Vegan Phyllo Bites with Soy Cream and Eggplant You Won't Stop Snacking On
I have a serious soft spot for Shavuot (the Jewish harvest holiday traditionally celebrated with dairy foods).
It marks the beginning of summer, when the weather is still pleasant—and downright bearable compared with July and August.
And the holiday food is my favorite: lots of vegetable-filled pastries, summer fruit, refreshing salads, and plenty of white wine 🙂
But what do we do about all the extra calories that come along with this holiday? Like every other holiday, really.
I've got an idea!
I love working with phyllo dough, as you probably know if you've spent any time on this blog.
Don't be intimidated by those delicate sheets. They're friendly little things, and easy to work with.
The phyllo sheets I use contain no fat at all—0%—and no margarine, making them a relatively low-calorie pastry option.
There are about 280 calories in 100 g (3.5 oz) of phyllo dough.
Each sheet weighs roughly 33 g (1.2 oz).
That works out to about 90 calories per sheet.
Of course, what you put inside matters. But with a lighter filling, you can make a festive, delicious pastry with a reasonable calorie count.
Pretty great, right?
A Little About the Recipe
To keep the phyllo flavorful and crisp without drying out, brush it well with olive oil. The sheets contain no oil themselves, and the oil tends to stay on the surface rather than soak in. That can make the pastry seem oilier than it actually is.
For the filling, I used soy cream from Tnuva (a major Israeli dairy and soy brand)—this recipe was created in partnership with them—and 3 tablespoons of eggplant roasted without oil. The eggplant brings very few calories, just 36 calories per 100 g (3.5 oz), but a whole lot of flavor and moisture.
Not an eggplant fan? Swap in roasted zucchini or roasted peppers.
This recipe really is easy. Give it a try—you've got this!
I'll vouch for you 🙂
Nutrition Information from Noam Bachar (an Israeli Clinical Dietitian and Fitness Coach)
Per phyllo pastry weighing 44 g (1.6 oz):
140 calories
2 g protein
7 g carbohydrates
12 g fat
Most of the calories come from the oil. To use less, consider brushing less generously and using cooking spray instead.
Phyllo Bites Filled with Soy Cream
Ingredients
- 80 g (2.8 oz) phyllo dough, thawed 2 sheets
- 250 g (8.8 oz) Tnuva plain soy cream
- 100 g (3.5 oz) fire-roasted eggplant 3 tablespoons
- 30 ml (1 fl oz) olive oil 3 tablespoons
- crushed garlic
- salt and pepper
- 1 g (0.04 oz) black sesame seeds 1 teaspoon
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
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In a deep bowl, mix the Tnuva soy cream with the roasted eggplant, crushed garlic, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
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Lay out one sheet of phyllo and place the second sheet on top.
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Cut the stacked phyllo sheets into 20 equal squares.
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Thoroughly grease a muffin pan with another tablespoon of olive oil.
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Line each muffin cup with 4 individual phyllo squares.
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Spoon 1 tablespoon of filling into each lined cup.
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Fold the phyllo edges inward to completely cover the filling.
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Once baked, let cool slightly before serving.
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Brush the tops with the final tablespoon of olive oil.
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Sprinkle black sesame seeds over the tops.
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Bake for about 30 minutes.
