This recipe reminds one of the recipes for spanakopita. However, the ingredients for this pie are cheaper and therefore, I named it "the poor man spinach pie".
Spinach pie
Ingredients
2 cups of plain yogurt (low fat)
2 packages frozen chopped spinach
4 eggs
¾ tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
3-4 cups of whole wheat flour
1 cup olive oil
Directions
Prepare the filling by thawing the spinach and squeezing out as much liquid as possible. Add the eggs, 1 cup of yogurt, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. For the dough, mix 1 tsp salt, baking soda and 1 cup of yogurt. Add the oil and incorporate the flour cup by cup. The dough should be soft. Divide it into two balls and roll each batch into a flat layer to cover the surface of a pan (I used a 9x12 inch pan). Spray the pan with oil and put the lower layer of dough. Press with palms if the layer breaks in places. Raise the dough on the side of the pan. Spread the spinach filling and cover with the upper layer of dough. This type of dough tends to break easily; however, this is not a problem. Just arrange the pieces of the dough to cover the filling completely. Bake at 395°F for 40-45 minutes. Cut into small squares and enjoy cold or warm. If dill is in season, adding some to the filling would add additional taste.
Tofu with sunflower seeds spread
Ingredients
14 oz extra-firm tofu
½ cup raw sunflower seeds
2 - 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
crushed garlic (to taste)
salt (to taste)
dried basil (to taste)
Directions
Break down the tofu into handfuls and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. The salt, garlic and basil are optional and to taste. You can try any herb that is in season. I am planning on using dill next time.
Spinach-feta cheese spread
Ingredients
14-oz can leaf spinach
2 Tbsp plain yogurt
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 - 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
crushed garlic (to taste)
salt (to taste)
Directions
Combine all ingredients except for the feta cheese in a food processor and pulse until creamy and smooth. Remove from the processor and combine with the feta cheese. At this time, you may re-adjust again the salt and vinegar.
Here is a new soup concoction that I tried recently. I am a proponent of the high-fiber diet, so this is another high-fiber recipe. I usually cook huge batches of soups over the weekends and freeze portions for the work weeks ahead.
Sweet potatoes, garbanzo beans, and spinach soup
You need:
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
2 cans cooked garbanzo beans (15 oz)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 oz)
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into small cubes
2 medium size onions, chopped into cubes
5 or more garlic cloves, chopped
2-3 stalks of celery, chopped
Instructions:
Soften the onion and celery in the oil. Add the garlic and cook for another five minutes. Add water (12 cups of water or to the desired by you density), bring to boil and add the potatoes. Cook to softness (approximately 10 minutes), add the garbanzo beans and the thawed spinach. Cook for another five minutes, turn off the heat and season with salt. Experiment with any spices you like – turmeric, black pepper, oregano, hot pepper flakes, paprika, mint, etc.
How may I change the recipe? I did not add any spices except salt and found the soup a bit bland. Also, I do not have a sweet tooth. Instead of sweet potatoes, I will use red potatoes next time.
