Toasted Pita and Herb Salad

"January Potluck", the theme at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC). For this week, we get to cook with any of IHCC's past and present featured chefs. I've made Ellie Krieger's simple salad using toasted pita and fresh herbs.

I love this simple salad. The salad dressing is a mixture of lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. The scallions and fresh mint are from my garden pot, along with the fresh cucumber which I've freshly harvested that morning. What I like about this salad is the combination of the fresh herbs with the lemony dressing, very refreshing. The crisp leafy greens and the crunch of the toasted pitas with my addition of hard-boiled eggs makes this a satisfying plate for a light lunch. 

Toasted Pita and Herb Salad
(adapted from "The Food You Crave", Ellie Krieger)
One 6-inch whole-wheat pita bread with pocket
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large head romaine lettuce, leaves torn into bite-size pieces (about 5 cups lightly packed)
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 scallion (white and green parts), thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 large English cucumber, cut in half lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced into half-moons
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered (my addition)

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Split the pita into 2 rounds and toast on a baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Allow the pita to cool and break into bite-size pieces. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Add the oil and whisk to incorporate.

Toss the lettuce, parsley, scallion, mint, cucumber and tomatoes together in a large serving bowl. Right before serving, add the pita and dressing to the salad. Toss well to coat and serve.

I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), theme for this week

Potluck