by Stacy Calvert

Created on: October 15, 2009

Greek food is delicious because of its simplicity and freshness. Greek cuisine makes use of a wide variety of veggies, making it an obvious choice for anyone trying to maintain a healthy diet.

A Greek wrap is an easy, yet satisfying, lunch or dinner, and I've used a typical Greek salad as the model for my wrap. While meat can be added, most will find it just as tasty without. Anchovies, while not the most popular food item in the States, are sometimes offered as a optional ingredient.

A ready-made wrap or tortilla will work if pita bread is unavailable. Tomatoes, kalamata olives, red onion, spinach, feta cheese, bell peppers, and cucumber form a great base. Peperoncini rings from a jar make a nice, tangy addition, and other types of olives, as well as capers, will satisfy the cravings of salty food lovers.

The vegetable prep is pretty much up to the chef's preference; dice them or slice them, depending on individual taste. Bags or other containers of already-washed spinach simplify the job, and crumbled feta cheese is commonly available in grocery stores. The olives, peperoncini, and capers can just be rinsed and drained, to avoid unwanted liquid and an overly briny taste.

If a creamy sauce is desired, tzatziki is a good, traditional choice. It can be bought already prepared, either from Mediterranean food markets, or grocery stores - even Walmart offers a tzatziki dip in several flavors. Those who prefer to make their own can find myriad recipes online, but the basic ingredients are plain yogurt, cucumbers, olive oil, and seasonings. The latter can include lemon juice, garlic, salt, dill, parsley, and mint, or any combination of these. Spread on the bread before adding the ingredients, or spread on top when the sandwich has been assembled.

Vinaigrette is another great dressing choice. One simple, yummy shortcut is Greek vinaigrette, which many salad dressing companies offer. If the sandwich will be eaten immediately, the cut-up veggies and other ingredients can just be mixed in with the dressing and spooned onto the pita bread or wrap. If not, all ingredients should be stored separately to avoid sogginess.

An alternative to store-bought salad dressing is a light drizzling of olive oil. In this case, having an extra virgin olive oil that tastes good on its own will really enhance the taste of the wrap. The acidity of the ingredients will work well with the oil. Salt, and a sprinkling of herbs, like oregano, make nice finishing touches.

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