Kale has grown in popularity over the past few years. You’ll see everything from kale smoothies, to kale-guacamole, to kale chips in grocery markets!  Rich in heart-healthy folate, digestive-friendly fibre, and immune-boosting Vitamin C, kale is a nutrient-packed veggie that you can easily include in your diet. It can be slightly bitter when eaten raw, but it lends itself nicely to onions and garlic when cooked. In my opinion, it’s the perfect substitute to spinach in spanakopita, a traditional and savoury Greek pastry. It’s also one of the easiest vegetables to grow in the summertime. Spanakopita is a labour of love, so try this recipe when you have a bit more time in the home.

With a bit of heat, kale pops up in colour in a frying pan.

Let the greens cool down before adding in light feta and eggs. Why eggs? It helps bind the ingredients together.

Once the kale-feta filling is ready to go, it’s time to wrap it up in phyllo dough. If it’s your first time using phyllo dough, it dries out very quickly. Keep a damp cloth on any dough you’re not immediately using so that it doesn’t break apart.

Here, I’m layering the phyllo sheets with extra-virgin olive oil. By repeating this process, you’re creating pockets of fats (healthy ones), which in turn, creates a flakier texture.

A small dollop of filling goes in one corner, and away we go, rolling in a triangular fashion.

Keep rolling in a triangular fashion until you reach the end, maintaining that triangular shape!

Out of the oven, these kale spanakopitas are ready to go! The olive oil on top gives it that beautiful golden crust.

Pair spanakopita with a zesty Greek salad for a true Mediterranean meal. Or better yet, serve it at your next dinner party!

• 1 Tbsp (30ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups (1L) kale, finely chopped
• 1 cup (250ml) fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tsp (5ml) dried oregano
•  Pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup (125ml) light feta cheese (20%. M.F. or less), crumbled
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• 1 cup (250ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 box (454g) phyllo pastry

1. Preheat oven to 375C.
2. In a large pan, sauté  onions in oil for 2 mins. Add garlic and sauté for 1 min.
3. Add kale, parsley, oregano, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Sauté for additional 2 mins, or until well combined. Let cool.
4. When mixture is cool, add feta and eggs.
5. Cut phyllo sheet into 30 strips (approximately 5 inches in width and 20 inches in height).
6. Using a brush, spread 1 tsp (5ml) of olive oil onto 1 phyllo sheet. Layer with another phyllo sheet, and spread more oil. Repeat again.
7. Spoon 1/3 cup (80ml) of kale-feta mixture into corner and fold in triangular motion until filling is enclosed. Brush lightly with oil.
8. Repeat with remaining sheets and filling.
9. Place in oven for 15 mins and enjoy!

Notes

Each spanakopita triangle should have 3 phyllo pastry sheets.

If you have leftover phyllo sheets, be creative with other fillings. I stuffed mine with goat cheese, strawberries, and maple-glazed pecans!

Nutrition Analysis

Per spanakopita: 330 kcal, 28g fat (5g saturated), 15g carbohydrates (2g fiber), 5g protein, 225mg sodium