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Fruit and Cheese Phyllo Turnovers

ByElena Paravantes, MS, RD

Fruit and Cheese turnoversWhen I was invited on the popular Greek cooking show  Chef ston aera (Chef On Air), I presented some diabetic friendly recipes made with Mediterranean ingredients such as tahini, phyllo dough, couscous and soft Greek cheese. You can see it here, but it may be all Greek to you, so I will post the recipes here in the next few days, starting with the dessert today which are these easy fruit and cheese phyllo turnovers.

Of course, the traditional Greek diet is diabetic friendly: moderate carbohydrates, whole grains, plenty of vegetables and fruits and rich in monounsaturated fats. Plus as I mentioned in an older post, research showed that a Mediterranean style diet may actually help prevent the need for drugs for newly diagnosed diabetics.

Many people with diabetes believe that they can’t eat any desserts. Well the fact is that you do want to avoid sugar, but in small amounts it can be OK. The following recipe has a very small amount of sugar, corresponding to less than 1/4 teaspoon per turnover, these turnovers also contain a good amount of protein from the low fat cheese and the Greek yogurt and the phyllo dough has a fairly low glycemic index.

And no, these are not only for people with diabetes but for everyone, I make these all the time for us and it’s a great treat for us and the kids

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Fruit and Cheese Phyllo Turnovers

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Servings: 9
Calories: 155kcal
Author: Elena Paravantes, MS, RD
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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup +1 tablespoon low fat cream cheese
  • 1/3 cup anthotiro or you may use ricotta
  • 3 tablespoons low fat Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 large apple cut in small cubes or other fruit. In the summer you can use apricots or cherries
  • 6 sheets of phyllo dough
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Olive Oil
  • Powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven at 350 F (180C).
  • In a bowl mash the cheese, yogurt, sugar and vanilla with a fork. Then add the fruit and mix well.
  • In another small bowl mix the bread crumbs and cinnamon.
  • Spread out 1 sheet of phyllo, brush a small amount of olive oil and then sprinkle with the bread crumb mix, place on top a second sheet of phyllo and brush with a small amount of olive oil.
  • Cut in 3 strips lengthwise.
  • Place on the top corner of each strip 1 1/2-2 teaspoons of the fruit-cheese mixture.
  • Start folding in a small triangle. Do the same for the other 2 strips.
  • Repeat 2 more times with the rest of the phyllo dough sheets until you have a total of 9 turnovers.
  • You can sprinkle some of the breadcrumbs on top.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden.

Notes

*If you don’t sprinkle with breadcrumbs at the end, you can use some powdered sugar.
Nutrition Facts
Fruit and Cheese Phyllo Turnovers
Serving Size
 
1 g
Amount per Serving
Calories
155
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Elena Paravantes, MS, RDN is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist by the U.S. Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). She is an expert on the Mediterranean Diet. She has been active as a clinician, consultant, author and lecturer for 20 years, both in the U.S. and Greece. An expert on the Greek Mediterranean Diet, her interviews and articles have been published in many publications including CNN, U.S. News and World Report, Prevention, NPR, and Shape. Elena has collaborated with a number of organizations including Loyola University, Yale University, University of Missouri, Louisiana State University, and the American College of Greece. Elena earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition and Dietetics and her Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Sciences in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She holds has a Master’s Degree of Science in Health Management.

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2 Comments

  1. Pingback: 5 Foods that Fight Dementia Olive Tomato

  2. These look delicious! However, I am confused about the listing of low-fat cream cheese & greek yogurt. Isn’t one of the guidelines to authentic MD avoiding low-fat dairy products due to the processing & loss of nutrients? Just curious…I want to stick with the authentic version as much as possible:)

    Reply