Chicken Salad Pita with Baba Ghanoush

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 3 teaspoons dried mint, crumbled
• 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• Kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 4 chicken scallopine (4 to 5 ounces each)
• 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 unpeeled kirby cucumber, chopped
• Freshly ground pepper
• 4 pocketless pitas
• 1/2 cup baba ghanoush (eggplant spread, sold near hummus in the refrigerated section)
• 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce

Directions

Whisk the vinegar, mint, red pepper flakes, 1 clove garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish. Gradually whisk in 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add the chicken and marinate about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the tomatoes, cucumber and the remaining 1 clove garlic in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the chicken until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and slice into 1/2-inch-thick strips. Toss with the vegetables.
Brush the pitas with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt. Grill, turning once, until marked. Place a pita on each plate and spread with baba ghanoush. Top with lettuce and chicken salad and drizzle with any juices from the bowl.
Per serving: Calories 342; Fat 15 g (Saturated 2 g); Cholesterol 74 mg; Sodium 587 mg; Carbohydrate 24 g; Fiber 4 g; Protein 29 g

Chicken & Cashew Stir- Fry

• 1 bunch scallions
• 1 pound skinless boneless chicken thighs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
• 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup salted roasted whole cashews

Chop scallions, separating white and green parts. Pat chicken dry, then cut into 3/4-inch pieces and toss with salt and pepper. Heat a wok or 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over moderately high heat until a drop of water evaporates immediately. Add oil, swirling to coat, then stir-fry chicken until golden in places and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add bell pepper, garlic, ginger, red-pepper flakes, and scallion whites to wok and stir-fry until peppers are just tender, 5 to 6 minutes.

Stir together broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, and sugar, then stir into vegetables in wok. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cashews, scallion greens, and chicken along with any juices accumulated on plate.

Ina Garten's Roasted Eggplant Spread

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded
• 1 red onion, peeled
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the eggplant, bell pepper, and onion into 1-inch cubes. Toss them in a large bowl with the garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly browned and soft, tossing once during cooking.
Cool slightly.
Place the vegetables in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add the tomato paste, and pulse 3 or 4 times to blend. Taste for salt and pepper