These recipes come to us from the late, Jimmy Boukas. He was the owner and chef of the St. Thomas Greek restaurant, Zorba's. President Clinton even went there on one on his visits to the Virgin Islands.

As the world's health professionals have finally discovered, the cuisine of the southern Mediterranean is about the best way to go for a good-for-you diet. Most things that are good for you are, unfortunately, not very appealing to most people. Greek cuisine, on the other hand, is something you would choose to eat even if you weren't trying to eat healthfully. Will wonders never cease!

Tzatziki

One of these recipes would just leave you hoping for more so while you're in the kitchen take just a few more minutes and whip up both (they're super simple).

• 1 large cucumber, peeled and diced
• salt
• 2 cups plain yoghurt
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• pinch white pepper
• pinch Kosher or sea salt
• 1 Tbsp dried, crushed mint (or 3 Tbsp finely chopped fresh mint)

Hummus

• 1 16 oz can chick peas, drained
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbsp tahini
• 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
• pinch salt
• pinch white pepper

These are my 2 favourite Greek side dishes - actually they could easily be the whole meal with the addition of the bread and a little Greek salad if you want to be fancy. And best of all you can feel smug and saintly while indulging since it's unbelievably good for you! For dessert? What else but a slice of baklava!

by Vivian Bryan