The Wisdom of Meatless Monday
Meatless Monday is a global movement made up of individuals and local communities that share a commitment to address the health and environmental consequences of a meat-centric diet.
The simplest actions can unify us the most.
Have you ever tried spinach and feta cheese pie?
If you have, you’ll know how delicious it is. Try this lighter Greek-Mex version, served with a traditional side of fresh and tangy tsatziki sauce.
- 7 ounces/200 grams fresh spinach
- 2 scallions/spring onions, chopped finely
- 1 tablespoon chopped dill
- 2.5 ounces/70 grams feta cheese
- 3 or 4 chopped sun-dried tomatoes (optional)
- 4 flour tortillas (I used 20cm-diameter ones)
- salt and pepper for seasoning and a little olive oil
for cooking
- 1 cup/285 grams Greek yoghurt (don’t use ordinary yoghurt – it’s too thin)
- ½ a small clove of garlic, chopped finely or minced
- 1 medium cucumber, diced finely
- 1 teaspoon chopped dill
- a couple of squeezes lemon juice
- black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil
- Wash the spinach, then wilt it down in a pan (or even in the microwave) for a few minutes. Afterwards, squeeze out as much of the water as you can by pressing it down into a colander or even squeezing it with your hands. Put it into a large bowl.
- Add the chopped scallions/spring onions, dill and sun-dried tomatoes (if using) to the bowl. Then crumble in the feta. Give it all a good mix together and put aside while you make the tsatziki.
- For the tsatziki, put the yoghurt into another smaller bowl or dish and add the garlic, cucumber, dill and lemon juice. Mix it all together well.
- Grind some black pepper onto the top and drizzle over a little olive oil
- Now heat up a skillet/frying pan. Spread half of your spinach mixture over two of the tortillas and top with the other two. Press down a little then place one of the rounds into the pan. (the pan can be dry or you can add a drizzle of olive oil to help the tortillas to crisp up. I added a tiny bit of oil. But be careful the tortillas don’t burn!) When it’s nice and browned and crispy, carefully turn it over and let the other side cook for a minute or two. Repeat with the second round.
- Slice each round into six quesadillas and serve with the tsatziki sauce immediately.
Inspired by a recipe for spinach and feta quesadillas with tomato salsa from UK Olive magazine (March 2014 edition).
If you were going to be really ‘proper’ about the tsatziki, after deseeding the cucumber you would sprinkle a little salt over it to draw out any excess water, leave it for a while, then dry it with paper towels. I didn’t actually do either of these things, but if you do you’ll end up with a thicker and I suppose more authentic tsatziki.
Any leftover tsatziki will keep in the fridge covered for a few days. Eat it with salads, as a dip or drizzled over grilled meat or roasted vegetables. This is actually a very versatile dip/sauce indeed!
