If the temperature drop and the lack of sunshine have had a significant effect on your mood, bringing you down, there might be some recipes that could help lift your spirits and warm your heart.

Hellenic cuisine, being seasonal, offers a variety of options and flavour combinations that can act as natural antidepressants providing a good calorie intake in the most balanced and healthy way.

Greeks have got you covered, whether you love meat or not, you will definitely enjoy these traditional warm foods.

Giouvarlakia: a hearty meatball soup with avgolemono, the lemon and egg mixture that gives this dish its distinctive tangy flavour and extra smooth texture. The meatballs in this recipe are mixed with rice and cooked in a pot, and topped with fresh vegetables and herbs. (Recipe: ‘Neos Kosmos’ archive)

Ingredients:
750 g of minced beef (or a mix of different meats if you prefer)
1 diced onion
flour for rolling the giouvarlakia
1 bunch chopped parsley
1 tbsp of chopped dill
2 eggs
1/2 cup of long grain rice (rinsed)
1/2 cup butter or olive oil
juice of 1-2 lemons
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Place the meat, onion, and herbs in a bowl, add the rice and one egg white with a 1/4 of the lemon juice and season to taste. Knead the mixture until all ingredients are equally distributed.
2. Form the mixture into balls the size of dumplings and roll in a little flour which will allow them to remain firm and not fall apart while cooking.
3. Heat the butter or olive oil into a deep saucepan and add the meatballs quickly turning them and twirling the pot.
4. Once the meatballs thicken a bit and are a light golden colour, pour in enough water to cover them and increase the heat.
5. Once the soup comes to the boil, lower the heat and let it simmer for approximately 45 minutes. Carefully stir and check the meatballs’ tenderness.
6. Whisk the two egg yolks and remaining egg white with the rest of the lemon juice.
7. Slowly transfer about two ladles of the soup stock as you continue whisking the avgolemono, to temper it without allowing the eggs to scramble.
8. Pour the lemon-egg sauce ladle by ladle over the meatballs in the pot and allow the stock to thicken.
9. Let it rest and season with parsley and freshly ground pepper.

Trahanas: there are two kinds of trahana: the sweet, which is soaked in milk and the sour, which contains yoghurt. The flavours may also vary according to the place of origin and method of drying. Luckily you can find trahana at any Greek deli shop. How to cook it? It’s always best to start with a classic version of trahanosoupa, before you move on to other variations. (Recipe: Nelly Skoufatoglou)

Ingredients:
1 cup trahana
4 cups of water or vegetable stock
180 g feta cheese, crumbled (this can be replaced by haloumi)
1 cup milk/yoghurt
1 tsp butter

Method:
1. In a water-filled pot, and while the water is still cold, throw in the trahanas with the butter (alternatively you can use olive oil).
2. Stir well over medium heat, add salt, pepper and butter and boil for 15-20 minutes while stirring.
3. Once the trahanas start to soften, add some milk or yogurt and stir until all ingredients are boiling together.
4. Add more water if you think the soup is too thick, and cook for few minutes extra. Five minutes before you turn the heat off add some crumbled feta. Allow the soup to rest for a couple of minutes before placing it in bowls.

* You can also add more pepper and cheese before serving it. A nice twist would also be to add some fresh tomato puree before the feta, instead of milk.

Honey apple pie with Macedonian halva: a traditional Greek apple pie with homemade dough filled up with traditional Macedonian halva and orange-flavoured tahini can beat Austrian strudel on any given day; a pie not only filled with deliciousness but packed with nutritional value as well. Since the tahini and halva are already quite sweet, no additional sugar will be necessary. (Recipe: FunkyCook.gr)

Ingredients:
For the dough: 
175 g all purpose flour
½ tsp salt
85 ml hot water
25 ml olive oil
For the stuffing: 
300 g apples
100 g Macedonian halva with honey
1 tsp Macedonian tahini with orange
50 g black currants
½ tsp of cinnamon
½ tsp of nutmeg
1 orange
Vanilla, optional (for extra aroma)
To spread:
3 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of water
Brown sugar, optional

Method:
1. Pour the flour into a bowl; in a shaker mix the water, olive oil and salt, add to the flour and knead for five minutes. The dough should be elastic, damp, and not sticking to the hands. Cover with a cloth and let it sit for one hour.
2. Wash and cut the apples into cubes. In a pan, add the diced apples and spices and heat for three minutes. Then add the orange juice with the Macedonian tahini with orange.
3. Stir for 1-2 minutes, remove from the heat, add raisins and let the mixture cool down for a few minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 175°C. Roll the dough with a rolling pin on a very slightly floured surface, give it a long shape and open the sheet until it reaches a very fine texture. The size of the sheet should be about 60 × 40cm.
5. Spread the apples on one end and top up placing the Macedonian halva with honey in the middle.
6. Roll the dough in a roll giving it the shape of a ‘horseshoe’ and with a knife ​​cut into 4-5 places so that the steam can escape.
7. Beat the water with olive oil until it gets an emulsion texture, and lather it onto the dough surface, sprinkle with sugar and cook for 45-50 minutes in a double resistance oven, or for less time in a fan-forced oven.
8. Serve sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon.