Columbia Cooks - Greek Revival Style!

Yesterday was my first time attending a class by Columbia Cooks.  This is a program through the University of South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Program.  The class was Healthy Mediterranean Cooking and was taught by the "first lady" of the University of South Carolina, Patricia Moore-Pastides.   The Greek Revival Style in my heading relates to her cookbook Greek Revival Cooking for Life.

The class was a great learning experience and lots of fun!  There was even a lovely "floral arrangement" in the room with all sorts of vegetables and herbs included.  It made the room smell so good  As we went around the room and introduced ourselves it was apparent most of us did not fit the mold of being a "chef."  Some were learning to cook and some simply hoped to learn how to cook in a healthier way. .  

We prepared:

Sauteed Dates with Almonds
Roasted Beet and Arugula Salad
Spinach and Dill Pie
Braised Cauliflower with Slowly Sauteed Onions
Black-Eyed Peas and Swiss Chard
Seared Shrimp with Red Pepper Flakes and Basil
Spiced Walnut Cake

and I'm sure a few more recipes that I don't recall.  My friend and I prepared the Braised Cauliflower with Slowly Sauteed Onions.  It includes oregano and sage so the flavor was as delightful as the aroma.  At the end of the class we enjoyed all the dishes and our plates were heaped with delicious food.  Everyone certainly put their best efforts into cooking.  You would have thought each of us was a professional chef!

The program is also very conscious of environmental and health issues.  The food was locally grown and healthy, we did not use any disposable dinnerware, we used cloth towels, and we had a compost bin for waste as we chopped and peeled our vegetables.

I'll be checking out more of the classes that they have on their list once my schedule looks a little bit lighter.