my neighbors will too. More than once I have had to redo a row because it looked like a snake versus a walking stick.

One year, after planting our two-hundredth clove, I asked my dad what his favorite thing to grow was. Considering we were planting garlic, I shouldn’t have been surprised at his answer.

“Garlic,” he said.

Well, duh. I assumed he was being a smart ass because we were literally holding garlic in our hands.

Not tomatoes—his second favorite. Not peppers. Not the plentiful zucchini that doesn’t need over-planting but he does anyway. Not the vleeta, which he loves.

Garlic.

His dad would insert garlic into legs of lamb for the spit and pot roasts on any occasion. And when he or his siblings came across the slivers of garlic in the lamb, his dad would trick them into eating it by telling them it was almonds. It must have worked, because we are a garlic family. We are never without garlic, and the only thing we don’t put garlic in is our cereal. Turn on the stove or make an herbal tea — like Greek Mountain Tea, Tsai Tou Vounou? Garlic.

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The ground lamb and beef comes from Lambros Farms, a local farm here in Utah, and the eggs are laid fresh every day. The garlic, onion, parsley, and mint come straight from my garden. When the ingredients are this good, you don’t need a long list or anything complicated. …

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Those are garlic scapes.

While snipping them off helps your garlic plant focus its energy on growing bigger bulbs underground, scapes are also one of the best (and most delicious) things you’ll harvest all season. They taste like garlic, just a little sweeter and you don’t have to peel off any skin to get to the good stuff.

So before we get to harvesting the garlic bulbs (that’s coming in a later post) let’s put those scapes to good use.

What to Look For

If you’re growing hardneck garlic, keep an eye on the center of the plant about six months after you plant your garlic. At first you’ll notice the leaves all grow straight up, but eventually you’ll notice a smooth green stem emerging from the middle. Within a few days, it starts to curl and loop around itself.

That’s your garlic scape.

The best time to harvest it is once it has made one full curl or loop, but before it straightens back out and starts forming a flower. If you wait too long, the scape can become tougher and more fibrous.

How to Harvest Garlic Scapes

Use your fingers or a pair of garden snips to cut the scape just above the top leaf of the plant.

And now for the fun part: five easy ways to use your garlic scapes.

1. Quick Pickled Garlic Scapes

(my favorite — I just love pickled things)

Cut the scapes into 2–3 inch pieces, or leave them long and curl them into jars if you want them to look pretty.

For the brine, bring to a boil:
2 cups vinegar
2 cups water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon pickling spice
1/2 teaspoon pepprcorns
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
A few sprigs of fresh dill, if you have it
A strip of lemon peel, optional but cutesy

Instructions:
Pack the scapes into a clean jar and pour the hot brine over them.

Let them cool, then refrigerate for at least 24 hours. I usually wait a week or two before eating them, because the flavor improves as they sit.

They’re amazing eaten whole, or chopped up and tossed into scrambled eggs, piled on a charcuterie board, added to burgers, or really anything that needs a little punch.

They’ll keep in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

2. Garlic Scape Egg Scramble

(a take on my Greek strapatsada)

Ingredients

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When I first started helping in the garde…

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When my family moved from our house on Rosemore Court to make room for our growing family, my dad started building a garden at our new house. My older brother Pete was supposed to help him in the vegetable garden, and I remember asking if I could have one too. I was already a pretty independent middle child, so of course I wanted my own space.

So my dad gave me a little island section near the side of the house.

“We’ll call it the Leni Garden,” he said. “You can do whatever you want with it.”

I was probably eight or nine, and honestly, my dad’s instructions were pretty simple, but I would argue a little vague: take care of the garden.

My dad has always been the kind of gardener who measures everything. Rows are straight. Plants are spaced properly. Nothing gets planted without a plan.

And me?

I was chaos. Honestly... I still kind of am.

My dad would buy flowers for my little garden, and I’d plant them wherever I felt like it. I watered when I remembered. I pulled flowers thinking they were weeds and left actual weeds behind. Eventually, the weeds took over the entire island.

Each year, the Leni Garden got a little more neglected. And my dad never stepped in to fix it or save me from it. It was mine to care for.

He’d ask here and there, “How’s the Leni Garden today?” or, “Are you ever going to weed the Leni Garden?”

And when we’d pull into the driveway, I’d sometimes look away from it because it was never really pretty, and eventually it started to feel overwhelming. Which is funny, because it was just flowers.

The Leni Garden wasn’t exactly a success story.

I’m not much of a quitter, but I did eventually leave the Leni Garden behind and start following my dad into the vegetable garden in the backyard instead.

At first, I was just helping out by watering, pulling weeds, and harvesting. But I loved it because it meant I got to spend time with my dad and learn from him.

One of the first things I remember harvesting was vlita (amaranth greens).

Every summer it seemed to grow taller than me. We’d disappear into the rows to pick it, carrying armfuls of greens back to the house to boil and eat. Well, my dad and Pete would eat it. I was still a picky eater until my twenties. But I still loved helping.

Vlita will always remind me of my dad.

So will tomatoes. And garlic.

Little by little, I started helping with more of the vegetable garden.

And every year, it got bigger.

More tomatoes. More garlic. More zucchini. More herbs. More rows.

It felt like my dad kept finding new space in the backyard just so he could expand the garden.

What started as my dad’s garden slowly became our garden.

I actually don’t remember learning how to garden. There wasn’t some big lesson or moment where I suddenly knew what I was doing.

I just kept showing up.

Year after year. Season after season.

Planting things. Killing some plants. Learning from it. Trying again the next year. I even started a garden journal where I mapped out the garden, tracked what we grew, and wrote down what worked and what didn’t.

Somewhere in all those summers, the garden became one of my favorite places to be.

A place where life slowed down.

A place where there was always something to do, but never really a rush to do it.

And without realizing it, it shaped so much of who I became.

My love of food grew here. My patience (and impatience) grew here. My imagination grew here. My confidence grew here.

A lot of my connection to my Greek heritage started here too. It’s where I learned about my dad’s grandfather’s garden, and how my Cretan great-grandfather, Emmanuel Nempavlakis, spent hours throwing rocks out of the soil one by one because he gardened in the hills of Lead Mine, Utah.

A lot of the recipes I share started here too. Horiatiki. Horta. Zucchini fritters.

What began as a little patch of flowers eventually became something much bigger.

Food. Family. Traditions. Lessons.

A reason to pay attention to the seasons we’re in.

So welcome to the Leni Garden.

Not the little island by the side of the house, but what it eventually became.

I’ll be sharing recipes, garden updates, family stories, lessons I’ve learned along the way, and probably a few gardening mistakes too.

Subscribe to The Leni Garden and Eleni’s Eats for seasonal recipes, garden updates, family stories, and a few lessons learned along the way. Think of it as a seat at the garden table.

I’m glad you’re here.

Right now, the garden is giving horta and herbs.

A few weeks ago, I wasn’t sure the vlita was going to show up at all after our warm winter. Then I looked away for what felt like a day, and suddenly it’s everywhere and popping up in garden beds, between rows, and in all the places I wasn’t expectin…

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And now as we are at the end of May, the garden finally starts giving a little back. No big harvests yet. No overflowing tomatoes or piles of zucchini—but they’re on their way. Right now it’s sweet peas, pea shoots climbing their trellis, fresh lettuce for nearly every meal, and purple chive blossoms that seem to appear overnight. They’re the first real signs of the season which is exciting.

It’s not a huge harvest, but it’s enough to inspire lunch and remind me that the season is really starting.

So let’s officially bring back Greek Girl Garden Summer where I share what I make from my pickings. All season long I’ll be sharing recipes inspired by what’s growing in my garden, from simple lunches and snacky plates to outdoor dinners and seasonal desserts. Today I’m sharing two garden toasts: one toast topped with chive blossom butter and smashed peas, the other with whipped lemon ricotta and fresh pea shoots. They’re both so simple but so good. I hope you enjoy!

Chive Butter & Smashed Pea Toast

Ingredients

2 slices sourdough bread, toasted
2 tablespoons chive blossom butter (recipe below)
1 cup fresh peas
Olive oil, as needed
Flaky salt, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Chive blossoms, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Bring a small pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the peas and cook for 2–3 minutes, until bright green and just tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
2. Transfer the peas to a bowl and lightly mash with a fork, leaving some texture. Alternatively, pulse them a few times in a food processor with the olive oil and a pinch of salt until roughly chopped but not smooth to have a chunky texture. Season the peas with flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
3. Spread the warm toasted sourdough generously with the chive blossom butter. Spoon the smashed peas over the toast, allowing some of the butter to melt into the peas.
4. Finish with additional chive blossoms, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, and a few turns of black pepper before serving. Enjoy!

Whipped Lemon Ricotta & Pea Shoot Toast

Ingredients

2 slices sourdough bread, toasted
1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of half a lemon
1 teaspoon honey
Crumbled feta, optional
A handful of pea shoots
Extra lemon zest, for serving
Flaky salt, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper or red pepper flakes, to taste
Optional toppings: red pepper flakes, thin radish slices, pickled onions, or torn mint leaves

Instructions:

1. Add the ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, a pinch of salt, and black pepper to a bowl. Whisk until smooth, creamy, and lightly whipped.
2. Spread generously over the toasted sourdough. Top with optional crumbled feta. Top with a handful of pea shoots.
3. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, extra lemon zest, flaky salt, and black pepper.

Chive Blossom Butter

Makes about 1/2 cup

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We’ve got sticky, caramelized salmon with a sweet-spicy tamari glaze, crispy roasted sweet potatoes, and a huge crunchy salad I’ve been seeing all over social media with ribbons of carrots, cucumber, cabbage, kale, and pops of pomegranate. I love a good salad, but sometimes plain greens get a little boring and this one just has so much texture and flavor going on. Crunchy, fresh, savory, sweet, warm, all in one bowl.

I love adding sweet potatoes here because I can roast a big batch and use them all week in different ways. Plus they pair so well with the salmon and the gingery sesame dressing. But if sweet potatoes aren’t your thing, you could totally swap in broccoli, zucchini, green beans, cauliflower, whatever you have hanging around.

What I really like about this prep is that it feels really nourishing without feeling heavy or sad meal-preppy. The salmon has protein and healthy fats, the salad stays crunchy for days, and the dressing somehow tastes even better after it sits in the fridge.

And every part of this meal can turn into something else later in the week. I ended up cooking some ground turkey with tamari, salt, and pepper one night and tossing it into the leftover salad and it was SO good. That’s my favorite kind of meal prep, where you have a plan but it still feels flexible and easy.

Crunchy Ribbon Salad

Ingredients

6 large carrots, ribboned
4–5 cucumbers, thinly sliced or ribboned
1/2 red cabbage, thinly sliced
2–3 cups kale, chopped (stems removed)
6 spring onions, sliced
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

Dressing
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons honey
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 garlic clove, grated
2–3 tablespoons olive oil (helps mellow + balance)
Black pepper to taste
sesame seeds, for the top (optional)

Instructions

1. Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk dressing until smooth. Pour dressing over salad and toss well. If using kale, massage it for 1–2 minutes to soften.
For meal prep: store dressing separately or toss lightly and add more before serving.

Hot Honey Tamari Salmon

Ingredients

4 salmon filets (about 4–6 oz each, skin on or off)
2 tablespoons honey
1–2 tablespoons chili oil or chili crunch (adjust to heat preference)
2 tablespoons tamari
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2 garlic cloves, grated
Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Whisk together all sauce ingredients. Taste and adjust (more honey for sweet, more chili for heat).
3. Pat salmon dry and place on a lined sheet pan. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon or brush sauce over each filet.
4. Bake 12–15 minutes, depending on thickness, until the salmon flakes easily and the top is caramelized. Optional: broil for 1–2 minutes at the end for extra char. :)

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

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Because apparently I do.

These soba noodles with vegetables are one of those recipes that’s been on repeat in my life for years. I started making some version of this back in college when I was studying health and nutrition, and it just stuck because it was easy, flexible…

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My favorite way to eat Greek yogurt is honestly just plain, straight from the fridge with a spoon. But after that, my second favorite thing is using it as a marinade, and this chicken bowl is one of my favorite ways to do that.

It makes the chicken so tender and flavorful, and it gives you the perfect base for a meal prep lunch that feels fresh all week. I love that you can keep it simple or build it out with whatever you have on hand… cucumbers, tomatoes, herbs, feta, a good sauce on top. It all works.

This is Week 13 of Meal Prep Mondays, and these yogurt-marinated chicken bowls are the kind of lunch I want waiting in the fridge: high protein, customizable, and still actually exciting to eat by day three.

so… let’s cook!

Marinated yogurt chicken bowls

Makes ~4 meal prep servings

Ingredients:
1.5 pounds boneless chicken thighs or breasts*
1 cup Greek yogurt
3 garlic cloves, grated
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 to 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

*Note: if you want the juiciest chicken, use thighs. If you want something leaner, use breasts.

Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice and zest, Dijon, olive oil, and spices until well combined. (reserve some sauce if you’d like for topping later)
2. Add the chicken and coat it thoroughly. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or ideally 4 to 24 hours.
3. If marinating overnight, let the chicken sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking. Bake at 400°F for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the thickest part reaches 165°F. You can also grill or pan-sear it.
4. Since the yogurt marinade can slow down browning, go by temperature instead of color. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes at the end if you want a little extra color, then let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Lemony Couscous Base

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups chicken broth or water
1 1/2 cups pearl couscous
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice + zest of 1 lemon
Salt, to taste
Optional: chopped parsley and a pinch of paprika

Instructions:
1. Bring the broth or water to a boil.
2. Stir in the couscous, cover, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 5 to 8 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then stir in the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and optional parsley or paprika.

Crunchy Greek-Style Salad

Ingredients
1 cucumber, diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Optional: Kalamata olives
Optional: feta
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Salt

Instructions:
1. If you’re using red onion, soak it in cold water for 5 minutes to soften the bite.
2. Toss the cucumber, tomatoes, onion, and parsley together. Add olives and feta if you’d like.
3. Dress lightly with olive oil, lemon, and salt right before serving, or keep it undressed for meal prep.

Sauce Options

I like giving this bowl a couple of sauce choices, depending on what kind of lunch mood I’m in. Here are three options…

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Instead of just giving you a meal to prep, I wanted to share something that can actually carry you through multiple meals all week…

Greek yogurt.

For the longest time, it felt like one of those things you just buy. It didn’t cross my mind to make it at home. But then I got a recipe from my cousin’s family in Greece—I think it was back in 2014—and I’ve been making it at home ever since.

Over time, I’ve adjusted it to what works best in my kitchen, but the one thing that hasn’t changed is that I haven’t gone back to store-bought. Homemade is thicker, tangier, and just tastes better. And more than that, it makes everything else easier. When you have a batch sitting in your fridge, you’re already halfway to so many meals.

Why I love having it prepped

Besides it tasting better and being cheaper…
You can build simple breakfast bowls with fruit, honey, and nuts.
You can mix in a little peanut butter or protein powder for an easy, high-protein breakfast.
You can use it to make tzatziki.
It becomes a base for sauces, dressings, and marinades.

A quick look at the process

It sounds more intimidating than it is.

You’re really just heating milk, letting it cool, adding a little starter, and giving it time to sit. So you will see it takes a full day and a half but all you’re really doing is letting it do its thing by sitting. And then… straining as the final step. Straining is key to making Greek yogurt.

The recipe

This recipe comes straight from my cookbook, All You Can Greek, and I wanted to share it here as a thank you for being part of this space.

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This recipe is from my cookbook, All You Can Greek, and I’m sharing it with you here as a thank you for subscribing and being here.

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Something about a jar of eggs just sitting in liquid? I wasn’t convinced. I also didn’t really understand what the texture would be like… are they pickly? (is that a word) chewy? weird??

But then… I started dating a farmer (so you’ll be seeing EVEN more farm to table recipes from me) and suddenly I had more fresh eggs …

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Now we’re back to meal prepping—simple, fresh dishes that actually make the week easier and that you want to eat more than once. These lemon chicken meatball orzo bowls are bright, filling, and super flexible de…

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So yes, we always have a lot of leftovers.

Which is exactly why this week isn’t about cooking a ton of new dishes… it’s about using what you already have and turning it into meals for the week. Because no one wants to just reheat a plate of lamb and potatoes three days in a row. I mean, I do… but I draw the line on day four and then it’s time to switch things up.

So below, I’m sharing a few easy recipes to use up those red eggs, leftover lamb, and tsoureki. And if you have a favorite way to use your leftovers, please share, I’m always looking for new ideas so feel free to comment!

WHAT TO DO WITH LEFTOVER RED EGGS:

You probably have a dozen red eggs sitting in your fridge right now. This is the easiest way to turn them into something fresh. You can make deviled eggs if you’re feeling fancy, or try this Greeky egg salad!

Ingredients for egg salad:
6–8 red eggs, peeled and roughly chopped (or adjust with what you have leftover)
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon miracle whip or mayonnaise
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 lemon juice + a little zest
2 tablespoons crumbled feta
1–2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1–2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup finely chopped cucumber (optional but I love the crunch)
Handful of chopped kalamata olives
Salt + pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Add the chopped eggs to a bowl and gently break them up a bit more with a fork.
2. In a small bowl, make the dressing: whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayo, olive oil, Dijon, lemon juice, and zest until smooth and creamy. Add a small pinch of salt and a few cracks of pepper here. It should be bright, slightly tangy.
3. Pour the dressing over the eggs and gently mix until everything is evenly coated but don’t OVER MIX!
4. Fold in the feta, dill, green onions, cucumber, and olives.
Taste for seasoning and enjoy:
plain, on toasted tsoureki or sourdough, scooped with crackers!
or piled onto toasted sourdough

WHAT TO DO WITH LEFTOVER TSOUREKI:

If you have leftover tsoureki sitting on the counter, first of all… I’m impressed, because that does not usually happen. But if you do, don’t let it dry out and go to waste.
Tsoureki makes incredible French toast, and I already have a recipe for tsoureki French toast on the blog, so definitely start here!

OR, you can go tsoureki grilled cheese route and get something sweet and salty. Makes 2.

Ingredients for the grilled cheese:
4 slices tsoureki
½ cup shredded kasseri or graviera cheese (or gruyere)
¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese (preferably orange or pre-shredded for better melt)
2–3 tablespoons super crumbled feta (optional but if you want more cheese!!)
2–3 tablespoons softened butter
Honey (optional, but highly recommend)

note: if you don’t have any of the Greek cheeses on hand use shredded mozzarella, provolone or montery jack!

Instructions:
1. If your tsoureki is very soft and fresh, you can lightly toast it first to help everything hold up better. If it’s a day or two old, you can skip this step.
2. Spread butter on both sides of each slice of tsoureki. Yes, both sides.
3. Place one slice down and layer on the shredded kasseri (or graviera) and cheddar. Sprinkle the crumbled feta over the top and drizzle lightly with honey if you want that sweet-salty combo.
4. Top with the second slice of tsoureki.
5. Heat a skillet over medium-low heat. Don’t go too hot on the pan or you’ll burn the tsoureki first and not melt the cheese! Add a small pat of butter to the pan and place your sandwich in.
6. Cook for about 3–4 minutes per side, pressing gently. Cover loosely with a lid if needed so the cheese melts fully without burning the bread.
7. Once both sides are golden and the cheese is melty and gooey, remove from heat.
Let it sit for a minute, then slice and serve.
Enjoy:
Hot, straight from the pan
with tomato soup or salad
or cut into small squares for little apps

WHAT TO DO WITH LEFTOVER LAMB:

If you have leftover lamb in your fridge, you can always go the easy route and throw it into a pita with tzatziki and call it a day (which I fully support). But if you want something that feels fresh and a little more put together for the week, make Greek-style lamb bowls.

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