August 10, 2023
Pita Panzanella Salad With Meatballs
Ingredients
- 650g lean ground turkey
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated red onion, plus 3/4 cup quartered and thinly sliced
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano plus 2 tsp., or 1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano, divided
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
- 2 teaspoons olive oil plus 3 Tbsp., divided
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 3 (6 inch) whole-wheat pita breads
- 3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 large English cucumber, sliced
- 1 ¾ cups diced plum tomatoes (3-5 tomatoes)
- ¾ cup sliced pitted Kalamata olives
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Mix together turkey, breadcrumbs, grated onion, egg, 1 Tbsp. fresh oregano (or 1 tsp. dried), 2 tsp. garlic, 2 tsp. oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl just until combined. Using a tablespoon, form the mixture into about 42 meatballs, each about 1 inch in diameter. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the meatballs until browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the centers registers 165 degrees F, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Split pitas in half horizontally into thin rounds, then tear into half-moon shapes. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool, then break the pitas into bite-size croutons.
- Whisk vinegar, the remaining 3 Tbsp. oil, 2 tsp. fresh oregano (or 1/2 tsp. dried), 1 tsp. garlic, honey, and mustard in a large bowl. Add cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and sliced onion; toss to combine. Stir in the pita croutons. Serve the salad with the meatballs.
Tips
To make ahead: Prepare meatballs (Step 2) up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Prepare croutons (Step 3) up to 2 days ahead and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Prepare vinaigrette (Step 4) up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Prep all vegetables, except for tomatoes, up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate.
Serves 6
Serving Size about 7 mini meatballs + 1 2/3 cups salad
| CALORIES | FAT | CARBS | PROTEIN |
|---|---|---|---|
| 380 | 15g | 30g | 34g |
PITA PANZANELLA WITH MEATBALLS
Ingredients 2 cups broccoli (finely chopped, raw) 2 cups kale (finely chopped, stems removed for best texture) 1 cup broccoli sprouts 200g chicken thigh fillets (trimmed & cooked) ¼ cup almonds (roughly chopped) ¼ cup sunflower seeds ¼ cup feta cheese (optional) 2 tbsp red onion (finely diced) Sulforaphane-Boosting Dressing ½ cup Greek yogurt 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp whole mustard seeds OR ½ tsp mustard powder 1 tbsp hemp seeds 1 tsp honey (optional) Salt & pepper to taste Method Step one - Cook The Chicken Season and cook thigh fillets until golden and cooked through. Rest, then slice. Step two - Chop your greens Finely chop broccoli and kale. Step Three - Activate the sulforaphane Let the chopped broccoli sit for 5–10 minutes before mixing . Step four - Massage the kale Add a pinch of salt and massage for 1–2 minutes until softened. Step five - Combine salad Add broccoli, kale , broccoli sprouts, chicken, almonds, sunflower seeds, feta, and onion. Step six - Make the dressing Whisk everything together until creamy. Step seven - Toss & serve Mix well and let sit 5–10 minutes for best flavour. Nutritional Information & Cooking Times Serves: 2-3 Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 12 - 15 minutes 460 kcal | 20g Fat | 38g Protein | 15g Carbohydrates
Ingredients 700–800g chicken breast (raw) 2 cups cooked lentils 3–4 small beetroot (about 400g total) 6–8 cups rocket (arugula) or spinach 2 cucumbers (sliced) 1 small red onion (thinly sliced) 2 tsp olive oil (total) Juice of 1–2 lemons Spice rub 2 tsp turmeric 2 tsp paprika 3 garlic cloves (minced) Salt + black pepper Method Step one - Cook The Chicken Coat chicken with spices and garlic. Grill, bake, or pan-cook with minimal oil until cooked through. Slice. Step two - Prepare The Beetroot Roast at 200°C for ~30–40 min (or use pre-cooked), then slice. Step Three - Build The Bowl Divide greens, lentils, beetroot, cucumber, and onion across 4 bowls. Top with protein Add sliced chicken evenly. Step four - Dress It Lightly Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over each bowl. Step five - Serve & Enjoy Toss lightly if desired, or keep layered for presentation. Serve immediately while the chicken is warm for the best flavour. Nutritional Information & Cooking Times Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 35 - 40 minutes 450 kcal | 7g Fat | 53g Protein | 37g Carbohydrates
Ingredients 100g smoked salmon ½ large avocado, sliced 2 boiled eggs (soft or hard, halved) 1 cup baby spinach or mixed leafy greens ½ cup cucumber, sliced ¼ cup asparagus (lightly steamed or raw shaved) 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds (optional) Salt & black pepper to taste Fresh dill or parsley (optional) Method Step one - Boil the eggs Bring water to a boil, add eggs and cook: 6–7 min for soft-boiled / 9–10 min for hard-boiled. Cool, peel, and halve Step two - Prepare greens Wash and dry spinach/greens, place in bowl. Step Three - Prep veggies Slice avocado and cucumber. Lightly steam asparagus if desired. Step four - Assemble bowl Arrange smoked salmon, eggs, avocado, cucumber, and asparagus over greens. Step five - Dress it Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper. Step six - Finish & serve Add herbs and pumpkin seeds, then serve. Nutritional Information & Cooking Times Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 7–9 minutes (for boiling eggs + optional asparagus) Total time: ~15–18 minutes 620 kcal | 48g Fat | 37g Protein | 11g Carbohydrates