Harvest Waldorf Pita Pockets are a tasty twist on a classic favorite that the whole family will love!
This post was made in partnership with the Produce For Better Health Foundation. All opinions expressed are our own.
Fruit & Veggie Month!
September is kind of a big deal for us. Not only is it the official start of fall, but it also just so happens to be National Family Meals Month and National Fruit and Veggies Month! As Ambassadors in Action for the Produce for Better Health Foundation, we make it our mission to encourage everyone we know to add even just one more fruit and vegetable into their daily routine. Why? Well, let's chat some stats:
Nearly ninety (yep, that's 9-0) percent of Americans fall short of the daily fruit and vegetable consumption recommendations. Oof. Strong science suggests that fruit and vegetable may reduce our risk for developing a number of chronic diseases, including heart disease and various types of cancer. Not only that, emerging research also suggests that regular fruit and vegetable consumption is associated with overall life satisfaction and happiness, as well as improved cognitive function and mental health! So yeah, fruits and veggies are kind of a big deal.
Here's the great news: a new survey found that due to the pandemic, nearly 40% more Americans are cooking more at home! To add to it, another study found that more frequent family meals was associated with greater fruit and vegetable intake. Do you see where this is headed? We are finding ourselves eating more meals together, with greater intention on fruit and veggie intake. A dietitian's dream!
A "Chopped" Challenge
In honor of this incredibly important month, our friends at the Produce for Better Health Foundation challenged us, along with our friend (and fellow RD) Liz, to each create a fruit-and-veggie-filled meal using ingredients they placed into a virtual mystery basket. These items included:
-A rotisserie chicken
-1 pound bag carrots
-1 apple
-a bunch of fresh parsley
-honey
We got to work brainstorming recipes for our big reveal on Liz's podcast, Liz's Healthy Table. Being in the midst of back-to-school season, our minds immediately went to one of our favorite no-fuss meals: Waldorf salads. We wanted to give this classic dish a simple, seasonal twist and pop it into pitas for a quick, family-friendly, weekday meal! You can prepare the dressing ahead of time and toss everything together minutes before you eat. Be sure to tune in to catch Liz's incredible recipe to bring her own ingredients to life! You can also grab our Top 10 Fridge/Pantry Checklist FREEBIE below!
Harvest Waldorf Pita Pockets
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 2 apples, any variety, diced
- 1 ½ cups matchstick or shredded carrots
- 2 cups butter lettuce or baby spinach
- ¼ cup fresh parlsey, roughly chopped
- 4 whole wheat pita pockets
Cinnamon Spiced Dressing
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt or mayonnaise
- 2 ½ tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings per preference; set aside
- Dice apples and add to a large mixing bowl along with shredded chicken, carrots, and parlsey. Add dressing and toss well to mix.
- Fill each pita pocket with a small handful of lettuce greens. Scoop salad mixture into pockets and serve immediately. Enjoy!
My best friend and I found this recipe and decided to give it a try! We are both college students trying to focus on eating well. We loved that this was very easy to make and tasted amazing!