Falafel-Stuffed Pitas

I am a HUGE fan of Falafel. It's very flavorful, crispy, healthy, and oh so good!

Falafel:

1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp ground red pepper

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 lg. egg

1 (15-oz) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained

1 Tbsp olive oil

Sauce*:

1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste)

1 garlic clove, minced

Remaining Ingredients:

4 (6-inch) whole wheat pitas, cut in half

8 curly leaf lettuce leaves

16 (1/4 inch thick) slices tomato

1. To prepare falafel, place first 8 ingredients in a food processor; process mixture until smooth. Divide mixture into 16 equal portions, and shape each portion into a 1/4-inch-thick patty. Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties, and cook 5 minutes on each side or until patties are browned.

2. To prepare sauce, combine yogurt, lemon juice, tahini, and 1 garlic clove, stirring mixture with a whisk. Spread about 1 1/2 Tbsp. tahini sauce into each pita half. Fill each pita half with 1 lettuce leaf, tomato slices, and 2 patties.

*When I make this I don't make the tahini sauce. Instead I spread some hummus (homemade or store bought) inside the pita and I whip up some ranch dressing to go over the top. Mmmm!

Skillet Chicken Salad Pitas

I got this recipe from my Better Homes and Gardens Magazine. It makes a lot more than we had anticipated but we were happy to eat it for several days. It is very flavorful and aromatic.

1/3 cup snipped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup Asian sweet chili sauce
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. kosher salt or salt
2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 large red sweet pepper, cut in bite-size strips

Dressing:
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup snipped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp. lime juice

8 pita bread rounds
8 leaves red or green leaf lettuce


1. In resealable plastic bag set in shallow dish, combine cilantro, chili sauce, lime juice, garlic, oil, and salt. Add chicken. Seal bag; turn to coat. Marinate, refrigerated, 1 hour.

2. Heat 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken mixture, half at a time, and cook 3 minutes per batch, stirring occasionally. Return all chicken to skillet. Add sweet pepper; continue cooking 5 minutes more or until chicken is no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Using a slotted spoon transfer chicken mixture to large bowl. Cover; refrigerate 1 to 8 hours.

3. For dressing: in bowl combine mayonnaise, cilantro and lime juice. To serve, top each pita with a lettuce leaf. Spoon chicken mixture on half of each pita (if necessary, drain excess liquid from chicken). Drizzle with dressing.

To Tote: toss chicken mixture with dressing. Place in airtight container in a cooler. Assemble just before serving. Makes 8 pita sandwiches.

Strawberry and Spinach Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Seriodicals strikes again!

1/4 cup sliced toasted almonds*
8 oz. strawberries, quartered
1/2 medium cucumber, sliced lengthwise, seeded, then sliced into crescent shapes
1/4 small red onion, sliced into wedges (you can use less--a little goes a long way)
6 oz. baby spinach

*Either toast the almonds plain in a hot skillet or add about 2 Tbs sugar to the skillet, stirring until liquefied and almonds are browned and sugared. Spread out on a cookie sheet until cooled.

Vinaigrette:

1/2 tsp lemon zest
2 Tbs lemon juice
2 Tbs white wine vinegar or distilled vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 tsp poppy seeds

Combine, whisk and chill until ready to serve salad.

Serves 10.

The Very Best Spinach Salad Ever

From the one and only Seriodicals cookbook!

1/4 cup white vinegar
1 1/2 cups salad oil
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp dry mustard
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 large purple onion, finely sliced
8-10 strips of bacon
1 cup grated white cheese (jack or provolone)
1 cup cottage cheese
1 Tbs poppy seeds (optional)
1 package spinach, rinsed and torn
1 head lettuce, torn

Prepare marinade in blender by combining vinegar, salad oil, sugar, salt, and mustard. Pour over sliced fresh mushrooms and sliced onion. Seal and refrigerate overnight.

Microwave bacon between paper towels until crisp. Crumble into large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and just before serving, add veggies and enough marinade to flavor.

Yields 20 servings, so you may want to half or quarter it.

Andrea's Chicken Salad

Ok, so I'm posting this because my husband insists that my chicken salad is the best he's ever had. So here it is. I think it's pretty good...but what is good to one person might not be good to another. Anyway, since I never measure things when I cook all the amounts are APPROXIMATE. Don't take my word for the amounts...if it tastes like it needs more of something...add it! Sorry I don't have a picture this time.

Ingredients:

3-4 medium chicken breasts (or already cooked leftover chicken)
1/2 cup Mayo (I use lowfat)
1 cup fat free plain yogurt
a handful or two of red, seedless grapes
1/4 of a red onion, finely chopped
2 -3 stalks celery, chopped
1 can water chestnuts, chopped
a handful of chopped cashews
1-2 tsp. spike (look here if you don't know what spike is) - thanks to my Aunt Kalyn for introducing me to the wonders of spike.
Celery seed to taste
salt and pepper to taste
Sometimes I add a little onion salt too just to bring out the flavor of the onions more

Directions:

1. boil chicken and add chicken boullion and poultry seasoning to the water (it helps flavor the chicken).

2. shred and chop chicken and combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. I usually taste and add things as I go so don't be afraid to tweak it to your liking. Each batch of mine turns out different.

3. Serve on crusty rolls, in pitas, in croissants, or pretty much any bread product you enjoy. I like mine on lightly toasted sourdough rolls with lettuce...mmmm!

Tortellini Garden Salad

I found this recipe at Gourmet Momma. It's super easy and a great new take on pasta salad.

Grocery List:
1 large ripe tomato, cut bite-size
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup thinly sliced pepper, preferably yellow or red
1⁄3 cup bottled balsamic vinaigrette dressing
1 pkg (16 oz) frozen cheese tortellini
4 cups fresh broccoli florets (1⁄2 a 16-oz bag)
1⁄2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 bag (5 oz) spring lettuce mixture
4 oz smoked or regular mozzarella cheese, cut in small cubes (1 cup)

**Serve with: extra balsamic vinaigrette dressing (optional)

How to make it:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, combine tomato, onion, pepper and dressing in a large bowl. Leave at room temperature.

2. Add tortellini to boiling water; cook as package directs, adding broccoli to pot 5 minutes before tortellini will be done.

3. Drain; rinse under running cold water. Add to tomato mixture; add basil and toss to mix.

4. To serve: Arrange 1 cup lettuce on each of 4 plates. Top with tortellini mixture and mozzarella. Serve extra dressing on the side.

*I decided to make this after the kids had gone to bed, so I was just scrounging in my refrigerator for ingredients. I didn't have mozzarella cheese, so I substituted Parmesan out of the can (not gourmet, but it works!). I also didn't have spring mix lettuce (just leafy green), and I don't like broccoli so I just nixed it, nor did I have a balsamic vinagrette dressing but used a light Italian dressing and it turned out great!

Frito Bean Salad

So I'm being very brave and posting my first recipe here. My neighbor made it the other nite for a BBQ and I thought it would be perfect for some summer holiday celebration. (That and I wanted to have a copy for when I lose the paper I wrote it on. :) This was a huge recipe. I mean huge - it would feed at least 30 people so half it if you want:

Frito Bean Salad

4-5 cans of beans (she used 2 kidney, 2 black, and 1 northern) drain and rinse
2 cans corn
1 cucumber sliced
1 red pepper and 1 green pepper chopped
1/2 red onion
Mix all this together. Add 1 bag BBQ Fritos. Toss with 1/2 - 1 bottle Catalina dressing. Enjoy!

Chopped Salad

I found this idea on another recipe blog after being bored with the same salads over and over. It's pretty basic and you can switch ingredients up quite a bit as to what is in your fridge. You can make the classic chopped salad (iceberg lettuce, chopped tomato, blue cheese and blue cheese dressing) or you can spice things up a bit with other ingredients.

Here are some ingredient ideas, just pick and choose which ones you like!

• Lettuce (Romaine, leafy green, or iceberg would be good)
• Rotisserie chicken
• Cooked bacon
• Cucumber
• Carrots
• Red Onion
• Tomatoes
• Cooked Peas
• Blueberries
• Bell Pepper
• Cooked Corn
• Feta, Blue, or Cheddar Jack Cheese
• Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing

Chop all ingredients into small bite size pieces and toss with dressing.

Weeknight Favorites: Chinese Chicken Salad

Submitted by Marcia Seable

4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 red leaf lettuce bunch, washed
1 green lettuce bunch, washed
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted (350° until golden brown)
1 cup craisins
Chinese noodles

Tear lettuce into bite size pieces. Add the rest of the ingredients. Toss with dressing just before serving.

Dressing:
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
½ cup olive oil
Dash of garlic powder
½ red wine vinegar

Broccoli Salad

Every summer I seem to find a salad that captures the attention of my taste buds. Meet the salad of summer 2006! I love this salad! I know summer is over but it still just as scrumptious.

Ingredients:
2 large broccoli heads - fresh
1 C shredded cheddar cheese
6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 C raisins and/or dried cranberries
1/4 C sliced red grapes (optional)
3/4 C mayonaise
1/4 C sugar
2 T red wine vinegar
1/4 C toasted sunflower seeds or sliced almonds

Directions:
Chop broccoli into flowerets and place in a large bowl. Toss with cheese, bacon, dried fruit, and grapes (if desired - in my opinion you'd be crazy to leave them out!). In a small bowl, combine mayonaise, sugar, and vinegar. Pour dressing over salad, toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Stir in nuts or sunflower seeds before serving.

Number Of Servings:6-8
Preparation Time:30 minutes

**A couple of times I made this salad more "South Beach" friendly for some visiting relatives. It still tastes great with a few substitutions: use low fat cheddar cheese, turkey bacon or diced ham in place of the bacon, and an artificial sweetener instead of sugar.

Chicken Pasta Salad

Disclaimer: Everything---and I do mean everything---in this recipe is to taste. You can put as much or as little of anything that you want. I've posted it here with the approximate amount of stuff I use, but it's really all up to you. (How's that for not helpful?)

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into chunks
12 oz of pasta (one bag)---use either bowtie or some kind of corkskrew
1 package crumbled feta cheese (I like the kind seasoned with tomato and basil)
1 small can sliced olives
broccoli florets (thawed or fresh)
grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 bottle Bernstein's Cheese Fantastico dressing

This recipe works best if everything is chilled, so cook the pasta and chicken, then stick it in the fridge for a while (or wait overnight).

Just combine everything (chicken, pasta, cheese, olives, broccoli, and tomatoes) in a large bowl. Toss with about half the bottle of salad dressing. Let it chill for a couple of hours. The pasta and other ingredients will absorb a lot of the dressing, so after a while pull it out and add about half of the remaining dressing and toss again.

Some people really like the dressing to have a stronger taste, so you can serve the remaining dressing with the salad when you serve it, or pour the rest of it on right before serving. Or you don't have to use the rest, depending on what flavor you want.

Serve it cold. You can serve it warm, but it's better chilled.