Pita with Chickpeas & Tzatziki
Half a cucumber, grated and squeezed dry in a clean towel until barely any liquid drips out. That is the foundation of the tzatziki — cold, thick, sharp with pressed garlic — and the reason this pita holds together instead of going soggy under the warm chickpeas.
While the chickpeas turn golden in paprika and chili, the rest of the filling comes together raw: diced tomato, red onion in half rings, shredded lettuce, and the other half of that cucumber chopped into cubes. Fifteen grams of fiber from the chickpeas and whole wheat pita, four hundred forty-two calories, fifteen minutes.
Ingredients
- chickpeas 2.5 ounce
- olive oil 1 tablespoon
- paprika (ground spice) 0.5 teaspoon
- chili powder 1 pinch
- pita, whole wheat 1 piece
- cucumber 0.5 piece
- tomato 1 piece
- red onion 0.25 piece
- garlic 1 clove
- yogurt, nonfat 1.5 fluid ounce
- iceberg lettuce, shredded 1 handful
Method
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Pat the chickpeas dry with kitchen paper.
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Mix the chickpeas with the oil, paprika powder and chili powder. Roast them for about five minutes in a frying pan over medium heat. Stir regularly.
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Meanwhile, bake the pita bread according to the package instructions in the oven.
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Dice half of the cucumber. Slice the tomato into strips and the onion into half rings. Press the garlic clove.
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Cut the other half of the cucumber lengthwise. Remove the seeds and grate the cucumber. Squeeze out the grated cucumber to make it slightly less wet.
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Mix the yogurt with the grated cucumber and garlic. Stir the mixture well.
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Cut the pita bread open and fill it with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, chickpeas and tzatziki.
Pat the chickpeas completely dry before they hit the pan. Residual moisture from the can steams instead of roasts, which means the outside never crisps. Dry chickpeas develop a crackly shell in about three minutes. Wet ones take twice as long and stay chewy.
Behind this recipe
Where does the fifteen grams of fiber come from?
The chickpeas carry roughly two thirds of the total fiber. The whole wheat pita handles most of the rest, and the raw vegetables add a small amount. Pooled trial data on fiber intake has consistently linked higher fiber consumption to greater fat loss outcomes, even when calorie intake is held constant.
Read the full evidence reviewCan I use store-bought tzatziki instead?
You can, but the flavors differ. Store-bought tzatziki is milder because the garlic mellows during shelf life. A freshly pressed clove hits harder and takes under two minutes once the cucumber is grated and squeezed.
Is nineteen grams of protein enough for lunch?
It depends on your daily target. Nineteen grams covers a lighter midday meal, leaving room for a protein-heavy dinner. If you want more, add a boiled egg on the side or swap the nonfat yogurt for Greek yogurt, which roughly doubles the protein in the tzatziki.
