Southwestern White Bean Pita Pockets

Cooking Light April 2011, p. 175

1 ½ tablespoons lime juice, divided
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon salt, divided
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans organic white beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
½ cup diced plum tomato
¼ cup diced red bell pepper
¼ cup diced seeded peeled cucumber
3 tablespoons diced red onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 (6-inch) pitas, cut in half
4 Boston lettuce leaves
½ cup crumbled queso fresco
4 lime wedges

Combine 1 tablespoon lime juice, 2 teaspoons oil, cumin, 1/8 teaspoon salt, red pepper, and 1 cup beans in a food processor; process until smooth, scraping sides of bowl as needed.

Bean smoosh!


Place remaining 1 ½ teaspoons lime juice, remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, remaining 1/8 teaspoons salt, remaining beans, tomato, bell pepper, cucumber, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeno in a bowl; toss well to combine.

It's really a glorious mixture of flavors.



Spread about 3 ½ tablespoons processed bean mixture inside each pita half. 

If you're not familiar with pitas, they do this. And you put things inside them.


Place 1 lettuce leaf, about ¾ cup tomato mixture, and 2 tablespoons cheese inside each pita half. 

Couldn't find queso fresco, so I got this instead. Because it sounded 1) Spanish and 2) delicious.


Serve with lime wedges. 

Beautiful food!


My Rating: 4/5 "Somehow light and hearty at the same time - a combination that I loved. All of the different textures made for a great medley and the flavors were refreshing together. Good, healthy stuff!"

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