Spicy Chard Soup

Do you dye eggs for Easter?
We do and this year, we might have gone a little overboard. Lots of lots of hard-boiled eggs.

The good thing is that we love to eat hard-boiled eggs around here. Well, at least the white part of the hard-boiled egg. My kids don't like the yolk and I only like a little bit of the yolk with my white and it has to be cooked perfectly. No green ring around the yolk and no dark yellow, crusty, not cooked all the way yolk. They must be perfectly creamy and dreamy light yellow.
I don't always get them just perfect, the way I want them, but this time I did have some success.

We always make these Egg Salad Sandwich faces with some of the eggs and eat them for snacks, but I wanted to do something else this year. Something new.

When I saw this recipe for Spicy Chard Soup in a recent issue of Food Network Magazine, I thought it would be the perfect way to use some of those extra hard-boiled eggs. I have never seen a hard-boiled egg in soup before, so I was intrigued. Plus, it contains swiss chard- my favorite food.
The soup was easy to make. Not too many ingredients, but yet the results were really fabulous.

What is your favorite way to use hard-boiled eggs?

Here is the recipe for Spicy Chard Soup from Food Network Magazine
* I used less olive oil than called for and didn't drizzle the soup with olive oil at the end
* I didn't have caraway seeds, so I just skipped them
*I didn't have cumin seeds, so I just used ground cumin
* I didn't add the hot sauce to the entire pot of soup. I put the hot sauce on the table and the adults added it to their own bowls. My son even got brave and added a couple drops to his soup.

Turkey-Hummus Sliders

I saw this recipe in Food Network Magazine and thought it was such a fun idea. It was an out-of the ordinary way to use hummus (hummus is mixed into the ground turkey mixture) and perfect for little hands.

I can usually always find mini whole wheat pitas at my local grocery store, but as soon as I put these sliders on the menu, the mini pitas were nowhere to be found. At first I thought I would just turn this into a pita creation, putting all the ingredients into a pita half and eating it that way, but that kinda takes away the fun and cute part of this slider.

So, I just got full size whole wheat pitas and cut out small circles with a biscuit cutter, making sure that I kept the closed edge at the bottom, so the two sides would still stay together. It may not be as cute as the original idea, but it worked!

My husband really raved about this one, which kinda surprised me. (I left the tomato slice off of his). He loved the combination of the pita, hummus, little burger and the cucumber-feta mixture. He said it tasted great and reminded him of something that would be served in a restaurant. My kids really liked it too.

I think it is essential that all the parts of this slider be served together. I don't think that it would taste as good with just the sliders. The cucumber-feta mixture, whole wheat pita, and hummus spread on the bottom of the pita are must-dos. All of the components work together to make this a really tasty, bite-size winner of a meal/snack.

Recipe for Turkey-Hummus Sliders From Food Network Magazine
* I used 94% lean ground turkey
* I used roasted red pepper hummus
* I used dried oregano in the feta-cucumber mixture because I didn't have dried mint
* I used less oil to cook my sliders

Greek Night- 2 dips, soup, salad, appetizer, main dish, drink and dessert

A couple of weeks ago my son studied Ancient Greece at school. He had multiple options for his final project and we decided to have a "Greek Cafe" as part of the experience.

When I was a kid, I used to love to do restaurants to surprise my dad when he would come home from work, so I knew this would be really fun for all of us.
The kids dressed up and placed all the appropriate signs annoucing our cafe. The cutest part was how they thought that someone driving down our street might just be hungry and stop in to join us.
My son made the signs and came up with the name for our cafe. I asked for his input on the menu and spent the afternoon getting all the dishes ready for our Greek Night.

We started with a drink called "The Greek Lantern". I have absolutely no idea if it is really a Greek drink, but it sounded really interesting, combining a large amount of fresh parsley leaves, lime juice, lime zest, club soda, water and ice. It actually was quite refreshing and surprisingly yummy.
Next we had a Roasted Red Pepper with Feta dip and Lemony-Garlic Hummus with homemade pita chips. Both of these were really good, although the red pepper one was deemed "spicy" by my youngest child.

Then we had mini spanakopita, which were really delicious and not as time consuming as I thought they would be.
The soup was everybody's favorite. I have had it at Greek restaurants before and it was very simple to recreate at home. It is called Avgolemono Soup- which just means Egg, Lemon and Rice soup. You have to temper eggs to make it, but boy was it delicious. My kids loved it.
I made a light version of Baklava that I found from Cooking Light. It was also much easier than I thought it was going to be to make. It turned out good, but was quite sweet, so could only be enjoyed in small portions. I actually had some leftover baklava mixed into this lemon ice cream a few days later and that was an amazing dessert.

What Greek menu would be complete without some sort of Greek salad? I actually made 2 versions of this salad since we have two people in our house who don't like tomatoes. The second version I made with chopped red pepper to replace the tomato. These leftovers were delicious on a green salad and also in a pita sandwich.
We had Chicken Souvlaki skewers, which my son loved. The Tzatziki sauce that went along with this was my youngest child's favorite thing. She was eating it plain and dipping all sorts of veggies in it.

Here's a closer look at the Baklava. We had lots of fun on Greek Night!

The Greek Lantern

Ingredients

• 1 cup (packed) Parsley Sprigs
• ½ tsp Lime Zest, grated
• 1 cup Cold Water
• ½ cup Fresh Lime Juice
• ½ cup Sugar
• 1 (10 ounce) bottle Club Soda

Instructions

• Blend all the ingredients, except club soda, in a blender, for about one minute.
• Take a large glass measure and strain the preparation through a fine-mesh sieve.
• Put ice into tall glasses and pour the prepared drink.
• Top with club soda and serve

Lemony-Garlic Hummus

Recipe from Aggie’s Kitchen

2 16 oz cans of chickpeas (Bush’s is my canned bean of choice!)
1/2 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
juice and zest from 3 lemons
3 TB tahini
4 cloves garlic, crushed
big pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper
5 TB olive oil

Combine first 6 ingredients into bowl of food processor. Blend for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Slowly stream in olive oil until combined and smooth. Taste for salt and add more if needed. Serve with fresh cut veggies, crackers, chips, pita chips or crostini for a nice appetizer platter.

Note: this recipe makes a large batch. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to a week.

Recipe for Roasted Red Pepper with Feta Dip


Recipe for Greek Salad
* I drastically reduced the amount of olive oil and feta cheese that this recipe called for. I just drizzled the mixture with a little olive oil and then used more lemon juice. I only added a couple of oz of feta cheese.


Recipe for Mini-Spanakopitas
* the egg white/olive oil mixture they said to brush the phyllo dough with, didn't work for me.
I used cooking spray instead.

Recipe for Avgolemono Soupo (Egg, Lemon, and Rice Soup)

Recipe for Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki Sauce
* I used greek yogurt

Recipe for Baklava with Wildflower Honey
* I used orange blossom honey

Family-Style Risotto Dinner for 4

I was so excited when I saw this menu in a recent issue of Bon Appetit. It was in the little section of the magazine where they always include a family friendly menu and fun ways to use the leftovers.
I love risotto and this version seemed really fun with all the vegetables, topped with the fried egg.
I included the recipes because I changed each of them a little bit. I used whole wheat pitas to make the pitas chips, I reduced the amount of oil in the salad dressing and made a few changes to the risotto that made it a bit healthier, mostly by reducing the amount of butter and oil.

Risotto is so delicious and can be made with just a tablespoon of oil or butter- it still turns out creamy. I really wanted to use the leftover risotto and make the risotto cakes recipe that they included, but we ate it as leftovers instead because it was so good!
Any of these dishes would make a great addition to an Easter meal.
The edamame dip was so good! I added some garlic to it, just to up the flavor and wow- that is really a great dip. If you like edamame, I am sure you will love it. The basil is such a great flavor enhancer. It would be great as a spread for a sandwich too.
I was a little bit worried about this salad made with fennel, mainly because I have never had fresh fennel. I knew that it had a anise/licorice type flavor and that is one of my least favorite things. I decided to go ahead with it and give it a try and I am so glad I did.
The celery and the fennel were really yummy. Nice and crunchy. With a little lemon juice and olive oil and the pumpkin seeds- it was amazing. It really surprised me.

The risotto was perfect. I liked the kid-friendly vegetables and it was really fun to top it off with a fried egg. Of course, I had to cooked my yolks all the way, because we don't do runny here. But you can top it off however you want.

This was such a fun menu! It turned out perfectly and was so delicious.

Edamame Dip with Pita Chips adapted from
Bon Appétit | March 2010 by Tamra Davis

Yield: Makes 4 servings 3 whole wheat pita breads, split horizontally, each round cut into 1 1/2-inch wedges 1 12-ounce bag frozen shelled edamame (2 1/3 cups), unthawed 1/4 cup olive oil 2 garlic cloves 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 3 tablespoons minced fresh basil plus sprigs for garnish Preheat oven to 350°F. Scatter pita pieces on large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Bake until crisp, 15 minutes; cool. Cook edamame in large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, 5 minutes. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid. Place edamame, oil, garlic, and 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid in processor. Blend until smooth, drizzling in 1/4 cup cooking liquid and lemon juice. Season dip with salt and pepper. Blend in more cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if too thick. Add minced basil; pulse until basil is just mixed in (do not puree). Transfer dip to bowl. Garnish dip with basil sprigs; serve with pita chips.

Fennel and Celery Salad with Pumpkin Seeds adapted from
Bon Appétit | March 2010
by Tamra Davis

Yield: Makes 4 servings 3 celery stalks, cut crosswise into paper-thin slices 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, halved vertically, sliced paper-thin 1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves 1/4 cup toasted salted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese shavings (about 1 1/2 ounces) Combine celery, fennel, parsley, and pumpkin seeds in large bowl. Whisk oil and lemon juice in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper; toss with vegetables. Toss in most of cheese; top with remaining cheese.

Primavera Risotto Nests with Fried Egg adapted from
Bon Appétit | March 2010 by Tamra Davis

Yield: Makes 4 servings plus leftovers 1 tablespoon butter 2 cups chopped button mushrooms (about 5 ounces) 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 3/4 cup chopped onion 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 cups arborio rice 6 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth 3/4 cup 1/3-inch cubes carrots (about 2 carrots) 2 cups diced trimmed asparagus (about 9 ounces) 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving 1/2 cup shelled fresh peas or thawed frozen peas 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley 4 large eggs Melt 1 tablespoon butter in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper. set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until beginning to soften, 5 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Add rice and stir until translucent at edges, 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup broth. Stir until liquid is absorbed, 1 minute. Add 1 cup broth. Simmer until broth is absorbed, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes. Add carrots, asparagus, and 1 cup broth. Simmer until liquid is absorbed, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes. Continue to add remaining broth, 1 cup at a time, until rice is just tender and mixture is creamy, stirring often and letting almost all liquid be absorbed after each addition, about 25 minutes total. Stir 1/2 cup cheese, peas, parsley, and mushrooms into risotto. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook eggs, without turning, until whites are cooked through and yolks are cooked to desired doneness. Mound 1 cup risotto on each of 4 plates. Using back of spoon, make hollow in top of each mound. Top each with egg.

Risotto Dinner for 4

Original Recipe for Edamame Dip with Pita Chips

Original Recipe for Fennel and Celery Salad with Pumpkin Seeds

Original Recipe for Primavera Risotto Nests with Fried Eggs

Giada's White Bean Dip with Pita Chips

I finally got around to making this dip that I saw in a million different places!
I remember seeing it on Aggie's Kitchen a while ago and I don't even remember the other blogs where I saw it.

We had some friends coming over for dinner and I thought this would be a great appetizer/side for everyone to munch on.

This dip is similar to hummus, but with white beans. I added an extra garlic clove (on accident), but no one seemed to mind too much. Everyone really enjoyed the dip and pita chips. I didn't use as much olive oil as Giada called for, on the pita chips and they still turned out nice and crisp.

I had a little of the dip leftover and I used it as a spread for some sandwiches later in the week.
I am definitely going to be making it again, in the near future as football season is upon us!


Recipe for Giada's White Bean Dip

One Year Ago-Turkey Pot Stickers and Prudy's Asian Chicken Salad

Turkish Turkey Pizza

Since I made Pomegranate Molasses about a month ago, I have been looking online for different ways to use it in savory or sweet recipes. I found this recipe for Turkish Pizza at myrecipes.com and thought it looked good. My kids love any kind of pizza and although this isn't really a traditional recipe for pizza, we really liked it.
I made Whole Wheat Pitas and we used those as the base for the pizzas.
You cook up the ground turkey with red bell pepper and tomatoes and then add some spices and the pomegranate molasses. You top the the pitas with a subtley spicy yogurt mixture, then add the turkey/veggies and pop them in the oven for a few minutes.
In just a few minutes, you have a nice, healthy dinner.

Turkish Turkey Pizza from Cooking Light
Total time: 36 minutes.
Pomegranate molasses may be sold as concentrated pomegranate juice. Look for it in Middle Eastern markets, gourmet shops, and some large supermarkets. Its unique flavor makes it well worth seeking out, and a bottle lasts indefinitely in the refrigerator. If you can't find it, combine two tablespoons fresh lemon juice and two teaspoons honey, stirring until blended.

1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 pound lean ground turkey (I used ground turkey breast)
1 cup diced canned tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
4 (4-inch) pitas
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

Preheat oven to 450°.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook 2 minutes or until tender. Add turkey; cook 3 minutes. Add tomato, 2 tablespoons parsley, tomato paste, and next 3 ingredients (through allspice) to pan; reduce heat to medium. Cook 5 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates.
Place pitas on a baking sheet. Combine low-fat yogurt, salt, black pepper, and red pepper in a small bowl; spread evenly over pitas. Divide turkey mixture evenly over pitas; sprinkle evenly with remaining 2 tablespoons parsley. Bake at 450° for 5 minutes; serve immediately.

Coming Tomorrow- Tuesday's with Dorie- Mini Banana Creme Pies

Whole Wheat Pitas

A couple of years ago, my friend shared this recipe for pita bread. It is really easy and I have been making it for years now. Sometimes I make the recipe into whole wheat pitas and sometimes, I use only all-purpose flour.
The trick to getting the pitas just right is making sure your watch them in the oven, so you know when to flip them over.
We love eating them plain, but the are also fantastic with fillings and toppings. We used them this time as a base for Turkish Pizzas- watch for the recipe on Monday, they were really good!

Zohar's Pita Bread
1 packet yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup warm water
1/2 tsp salt

1. Mix first 3 ingredients, then add the next 3 ingredients.
2. Knead for 10 minutes, and let rise for 30 minutes.
3. Take a ball of dough just smaller than your palm and roll it very thin (1/4 inch) with a little flour on the surface and a rolling pin as needed.
4. Place 2 rounds on an ungreased cookie sheet and broil about 5 inches from the top element until they puff up and start to turn light brown in spots. This goes very fast so you have to watch closely and do not get distracted. Turn them over and brown on the other side. This will only take half as long as the first side.
5. Repeat with remaining dough.


Coming Tomorrow- 2 Muffins and 4-Grain Pancakes

Garlicky Red Lentil Dal and Homemade Whole Wheat Garlic Pita Chips

This is hands down, the best dip I have ever tasted, made, inhaled, smelled, looked at, dreamed about or seen. It is unbelievable. I wasn't expecting anything spectacular when I made this. I had just about a cup of red lentils left in the pantry and I had done soups, wraps, and burgers, so I just searched red lentils at myrecipes.com and found this recipe. It sounded interesting and I had the lentils ready to go, so I mixed it up.
Amazing! The spices, the flavor, the texture- I know that I rave about a lot of things but this was delicious and I wasn't the only one who thought so. Even the very picky kids that turn their noses up at everything I make when they come over to play with my kids, gobbled it down. oh and the pita chips too.
Do what you have to. Find red lentils. Make this dip.
I would've like to spread this on some flatbread and make a wrap, but you guessed it- There wasn't any left. I am making this again soon. I just have to make a trip to a Health Food Store and stock up on my yummy lentils.

Garlicky Red Lentil Dal adapted from Cooking Light

This dip tastes best at room temperature.

1 cup dried small red lentils

2 1/2 cups water

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds, divided (I added 1 heaping tsp of ground cumin to the other spices)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika (I used normal paprika)

1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

4 teaspoons olive oil, divided

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped seeded tomato (I used plain, diced tomatoes from a can)

1 garlic clove, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint ( I omitted this garnish on top)

Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until tender. Drain; discard bay leaf. Place lentils in a small bowl.
Combine 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, salt, turmeric, paprika, and red pepper in a spice or coffee grinder; process until finely ground.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes or until tender. Stir in spice mixture, tomato, and garlic; cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick. Remove pan from heat; stir in lentils, lemon juice, and black pepper. Place lentil mixture in a food processor; process until smooth.
Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat, and add 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds. Sauté seeds for 15 seconds, and drizzle over dal. Sprinkle with fresh mint.

Whole Wheat Garlic Pita Chips by Mary Ann

2 whole wheat pitas, divided in half- make two sides by opening the pocket

cooking spray

garlic sea salt grinder

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut or tear your pitas into triangles or pieces. Arrange them on a baking sheet. Coat pita pieces with cooking spray and season with garlic sea salt grinder. Toast in oven for 7-10 minutes, or until lightly browned and crispy.


Coming Tomorrow- Barefoot Bloggers- Easy Sticky Buns and Craving Ellie- Chicken Caccitore

Weekly Lunchbox- Popcorn Squares, Stuffed Pitas with Tuna, Egg and Corn, Italian Lentil and Bulgur Salad, and Simple Chicken Parm Sandwiches

This week's lunchbox is super yummy! The Popcorn Squares were in Family Fun magazine and I decided to rework a granola recipe I made a few weeks ago so that we could have some homemade granola but also so I could use some in this recipe. It was a favorite. The Stuffed Pita is from a really cute Annabel Karmel cookbook called Lunch Boxes and Snacks. It has some of the best lunch ideas that I have seen. I doubled this recipe because it looked great and the rest of us were able to enjoy it too.

The Lentil Bulgur Salad is yummy and unexpected, because it has Italian Seasoning, I added some cooked chicken to the leftover and it made a great snack/lunch.

And last, the Simple Chicken Parm Sandwich. I doubled Prudy's Great Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns recipe and made them into minis, so I had great buns for sandwiches. I also had some leftover chicken, marinara and provolone, so I threw them all together. Delish!

Stuffed Pitas with Tuna, Egg and Corn adapted from Annabel Karmel's Lunchboxes and Snacks

2 eggs

1 6-oz can tuna, drained

1/2 cup corn

2 Tbls fat-free mayo

1 tsp white wine vinegar

4 scallions, chopped

salt and pepper

few drops of Tabasco sauce ( I used 3 drops)

alfalfa sprouts

2 whole wheat pitas

Put the eggs in a saucepan of cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, 7-8 minutes. Drain and cool under cold water. Peel the eggs when cold.

Meanwhile, flake the tuna with a fork and mix with the corn, mayo, vinegar, scallions, salt, pepper, and Tabasco. Roughly chop the hard-boiled eggs and add the the tuna mix with the sprouts., stirring well.

Cut the pita breads in half to make four pita pockets and divide the mixture among them.

Italian Lentil-Bulgur Salad by Mary Ann

1 cup bulgur

2 Tbls fresh lemon juice

2 Tbls olive oil

1/2 English cucumber, halved and sliced

1 1/2 cup fresh green beans, blanched

1 1/2 cups brown lentils, cooked

2 Tbls fresh parsley, chopped

2 Tbls. Italian seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

2 small tomatoes, chopped

Boil 2 cups of water and pour over the bulgur, that is in a large bowl. Cover and let bulgur absorb water. When water is absorbed fluff bulgur with a fork. Add lemon juice and olive oil. Stir well. Add cucumber, green beans, lentils, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt and pepepr. Mix well and adjust seasoning to taste. Add tomatoes and stir gently to combine. Refrigerate.

Popcorn Squares from Family Fun Magazine
1/2 cup honey
2/3 cup peanut butter
1 cup homemade granola*
1 cup roasted and salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
3 cups plain popped popcorn

Step 1 Line an 8- or 9-inch square pan with foil. Heat the honey in a large saucepan until it boils, about 2 minutes. Add the peanut butter and stir until mixture is well blended.

Step 2 Remove the pan from the stove and stir in the granola, the peanuts, and the popcorn until everything is coated.

Step 3 Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Refrigerate the pan until the mixture is cool, about 30 minutes. (I refrigerated them over night and cut them in the morning).

Step 4 Cut the mixture into small squares . The treats will be a bit crumbly, so you may want to serve them in paper candy cups.

* Homemade Maple Peach Granola by Mary Ann

5 cups oats

heaping 1/3 cup wheat germ

heaping 1/3 cup flaxseed meal

1 1/4 cup macadamia, walnut, and pecan pieces

2/3 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup peach nectar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 T canola oil

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup raisins, or other dried fruit

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until well mixed. Spread on a large jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes, or longer, until dry. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.


Simple Chicken Parm Sandwiches by Mary Ann
whole wheat mini buns (Thank you Prudy)
cooked chicken
marinara sauce
Provolove cheese slices

Spread marinara on both sides of the bun. Fill with shredded chicken, top with cheese. Pop in the microwave until cheese is melted and sammy is warm!

Meatball Marinara Pita Pocket

Since we have been packing and moving this past week, I needed something fast and easy, that also tasted great. I usually make my own meatballs, but I found some lean turkey italian seasoned meatballs at the store that were on sale and decided to try them. Yum! I bought marinara sauce and added a can of beans, then pureed it so there were no big pieces of tomato (for my husband) and no visible sign of beans (for my daughter). Add some shredded zucchini to the sauce and you have got a great, healthy, fast dinner.


Meatball Marinara Pita Pocket

12 lean turkey meatballs with Italian seasoning

1 jar marinara sauce

1-15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini

4-6 pitas, cut in half

shredded mozzarella cheese

Place sauce and beans in blender and puree. Put sauce into a large skillet and add meatballs and zucchini. Heat until warm over medium heat. Cut meatballs in half (makes it easier to eat). Open a pita half and spoon a few meatball halves and sauce into the pita. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and serve.

Edamame Hummus

We love Edamame at our house, so when I saw this dip, I knew I had to try it. I am so glad we did. It is a terrific twist on Hummus-so delicious!

Edamame Hummus with Pita Crisps (from Cooking Light)

6 (6-inch) pitas, split in half horizontally

1 1/2 cups frozen blanched shelled edamame (green soybeans)

4 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

3 tablespoons tahini (sesame-seed paste)

3 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Preheat oven to 350°.
Arrange pita halves in a single layer on oven rack. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until crisp, and cool completely on a wire rack. Break each pita half into about 6 chips.

Prepare edamame according to package directions, omitting salt. Place 1 tablespoon oil, salt, cumin, coriander, and garlic in a food processor, and pulse 2 to 3 times or until coarsely chopped. Add the edamame, parsley, tahini, water, and juice; process 1 minute or until smooth. Spoon the hummus into a serving bowl. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil, and sprinkle with paprika.

Serve with pita crisps.