Chopped Vegetable Salad with Sardines and Toasted Pita Croutons

This dish is inspired by a Middle Eastern salad called fattoush that makes use of day-old pita by toasting it and breaking it into shards to create rustic croutons. Using whole wheat pitas adds not only texture, but also fiber to this fresh-tasting main course salad.

PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES / TOTAL TIME: 35 MINUTES / SERVINGS: 4








Ingredients
2 whole wheat pitas (6″ each) 
2 cups chopped green leaf or romaine lettuce
2 plum tomatoes, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 cup chopped English cucumber
8 radishes, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
6 scallions, chopped (about 1⁄3 cup)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon ground sumac
3 cans (3.75 ounces each) sardines packed in olive oil, drained
Lemon wedges

1 HEAT the oven to 400°F. Place the pitas on a baking sheet and toast until lightly browned and crisp, about 5 minutes per side. Break into 1″ pieces when cool enough to handle.

2 COMBINE the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, radishes, scallions, parsley, and mint in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and lemon juice and toss. Add the sumac and the pita croutons and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Divide among 4 plates and top evenly with sardines. Serve with lemon wedges.

NUTRITION (per serving: 2½ cups) 323 calories, 22 g protein, 25 g carbs, 16 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 541 mg sodiu