Monday, February 7, 2011

Baked Mini Pita Chips with Roasted Red Pepper & Greek Olive Dip

Baked Mini Pita Chips_By Poonam Phatak

When it comes to nutritious snacking, I am in deep trouble every time. I mean there is always the fruit, nuts and homemade cracker and cheese option available. But what I am trying to say is that at a party or when hanging out with friends, snacking items such as chips, sauces and dips mostly come out of a store bought box. Now those who know me well, know that I have some serious friction with "packaged products" where the ingredients listed don't seem to have any relationship with the product itself. Read this to understand exactly what I mean.

Not that I don't eat such treats at all but I am forever trying to find some easy, low sodium and home made munching treats to cater my nutritious needs. These baked pita chips and dip provide a quick and stress free alternative to the typical off-the-rack nibbles. The dip is very versatile too. It can also be used as a salad dressing or as a sauce or spread.

This is also my entry to February's Monthly Mingle. Astrid of Paulchens FoodBlog is asking us to make Small Bites: Soul Food for Loved Ones. These small bites will look very elegant if served whole with a tiny dollop of the dip on top sprinkled with some finely chopped cilantro or parsley. Since, we ate them during the super bowl, they were served "sports style" as seen in the picture. But no matter how you serve them up, I will guarantee the taste! Thanks, Meeta for your wonderful event!

Roasted Red Pepper and Greek Olive Dip with Curry Powder_By Poonam Phatak

Baked Mini Pita Chips with Roasted Red Pepper & Greek Olive Dip
Serves 4

Baked Mini Pita Chips-

Ingredients:
About 20-25 mini pita bread*, halved
2-3 TBS olive oil

Method:
Toss the halved pita bread liberally with the olive oil on a baking sheet. Bake in a 450 deg F oven for about 10-15 minutes. Serve immediately with the dip.

Roasted Red Pepper & Greek Olive Dip

Ingredients:
1 small or half a medium red bell pepper
3-4 greek olives, chopped finely
1/4 to 1/2 tsp curry powder
Salt
1 cup of sour cream*

Method:
Roast the red pepper on a gas stove or outdoor grill until charred. Place in a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap for about 5-7 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and peel the charred skin of the pepper. Chop finely.

Mix the finely chopped pepper, olives, curry powder and salt as needed with the sour cream. OR coarsely puree the pepper, olives, curry powder and sour cream in a food processor. Serve with the warm pita chips.

Notes:
*Substitute sour cream with thick greek yogurt and a squeeze of lemon for a lighter option.

2 comments:

Knorr Soup said...

Poonam, we agree with you wholeheartedly: most of the readymade snacks we buy at the local stores have a while list of ingredients that have no bearing on the actual product inside. Most of the time, the product is choking in fat and sodium, and we would do well to avoid the snack and stick to fruits or veggies. Your recipe offers a tasty alternative to fruits: after all, we do sometimes have an urge to indulge. Good healthy dishes will keep off the food cravings, while at the same time helping you maintain your ideal weight and fight off the various obesity related diseases rampant today. For some expert tips and suggestions on healthy eating habits visit our blog at http://knorratseven.blogspot.com/.

Sally - My Custard Pie said...

Good idea to use pita chips instead of the usual less healthy dipping crisps. The dip looks lovely.