Gaye can be found at Calm Healthy Sexy sharing her life as a wife, mom, sister and friend. Her recipes all look amazing and we encourage you to go check them out!
Do you love summer food as much as I do? To my way of thinking, summer is prime time for eating. The foods of summer look beautiful, taste delicious and make the task of eating healthy extremely easy. So, while I’ll never turn down yummy pot roast or hearty soup come mid-January, I’m much happier eating salads, fruit, fresh vegetables and grilled meat during May through September. A few summers ago, my family’s favorite dinner was Salad with Grilled Chicken. More recently we settled on a new favorite – Greek Chicken Pitas. Oh my, these are so good. They’re also a quick and easy family dinner. And you can adapt them easily for young children and picky eaters.
Greek Chicken Pitas don’t really require a recipe (but I’ve included one below anyway!). Simply start with enough boneless, skinless chicken breasts to serve your family, plus extra if you want leftovers (you will!). Grill or pan saute the chicken. While it’s cooking, cut up tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and Greek olives. Crumble some feta cheese (or buy it already crumbled) and get out the hummus (my friend Christina’s hummus recipe is awesome!) and a nice simple salad dressing (preferably your own red wine vinaigrette – bottled dressing will not do for these pitas!). When the chicken is finished, let it cool for a few minutes, then slice it thin. Cut whole wheat pita breads in half.
Arrange all of the ingredients on one or two large plates, with the hummus and maybe the feta in small bowls and the vinaigrette in a bottle or small pitcher. Invite the family to the table and let everyone make his or her own sandwich. Chicken goes into the pita halves first, but beyond that each person can add his or her favorite ingredients and leave off non-
favorites. Picky eaters can go super simple – chicken in pita, with maybe a milder cheese on top. Vegetarians can forgo the chicken. Be sure to drizzle some vinaigrette over the top after all of the ingredients have been added! Serve with some fresh fruit and enjoy an unbelievably delicious and healthy summer meal. And the next day, the leftovers are equally delicious for lunch.
Are you a “summer food fan” like me? What are your favorite summer foods and meals? And do you have a favorite quick and easy family dinner? Please share them in the comments – I would love to hear from you.
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
- Whole wheat pita breads
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Lettuce
- Feta cheese
- Hummus
- Greek olives
- Red wine vinaigrette
Directions
Grill the chicken, or saute it in a pan. While it’s cooking, cut up tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and Greek olives. Crumble some feta cheese, and get out the hummus and a nice simple salad dressing (preferably your own red wine vinaigrette – bottled dressing will not do for these pitas!) When the chicken is finished, let it cool for a few minutes, then slice it thin. Cut whole wheat pita breads in half.
Arrange the ingredients on one or two large plates, with the hummus and feta in small bowls and the vinaigrette in a bottle or small pitcher. Invite the family to the table and let everyone make his or her own sandwich. Chicken goes into the pita halves first, but beyond that each person can customize. Picky eaters can go super simple – just chicken in a pita, with maybe a milder cheese on top. Vegetarians can forgo the chicken. Be sure to drizzle some vinaigrette over the top after all of the ingredients have been added! Serve with some fresh fruit and enjoy an unbelievably delicious and healthy summer meal. And the next day, the leftovers are equally delicious for lunch.
Are you looking for more quick and healthy family dinners? Download a copy of my free ebook – 24 Quick and Healthy Family Meals.
Gaye Christmus
Gaye Groover Christmus, MPH is a wife and mom to two almost-grown sons. In her “day job” she works as a writer and editor in a health field. Her passion, though, is encouraging married women to slow down, live with vitality and energy, and create joy and intimacy in their marriages. She believes that small steps can lead to big changes, and that women armed with knowledge and a plan can transform their hurried, hectic lives. Gaye blogs at http://calmhealthysexy.com.
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