Nistisima

Simple, seasonal Lenten recipes with a Greek soul

Growing up in a Greek-Australian family, I was familiar with all the obvious nistisima foods from an early age - the lentil and bean soups, the iconic lathera dishes (those slow-cooked vegetable stews), halva for a sweet treat, and so much more. How we ate was shaped by the rhythm of the seasons and the year, and it’s a rhythm I still find myself drawn back to.

What I love most about these dishes is what I’d call the creativity of the constraint. Take yemista - stuffed tomatoes filled with rice, fresh herbs, dried fruit and nuts. It transforms the most humble, plant-based ingredients into something deeply flavourful and nourishing. No meat, no dairy, and yet it never feels like something is missing. If anything, the simplicity makes you pay more attention - to the quality of the olive oil, the freshness of the dill, the sweetness of a good tomato.

These days, nistisima cooking feels more relevant than ever. So many people are looking to eat more plant-based meals, to cook with less meat, to find vegetable-forward dishes that are genuinely satisfying. Greek fasting food has been doing exactly that for centuries - long before it was a trend. The Mediterranean approach to eating - simple, seasonal, generous with olive oil and legumes - has never really gone out of style.

When I begin writing a recipe, I always start by thinking about the story it has to tell. I want to know why these ingredients belong together, the history and traditions behind the dish. Some of my most treasured memories are those with my mother in the kitchen, and there are many times when I am cooking certain dishes that I cannot help but feel a deep connection to my past - to the wisdom passed down and the traditions that have shaped me. Food preserves heritage by connecting us to the past and fostering a sense of belonging. It is not just about eating - it is about the traditions and the stories.

The recipes I’m sharing today are some of my absolute favourites — dishes I come back to again and again, whether I’m fasting or not. They happen to be completely plant-based (or seafood-based, where noted), but more than anything, they are just really good food. I hope they find a place at your table too.

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It is said that fasting has been used therapeutically since at least the year 58BC, when Hippocrates prescribed to some patients that they abstain from food and drink. Of course, now fasting has come under the spotlight as diets such as intermittent fasting have become popular especially the Mediterranean diet combined with intermitten fasting.

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Some of My Favourite Recipes

Plant-based, full of flavour, and rooted in Greek tradition — these are the dishes I keep coming back to, season after season.