Meatless Monday: Falafel Pita

You know . . . sometimes, the best meals aren't elaborately orchestrated events involving complicated recipes that require trips to specialty food stores. Simple, quick, and inexpensive can be tasty and satisfying too. I know that's usually what I'm looking for when I throw together lunch most days.

Up until now, I've shared recipes that were mostly intended as dinner dishes and that require at least a little prep. Since Meatless Monday is all about going meatless all day though, I thought I'd mix things up a bit and offer some of my favorite ideas for simple meatless breakfast and lunch dishes too. This next one is one I really like for lunch.

Falafel Pita
It is often difficult to find decent falafel or hummus in a restaurant, so I was downright shocked to find absolutely delicious falafel and hummus in - of all places (!) - Costco. Yes, Costco! I know. The falafel comes in a two-pack by Veggie Patch and the hummus comes in a big ol' tub by Sabra. I freeze one pack of the falafel and my husband and I easily go through the other in a few days.

While the chickpea balls heat up nicely in a conventional oven, I slather some of the hummus inside a pita pocket and then add some freshed, diced tomatos and a leafy green like spinach or arugala. Once the falafel is done, you pop them in the pocket and voila! Yum!

Of course, some people will think this dish is chickpea overkill (since hummus and falafel are both made of it). If it's too much chickpea for you, you might consider making it with raita instead of hummus. (Trader Joe's makes a nice raita, or you can make it yourself easily enough.) Yes, you'll be mixing cuisine types - let yourself be a little creative, people! Experimenting is fun and the results can be fantastic (in the kitchen, too)! ;)

Got any favorite vegetarian or vegan recipes?? Please share!

Other Meatless Monday posts