feta

Greek Power Food

 

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I bought the Weight Watchers Power Foods Cookbook because it makes it easy to count calories.  Everything is broken down for each recipe. The problem is I can’t follow a recipe. There is always something that isn’t right with it and I have to change it to my liking. I am going to present the recipe as it is in the book.

I made the following changes. Ground chicken? Just didn’t appeal to me somehow. So I substituted ground lamb. Don’t know why that is better but it just is. Non-stick cooking spray. What is that? Really. Sorry, I can’t do it. I used butter. Plus I used a whole egg instead of egg whites. Everything else is in there.

Of course, it kind of throws the calorie counting out the window. With the butter and the lamb I figure if I double the calories, I’m good.

Greek Chicken and Spinach Phyllo Pie

1 lb ground skinless chicken breast

1 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

½ tsp curry powder

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground allspice

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

½ cup tomato sauce

1 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

8 (9X14 inch) sheets frozen phyllo, thawed

6 servings

239 Cal. Each

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Spray 9 inch pie plate with nonstick spray. (Here I use olive oil.)

 

Filling:

Spray large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray (again- olive oil) and set over medium heat.  Add chicken (lamb) and onion. Cook until meat is done.

Add: Garlic, curry powder, cinnamon, allspice, salt and pepper.

Stir to mix well.

Add tomato sauce and simmer until thickened – about 5 minutes.

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Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in spinach and feta. Add egg whites (whole egg).

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Lay 1 phyllo sheet in the pie plate; lightly spray with nonstick spray (brush with melted butter). Keep remaining phyllo covered with damp paper towel (dish towel) and plastic wrap (not needed) to keep it from drying out. Repeat with 3 of the remaining phyllo sheets, placing corners at different angles and lightly spraying each sheet with nonstick spray (melted butter).

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Spoon filling into the crust.

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Top filling with remaining 4 phyllo sheets, repeating layering and spraying with nonstick spray (butter). Roll up edges of phyllo toward center to form 1 ½ inch wide rim.

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Bake until phyllo is golden brown 30-35 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Cut into 6 wedges.

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Food Friday: Zucchini

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Potato pancakes were a family favorite in Russia when I lived there.  Russians love their potatoes.  They eat them cold in salads, boiled with meat, and fried.  I made up this recipe to make it a little more interesting.  This can be an entire meal or a side dish.

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Zucchini – Potato- Feta Pancakes

1 large zuccini (or two small to medium)  Grated

3 medium potatoes (any kind you happen to have around)  Grated

1 small red onion (I cut a big one in half)  Grated

3/4 cup Feta cheese – You can use either soft or crumbled

2 Eggs

4 Tbsp flour

Salt and Pepper

Sour Cream or Plain Yogurt

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You can grate everything by hand but it is much quicker and easier if you have a food processor.  Takes about a minute.

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Mix in the eggs, flour, cheese, salt and pepper

Salt would depend on how salty the Feta is, I would taste it first.  I use about 7 turns of black pepper.

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Put some oil in a non-stick pan and get it good an hot.  Then put a generous spoonful in the pan and flatten it out.  It will take a while to cook.  Probably about 5 minutes on each side.  Then I put them in a glass place in the oven at 350 degrees F to keep them warm and let them cook a bit more.

Serve with sour cream or plain yogurt.

Enjoy!  За здоровье! (Za zdarov’e!)

Food Friday: “Greek” Pepper Salad

 

 

 

 

I have made this salad since time began.  It originally came from some long forgotten vegetarian cookbook.  I have amended it and added to it and taken away from it and lost the recipe and made it up all over again and then found it.  Anyway, everything is up to interpretation as far as I can see.  I eat it as a side to grilled chicken or salmon.  Sometimes I take it for my lunch and add some cold ham to it.

I call it a “Greek” salad since it seems kind of Greek-y to me but it could be just “Mediterranean”.

Go wild!

“Greek” Pepper Salad

 

3 green bell peppers – cut into pieces

1 red bell pepper – cut into pieces

1-2 green onions – chopped

Wet “seed” part removed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 – 2 cucumbers  –  peeled and cut into pieces ( I use an English cucumber and I cut out the center “seed” part so it isn’t so wet.)

 

 

Feta cheese – crumbled (about 4 oz, 115 grms or if you like feta use as much as you like)  Do not use the creamy kind, tho, that would be kinda messy

Dressing

I just put everything on top of the above and mix it up.  But you could mix it separately and pour it over if you prefer.

1 tsp basil

½ tsp marjoram (I never seem to have any of this so just leave it out)

¼ tsp oregano

¼ cup olive oil

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Black Pepper to taste  ( I like a lot)

(I never add salt because the Feta can be pretty salty)

This is better after it sits for a while so everything can mingle for a while.

Enjoy!