Falafel Pitas with Cucumber-Yogurt Dressing

Here's a recipe from Cooking Light. I've been wanting to try my hand at making falafel since we got back from Israel last summer. They were actually really easy to make, though these were more like falafel patties versus balls. Next time I might try a more traditional recipe, tho the Cucumber Yogurt was delish!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 (1-ounce) slice whole wheat bread, torn into pieces
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 (6-inch) whole wheat pitas, split
1 cup arugula

Cucumber-Yogurt Dressing
1 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/2 cup diced seedless cucumber
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice


Directions:
Combine all ingredients for the Cucumber-Yogurt Dressing in a small bowl. Cover and chill.

Combine first 10 ingredients in a food processor; pulse 6 times or until well blended (mixture will be wet).

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Spoon about 1/3 cup chickpea mixture per patty into pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Line each pita half with 1/4 cup arugula, add 1 patty to each pita half, and spoon 2 tablespoons Cucumber-Yogurt Dressing into each pita half.

Chicken Parmesan

Another Ellie Krieger recipe. Made this with some whole wheat spaghetti. It was delish!!

Ingredients:
2/3 cup bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg whites
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 (6 ounce) skinless boneless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
Olive oil cooking spray
1/2 jar good-quality marinara sauce
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoons shredded Parmesan

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, toss the bread crumbs with oregano, garlic powder, paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites and milk together. In a third bowl stir together the flour, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Dip each piece of chicken, 1 piece at a time, in flour, shaking off excess, then egg, then bread crumbs, shaking off excess.

Place breaded breasts in a glass baking dish and spray on each side with cooking spray, about 5 seconds total per side. Bake breasts until cooked though and crumbs are browned, about 15 minutes. Top with marinara sauce, mozzarella and parmesan and return to oven for an additional 10 minutes, until cheese is bubbling.

Aromatic Noodles With Lime Peanut Sauce

Adapted from Ellie Krieger's recipe. I made this recipe on Sunday for my lunches for the week. While this was a yummy recipe, I would definitely have preferred to eat it right away, as opposed to reheating. The sauce looked GREAT when I first made it, but wasn't as liquidy when I reheated it. No pic of my own for this one, but here's the pic from FoodNetwork.com:



Ingredients:
3/4 pound spinach linguine or whole-wheat spaghetti
2 cups (about 9 ounces) broccoli florets
2 cups (about 6 ounces) snow peas, trimmed
2 cups (about 6 ounces) sugar snap peas, trimmed
1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 scallion, cut into pieces
3/4 inch fresh ginger, finely grated
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup shelled unsalted peanuts


Directions:
Cook the pasta in a large pot of water according to the directions on the package. Drain and rinse with cold water. While the pasta is cooking put the broccoli in a steamer basket over a large pot of boiling water and steam it for 3 minutes. Add the snow peas and sugar snap peas and steam for 2 minutes more.

Toast the peanuts in a dry pan over a medium heat until they become fragrant, about 3 minutes. Set them aside to cool. Make the sauce by pureeing the peanut butter, soy sauce, water, vinegar, lime juice, scallion, ginger, sugar and red pepper flakes in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Right before serving, toss the pasta with 3/4 cup of the peanut sauce. Divide into 6 serving bowls and top each serving with the vegetables. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the vegetables. Coarsely chop the peanuts, sprinkle them on top and serve.

Steak Salad

Adapted from Self.com

Ingredients:
Leftover 1/3 flank steak from steak tacos
1/2 head romaine lettuce, choopped (about 2 cups)
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup corn kernels
1/4 large cucumber, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons Roasted Garlic–Balsamic Vinaigrette, recipe below

Dressing:
1/2 head garlic, roasted
1/2 teaspoon honey mustard
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
To make dressing: add all ingredients to food processor and 2 tbsp warm water; blend until smooth. Refrigerate up to 7 days.
Toss lettuce, celery, beans, corn, cucumber and vinaigrette in a bowl; transfer to a plate. Top salad with sliced steak and serve.

Steak Tacos

Ingredients:
1/2 cup lime juice
1 pound flank steak
Cumin, salt, pepper, chili powder

Directions:
Marinate the stead in the lime juice for 1 hour, turning occasionally.
To broil, place marinated flank steak on a broiling pan 2 to 3 inches from the heat source. Leave the oven door open and broil 6 to 7 minutes on each side for medium rare, 9 minutes on each side for medium.
Place on a cutting board; cover loosely with foil. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.

Serve with taco shells, shredded lettuce, shredded mexican cheese, black beans, corn kernels, and guacamole.