I got this recipe from Woman's World magazine, one of my guilty pleasures at the grocery store checkout lane.   It caught my eye because the word "easy" was in the title, and because I love spanakopita which is pretty time consuming to make.   Then, when I read through the recipe, I saw that it was missing all the butter which, while it may be the best tasting part it's also the part that costs a lot in calories or points or whatever other metric you might use to try to keep your weight in a healthy place.   So my curiosity was peaked and I gave it a try.

Of course I made a few tweaks, and I've mentioned them along the way.   I would say that I wouldn't really think of this as real spanakopita but more like a spinach casserole with some of the same flavor as the traditional dish, and not as hearty because of the absence of most of the phyllo dough and all of the fat.

• Mix together:
  • 2 (10 oz.) pkgs. of frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained but not squeezed
  • 1 cup of crumbled feta cheese
  • 2 scallions, chopped ( I sauteed some chopped onion in olive oil. I love onion, so I used a whole one.)
  • ⅓ cup chopped fresh dill (I used 2 Tbsp of dried)
  • and 1 clove garlic, minced. (Who uses only one clove of garlic?   I used several, and threw them in at the very end of cooking the onion.   Garlic scorches easily, so you have to cook it gently. )
  Put this mixture into an oiled 1½ quart baking dish.   Then take
  • 4 (17'x13') sheets of phyllo, thawed, and cut them into thirds.
  Working with one sheet strip at a time, crumple it into a mound.   Arrange the mounds on top of the spinach filling until it's covered.   Coat the phyllo with cooking spray, then sprinkle with
  • ¼ tsp. poppy seeds. (I used more, since I like them.)
  Bake at 350° until lightly browned and heated through, about 20 to 25 minutes.   Cool slightly before serving.

This keeps well in the fridge for several days and reheats well in the oven.   I have eaten it with a side of sweet potato, and also used it as a side dish with chicken.   While I don't think I would pull it out as a company dish, for a single gal on WW it's a great way to get some spinach (or you could use other greens!) and the yummy flavors of spanakopita without overdrawing my points budget.   I'll definitely make it for myself again!

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