Olive Oil: How to Choose a Good One

There are hundreds of bottles on the shelf. Which one should you take home?

Forget the fancy labels. Five things matter most...

Hello October! 🍂 Autumn Recipes & Ideas from My Kitchen

Hello October! 🍁

The days are getting shorter, the evenings cooler, and suddenly we start craving warm soups, comforting dishes, cinnamon, apples and cosy baking.

October is such a lovely month in the kitchen. In France, it is the season for pumpkins and squash, leeks, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, beetroot, celery, turnips and parsnips, while apples, pears, grapes, quinces and chestnuts bring plenty of inspiration for something sweet.

So, what could we cook this month?

Healthy Kitchen Essentials: Cook Safe!

Cooking healthy isn’t just about ingredients — it’s also about what you cook with! Scratched non-stick pans, old plastic containers, and worn utensils can release chemicals into your food.

Quick essentials for a safe kitchen:

• Cookware: Stainless steel, cast iron, glass, ceramic

• Utensils: Wood, bamboo, stainless steel, food-grade silicone

• Storage: Glass, stainless steel, silicone bags

To make it easy and practical, I designed the Healthy Kitchen Essentials Printable Poster. This A4 guide has clear checklists for cookware, utensils, and storage, plus tips on when to replace worn items. Print it, frame it, and enjoy a safer, more organized kitchen every day!

✨ Instant download on Etsy

Cook safe. Cook simple. Cook happy!

💡 Want more tips like this? Check my Tips page of the blog — small ideas that make everyday cooking easier and faster.

Milopitakia (Greek Mini Apple Pies)

🌟 Difficulty	⏱️ Time	🍽️ Serves	🔪 Skill level
★★ Easy	~1 hr	~30 pieces	Beginner–Intermediate

October, the month of apples!

That's why I decided to present you today a recipe that was missing from my blog and that I like a lot: milopitakia!

Milopitakia, in greek, means mini apple pies but they are actually more kind of apple-filled cookies to be more precise.

Whatever you call them, I am sure that you will like them once you taste them, so here it goes in order to have them for real at your place :)

They look gorgeous too, no?

Swiss Malakoffs — Crispy Gruyère Cheese Fritters

Golden, crisp on the outside and irresistibly molten inside, Malakoffs are a delicious Swiss specialty from the canton of Vaud. Made with plenty of Gruyère, a splash of dry white wine and a hint of nutmeg, they are traditionally served hot with bread and a fresh salad. 

I tried them twice at restaurants and hubby had the nice idea to try to make them at home, and I couldn't agree more. Enjoy! 

This recipe makes 8 Malakoffs, perfect for a generous appetizer or a light Swiss-style meal.

Greek Koulouria Thessalonikis — The Sesame Breads That Tastes Like Home

Some foods taste like a place. For me, koulouria Thessalonikis will always remind me of Thessaloniki, Greece.

When I was studying there, koulouri was part of everyday life: a warm, sesame-covered ring grabbed on the way to university, work, shopping, between classes, or with a coffee. It has been a beloved staple of Thessaloniki for generations. No wonder why, it was in my bucket list of ToDo recipes and finally came the moment.

This homemade version brings a little of that memory back to the kitchen.

My New Cookbook Is Here: Vivian Is Cooking BAKING

I'm delighted to announce the release of my third cookbook in the Vivian Is Cooking collection !

Vivian Is Cooking BAKING: 50+ Reliable Recipes for Every Occasion is now available worldwide on Amazon in both paperback and hardcover editions. 

If you're outside the United States, simply search for "Vivian Is Cooking BAKING" on your local Amazon website (Amazon UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Canada, Australia, and many others) to order in your local currency.

Whether you're an experienced baker or just beginning your baking journey, this cookbook was created to help you bake with confidence. Every recipe has been carefully tested and written with clear, easy-to-follow instructions. Featuring Tiramisu, Pavlova, Cheesecake, Bougatsa, Brioche, Cinnamon Rolls, Waffles, Cookies, Muffins, and festive holiday desserts.

Greek Kadaifi (Traditional Syrup Dessert)

🌟 Difficulty	⏱️ Time	🍽️ Serves	🔪 Skill level
★★ Medium	1 hr 30 min + resting	~14 pieces	Intermediate

Kadaifi is a classic Greek syrup dessert made with shredded phyllo, a fragrant nut filling, and warm citrus syrup. Crispy outside, juicy inside, and delicately spiced, it’s a timeless sweet that pairs beautifully with coffee.

(If you want an easier version, check my old recipe Kadaif, oriental pastry)

Love this recipe? Get a printable version in my Etsy shop, explore other Greek recipes, or enjoy the full recipe book on Amazon (Kindle, paperback, or hardcover)!

Lemon rabbit

Like lemon? Then you will get addicted with this lemon rabbit (like Rogger Rabbit :) stew seasoned with oregano.

Greek Tyropitakia with Fyllo in the Ninja Crispi Air Fryer

Tyropitakia with Fyllo are a classic Greek cheese meze, and they adapt beautifully to the air fryer. Shaping them as small rectangles instead of triangles allows you to fit more pieces at once — even in a compact air fryer like the Ninja Crispi.

Using one sheet of fyllo per roll keeps them light, crisp, and perfectly suited to air frying.

👉Check also this variation using an Air fryer:

• Easy Kourou Tyropitakia (Feta Balls) in the Ninja Crispi Air Fryer

Love this recipe? Get a printable version in my Etsy shop, explore other Greek recipes, or enjoy the full recipe book on Amazon (Kindle, paperback, or hardcover)!

Anniversary Cake full of chocolate!

🌟 Difficulty	⏱️ Time	🍽️ Serves	🔪 Skill level
★★★ Intermediate	1 hr + chilling	8–10	Intermediate

Looking for the perfect cake for a big anniversary full of chocolate and charm? Look no further, I got it up for you! For the 18 or 20 year of your child, your wedding anniversary, or any other big event of your life that you prefer baking by yourself instead of ordering something here's all you need (apart from tons of love for the celebrating person)...

PS: Special credits to my daughter and her friend that I gave them my kitchen and made this gorgeous cake. Having done all the cleaning, I deserve some credits too, no? ;) 

Easy and light version of moussaka

 Want more authentic Greek recipes? 📘 Discover my eBook here!

Summer is the perfect time to bake greek moussaka, as eggplants are at their best, so I highly recommend it! The caveat is that it is not an easy task and usually in summer we want to rest and recharge. In addition, frying too is not the best summer task either.

So, here's an update to my Authentic, traditional recipe of Moussaka!!!: Follow the exact recipe apart from the way of cooking the vegetables. For them, I suggest instead:

1. you cut them in small cubes, 
2. empty them in a big oven tray, 
3. pour some olive oil all over, add, salt, pepper and thyme or oregano
4. mix well
5. bake at 200 degrees of Celsius for about 30min or until softened 

My son even said that he prefers this version better :) Enjoy!

Feta cheese balls

Remember the recipe of feta cheese pies (tyropitakia)?
It's one of our favorite salty starters and if you have never tried it before this is the moment to do it!

I am giving you an alternative that is pretty simple, much simpler than the original recipe.

👉Check also 2 variations using an Air fryer:

• Greek Tyropitakia with Fyllo in the Ninja Crispi Air Fryer
• Easy Kourou Tyropitakia (Feta Balls) in the Ninja Crispi Air Fryer