The weather, though wacky, seems to finally be regulating itself to the perfect summer temperature. A lot of requests I’ve received from my great followers, is to make a healthy but tasty meal to eat on long, warm days like today. I’ve always felt that the summer goes hand-in-hand with eating well. When you’re wearing a cute little bikini on the beach, the best lunch isn’t a burger and fries, unfortunately!
This pita is seriously delicious. It takes a little time to assemble, but the flavors are to die for and I promise it is worth the time. My beautiful sister used to make something similar to this in actual sandwich form, so I have her to thank her for inspiring this pocket. (Thank you Mel-Mel!) After you try this recipe, you’ll have to thank her, too :)
Ingredients:
1 medium whole wheat pita pocket
4 oz low sodium turkey breast (deli meat, 6 slices) **
2 slices pepper jack cheese
1 cup mixed field greens
4 tablespoons caramelized onions (yes, I’m still on a kick!)
- 1/2 large white onion
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- pinch of salt and pepper
1/2 ripe avocado, sliced into 8ths
Directions:
The first thing you should do is to caramelize the onions. You can even prep these the day before, you want them to be cold, or at least room temperature on the pita.
As per previous recipes, slice the onion as thin as possible. Melt the butter and the oil over medium-low heat, add the sliced onions. Salt and pepper the onions to sweat them out and aid in the softening process. Watch the onions closely so they don’t crisp up, when they are browned, drain them on paper towels to extract any excess butter and oil from the vegetable. Let them cool.
Slice the pita in half so it makes two open pockets and begin to assemble the sandwich. I love toasted sandwiches, so I threw my pocket into the toaster for a few seconds to get that yummy crisp on it. Keep in mind, an over-toasted pocket can break very easily, so toast wisely!
Divide all of the ingredients in half so you have enough to go into each pocket. Put 3 turkey slices, a piece of cheese, 4 slices of avocado, 1/2 cup of greens and caramelized onions in the pita halves.
Pepper-Jacked up! Get it? Heyoo! :)
Despite the caramelized onions taking up about 30 minutes of this sandwich, it is super easy to make and even easier to eat! My favorite thing about this sandwich is that it can be cut into smaller portions and shared. It travels well, as long as you wait till the last minute to add the avocado, and it’s a healthy hit to feed your guests while sipping sangria. It’s all about balance, people!
Want a bite? ;)
Sending love,
Isa
** When it comes to the deli meat, you can always add more. I don’t like a lot of meat on my sandwiches, so I keep them thin when it comes to proteins. Do what works for you.
