my new obsession

Spinach and pita bread. Yum! I've been trying to add some darker greens to our diet for their good-for-you properties. I like spinach, I just haven't eaten it much before the last month or so. I like spinach salads, but only with a new homeade viniagrette I discovered. I'll have to share that dressing recipe soon. Also when Scott and I also have smoothies once or twice a week for breakfast, we like to put greens into them for an extra punch of nutrition. And I promise, you CAN'T taste them at all! And if you can taste it, just add more fruit.

But probably the way I have been eating the most spinach lately is with homemade pita pockets. I love these! I've made them once or twice over the last several years, not making them often because I have always remembered it being more time consuming and difficult than it really is. In reality it's so easy! Granted, I have a bread machine to do all of the mixing and kneading for me. I'm not really sure I would make my own breads if I didn't. Kneading by hand for 7-10 minutes until you reach the ever elusive "smooth elastic" isn't really my thing. However having a machine to do all that for me so that I can feed my family a more quality bread product IS my thing. But I digress.

Here's the pita pocket recipe in case you want to try it. I'll include the longer by-hand version. But if you have a bread machine or stand mixer, save yourself the time and throw your ingredients into that instead.

1 cup warm water (like for a nice, hot bath)

1 T oil

1 tsp

2 tsp sugar

3 cups flour (I use a blend of whole wheat and white)

1 1/2 tsp yeast

1. In a large bowl, combine the first 4 ingredients. Add 1 cup of the flour, along with the yeast, and stir to mix. Add remaining flour and knead to make a soft dough. (Add additional flour if necessary during kneading.) **If using a bread machine or mixer, skip to step 3**

2. Put your dough into an oiled bowl, flipping the dough ball once to coat oil on both sides. Set in a warm place to rise, until almost double (about an hour).

3. Punch the dough down and then turn it out onto a floured surface. Break the dough into 8 pieces. Form each piece into a ball. Roll each ball into a 6 or 7 inch circle.

4. As you roll the rounds, set them aside on a lightly floured surface and cover loosely with a towel. Let rise for 20-25 minutes, until slightly puffy (they will still be thin, though!)

5. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Place 2 rounds, side by side, onto a wire rack (like you would use to cool things). Place the rack in the middle of the oven and bake for 4-5 mintues, until puffy and just slightly browned.

6. Remove rack from the oven and immediately wrap/layer the rounds in a damp towel (I use paper towels), to soften. They will air out and flatten a little as they cool. Continue baking and wrapping the remaining pitas.

7. Allow pitas to completely cool.

8. Cut pitas in half, or split the top edge, and fill as desired.

9. Store pitas in a plastic bag in the fridge for a few days, or in the freezer for longer storage. They re-warm very easily from the freezer in the microwave or oven. Just be sure to wrap in a damp paper towel (and then foil on top if using the oven) before sticking the microwave to warm so that they stay soft.

I have been eating these like crazy with honey mustard, deli meat, and then cheese on top. I toast it to melt the cheese, and add spinach when it comes out. It's a great lunch! Micaiah likes these too, and will just gobble them up.

Enjoy!