Homemade Greek Pita Pizzas & Stuffed Mini Pitas: Healthy Whole Grain Meals for Kids & Adults
In the quest for inspiring and delicious lunch ideas, especially for kids, it’s easy to fall into the trap of pre-packaged convenience. However, with a little creativity, you can transform mealtime into a fun, interactive, and healthy experience. This summer, we’ve been exploring imaginative ways to make lunch exciting, and I’m thrilled to share two incredibly versatile and wholesome concepts: DIY Greek Pita Pizzas and Stuffed Mini Pitas. These aren’t just for the younger crowd; adults will equally enjoy these fresh, flavorful, and easy-to-customize meals. While my soon-to-be six-year-old might make a joyful mess with these, they’re perfect for engaging older children in the kitchen and fostering a love for healthy eating. Plus, I must confess, I had a blast eating them myself!
Finding the perfect balance between sweet and savory recipes can sometimes be a challenge. Lately, my culinary focus has shifted towards savory dishes. It feels like I always have a bounty of sweet treats brewing in my mind, but savory inspirations come less frequently. So, when a brilliant savory idea strikes, I seize the opportunity to share it immediately. These Greek-inspired pita creations are a testament to that renewed focus on fresh, vibrant, and satisfying savory meals that everyone in the family will adore.
Our household has a deep-seated love for Greek salad, and for good reason. It embodies everything we cherish in a summer meal: light, refreshing, and bursting with Mediterranean flavors. Whether tossed with some hearty whole grain pasta or enjoyed simply on its own, it’s a staple in our kitchen. It’s also my favorite way to utilize leftover vegetables lurking in the fridge, especially those forgotten bell peppers that need a purpose. Consequently, Greek salad graces our table quite frequently. One day, with a fresh batch of leftover Greek salad in hand, inspiration struck, leading to these delightful pita variations that are sure to become a new family favorite. These recipes offer fantastic flexibility, allowing you to use your favorite Greek salad ingredients, making them truly customizable and perfect for any dietary preferences.
While the convenience of store-bought mini pitas is undeniable for a quick weeknight dinner or a simple healthy lunch, there’s a unique satisfaction that comes from baking your own. This recipe includes instructions for creating wholesome, flavorful pita bread from scratch. I opted for spelt flour, known for its nutty flavor and health benefits, but a hard wheat flour – be it white or red – will also yield excellent results. Just remember that higher protein flours like hard wheat absorb more water, so you might need to adjust the liquid amount slightly when substituting. Making your own pita bread offers an incredible depth of flavor and texture that store-bought versions often lack. It’s a rewarding process, and the aroma filling your kitchen is an added bonus!
In my experience, achieving perfectly puffed, full-sized pitas can be a bit tricky. However, I found these mini versions to be considerably simpler to master. Even so, not every single one achieved that characteristic balloon-like puff, which serendipitously led to the brilliant idea of transforming the flatter ones into delectable Mini Greek Salad Pita Pizzas. This adaptability is part of the charm of homemade cooking – embracing imperfections and turning them into new, exciting culinary adventures. Whether they puff perfectly or not, these homemade pitas provide an ideal canvas for our Greek-inspired fillings, elevating a simple lunch to something truly special and nourishing.
Before we dive into assembling these delicious pita creations, let’s talk about the heart of any good Greek salad: the dressing. While a simple drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and a sprinkle of traditional Greek herbs is undeniably classic and delicious, we’ve developed a family favorite that adds an extra layer of zest and flavor. You could certainly use a store-bought Greek seasoning blend, but we strongly advocate for crafting your own with fresh or high-quality dried herbs. Many pre-made seasoning blends often contain unnecessary added sugars, excessive salt, and sometimes even hidden ingredients like MSG, which can detract from the natural freshness of your salad. Our homemade dressing ensures you have complete control over the ingredients, allowing you to tailor the flavors to your preference and guarantee a clean, wholesome taste that perfectly complements the vibrant vegetables and savory feta. This simple dressing recipe is quick to prepare and makes all the difference in achieving an authentic and healthy Greek flavor profile.
Given the array of fantastic recipes we’re covering today – from homemade pita bread to a vibrant Greek salad dressing and two creative ways to combine them – this post is quite recipe-heavy. To make things easy for you, I’ve consolidated all the instructions and ingredients into convenient printable recipe cards. These are perfect for keeping handy in your kitchen, but truthfully, these ideas are so straightforward and adaptable that you almost don’t need a formal recipe. The beauty lies in their simplicity and the joy of mixing and matching your favorite Greek salad components. Whether you’re preparing them for a quick weeknight dinner, a fun weekend lunch, or a healthy packed meal, these Greek pita variations are sure to be a hit. So gather your ingredients, embrace the spirit of wholesome homemade cooking, and enjoy! Be sure to check back later this week for another delightful sweet recipe!
Whole Grain Spelt Mini Pitas
Ingredients
- 3/4 C warm water
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tsp honey or sugar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 3/4 C + 2 tbsp whole grain spelt flour or 1 1/2 C whole grain hard wheat, plus more for kneading and rolling
Instructions
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Place the warm water in a bowl. Sprinkle yeast over top and allow 5-10 minutes for it to soften.
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Stir in the honey, oil, salt, lemon juice and 1 1/2 C flour. When completely combined stir in the remaining 1/4 C flour. Flour a surface and turn the dough out and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth. Divide the dough either into 4 or 12 and roll into balls, depending on the size of pita you’d like. Place on a floured surface, cover with a towel and let rest for 20 minutes.
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Preheat oven to 500 degrees and place a baking sheet or pizza stone in the oven to heat up as well.
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Roll out the dough balls on a well floured surface to 1/4″ thick or about 4-5″ in diameter for mini pitas. Let rest while rolling out the rest. When they are all ready, place as many in the oven as possible at a time(3-4 per baking sheet) .
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Bake till puffed up, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover with a towel.
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Repeat with the remaining pitas.
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Cool pitas completely before storing in an airtight bag.
Greek Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 3/4 C extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano or 2 tsp dry
- 1 tbsp fresh basil or 2 tsp dry
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp honey or sugar
- 3-5 cloves fresh garlic
Instructions
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Place all ingredients in a small blender and blend until completely smooth. Alternatively, finely chop the fresh herbs, mince the garlic and whisk dressing together. Let sit at least 1 hour before serving for the flavors to mingle.
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Dress just the amount of salad that will be eaten reserving any extra veggies and dressing in the fridge for the next day.
Mini Greek Salad Pita Pizzas and Greek Salad Stuffed Mini Pitas
Ingredients
- Greek Salad Dressing recipe above
- Spelt Mini Pitas recipe above, or your favorite mini pitas
- HummusYour favorite Greek Salad ingredients:
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Sweet onions
- All colors of sweet peppers
- Olives
- Feta cheese
Instructions
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Mini Greek Salad Pita Pizzas – Spread 1-2 tbsp of your favorite hummus on a mini pita, top with your favorite Greek Salad veggies with dressing and crumbled feta cheese and enjoy!
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Greek Salad Stuffed Mini Pitas – Simply slice your mini pitas in half(or simply open one side if they’re small) and stuff with you favorite Greek salad mix. Enjoy!