Put it in a Pita
on the menu (vol. 5)
When I was writing my cookbook, for a long time I had a section called “put it in a pita.” People always ask me how I eat during the week, and this is my secret: I make a bunch of little salads and put them in pitas or on toast day after day. It’s an easy, delicious way to eat well without spending every minute in the kitchen (I still do). One of you called this “component cooking” in your reader survey, which I love! The section title didn’t make it in the book, but all the small salads did.
I like to keep a loaf of sliced sourdough and a pack of pita in the freezer, either made by Adi or from a local bakery. That way it’s easy to warm up one or two servings of bread and pile on the veg for a quick lunch between meetings or an easy weeknight dinner.
Here’s what’s on the menu this week:
Green Goddess Chickpeas Pita
Crispy Quinoa Bowl with Veggies
Simple Burger in a Pita with Tahini
The best thing about all of these meals is that you can mix and match throughout the week to create your ultimate pita/toast/bowl. Save Green Goddess Chickpeas to add to a bowl, and use the extra dressing as a toast base or drizzle. Pair leftover Mediterranean Chopped Salad with the burger. Variety keeps your meals exciting! Because all the meals can be easily combined, I put them all in one PDF this week so you have everything you need.
And as a reminder, here are my pantry staples, filled with specific brands I love, and here are the tools I use for just about everything. If there’s ever a recommendation you’re looking for, let me know!
What do you think of the recipe PDFs? We’re talking about it over in the chat.
Green Goddess Chickpeas in a Pita
I’ve yet to find anything that doesn’t taste good covered in Green Goddess dressing. This version is a slightly pared back iteration, with lots of fresh basil. Like the dip from last week, any herbs work with this—use the ones you love! Save leftover dressing drizzle over your bowl or use as a mayo replacement with the burger.
For all your summer parties, this is a great vegan option that will make everyone feel cared for! Offer up crispy quinoa to serve it in a bowl, and voila, it’s gluten free, too.
Crispy Quinoa Bowl with Veggies
The opportunities with bowls are infinite. Some of you may remember my bowl phase from last year, which featured a lot of Castelvetrano olives, cottage cheese, microgreens, and beets. Some of you have told me you don’t like cottage cheese—I get it. For extra protein in its place, add an egg (any style), or a scoop of the Green Goddess Chickpeas. If you eat meat, leftover burgers (below) are also a welcome addition!
Simple Burgers in a Pita
Adi makes the best burgers. Whenever we cook, we try not to add too many extra ingredients, but we do use high-quality beef (often from the farmer’s market) and add our favorite spices. Plus Adi’s mom taught me the best trick to tenderize the meat: a pinch of baking soda. When you’re mixing everything together, try not to overmix, which can make the burgers tough. Eat the burgers in a pita, serve it in a bun, or simply add to a bowl loaded with extra veggies. We’re a tahini family so that’s the drizzle here, but you can also use any sort of sauce you love.
What ingredients would you put in your dream pita? Tell me all about it!
