Greek Tacos’ whole-wheat pitas give healthy twist to traditional fare
Greek Tacos
Makes 6 servings
1 pound ground round
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons all-purpose Greek seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, cut into halves or fourths
1 cup fresh spinach, stems removed and discarded
Yogurt Dill Sauce (See recipe below)
3 tablespoons feta cheese
6 mini wheat pocket breads
Cook ground round, onions and garlic in skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until beef is browned; drain well. Add Greek seasoning, cumin, salt and pepper and blend well.
Stir in tomatoes and spinach and cook over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes to allow tomatoes to become juicy and spinach to soften.
Cut pocket breads in half, then spoon mixture into each bread pocket and top with Yogurt Dill Sauce. Sprinkle sparingly with feta cheese.
Yogurt Dill Sauce: Blend 1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon dried dill weed.
Shopping tips: We tested this recipe with Cavender’s Greek Seasoning, a blend of 13 ingredients available at local grocery stores. You can also buy the seasoning blend online at Jane’s Kitchen, cavendersseasoning .com.
We used Father Sam’s brand mini wheat pita pockets found in the deli at Hen House and select Price Chopper stores. You can also go with regular-size pitas (4 for 4 servings) or serve in taco shells (8 for 4 servings).
Jill Wendholt Silva
The Kansas City Star
Thai chicken pizza, tandoori burritos and Cajun pasta are part of the American melting pot.
When two distinct ethnic food influences collide to create a hybrid dish, chefs call it fusion cuisine. The fusion doesn’t necessarily mean it’s lean, but it does provide a nice jumping-off point for creative cooks. Take something familiar and turn it into something new by making a few healthy substitutions.
The Star’s Greek Tacos take the standard Mexican-style taco — a hard or soft shell stuffed with ground meat and layered with lettuce, tomato and cheese — and gives it a spin using a whole-wheat pita. Puffy mini pitas are a great way to exercise portion control, but if you can’t find these small flatbreads, a regular flat whole-wheat pita will work.
At the meat counter, choose lean ground round. Hamburger can contain up to 30 percent fat, but ground round contains no more than 15 percent fat, and in some cases as little as 5 percent fat. Less fat can mean less flavor, but choosing assertive condiments will trick your taste buds. Choose a sprinkling of Greek feta instead of a mound of cheddar and a dollop of low-fat yogurt dill sauce instead of sour cream.
Finally, instead of iceberg lettuce, opt for spinach, a darker green with a bigger nutritional punch. Add grape tomatoes and get a dose of beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin and lycopene, antioxidants that may protect against cancer, heart disease and vision loss.
On Easter morning, I was a little nervous. Our church does not offer kid programs on major holidays. This gives all the adults who otherwise would be teaching and crafting, and I’m sure a healthy amount of disciplining, a morning off. I used to stew the day before these holiday services, wondering if my kid would be the one to squawk, wondering if we’d have to disturb a whole row for a potty break, worrying that their boredom would turn to naughtiness.
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