It's A Wrap

Pickled seared tofu + bell peppers + lettuce + pita bread wrapped in parchment, paper towel, and plastic wrap for ultimate drip control = one quick, tasty lunch!!!

Falafel

I have been wanting to make, or at least try, falafels for quite some time now. I think the word is just so fun to say! For those of you who aren't sure, falafel kind of rhymes with waffle, and is not pronounced fall-a-fell. Falafels are essentially a Mediterranean-style veggie burger made with chickpeas and enriched with Eastern flavors, and served in a pita bread with vegetables. This version is not deep-fried like some traditional versions, rather this is an incredibly quick and healthy version. It only makes two servings, but quantities can easily be increased. It makes a nice light meal or a nourishing snack. The recipe could also be used as a simple veggie burger recipe.

Falafel
olive oil
1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 Tablespoons chopped onion
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced or finely chopped
1/2 Tablespoon whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon coriander
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
salt and pepper to taste

whole wheat pita breads
tzatziki
desired garnishes - fresh vegetables, cheese, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice

Heat a little oil medium skillet over medium heat.
In a medium bowl, mash together all falafel ingredients. The quickest and easiest way to do this is to put all the ingredient in, get your hands in there, and mash. It's also fun.
Form mixture into four small patties. Brown in the skillet, a few minutes per side, until golden and cooked. 

To assemble: Spread two pita breads with tzatziki. Sprinkle with chopped baby spinach. Place the falafel patties on top. Garnish with cherry tomato halves. Or, use you favorite garnishes and flavorings. 
I think my version with tzatziki and spinach and tomato is colorful and extremely tasty. Then again, I've never tried anything else. Tzatziki is a Greek sauce made with yougurt, cucumber, parsely, and lemon. It really adds some nice flavor and is a great source of calcium. The pita could be followed over and eaten like a sandwich, or just as is. 

Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh

1 cup Bulgar wheat

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

salt and pepper, to taste

4 scallions, finely chopped

1 green pepper, finely chopped

1 tomato, diced

8 black olives, sliced

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped

Place bulgar wheat in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover. Let stand for about 30 minutes, until much of the water is absorbed and bulgar is doubled in size.

Drain well.

In a small bowl, mix together the oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. In a large serving bowl, mix together the bulgar with this mixture. Place in the refrigerator and marinate for at least one hour, or up to six hours before serving.

Mix in remaining ingredients. 

This is my first time making this Levantive Arab dish. Traditionally it is made with bulgar, but new versions make use of couscous, quinoa, and rice. The traditional dish is flavored with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, parsley, and mint. Any finely chopped vegetables may be added for flavor and color, and the spices may also be varied. This is a nice, cold side dish. If I had to categorize it, I would call it a salad. It is great served as a light lunch with toasted pita chips and hummus. 

Mini Multigrain Pitas

Take a basic recipe for pita bread, change the ingredients so that it is whole wheat and contains other healthy grains, then make it the sizes you would like, and bake it! What do you get? Delicious homemade pita bread that is catered to your tastes. Pita bread is always good, a nice change to normal sandwich bread. It is soft and chewy, and creates those cute little pockets that can be stuffed with all kinds of different delicious filings. Storebought pita bread is good, but homemade pita bread is incredibly easy to make and so much better.

Multigrain Pita Bread
2 cups warm water (110◦F)
1 teaspoon granulated (white) sugar
1 package instant yeast
1/4 cup oil
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup natural wheat bran
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
4 cups whole wheat flour

In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in the water. Sprinkle the yeast over top and let stand for ten minutes until frothy. Stir to dissolve. Add the oil, salt, bran, oats, and 1 cup flour. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat for about three minutes or until smooth. With a wooden spoon, gradually stir in the remaining flour until a stiff dough forms  Knead for about ten minutes until smooth and elastic.
Allow to rise for ninety minutes, until doubled in bulk. Punch dough down. 
If making large pitas, simply divide the dough into sixteen (for 7 inch/ 18 cm pitas) or into 32 (for 4 inch/ 10 cm pitas). Then roll out each piece into a circle, matching the size given.
If making mini pitas, divide dough in two pieces. Roll out each piece to a little less than 1/4 inch/ 0.5 cm thick. Use a round cookie or biscuit cutter to cut dough into rounds. I used a four inch and a two inch, both work well. I got 18 four inch pitas, and 12 mini ones. Dough scraps can be rerolled and cut (I thought this would make them tough, but the extra kneading seems to do them good!)
Place the pita breads on pieces of parchment paper. Cover and let rise for 20 minutes, until slightly risen.

Meanwhile, set the rack to the bottom position in the oven, and place a baking sheet inside to heat up. Preheat oven to 500◦F.** Once pita has rested, remove baking sheet from oven and carefully slide one sheet of parchment onto it. Do not crowd the pitas, bake them in batches. Bake small pitas for about four minutes, and large pitas for about five to six minutes. Watch them closely. They should be just golden on the bottom. Pitas are meant to be soft and chewy. If you would prefer a crisp pita, they can be baked a minute or two longer, but they will not have as nice pockets. Let cool on a rack.

**500◦F seems like a really high oven temperature. It is the highest I have ever used, and I was a little leery about it the first time. However, the key to good pita bread and nice pockets is the high oven temperature and short baking time. Just be really careful when opening the oven, as it will be really hot! Also, use thick oven mitts. I discovered the hard way that my thin pot holders were not quite enough to withstand the heat of a baking sheet placed in an oven that hot.

Whole Wheat Pita Bread

Pita bread is a round piece of bread similar to a tortilla, but when cut in half, it bears a pocket that may be stuffed with any number of delicious fillings. I made some whole wheat pitas yesterday, and ate one for breakfast this morning. Quite tasty and easy to make at home, just not as perfectly round as store-bought (but that may just be me). For breakfast, try filling pita with peanut butter and banana slices, or egg and cheese. For lunch, try tuna salad or chicken and salsa. For a quick and easy supper, use pita bread as tasty crusts for individual pizzas, or shells for tacos. The possibilities are endless. Here is the recipe, from Company's Coming "Breads".

Whole Wheat Pita
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 package (8g) active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, approximately

Measure first 4 ingredients into large bowl. Mix well. Work in enough remaining flour until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. Turn out onto floured surface. Knead 4 to 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cut and shape into 10 balls. Roll out each ball 1/4 inch thick and 5 to 6 inches in diameter on lightly floured surface. Both sides should be lightly covered with flour.

Place on ungreased non-stick baking sheet or a cornmeal dusted regular sheet. Cover with tea towel. Let stand in  oven with light on and door closed about 35 minutes. Bake in 500◦F oven on bottom rack for 5 minutes. Wrap in tea towel for 3 minutes as they are removed from oven.

I used whole wheat flour for the second amount too, because otherwise I consider them "half wheat pita" when I want whole wheat. I know 500◦F sounds high, but it is necessary for the characteristic pita texture. Don't worry, it won't burn in the short span of 5 minutes as long as you don't forget about them.  

Paré, Jean. "Whole Wheat Pita." Recipe. Breads, Edmonton Alberta: Company's Coming Publishing Limited, 1996. 34