One of the most sought-after recipe questions from my friends and followers is “healthy veg alternatives” to common meat recipes, especially from young parents. Kids nowadays get quickly obsessed with chicken n meat dishes a lot and fall prey to junk food so easily that they hardly eat any vegetables. Parents on the other hand (the working ones in particular) struggle to find time and patience to cook healthy and balance their diet, ending up surrendering to their kids’ choices. And the struggle continues…!

Finding exact alternatives to popular meat recipes is difficult, but you can always try substituting. One such dish which led me to write this post was, Gyro… an absolute favorite Greek food which I love to order at restaurants! The warmness of the pita bread wrapped around a generous filling of meat, fresh onions, tomatoes, and tzatziki sauce, is something I crave for when I see it on the menu.

The real task I had in hand today was to find the right alternative for the “meat” in this recipe. While browsing through all my options, I came across cauliflower which is a common veg replacement for meat. Add bell peppers to it, and you have a winner combo! So instead of going for the original recipe and just replacing the meat, I thought of giving this dish an entire makeover with a fusion of flavours & textures while sticking to the roots of its origins.

Cauliflower and bell peppers give a nice charred taste when spiced with chili powder, pepper, cumin, and then roasted. Crispy roasted potatoes taste soo good that I mostly end up eating them right from the oven, and hardly get any to stuff it in my pita bread. Homemade creamy tangy tzatziki sauce is the star of the dish which brings together the flavours from all the ingredients. Wrap all the above veggies along with some freshly sliced onions, tomatoes & olives altogether… you have the best dinner wrap!

Here are some tips to make a great Tzatziki Sauce:

• The original recipe calls for Greek yogurt, but you can always use regular yogurt which works fine.
• Dill leaves if unavailable can be substituted with mint leaves, you can even try a combination of both which tastes good too.
• The key to making a thick-n-creamy Tzatziki sauce is to get rid of the water from the cucumber. Before adding to the yogurt, squeeze out all the water from cucumber after grating it and mixing it with salt, and resting for 10-15 minutes —> pro-tip.

These veg gyros makes a great healthy weeknight dinner, and is a perfect choice to fit in your schedule on any busy day. I highly recommend you guys to try this out and let me know your reviews in the comment section below.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Intersted in more wrap recipes? Check out my Roasted Chickpeas Hummus Wrap & Mediterranean Chicken Pita Wrap with Cilantro Tahini Sauce.

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Veg Gyros

Veg Gyros… loaded with Roasted Cauliflower, Bell Peppers n
Potatoes, drizzled in a Creamy Tzatziki Sauce. The Perfect Healthy Wrap…!!!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword greek, gyro, hummus wrap

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the tzatziki sauce / cucumber yogurt sauce

• 1 medium sized cucumber (peeled)
• 1 cup yogurt / Greek yogurt
• 1 garlic (finely chopped)
• 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp fresh dill (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp mint (finely chopped - optional)
• Salt
• Pepper

For the wrap

• 1 medium sized cauliflower (cut into florets)
• 2 red bell peppers (sliced)
• 2 potatoes (sliced)
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp black pepper
• Salt (as required)
• Olive oil (as required)
• 2 to matoes (sliced)
• 1 large onion (sliced)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Pickled olives
• Pickled beets or turnip (optional)

Instructions

For the tzatziki sauce / cucumber yogurt sauce

• Grate the cucumber, mix with a pinch of salt and allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes. This technique helps to drain out maximum water from the cucumber.
• A handful at a time either using a cheese cloth, paper towel, or your hands, tightly squeeze the grated cucumber to remove the water, and keep aside.
• Into a bowl, mix the cucumber with yogurt, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, mint and dill leaves. Stir to combine well and adjust salt as needed. Refrigerate it for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend. Leftovers can be refrigerated and used within 3 days.

For the wrap

• Preheat oven to 425-degree Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Roast the veggies: Onto one of the lined baking sheets, toss the cauliflower florets and bell peppers with olive oil, chili powder, cumin powder, pepper and salt. Make sure to coat the veggies evenly with spices.
• Place the sheet in the preheated oven and roast for 15 minutes. Turn/flip the veggies and cook for 10 more minutes.
• Do not overcrowd the pan, instead roast veggies in batches.
• Make potato fries: Roast potatoes in the other lined baking sheet with olive oil, salt and pepper for 15 minutes. Flip them and cook on the other side for another 15 more minutes.
• Prepare the Tzatziki sauce while the veggies are roasting and keep aside (instructions above).
• Prepare fresh veggies: In the meantime, slice onion and tomatoes, drizzle with lemon juice and set aside.
• Assembling: To assemble, equally stuff the warm roti / naan / pita with the grilled veggies, fries, tomatoes, sliced onions, olives, and drizzle on top with tzatziki sauce. Enjoy!

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I am a Huge Fan of Wraps and Tacos! I guess that would be obvious with my Indian roots and my love for the flavours of Rotis, Chapatis n breads. My previous post was all about Hummus, I also did talk about my upcoming recipe, and the variety foods you could make by incorporating hummus. There are a thousand reasons to love it, but if I am to list out my top picks, then this recipe which is my newest obsession would be flying high among them all. It’s a fusion of Mediterranean and Indian flavours; creamy hummus and a crunchy garam masala flavored roasted chickpeas, a match made in heaven!!

These are incredibly easy to make and works perfect as a meal prep recipe too. It’s a protein packed filling meal, and to all the non-veg lovers out there… you wouldn’t even believe this dish is vegetarian, it’s soo good! The wraps can be rolled and sliced into half as pinwheels which you can serve at parties & picnics or even pack into kids lunch boxes.

Substitute/Add chicken or meat with the chickpeas, n there’s another great combo. For the hummus, you can buy it readily from the stores or else DIY with my creamy hummus recipe here, which is what I love to do always as I can serve it many ways; as a dip, wrap or platter.

I have prepared this hummus wrap dish on many occasions over the last few months, and each time it turned out to be a super hit, equally loved by veg & non-vegetarians. This recipe might doubtfully look to be a chickpea overload, but why not? After all it’s healthy and vegetarian right? So go ahead, give these wraps a try and if you have any new combinations, let me know in the comment section below.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!!!

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Roasted Chickpeas Hummus Wrap

Crunchy Garam Masala Flavored Chickpeas, Hummus & a Veggie Salad… wrapped in a Pita… Healthy, Delicious n a Protein packed Power Meal…!

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword hummus wrap, roasted chickpeas, roll

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry chickpeas
• 2 cups water
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp black pepper
• Salt (as required)
• Hummus
• 1 cucumber
• 1 tomato
• 1 red onion
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• Cilantro leaves (garnish)
• Pita bread

Instructions

• Soak chickpeas overnight to rehydrate and increase its volume. Drain and rinse well before cooking.
• Pressure cook the washed chickpeas with a pinch of salt and water, for 3 whistles. Take the cooker off the flame, and allow it to rest till the pressure subsides. Take of the lid and reserve some of the cooked liquid, drain the rest.
• Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Arrange the chickpeas on a baking sheet. Toss in olive oil, garam masala, pepper and a generous amount of salt to coat the chickpeas well.
• Roast for 40-45 minutes until they crisp up, stir half way through the cooking.
• Chop veggies and mix with lemon juice and salt. Keep aside.
• Warm pita breads in a pan or microwave/oven to make them soft.
• Spread hummus, top with roasted chickpeas and veggies. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro leaves. Roll into a wrap and enjoy!

Notes

1. Substitute pita bread with tortilla / naan / breads of your choice, and veggies with your favorites.
2. For non-vegetarians, chicken or meat can be added as toppings and make a great combo.

The post Roasted Chickpeas Hummus Wrap appeared first on Pepper Delight.

I am a huge fan of Mediterranean food… be it the wraps, gyros, falafels, or the even more exotic Kebabs, Kabsahs, & Mansafs. My childhood memories of the Middle East still tickle my taste buds and that’s probably the reason why I’m so fond of their delicious cuisine. After moving back to India at a very young age I had almost forgotten the taste of Mediterranean food, until Shawarma became popular in my hometown and various joints started popping up. I have always felt that your tongue and your memories are soo connected, in fact recently I got to taste some authentic white garlic sauce at a restaurant here in the US, and at that moment I started recollecting long forgotten memories of the place I last tasted it while I was a kid, the other dishes served there, the city, people, and many more…wow, the feeling is so beautiful…!

This recipe is one of the easiest and healthiest ways to make Chicken Pita Wraps. The sauce is the hero of this recipe, it’s a yogurt based sauce with Tahini, garlic, lemon juice and cilantro. It tastes soo good that you can simply dip pita breads in it and enjoy, or even your finger and lick!!

Tenderloins were my preference of the chicken used in this recipe, you can also replace it with breast pieces if you prefer. Pan roast the chicken to perfection until it is charred on both sides, and slice it to thin strips. The simple salad of veggies with freshly squeezed lemon juice is also very refreshing and satisfying to your stomach. All these simple ingredients wrapped together in a warm pita bread make it a super delicious meal; one great option for your lunch or your dinner… with a Mediterranean touch…!!

Enjoy, Happy Cooking!!!

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Mediterranean Chicken Pita Wraps with Cilantro Tahini Sauce

Mediterranean Style Spiced Chicken & Veggies, topped with a Yogurt based Cilantro Tahini Sauce, wrapped in a warm Pita Bread, & garnished with a drizzle of Lemon Juice. 

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword Mediterranean Chicken, roll, tahini sauce, wraps

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For chicken

• 6 chicken tenderloins (1 lb.)
• 1 garlic clove (finely minced)
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp pepper powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• salt (as required)

For cilantro tahini sauce

• 5 tbsp low fat plain yogurt
• 2 tbsp tahini sauce
• 1 garlic (finely minced)
• ½ of a lemon squeezed
• 1 tbsp cilantro (chopped)
• salt (as required)

For salad

• 1 cucumber (sliced into cubes)
• 1 tomato (sliced)
• 1 onion (cubed)
• romaine lettuce (chopped)
• ½ of a freshly squeezed lemon juice
• salt and pepper

4 pitas

Instructions

For chicken

• Marinate chicken with the above ingredients for 3-4 hrs.
• Heat olive oil in pan on a medium heat, add chicken pieces and cook until it is charred on both sides (5-6 mins).
• Slice the chicken into thin strips and keep aside.

For cilantro tahini sauce

• Combine yogurt, tahini sauce, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk well.

For salad

• Mix veggies with lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Assembling the pitas

• Warm pita breads in a pan or microwave/oven to make them soft.
• Arrange sliced chicken, veggie salad and top with a dollop of cilantro tahini sauce.
• Fold them and enjoy!

Notes

• I have used chicken tenderloins in this recipe, which I find easy to manage with the cooking time. You can also use breast pieces or boneless thighs.
• You can use your choice of veggies for the salad.
• Leftover sauce can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for 2-3 days.

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