By Paul Shapiro / Port Washington Patch

On the day before the Super Bowl, there was a competition of epic proportions taking place right in our own backyard. The Port Washington Chamber of Commerce hosted its third annual SOUPer Bowl at the United Methodist Church, where close to 20 local restaurants competed to win the title of “SOUPer Bowl Champ.”

Participants sampled two-ounce portions of every soup and then cast a vote for their favorite. A panel of judges did the same and a “People’s Choice Award” and a “Judges’ Choice Award” were then presented to the restaurant with the best soup in Port Washington for 2010.

This year’s winner in both the Judges’ Choice and People’s Choice awards was Ayhan’s Mediterranean Marketplace for its Tex Mex Turkey Chili.

After hearing the results, one attendee said, “I tried it. It was excellent.”

This is the second consecutive year that Ayhan’s was named a winner in the competition. Hal Linden, general manager of Ayhan’s Mediterranean Marketplace and chairman of the SOUPer Bowl committee, said this recognition was very rewarding.

“Last year, our Tex Mex Beef Chili came in first in the Judges’ Choice and that was very gratifying,” Linden said. “But to top it all off, after putting in many hours of work with meetings of the Chamber of Commerce committee and putting in a full day of work at the soup contest, it was even more gratifying knowing that the People’s Choice and the Judges’ Choice were both similar this year. It was more than money could buy, I can assure you of that.”

As part of the mediterranean diet, you can enjoy delicious recipes like this Tilapia over Asparagus Basmati Rice Pilaf. This is just one of the fast and easy recipes in our 28 Day Mediterranean Diet Plan Book that is available on our website. Most of the recipes take 10 minutes or less to make, and the ingredients are readily available. Our authentic restaurant recipes have been analyzed by Dietitians, endorsed by Doctors and enjoyed by thousands.

We look forward to your comments on our blog and wish you a great year,
Ayhan

Tilapia over Asparagus Basmati Rice Pilaf (495 cals)

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Temperature Instructions: Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Ingredients
* 3 ounces tilapia fish filet
* 1 cup basmati rice, cooked
* 1/4 cup onion, diced
* 1 tsp olive oil
* 3 tbsp Ayhan’s Lemon & Herb Dressing and Marinade
* 4 spears asparagus, cut into 1″ pieces
* 1/4 cup water
* 1/4 cup fennel, diced
* salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Prepare rice according to directions on package, without any added butter or oil, measure out 1 cup cooked, and set aside. Place tilapia in a casserole dish with a thin layer of water on bottom and bake for 5 minutes. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in saucepan. Sauté onions, asparagus and fennel until tender. Mix into cooked rice, along with lemon and herb dressing. Place fish on top of rice, add salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 495
Total Fat 18g
Saturated Fat 3g
Cholesterol 41mg
Sodium 353mg
Total Carbs 84g
Dietary Fiber 6g
Sugars 13g
Protein 29g

As part of the mediterranean diet, you can enjoy delicious recipes like this Grilled Chicken and Artichoke Pizza. This is just one of the fast and easy recipes in our 28 Day Mediterranean Diet Plan Book that is available on our website. Most of the recipes take 10 minutes or less to make, and the ingredients are readily available. Our authentic restaurant recipes have been analyzed by Dietitians, endorsed by Doctors and enjoyed by thousands.

We look forward to your comments on our blog and wish you a great year,
Ayhan

Grilled Chicken and Artichoke Pizza (578 cals)

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Temperature Instructions: Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Ingredients
* 1 whole wheat pita
* 3 ounces grilled chicken
* 1/2 cup artichoke hearts
* 2 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
* 2 tbsp tomato sauce
* 4 slices ripe tomato
* 3 tbsp Ayhan’s Lemon & Herb Dressing and Marinade

Directions: Baste chicken with Lemon & Herb Dressing and grill or bake at 450 degrees for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside. Split open the pita bread and toast for about 2 minutes. Take the pita out of the oven and spread tomato sauce and tomato slices on the surface. Top it with the cheese, artichokes and chicken. Place it back in the oven for about 2 minutes, until the cheese has melted.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 578
Total Fat: 30g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Cholesterol: 77mg
Sodium: 2514mg
Total Carbs: 41g
Dietary Fiber: 9g
Sugars: 5g
Protein: 43g

As part of the Mediterranean Diet, you can incorporate easy to make recipes into your daily diet routine.

Spinach Pie (466 cals)

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

* 2 sheets phyllo dough
* 1 tbsp low fat parmesan cheese, grated
* 2 ounces low-fat feta cheese, crumbled
* ¼ cup onions, diced
* 2 cup spinach, fresh or frozen
* 2 egg whites
* 2 tbsp olive oil
* 1 cup fat free or soy milk, to drink
* as needed cooking spray
* to taste salt and pepper
* 1 clove and garlic, crushed

Directions: Steam the spinach either in the microwave or on the stovetop, squeeze out any water, and set aside. Sauté onions with garlic with 1 tbsp olive oil until soft. Add spinach and sauté 5 minutes. Allow to cool. Add cheeses, egg whites, and salt and pepper, to taste. Brush phyllo dough with remaining oil. Spread ingredients between 2 pieces of phyllo and fold into triangular shape. Spray cooking sheet with cooking spray to avoid sticking. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, until golden brown.
Nutrition Facts

Calories: 466
Total Fat: 33g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Cholesterol: 15mg
Sodium: 360mg
Total Carbs: 28g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 7g

As part of the Mediterranean diet, you can enjoy delicious recipes like this Chicken Kebab Sandwich with Salad and Yogurt Marinade. This is just one of the fast and easy recipes in our 28 Day Mediterranean Diet Plan Book that is available on our website or on Amazon.com. Most of the recipes take 10 minutes or less to make, and the ingredients are readily available. Our authentic Mediterranean recipes have been analyzed by Dietitians, endorsed by Doctors and enjoyed by thousands.”

This is one of the fast, easy recipes in the 28 Day Mediterranean Diet Plan Book. Click for Softcover or Ebook.

We look forward to your comments on our blog and wish you a great fall.
Ayhan

Chicken Kebab Sandwich (420 Cals)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
*4 ounces chicken breast
*4 large mushrooms, washed
*2 tbsp Ayhan’s Lite Mediterranean Vinaigrette Dressing
*1/2 onion, sliced
*cooking spray
*1/2 whole wheat pita
*salt and pepper, to taste
Directions: Baste chicken with dressing and grill for 5-6 minutes in the oven or on grill pan. In separate pan, saute mushrooms and onions in cooking spray. Serve chicken in 1/2 pita and top with mushrooms and onions.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 420
Total Fat 16g
Saturated Fat 4g
Cholesterol 5mg
Sodium 864mg
Total Carbs 45g
Dietary Fiber 5g
Sugars 6g
Protein 40g

Salad (237 cals)
Prep Time:: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cups salad greens, sliced
1/2 cup plum tomatoes, diced
1/2 cucumber, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
8 black olives
salt and pepper
5 tbsp Ayhan’s Lite Dressing

Nutrition Facts:
Calories 237
Total Fat 16g
Total Carbs 22g

Yogurt Marinade (46 cals)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp white wine vinegar
salt and pepper
3 oz fat-free yogurt

Directions: Mix yogurt with garlic in small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Before serving Chicken-Kebab Sandwich, drizze yogurt dressing inside of pita sandwich.

Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 46
Total Fat: 0g
Total Carbs: 8g

As part of the Mediterranean diet, you can enjoy delicious recipes like this Mediterranean Vegetable Soup. This is just one of the fast and easy recipes in our 28 Day Mediterranean Diet Plan Book that is available on our website or on Amazon.com. Most of the recipes take 10 minutes or less to make, and the ingredients are readily available. Our authentic Mediterranean recipes have been analyzed by Dietitians, endorsed by Doctors and enjoyed by thousands.”

This is one of the fast, easy recipes in the 28 Day Mediterranean Diet Plan Book. Click for Softcover or Ebook.

We look forward to your comments on our blog and wish you a great fall.
Ayhan

Mediterranean Vegetable Soup (403 Cals)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup white beans, canned
1/2 head of savoy cabbage
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 celery stalks, sliced
6 canned tomatoes, drained & chopped
2 cups broccoli florets
6 cups couscous cooked, prepared according to box instructions
6 cups vegetable/fat-free chicken broth
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 large green zucchini, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cups string beans
6 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
Directions: First take cabbage and steam until tender, set aside. Combine garlic, parsley, and onion and sautee gently in the oil in a heavy stockpot until tender, about 10-15 minutes. Add the remaining vegetables to the pot along with the broth. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 20-30 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add the cabbage and the beans. Add salt and pepper to taste. Divide soup into 6 servings. Serve each serving over 1 cup couscous with 1 tbsp shredded parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. Freeze the rest of the soup for later use.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 403
Total Fat 8g
Saturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 4mg
Sodium 2032mg
Total Carbs 68g
Dietary Fiber 11g
Sugars 15g
Protein 18g

As part of the Mediterranean diet, you can enjoy delicious recipes like this White Bean Puree with Toasted Whole Wheat Pita. This is just one of the fast and easy recipes in our 28 Day Mediterranean Diet Plan Book that is available on our website or on Amazon.com. Most of the recipes take 10 minutes or less to make, and the ingredients are readily available. Our authentic Mediterranean recipes have been analyzed by Dietitians, endorsed by Doctors and enjoyed by thousands.”

This is one of the fast, easy recipes in the 28 Day Mediterranean Diet Plan Book. Click for Softcover or Ebook.

We look forward to your comments on our blog and wish you a great fall.
Ayhan

White Bean Puree with Toasted Whole Wheat Pita
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
* 1/2 cup canned cannellini beans (or other white bean)
* 1 tbsp olive oil
* 1 tsp lemon juice
* 1 whole wheat pita, cut into quarters and toasted
* 1 clove garlic
* 2 tsp rosemary leaves
* 1/2 cup boiling water
Directions: Combine all ingredients, except boiling water, in a food processor. Mix until smooth. Pour in boiling water slowly as the processor is still mixing, until desired consistency is reached. Serve with toasted pita to dip.

As part of the Mediterranean diet, you can enjoy delicious recipes like this Grilled Tuna with Asparagus. This is just one of the fast and easy recipes in our 28 Day Mediterranean Diet Plan Book that is available on our website or on Amazon.com. Most of the recipes take 10 minutes or less to make, and the ingredients are readily available. Our authentic Mediterranean recipes have been analyzed by Dietitians, endorsed by Doctors and enjoyed by thousands.”

This is one of the fast, easy recipes in the 28 Day Mediterranean Diet Plan Book. Click for Softcover or Ebook.

We look forward to your comments on our blog and wish you a great fall.
Ayhan

Grilled Tuna with Asparagus (291 cals)
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 12 minutes
Temperature Instructions: Preheat to 450 degrees
Ingredients:
4 oz filet of tuna
8 oz asparagus
1 oz Ayhan’s Balsamic Dressing (Add salt and pepper to taste)
Directions: Season the tuna with salt and pepper and grill or bake for 5 min each side at 450 degrees. Boil the asparagus for 7 minutes. Drain, cut into 1″ pieces then toss it with Ayhan’s Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing. Serve next to Grilled or Baked Tuna.

Calories 291
Total Fat 12g
Saturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 66mg
Sodium 355mg
Total Carbs 9g
Dietary Fiber 2g
Sugars 5g
Protein 36g

As part of the Mediterranean diet, you can enjoy delicious recipes like this Seafood Bouillabaise Recipe. This is just one of the fast and easy recipes in our 28 Day Mediterranean Diet Plan Book that is available on our website or on Amazon.com. Most of the recipes take 10 minutes or less to make, and the ingredients are readily available. Our authentic Mediterranean recipes have been analyzed by Dietitians, endorsed by Doctors and enjoyed by thousands.”

This is one of the fast, easy recipes in the 28 Day Mediterranean Diet Plan Book. Click for Softcover or Ebook.

We look forward to your comments on our blog and wish you a great fall.
Ayhan

Breaded Shrimp with Marinated Diced Tomato (323 cals)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Temperature Instructions: Preheat to 450 degrees
Ingredients:
5 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 tbsp Ayhan’s Lite Mediterranean Vinaigrette
1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
2 cups salad greens, chopped
1 cup ripe tomato, diced
2 tbsp Ayhan’s Famous Balsamic Dressing
Directions: Dip shrimp in 4 Tbsp. Lite dressing and dredge in breadcrumbs. Skewer and grill or bake for 10 minutes. Place kebab over salad greens, set aside. Mix tomato with balsamic dressing. Place marinated tomatoes over the shrimp and serve.