Monday, Monday...(meatless)

Once we, my oldest daughter and I, made the agreement to support the Meatless Monday Movement, we had to be creative with our choices since they also had to be kid friendly. When I lived in Portland, Oregon, it was not an unusual occurrence for us to have many meals without meat since I was a vegetarian at the time. But, cooking for two adults is totally different than cooking for two sweet kiddos. My usual standby for these type of nights, which occur more than just once a week, is typically a tofu or tempheh dish mixed with plenty of veggies. So, over the snowy, ill weekend my husband and I went through a HUGE stack of my old Cooking Light magazines and found lots of fun, newer or long forgotten recipes to whip up the next couple months. In this stack I found a great dish for tonight. I altered the recipe a bit in the nutrition and spice area, but WOW- what a great turn out!

Southwestern Falafel with Avocado Spread
adapted from Cooking Light

1 can of pinto beans, rinsed and drained (I prefer Whole Foods 365 salt free beans)
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/4 cup crushed baked tortilla chips (I went with yellow corn chips but blue corn would be good too!)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp red onion, diced finely
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup spinach, chopped
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 large egg white
2 tbsp canola oil



Place beans in medium bowl and mash. Add following 8 ingredients and stir until mixed well. Heat large skillet with oil to medium high and made 6 patties. Cook 5 minutes on each side, or until patties are browned and thoroughly cooked.
Serve with sauce in warm pita pocket.

Avocado Spread

1 mashed peeled avocado
1/4 cup tomato, diced
1 tbsp red onion, diced finely
2 tbsp reduced fat sour cream
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together in small bowl and let chill until ready to use. Spread 2tbsp on patty in pita pocket.