Greek spinach and rice pie is easy to make and good for you, too

Now that summer is approaching, many of us are looking for lighter ways to indulge in our favorite dishes. If you want a healthier twist on your usual carb-heavy casseroles, try this Greek Spinach and Rice Pie that we found from The Foodie Physician.

Made with veggies, reduced-fat yogurt and whole-grain brown rice, this is a filling but nutritious addition to your recipe repertoire. Best of all, you can greatly reduce your cooking time by using instant rice.

Sonali, the doctor and cook behind The Foodie Physician uses whole grain brown rice from Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice in making this dish. (Instant rice is pre-cooked or dehydrated so that it cooks faster, but it has nutritional benefits that are similar to regular rice). Other options would be Minute brown rice and Annie Chun’s Rice Express sprouted brown rice. In this particular recipe, Sonali also uses reduced-fat Greek yogurt, but if you don’t have that on hand, you can replace it with plain yogurt or even sour cream.

After five minutes of prep time and about 45 minutes of cooking — most of which is spent in the oven — you’re left with a colorful meal that looks and tastes like it took way more effort than it did. The recipe was so easy that she even enlisted the help of her 3-year-old daughter to help put it together!

Find the full recipe at The Foodie Physician.

More Light Casseroles

Looking for other light casseroles? Try this Skinny Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli-Rice Casserole from Iowa Girl Eats.

Kristin lightens up a traditionally heavy dish with long-grain brown rice, skim milk and light sour cream. With lots of filling protein thanks to the addition of chicken breasts and bright pieces of fresh broccoli in every bite, this cheesy casserole is guilt-free. She also gives you information on how to make the recipe gluten-free.

After about 10 minutes of cooking in a skillet, the ingredients get put into a baking dish for a quick trip under the broiler and you’re all done. Find the full recipe here.

If you’re a vegetarian or are simply trying to eat less meat at a time when it can be scarce, try this recipe for Tofu Mexican Rice Casserole from Build Your Bite. Made with mushrooms, peppers and tofu, this is a flavorful twist on casseroles, and its packed with veggie-based protein and lots of Mexican flavors. You can adjust the spice factor to meet your family’s palettes.

Like the others we’ve featured, this one takes less than an hour from start to finish. Find the full recipe here.

While using instant rice is a great way to make sure you get healthy whole grains in just minutes flat, a rice cooker or an Instant Pot is also a handy addition to any kitchen. Take a look at our favorite rice cookers, or check out our recommendations for the best electric pressure cookers before you buy.