Greek Antipasto Pitas

Good Morning :) Unfortunately, I wasn't able to visit North Carolina with the rest of the family, but I did enjoy a nice, quiet and relaxing weekend at home. I got just a little bit jealous when I started seeing the pictures - especially those Duck Donuts!! But I survived by taking a trip to good old Dunkin D's. I hope you enjoyed the Easter holiday!

I feel like I've been posting a lot of recipes for sugary treats on here lately, which is a little weird considering that I don't even have a very big sweet tooth. So, today I thought I would share with you a recipe that I really consider to be a "go-to" when it comes to dinner: Greek antipasto pitas.

This recipe comes from the Moosewood Restaurant's cookbook Simple Suppers, which I also referenced waaaaay back in July when I made their Potato Salad with Green & White Beans. I use this cookbook more often than any other in my possession, and consider it to be a great investment. I should tell you ahead of time that it is largely vegetarian (although there is one fish section) and that I have never made something from this book that I didn't like. Go here to take a look. :)

Ingredients:

-2 tablespoons olive oil

-1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or cider vinegar)

-2 garlic cloves, minced

-1 teaspoon dried oregano or dill (or 1 tablespoon fresh)

-1 celery stalk

-1 (large) tomato

-1/2 red bell pepper

-1 cucumber

-1/4 red onion

-8 pitted kalamata olives

-feta cheese

-salt & pepper

-pita breads or tortillas

Directions:

-In a medium bowl or tupperware container, stir together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic and herb of your choice. Add the vegetables to the mix as you prepare them:

    -celery stalk: diced

    -tomato: largely de-seeded, diced

    -red bell pepper: diced

    -cucumber: peeled, de-seeded, diced

    -red onion: minced

    -olives: chopped

-Stir, season with salt and pepper to taste and allow to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.

-To serve, spoon into your pitas (or tortillas) and top with the feta.

If I'm making these for dinner I almost always buy sweet potato fries or taters to accompany them, but they would also be good with rice or quinoa. Alternatively, I have taken this to multiple parties as a salsa with tortilla chips and it always goes over well. :) Enjoy! xo

Green Lentil Curry

If you are looking to have something a bit non-traditional for dinner, try this curry. I was a tad skeptical and almost skipped by this recipe, but something made me stop. I am glad that I did! This dish is simple, delicious, healthy and really quite beautiful. Plus, making this gives you an excuse to purchase naan (probably the reason I decided to make this recipe, actually - the Stonefire brand is delicious).

What you will Need:

-3 tablespoons canola oil

-2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced

-2 cloves of garlic, minced

-1 onion, chopped

-1 tablespoon curry powder

-1 large russet potato (peeled and chopped)
-4 carrots (peeled and chopped)

-1 cup green (or red) lentils

-4 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth

-chives

-salt and pepper

-naan and lime wedges, to serve

How you will Make This:

-Heat the canola oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. To the pot, add the garlic, ginger and onion. Cook, stirring, until softened (about 4 minutes). 

-Add the curry powder to the pot and mix until the vegetables are dredged. 

-Add the carrots, potato, lentils, broth and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper. 

-Bring your concoction to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The vegetables should be tender. 

-Spoon the curry into shallow bowls and sprinkle with chives. Serve with the warmed naan and lime wedges.

Warning: Your house will smell of curry for at least one calendar day (but it's worth it!).

Enjoy your Thursday! :)

Recipe adapted slightly from here.