Please note: This is a sponsored post courtesy of Mabel’s Labels.

Happy New Year! 🎉

I cannot believe it is 2017. Seriously, where did 2016 go? Last year, my family made an effort to eat less meat. We started with “Meatless Mondays” and now we are aiming for “Meat-free Fridays” in 2017. I wanted to come up with something that was still tasty and fun, yet packed with goodness. So after some brainstorming, I concocted my Greek-inspired Crispy Lentil, Spinach and Feta Fritters.

Always trying to incorporate more veggies into our meals, these protein-packed lentil patties have just the right combination of tangy, low fat feta cheese, black olives, spinach and a good hit of lemon. We even use them as a hamburger substitute and throw a fritter on a bun with cucumbers, tomatoes and a dollop of tzatziki.

My kids love them! Add a squeeze of extra lemon and serve warm or cold. They also freeze great and are a regular addition to my daughter’s school lunch.

According to Lentils.org, my go-to resource and inspiration for lentil-based recipes, lentils are a powerhouse of nutrition. They are a low-fat source of potassium, calcium, zinc, niacin and vitamin K, but are particularly rich in dietary fibre, protein, folate and iron. A fabulous meat-free alternative – give my Greek-inspired Crispy Lentil, Spinach and Feta Fritters a try today!

Crispy Lentil, Spinach and Feta Fritters (makes about 12 fritters)

Ingredients:

• 1 can cooked lentils (540 mL) or about 2 and a ¼ cups, washed and drained
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup reduced fat feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup of pitted black olives, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh or dry dill, finely chopped
• A few pinches of sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup of frozen chopped spinach, slightly defrosted and separated or 1 cup sautéed fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped or put through a press
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

For the complete recipe, check out my article featured in the Mabelhood blog here.