Cook - Sloppy Lentils in Pita

Yeah, I know. It has been over 2 months. In those two months I have . . . turned 29, broken my knee skiing, successfully turned in my thesis (I am graduating May 17th) and started the teacher certification program in Secondary Biology at Drexel University Online. I have been busy. I also have not been cooking. But that changes this week! So first up - Sloppy Lentils in Pita. This was uber-tasty and will definitely be made again. We used pork instead of lamb (we dont like lamb) but I am sure it would be delicious with any meat (I am thinking maybe a turkey sausage?). The cucumber, yogurt and mint add a really nice freshness.

Sloppy Lentils in Pita


Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 filled pita halves)
CALORIES 454 ; FAT 13.8g (sat 4.4g,mono 5.8g,poly 1.4g); CHOLESTEROL 39mg; CALCIUM 115mg; CARBOHYDRATE 57.4g; SODIUM 716mg; PROTEIN 28.2g; FIBER 11.6g; IRON 4.9mg
Cooking Light, MAY 2010
(Picture is from Cooking Light. Nutritional Information is for their recipe, not my alterations. We got 2 dinners and 3 lunches out of this.)

1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup finely chopped onion (1 medium onion)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces lean ground lamb (we used ground pork)
3/4 cup dried brown lentils (we may have used green? not sure)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup water, divided
2 cups diced plum tomatoes or boxed diced tomatoes, undrained (I used 2 14.5 oz cans of unsalted diced tomatoes which is about 3 cups)
1 bay leaf (I used 2 because the cooking time is so short)
4 (6-inch) whole-wheat pitas, cut in half (we used the little 3-4" ones)
1/2 cup plain 2% Greek-style yogurt (we used fat-free)
1 cup thinly sliced cucumber
Chopped fresh mint (optional) (I would recommend)

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and lamb; cook 5 minutes or until lamb is browned and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally to crumble lamb.

2. Add lentils, cumin, and thyme; stir until seasonings become fragrant. Add 1/2 cup water, tomatoes, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook 15 minutes. Stir lentil mixture; add remaining 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook 15 minutes or until lentils are tender and mixture is thick (add additional water as needed). (So because I used more tomatoes there was more liquid so after the second 15 minutes I uncovered and cooked on high for an additional 8-10 minutes until it was thicker) Discard bay leaf. Fill each pita half with 1/2 cup lentil mixture. Spoon 1 tablespoon yogurt into each pita half; top with 2 tablespoons cucumber. Sprinkle with mint, if desired.