Zone Cooking For Spinach With Feta

Spinach and feta cheese are nutritious additions to a healthy meal, even when you're following the Zone Diet. The Zone Diet, created in 1995 by Barry Sears, Ph.D., is a diet program that involves a protein, carbohydrate and fat ratio to aid in weight loss. At every meal, dieters consume 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein and 30 percent fat. Spinach and feta cheese can fit into the Zone Diet, as long as you plan each meal to fit into the 40:30:30 ratio. Talk to your doctor before trying the Zone Diet, especially if you have injuries, food allergies or health conditions.

Nutrition Facts

Both spinach and feta are high in protein, so they can be used to increase the protein ratio in your breakfast, lunch or dinner. One cup of spinach contains .86 grams of protein, .12 grams of fat and 1.09 grams of carbohydrates. Spinach adds only a negligible amount of fat and carbohydrates to the meal. A 1-ounce serving of feta cheese contains 4.03 grams of protein, 6.03 grams of fat and 1.16 grams of carbohydrates. Because feta cheese is high in fat, use it sparingly unless you are trying to increase the ratio of fat you consume while following the Zone Diet.

Orzo with Spinach and Feta

The Zone Diet website recommends combining orzo, feta, spinach and shiitake mushrooms to create a satisfying salad for lunch or dinner. The recipe calls for Zone Orzo -- orzo that is specifically made by Zone to be lower in carbohydrates than traditional store-bought orzo. The recipe combines shiitake mushrooms broiled with red wine vinegar and olive oil, and tossed with Zone Orzo, 4 ounces of baby spinach and 2 ounces of low-fat feta cheese. The meal follows the Zone diet's 40:30:30 meal ratio.

Spinach Pie

In his book, "The Top 100 Zone Foods: The Zone Food Science Ranking System," Sears recommends spinach and feta pie as a dinner idea that serves four. Dieters saute red peppers, onions, spinach, olives, salt and garlic powder in a pan, then add the mixture to a bowl of scrambled eggs and feta cheese. The mixture is poured over coarsely blended oats in a casserole dish and baked at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes. To work with the 40:30:30 ratio of the Zone Diet, dieters must also consume crackers and cantaloupe to add additional carbohydrates to the meal.

Create Your Own

Incorporate spinach and feta cheese into your own Zone recipes by measuring the carbohydrate, protein and fat content of each ingredient you use. Add spinach to increase your protein intake and feta cheese to increase your protein and fat intake. Including spinach and feta cheese in a salad is a way to incorporate your favorite foods into a quick meal. Combine spinach and crumbled feta with fruit such as oranges and strawberries, then add a sprinkle of slivered almonds and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar to create a nutritious, Zone-approved salad.