Toasted Walnut and Creamy White Bean Pitas

From Chef MD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine: A Food Lover's Road Map to Losing Weight, Preventing Disease, and Getting Really Healthy by John La Puma, M.D. and Rebecca Powell Marx (Crown Publishers, 2008). Copyright 2008 by John La Puma, M.D. and Rebecca Powell Marx.

4 servings

These super healthy, vegetarian pitas from Chef MD are perfect for lunch or a light, easy supper.

• 1 small garlic clove, peeled
• 1 15-ounce can organic no-salt added navy, great northern, or cannellini beans, drained
• 2 teaspoons walnut oil
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 6-inch whole-wheat pita bread rounds
• 3 cups coarsely chopped watercress (organic preferred)
• 1 cup organic grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted

1. With the motor running, drop the garlic clove through the tube of a food processor; process until minced. Add the beans, walnut oil, lemon juice, rosemary, salt, and pepper; process with on/off pulses until smooth, scraping down the sides of the work bowl once.

2. Cut each pita bread round in half crosswise; open into pockets. Combine the watercress, cherry tomatoes, and walnuts; stuff the pockets with half of the mixture. Spoon the bean mixture into pockets; top with the remaining watercress mixture.

Substitutions: Extra-virgin olive oil may replace the walnut oil. Arugula may replace the watercress. Pecans may replace the walnuts, and white balsamic vinegar may replace the lemon juice.

Tip: Toast the walnuts in a toaster oven at 350 F for about 5 minutes or until fragrant.

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