Try these chickpea and veggie pita pockets for a protein-rich meal full of healthy carbs. The pita pockets go well with a lemon and herb tahini sauce you can also make in this recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 (15-ounce) cans low-sodium chickpeas drained and rinsed, or 3 cups cooked (510g)
- 1 large red bell pepper (5½ ounces/160g), thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon (15g) minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons (45g) coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons (30g) sriracha
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 large handful of fresh spinach (30g), roughly chopped
- 2 (7-inch) whole wheat pitas with pockets
- Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce see below, for serving
For the Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce
- ½ cup (14g) firmly packed fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup (17g) lightly packed fresh parsley
- ¼ cup (64g) runny tahini (see Notes)
- 3 tablespoons (45g) fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1½ teaspoons maple syrup or agave syrup
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt plus more to taste
- Few dashes freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large quality nonstick skillet (see Notes), cook the chickpeas over medium-high heat, stirring often, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the bell pepper and cook until the peppers are tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, coconut aminos, sriracha, and liquid smoke and stir very well until the chickpeas are well coated. Cook for only 1 to 2 minutes to heat the liquids and cook the garlic. Remove the chickpea mixture from the heat and stir in the spinach.
- Slightly warm the pita pockets for a few seconds in the microwave. Slice them in half. Add about 3⁄4 cup or so of the chickpea mixture to each half of the pita pocket. Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons (or as much as desired) of the lemon herb tahini sauce to each pita pocket and serve immediately.
Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce
- In a blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients and 1⁄4 cup (60g) water and blend until completely smooth and it turns a beautiful green color. Scrape down the sides a couple of times to get the mixture to combine. Taste and add more salt, if desired.
- A quality nonstick pan should prevent sticking, but if necessary, use a little cooking spray.
- If eating for one, prepare just one pita pocket to eat and not all of them, so they don’t get soggy from the dressing.
- Make sure you are using a good-quality smooth and runny tahini and not one of those chunky, dry ones. It should be very runny and pour easily. This will make a huge difference in the flavor and texture of the sauce. I love both the Soom brand and Prince brand.