• Home
    • Meet Me & Mr B
  • Recipes & Food
    • Appetizers, Snacks & Small Bites
    • Beverages
    • Bread Recipes
    • Condiments Recipes
    • Desserts & Sweets
    • German Recipes
    • Main Dish Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Side Dish Recipes
    • Soup & Chowder
    • Sourdough Recipes
    • Recipes by Eating Style
      • Dairy-free Recipes
      • Gluten-free Recipes
      • Vegan Recipes
      • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Recipe Round-ups
  • Cozy Living
    • Arts, Crafts & DIY
    • Music Notes
  • Cozy Travel
    • Pacific NW
      • Pacific NW Hikes
      • Portland Area
      • Oregon Coast
      • Orcas Island WA
      • Southern Oregon
    • Hikes Near & Far
    • Mountain States
    • Southwestern US
    • Hawaii
    • Tennessee for Music Lovers
    • International Travel
    • One Day in…
  • Subscribe
    • Privacy Policy
      • Cookie Statement
      • Disclosure
    • Work with Us!
      • Media Kit
    • Contact Us!

The Good Hearted Woman

Home Cooking & Cozy Living

  • FOOD HOLIDAYS CALENDAR

Light & Easy Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)

May 30 By Renée 15 Comments

Light & Easy Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie) is a rich, savory phyllo pastry layered with spinach, onions, feta, lemon, and herbs – with all of the flavor and half the fat of the original!

Squares of spanakopita on a blue decorative tray.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Spanakopita (or Greek Spinach Pie) is easily on one of our favorite all-around meals. You can dress it up and serve it warm for dining in, slice and serve for an easy lunch, or eat it cold for a fast meal on the go. It’s one of the most versatile foods around! 

Traditional spanakopita, as you may know, is usually high in fat, and often very heavy as well. However, after making just a few simple changes, I was able to reduce the fat in this Light & Easy Spanakopita recipe to half that of my original recipe. The outcome is a more tender, flakey pie, which Mr B and I much prefer over heavier versions.

Greek Spinach Pie can be served as a main course or as a hearty side. The lemony undertones go well with chicken or fish. (It probably pairs well with lamb too; but since I don’t eat lamb, I can’t say for sure.) Mr B and I find that a simple meal of spanakopita and table grapes is very satisfying. 

Leftover spinach pie makes a delicious lunch or brunch entry. One of our favorite things to do with cold leftover spanakopita is slice it into Lincoln-log size pieces (about 1″x1″x4″), and then fry the spana-links in a skillet like sausages and serve them up with eggs for a lovely breakfast!

Tips for Perfect Spanakopita 

Drain the Spinach

Start with frozen spinach. (Yes, you can use fresh, but I have had much better results using frozen.)

First, defrost the spinach in the microwave, and allow it to cool until it is safe to handle. Then squeeze the crud out of it. I mean, really, really squeeze it. With your hands!

You can use a sieve or colander if you want, but you are going to have to get your hands wet at some point, so it will save you some time if you just dive right in. A pound of frozen spinach will squeeze down to about the size of an orange; somewhere between a baseball- and a softball-sized. 

Go Easy on the Butter

This is one area where I was able to cut a lot of fat from my original recipe. You simply do not need to slather every layer in butter.

For each phyllo dough layer, dip the tip of a soft-bristle pastry brush into the melted butter 1/2″ or less: you don’t want to overload it. Brush each layer of phyllo dough with a few strokes of butter and then place the next layer.

Do not dip the brush in the butter more than once – you don’t need to completely cover each pastry sheet with butter. I usually do about two sheets with one brush dip, with the exception of the top sheet, which I paint lightly but completely. 

How to be a Phyllo Boss 

I used to be a little intimidated by phyllo dough. It is so fragile, and many recipes warn of its fragile nature and dramatically demand that you keep it covered at all times like a sickly newborn. 

Well, I am here to tell you, don’t worry!  Phyllo dough is very forgiving, and if you follow a few simple guidelines, you are sure to succeed. 

Thawing Phyllo Dough

Thaw phyllo dough overnight in the refrigerator. If you forget, you can put it out on the counter for four or five hours (or all day if you are at work), but the results won’t be as even. Keep the package closed while you are thawing it. Do not thaw phyllo dough in the microwave.

You can keep unopened, thawed phyllo in the fridge for up to a month.

Assembling the Spanakopita

Prepare all your ingredients and have EVERYTHING ready to go before you open the phyllo dough package!

Make sure your hands are dry when you handle the dough.

When you unroll phyllo, cover it with wax paper or kitchen cloth. You can put a damp cloth over the wax paper or cloth, but don’t put it directly on the phyllo dough. (I never use a damp cloth, and everything always works out fine.)

Work fast when it is uncovered, and don’t get distracted. (Phyllo dough doesn’t care about your phone.)

If you tear a piece, just patch it – no worries. Unless it is the top sheet, no one will ever know.

If you have sheets left over, just roll them back up and cover them tightly with plastic wrap. They will keep in the fridge for at least a week. 

Post Updated May 30, 2019 (Originally published January 21, 2014)
Lighter Spanakopia Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman #spanikopita #spinachpie #greekfood
5 from 1 vote

Light & Easy Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)

Light & Easy Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie) is a rich, savory pastry layered with spinach, onions, feta, lemon, and herbs - with all of the flavor and half the fat of the original!
Prep Time40 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Total Time1 hr 15 mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Dinner or Appetizer, Lunch
Cuisine: Greek
Keyword: greek food, phyllo dough, spanakopita, spanikopita, spinach, spinach pie
Servings: 8 large servings
Calories: 321kcal
Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 pound frozen spinach thawed & thoroughly drained
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped (or 1 Tbls. dried dill)
  • 2 tablespoons flour I use Wondra
  • 8 ounces feta cheese crumbled
  • 1 medium lemon
  • 4 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoons Cavender's Greek Seasoning or Salt & Pepper, to taste
  • 15 sheets phyllo dough
  • Olive oil or butter flavored Pam
  • 3 tablespoons butter melted
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350° [175°C].
  • Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
    Slowly cook and stir onions until softened.
    Add minced garlic and cook one minute more.
  • Mix in the thoroughly drained spinach and dill.
    Sprinkle flour over the top and stir to combine.
    Cook approximately 5 minutes, or until most of the moisture has been absorbed.
    Remove from heat.
  • Zest the lemon and add zest to the spinach mixture.
    Squeeze the juice from the zested lemon halves into the mixture as well.
  • In a separate bowl, mix feta, eggs, and seasonings.
    Add the feta mixture to the warm spinach mixture and stir to combine.
  • Spray the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
    Lay one sheet of phyllo dough flat in pan.
  • Dip a pastry brush 1/2" or less into the melted butter: you don't want to overload it.
    Brush the single sheet of phyllo dough at the bottom of the baking dish with a little butter.
    Do not dip the brush in the butter more than once - you don't need to completely cover each pastry sheet with butter.
    (I can usually do at least two sheets with one brush dip.)
  • Add another sheet and repeat until you have five sheets total.
  • Spread 1/2 of spinach mixture over the buttered phyllo dough layers.
  • Layer on 5 more sheets of phyllo, buttering lightly in between each layer.
    Spread on remaining spinach mixture.
  • Top with the last 5 sheets of phyllo, buttering lightly between each layer.
  • Bake in the preheated oven 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 605mg | Potassium: 328mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 7045IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 242mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Looking for more cozy, vegetarian main dish recipes? Try our Portobello Mushroom Stroganoff or Sun-dried Tomato Carbonara. Both are quick, easy, delicious meals that will satisfy the whole family! 

Lighter Spanakopita Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman #spanikopita #spinachpie #greekfood

Wavy Line

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. • Be sure to PIN this post!

Light & Easy Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)    Light & Easy Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Filed Under: Eating Style, Main Dishes, Recipes, Vegetarian Tagged With: feta, Greek, Party Food, phyllo, spinach

Little Oven Annie’s Cherry Tomato Tart

August 21 By Renée 13 Comments

Feta, caramelized onions, and grape-leaf walnut pesto create a savory bed for fresh cherry tomatoes in this beautiful Cherry Tomato Tart. 

Feta, caramelized onions, and grape-leaf walnut pesto create a savory bed for fresh cherry tomatoes in this beautiful Cherry Tomato Tart. - Little Oven Annie’s Cherry Tomato Tart | The Good Hearted Woman

Our garden is yielding a bumper crop of cherry tomatoes right now, so I decided it was time to tackle something I’ve been putting off – a real tomato tart.  However, even after spending some significant time cruising Pinterest for inspiration, everything I could up with sounded Blahh. Or had already been done… twice. So I put the idea on the back burner – until last week when I was standing in my kitchen staring at a bowl full of freshly picked cherry-tomatoes, when it hit me like a pizza stone. Wouldn’t you know it, just like Dorothy and those darn shoes, the answer had been right there in front of me all the time.

My sister introduced me to Leonardo’s Pizzaria in Vancouver [WA] some years ago. Leonardo’s creates Amazing pizza. Whenever Gael and I are over that way together, it’s our first choice (and possibly our second and third too).

Our favorite pizza at Leonardo’s is the Little Oven Annie, a savory sweet fusion of caramelized onions, feta, spinach and a unique Grape Leaf Walnut Pesto – the perfect base for a tomato tart that will set your taste-buds dancing.

Feta, caramelized onions, and grape-leaf walnut pesto create a savory bed for fresh cherry tomatoes in this beautiful Cherry Tomato Tart.
5 from 2 votes

Cherry Tomato Tart

Prep Time45 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time1 hr 5 mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Main
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Servings: 1 -10" Tart
Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. fresh cherry tomatoes
  • 1 large pie crust homemade or store-bought
  • 1 batch Caramelized Onions Instructions below
  • 3 tablespoons Grape Leaf Walnut Pesto Recipe follows; or you can just use regular pesto
  • 2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/4 cup packed fresh spinach chiffonade

Caramelized Onions

  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 large onion halved and sliced thin, end-to-end

Instructions

Caramelized Onions

  • In a large skillet over medium high, cooked sliced onions in butter, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes, or until onions are soft and deep golden brown (The edges of some, but not all, of the onions should be very dark brown).
  • !Click here for directions on caramelizing onions in your slow cooker.

Assembling the Tart

  • Preheat oven to 450°F. (Or 425° F for glass pie plates and some anodized aluminum baking pans.)
  • Lay the pie crust into a shallow pie dish or tart pan. Crimp or trim edges.
    Little Oven Annie’s Cherry Tomato Tart | The Good Hearted Woman
  • Spread pesto over the bottom of the pastry. Layer on caramelized onions, and then feta. Cover the entire tart with cherry tomatoes.
    Little Oven Annie’s Cherry Tomato Tart | The Good Hearted Woman
  • Bake for 20 minutes, checking crust edges after 15 minutes: if they are getting too brown, cover with a strip of aluminum foil or a pie shield.
  • The tart is done when the cherry tomatoes begin to burst and the crust is a light gold brown.
    Feta, caramelized onions, and grape-leaf walnut pesto create a savory bed for fresh cherry tomatoes in this beautiful Cherry Tomato Tart.
  • Remove from oven and allow to rest 10 minutes. Sprinkle with a chiffonade of fresh spinach.
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!
Little Oven Annie’s Cherry Tomato Tart | The Good Hearted Woman
5 from 2 votes

Grape Leaf & Walnut Pesto

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Sauce
Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces coarsely chopped fresh grape leaves stems removed (About 2 cups packed)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2-3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup walnuts
  • 1 ounce fresh basil about 3/4 cup packed

Instructions

  • Blanch grape leaves by placing them in a pan and covering with boiling water. Let sit for 3-5 minutes.
    Little Oven Annie’s Cherry Tomato Tart | The Good Hearted Woman
  • Heat the walnuts in a small frying pan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they smell "toasty." (Do not let them burn.)
  • Combine blanched grape leaves, basil, garlic, Parmesan, olive oil, and toasted walnuts in the bowl of a food processor. (If you use a blender, start with about half the grape leaves and add the others after the first half has been pureed.) Blend to a smooth paste.
    Little Oven Annie’s Cherry Tomato Tart | The Good Hearted Woman
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Feta, caramelized onions, and grape-leaf walnut pesto create a savory bed for fresh cherry tomatoes in this beautiful Cherry Tomato Tart. - Little Oven Annie’s Cherry Tomato Tart | The Good Hearted Woman

The most time-consuming part of this dish is making the caramelized onions, so start them first. Otherwise, it’s a piece of cake… or tart.

Remember to Pin this Post!

Little Oven Annie’s Cherry Tomato Tart | The Good Hearted Woman

Filed Under: Main Dishes, Recipes, Vegetarian Tagged With: caramelized onions, feta, gardening, Pastry, tomatoes

Greek Turkey Burgers & Raddish Kids {Sponsored}

March 28 By Renée 9 Comments

Kitchen. Table. Family.

There are a multitude of reasons to cook with your kids. Teaching kids to cook – and cooking with them – is an empowering experience. Being capable in the kitchen gives kids (and the adults they grow into) self-confidence and a sense of independence. Kids who cook are more informed about nutrition and healthy choices. Kids are more likely to eat something new if they have a hand in preparing it. What’s more, the skills a child gains in the kitchen reach far beyond the kitchen door.

But some things are much easier said than done, and that’s where Raddish comes in. Raddish is a subscription service that delivers a themed box filled with culinary adventures to your door every month.

Raddish Collage 4Each Raddish (Rad-Dish – get it!?!) Box includes everything you need for at least three separate kitchen adventures except the ingredients:

  • 3 family friendly recipe guides carefully designed so that even non-readers can take part.
  • 1 culinary skill card
  • 2 creative activities with all the necessary materials, aimed at getting your family sitting, talking, and eating together. Activities range from science experiments and art projects to oral histories and foodie games.
  • Your shopping list, which is also emailed to you the week your box ships.
  • A Table Talk card deck for facilitating mealtime converstion.
  • An adorable Raddish patch to be ironed-on to your Raddish apron (which comes free which comes free with a 3, 6, or 12-month subscription)

When our Raddish Box arrived this February, the first thing that hit me when I opened it was the careful attention to detail and the clear intentions of each component. On top was our Raddish apron.  Crisp white and embroidered with the Raddish logo, it was well-constructed, made of the heavy, easy-to-wash fabric, and sized to fit a wide range of kiddos.

By day, I am a certified teacher, and I was immediately impressed with the educational value of our Raddish Box: cooking lessons are designed to incorporate math, science, nutrition, reading and vocabulary, and geography and culture.  Each element was well thought out, and the kit as a whole provided enough activities for at least three complete family activities/cooking experiences.  I liked the clean, sharp-looking, laminated peripherals, the kid-friendly food choices and the intelligent integration of activities.
Raddish KidsI had four kids on hand to test-drive it (ages 3, 6, and two 13-year olds) and I was surprised that even the older kids really seemed to enjoy and appreciate the experience.  Our Raddish Box arrived in February and was themed to coincide with the Winter Olympics.  We started by making Olympic Torch Cupcakes.  The recipe was easy to follow, and I loved that the kids were learning that cake doesn’t always come out of a box.

Raddish KidsWhile the cupcakes were in the oven, we made Greek Turkey burgers and then the kids made Olympic medals with the included craft supplies.

IMG_1496I was a little concerned that our picky eaters might not want give them a try – what with all the weird feta cheese and all – but even our 6-year old “Selective” Susie” gobbled hers up with a smile.
Raddish Kids Collage 2After the cupcakes cooled, we made the frosting and everyone took a turn at frosting cupcakes.

In short, I loved our Raddish Box. Clearly, the philosophy that drives Raddish appears at the heart of every element: they believe that two of the greatest gifts you can give your children are a love and appreciation of good food, and a childhood enjoyed at the family table. Our day with Raddish almost made me wish I still had young kiddos at home. (As the mother of five, I can’t believe I actually had to “borrow” children for this review!) If I did, I definitely would be ordering a subscription.

Rad KidsIf you’d like to learn more about Raddish, visit their website. Subscriptions are as low as $20 a month.

Raddish Kids Greek BurgersWe all loved these burgers – they were flavorful and moist without being the least bit greasy.

Raddish Kits - Kids Cooking

Greek Turkey Burgers

Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time20 mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • For Tzadiki Sauce:
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 small container plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 Tbls lemon juice
  • 1 Tbls Olive oil
  • For Burgers:
  • 20 ounces ground turkey
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese
  • For Serving:
  • 6 hamburger buns*
  • lettuce leaves
  • tomato slices
  • red onion slices

Instructions

  • Grate cucumber, and then squeeze and drain in colander.
  • To make tzadiki sauce, conbine grated cucmber with the remaining Tzadiki ingredients: yogurt,salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil. Set aside.
  • For burgers, combine ground turkey, seasonings and feta in a medium bowl and mix (with your hands!).
  • Divide turkey mixture into six even balls and flatten. Using wet hands to do this makes the job much easier!
  • Fry burgers in a medium skillet over medium heat, or grill on barbeque.
  • Assemble burgers on bun with tzadiki, lettuce, tomato, onion. Enjoy!

Notes

(The ingredients list for this recipe is courtesy of Raddish. Instructions are unique to The Good Hearted Woman.)
Conveniently, prepackaged ground turkey comes in 20 ounce packages! I used Jennie-O Lean Italian Seasoned Ground Turkey. I really liked the extra boost of flavor that the seasoned ground turkey gave the burgers.
*The recipe in the Raddish Kit indicated that this makes four (huge) burgers or eight sliders. We split the difference and made six very generous, normal-sized burger with this recipe.
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Disclosure: The product provided for the review was free of charge from the company. All photos and opinions are my own. For more information, please refer to my disclosure policy.

Filed Under: Main Dishes, Product Reviews Tagged With: barbeque, family fun, feta, Greek

Hello! We’re so glad you’re here.

Hello! We’re so glad you’re here! | The Good Hearted Woman {& Mr B}

Join me & Mr B as we share the best in home cooking and cozy living - from the beautiful Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Follow Us!

Work with Us!
Privacy Policy

© Harmony Cat LLC, 2011-2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. The Good Hearted Woman is a subsidiary of Harmony Cat LLC.

sponsored