Fried Chickpea and Spinach Pitas with Creamy Yogurt Sauce

Fried Chickpea and Spinach Pitas with Creamy Yogurt Sauce
Makes 3 Whole Pitas
Yogurt Sauce
1/2 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/8 tsp sea salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 small zucchini, seeded, and shredded
For Chickpeas
1 (15-ounce) can organic chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons Spanish smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
For Spinach
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups loosely packed Spinach
Finish with
6 (1/4-inch-thick) tomato slices or 6 grape tomatoes halved
3 (6-inch) whole-wheat pitas, halved


1. Place chickpeas in a single layer on paper towels. Cover with additional paper towels; pat dry.

2. Combine yogurt, lime juice, 1/8 teaspoon salt, garlic, and zucchini in a small bowl. In a medium bowl combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, cumin, paprika, and red pepper, set aside.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chickpeas to pan; sauté 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy, stirring frequently.

4. While Chickpeas cook, combine remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, and black pepper in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add spinach; toss gently to coat.
5. Remove chickpeas from pan using a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Add to seasoning mixture, toss well to coat.
6.Add chickpea mixture to spinach and stir.
7.Place Pitas in skillet that has been turned off, but still warm
8.When pitas are warm, fill each pita half with about 2/3 cup chickpea/spinach mixture, 1 tomato slice, and 2 tablespoons sauce. Serve immediately.
Here are two of the finished pitas. They look a little skimpy because we over filled the first two, quickly ate them and realized we forgot to take a picture!

TIP:
Here are all my ingredients ready to go.

I like to have everything set, that way I don't forget anything. Also if the little one starts fussing I can do the rest one handed!

Grilled Shrimp with Grilled Pineapple Relish, Fresh Tortillas and Black Beans

It's Memorial Day Weekend, the unofficial start of Summer, so of course its time to grill. As the temperature climbs I'm always looking for something lighter. We had served this Grilled Pineapple Relish with pulled pork to some friends the week before and at the time I thought..this would be great on fish tacos! I love the fresh flavors of lime, pineapple and cilantro in the relish and fresh basil in the shrimp marinade. If you need a break from the usual backyard bar-b-que fair this recipe is for you.

Grilled Shrimp with Grilled Pineapple Relish with Fresh Tortillas and Black Beans
Serves 4
First we prepare the Grilled Pineapple Relish (adapted from food network)
1 fresh pineapple, skinned, cored and cut into 1-inch slices
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger
1 lime, juiced
1/2 jalapeno, diced
1/2 red onion, diced

If you like pineapple but hate to cut it up, you need a pineapple tool. I'm not into uni-taskers in the kitchen, but this one makes cutting up pineapple a snap, and it leaves you with something pretty to serve your relish in!




Preheat a grill pan or grill over high heat. Toss pineapple gently in oil and grill each side of the pineapple slices until dark grill marks appear, 3 to 5 minutes a side.




Roughly chop the pineapple and add it to a bowl with the cilantro, ginger, lime juice, jalapeno and onions.

For the Grilled Shrimp (adapted from allrecipes.com)

3 cloves garlic
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
skewers

In a food processor, add the garlic, olive oil, tomato sauce, red wine vinegar,basil and cayenne pepper. Mix marinade and shrimp in a glass bowl, and stir until evenly coated. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring once or twice. Meanwhile if using wood skewers soak skewers in water. Preheat grill for medium heat. Thread shrimp onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Discard marinade. Cook shrimp on preheated grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until opaque.

Fill Tortillas with Grilled Shrimp topped with Pineapple Relish.


We like to use the uncooked flour tortillas by Tortilla Land because they don't have many ingredients or the sprouted grain tortillas by Food For Life. We cook those while we grill the pineapple. We served all this with Amy's Refried Black Beans.

Pasta with Goat Cheese, Roasted Mushrooms and Asparagus

Since creating this blog I have been to busy (and to indecisive) to sit down and compose a post with a recipe. I have agonized over what the first recipe should be. I want it to be quick healthy and especially tasty. Last night it hit me, keep it simple. Sometimes we get caught up in life trying to be everything to everybody and end up driving ourselves crazy. So here it its the first Healthy Gourmet on the Go recipe. I hope you like it, but if you don't I hope you come back and try another. After all goat cheese isn't for everybody and that's OK. This recipe is a dressed up version of Mac and Cheese. It takes about 20 minutes to make if you don't count waiting for the water to boil.

Pasta with Goat Cheese, Roasted Mushrooms and Asparagus
Serves 4
1 lb Asparagus tough ends removed
3 Portabella Mushroom caps
5 tbs Unsalted Butter cut into small pieces
12 oz Whole Wheat Rotini, Farfalle or other small shaped pasta
5 oz fresh goat cheese (we use one locally produced by FOSSIL CREEK CREAMERY)
Salt & Pepper to taste

1.Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta. Place Asparagus and Portabella Mushrooms on a large rimmed baking sheet; dot with 2 tablespoons butter, and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, tossing occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes; cut into 2-inch lengths.
2.While asparagus and mushrooms are roasting, generously salt boiling water. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Set aside 1 1/2 cups pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.
3.In a medium bowl, combine goat cheese, remaining 3 tablespoons butter, and 1/2 cup pasta water. Season with salt and pepper, and whisk until smooth. Add goat-cheese mixture and vegetables to pasta; toss to combine, adding more pasta water if necessary for sauce to coat pasta. Serve pasta with green salad.
You could add any other roasted vegetables that you might like in place of asparagus due to its seasonal availability.