In this episode, Chef Tim and Dietitian Kayla take us into the heart of a Mediterranean-inspired kitchen, where bold spices, fresh herbs, and vibrant vegetables come together to create a deeply satisfying meal.
We start with Chef Jerome’s kofta—a flavorful blend of lamb and beef seasoned with warm spices, shaped into skewers, and grilled or pan-fried to juicy perfection. It’s a dish rooted in Middle Eastern tradition, made simple and approachable for home cooks.
Alongside the kofta, we build a rustic warm orzo salad inspired by the classic Greek village-style Horiatiki. This version brings together tender orzo pasta with briny feta, Kalamata olives, ripe grape tomatoes, red onion, and loads of fresh herbs—all tied together with a lemony olive oil dressing.
To balance the richness of the meat and pasta, Kayla shares a crisp, refreshing tomato cucumber salad—bright with lemon juice, parsley, and a touch of olive oil—plus a traditional Greek tzatziki made with thick yogurt, cucumber, garlic, and dill.
Together, these four dishes create a complete, nourishing plate—rich in protein, fiber, and flavor—celebrating both tradition and health.
Watch the full episode to cook along, pick up simple tips, and learn how each element supports a more balanced, feel-good meal.
#MediterraneanDiet #HealthyRecipes #KoftaRecipe #OrzoSalad #TzatzikiSauce #TomatoCucumberSalad #CookingWithKayla #ChefTimCooks #FoodIsMedicine #CulturalCuisine #EatWellLiveWell #NutritionEducation #HealthyEatingMadeEasy #FlavorfulFood #HomeCooking
Hi everybody. Welcome back to the community table. My name is Kayla. I’m a dietician. Hi everybody. I’m Chef Tim. And today we have a couple amazing recipes for y’all. So we are highlighting Mediterranean cuisine. So Chef Tim, what exactly are we making tonight? Yeah, so we’ve got a few different recipes. We’ve got a taziki. We’ve got a cucumber tomato salad. We’ve got a kafta, which is kind of like a meat skewer. Uh and then we’ve also got a orzo pasta salad. So, lots of vegetables in here, lots of colors. It’s going to be awesome. Beautiful. So, let’s go ahead and get started. For the spiced kofa, we’re going to mix the meat in a large bowl, combining the ground beef, ground lamb, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper, coriander, dried mustard, paprika, and chopped cilantro. Just mix well until incorporated. Then next, we’ll shape the kofa. So measure 1 to 2 oz portions, form into a finger- sized shaped kebab or into patties. Next, you’ll chill, placing the kofa on a tray and chill for about 20 minutes to help set up. Use lean ground meat for a firmer texture and chill before cooking to help the kofka hold the shape. For a lighter version, you can substitute part of the red meat with a ground turkey or even mushrooms. Serve with a simple yogurt dish or fresh with a cucumber salad. And finally, we’ll cook either in a pan or in a grill. We’ll cook to 3 to four minutes per side until brown and cooked all the way through. These are great warmed in a pa with rice and with cooling yogurt sauce. With the Greek pasta salad, we’ll go ahead and start with cooking the orzo pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While the pasta is cooking, we can go ahead and prepare the ingredients. We’ll dice the onions, the olives, the grape tomatoes, mince the oregano, and cilantro. Prepare the dressing. We’ll whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, chili flakes. Want to mix this until it’s emulsified and all the ingredients come together. After the pasta is cooked, we’ll cool the orzo pasta. And we want to cool this light slightly before we add in the ingredients and the dressing. After the pasta is cooled, then we can add everything together. Dress the pasta, drizzle this over, mix well, and then combine all the ingredients. Enjoy. It’s good to meet you. I’m Filimon Huck and I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Been living in Portland for about 15 years now. Born and raised in an Indian household. We made a lot of kebabs cuz we’re from that region in the country where grilling meats is very popular. and lamb was always kind of like a staple for us. And when I was invited to put together a summer cookout menu, I couldn’t think of anything more flavorful and uh and versatile than to put together some kofas and maybe uh you know, some some nice fresh salads. So, Mediterranean was the only way to go for me. I’d say the warm o or orzo salad is something I get really excited about because the blend of of cheese with pasta and olives and that crunch from the onion with tons of fresh herbs make it a really fresh and and light option that goes great with almost any meal. For our tomato cucumber salad, we’ll go ahead and prep the vegetables first. Slice the cucumbers, Roma tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Next, we’ll thinly slice the red onions and minced parsley. Combine the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the cucumbers, tomatoes, runn onions, and parsley. Dress the salad by drizzling olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper over top. Toss all together and enjoy. For the tomato cucumber salad, use heirloom or ripe vine tomatoes that are in season for peak flavor. Try English cucumbers if Persian cucumbers aren’t available. For a heartier, higher protein version, you can add chickpeas or feta cheese. Just make sure to let the salad rest for about 10 to 15 minutes before serving. This really helps the flavors come together. With the taziki sauce, we’ll start by preparing the cucumber. Finally, chop or grate the cucumber using a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. We want to squeeze out as much moisture as possible. This will prevent the sauce from getting watery. Next, we’ll mix the base together. In a medium bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice. Stir until smooth and well balanced. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix the chopped cucumber, minced garlic, fresh dill. Season with salt and pepper and a pinch of red chili flakes. Finally, we’ll chill. Cover refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to come together. Enjoy. All right, Tim. Looked amazing. Everything was so beautiful and delicious. Yeah. You know, I love this time of year. You can cook on the barbecue. You can be outside. It’s just a really great chance to use lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Yeah, definitely. For sure. So, we really hope that all of you guys try these recipes at home. And if you enjoyed today’s video, make sure that you like and subscribe. Until next time. Bye bye.
1 Comment
Yummy recipes! Thanks for dinner. Loved that I was given lamb. I love lamb but it is too expensive for my budget. What a treat! 🎉