Spinach Phyllo Pies with Beetziki

HomeClinics & ProgramsELLICSR KitchenSpinach Phyllo Pies with Beetziki

Skill Level	Easy

Preparation Time	15 minutes	Total Time	55 minutes
Servings	6	Cost Per Serving	$1.60

Spinach Phyllo Pies

2 cups	Fresh Spinach, roughly chopped
3	Scallions (Green Spring Onions), 1 inch removed from top, finely sliced
1/2 cup	Pressed Cottage Cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp	Greek Feta Cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp	Pine Nuts, toasted
2 tbsp	Golden Raisins
2	Eggs, lightly beaten
8 sheets	Phyllo Pastry
1 tbsp + 1 tbsp	Extra Virgin Olive Oil
To taste	Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Beet Tzatziki

1 1/2 cups	Low fat Greek yogurt
1	Golden or candy cane beets, grated
1/4 cup	Fresh mint or dill, finely chopped
2 cloves	Garlic, minced
1/2	Lemon, juice and zest
1 tsp	Extra virgin olive oil
To taste	Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Combine the scallions, spinach, 1 egg, cheeses, pine nuts and raisins in a large bowl. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt a black pepper.
Combine 1 egg with 1 tbsp of olive oil and brush a thin layer over 1 sheet of phyllo and lay another sheet on top. Continue to brush and layer the phyllo until you have two stacks of 4 sheets each.
Grease a muffin tray and place 1 stack of phyllo sheets over top. Press the sheets lightly into the crevices.
Fill the indentations with the spinach filling. Fold over any extra phyllo. Brush the top with olive oil/egg wash and place the other stack of phyllo sheets over top. Brush the top with the olive oil/egg wash
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Once cooled, flip tray and divide each phyllo pocket.
Add all of the beetziki ingredients to a bowl and combine well. Serve with the spinach phyllo pies.

PDF link to nutrition facts table for Spinach Phyllo Pies with Beetziki

Beets get their vibrant red colour from natural red pigments called betalains. Betalains may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In cell studies, betalains have been shown to prevent tumour growth preventing inflammation. People who have higher levels of betalains in their diets have lower levels of inflammatory markers (proteins that indicate inflammation) in the blood. Inflammation is associated with higher risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Beets are rich in nitrates, compounds that lower blood pressure and may help prevent heart and kidney disease. Research suggests that drinking 1 cup of beet juice before exercising can help athletes use oxygen more efficiently and cycle at a higher intensity for longer.
Beets are a good source of folate, a B vitamin that is needed to make and repair DNA and make new cells. Folate may help prevent cancers of the pancreas, prostate, colon and rectum.
If you cook beets for too long a time, some of the nutrients in them may break down. To preserve the nutrients in beets during cooking, keep roasting time under 1 hour and steaming time under 15 minutes.