Bean And Rice Patties In Pita With Yogurt Tahini Dressing

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 cups minced onions (i probably used just 1 cup)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 cup bell pepper, minced
• 4 cups cooked cannellini beans (i actually used 2 16-oz cans of red kidney beans and they were great)
• 1 cup minced fresh parsley (i'm sure a couple t dried would be fine as well)
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• pepper, to taste
• cayenne, to taste (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups nonfat plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 -2 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2-1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• pepper, to taste
• pita bread
• shredded carrot
• chopped tomato
• sliced cucumber (add any fresh vegetables you like, good if first tossed with a little oil and vinegar)

Recipe

• 1 warm olive oil in nonstick skillet. add onions, garlic and salt and cook on medium low heat, stirring often, for 5-10 minutes, till onions are tender.
• 2 add the bell peppers and cumin and cook for 5 minutes more, till peppers are soft, stirring frequently.
• 3 remove from heat and set aside.
• 4 thoroughly mash the beans by hand in a large mixer bowl (i used a potato masher).
• 5 combine the parsley, rice and lemon juice into the mashed beans.
• 6 add the cooked vegetables and mix well.
• 7 add black pepper to taste (and any other seasonings you might like, especially if you like things spicy).
• 8 at this point, you could chill the mixture till you're ready to make the patties - i did and it probably helped make them a little easier to handle.
• 9 shape the mixture into about 18 small patties, about 2 1/2 inches across.
• 10 prepare a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray.
• 11 heat the skillet and cook the patties to medium heat till golden brown on the underside, about 5-8 minutes.
• 12 gently turn them and lightly brown the other side, about 3-5 minutes longer.
• 13 serve hot or at room temperature - good stuffed into pita pockets with chopped veggies tossed in oil and vinegar and toppped with yogurt tahini dressing.
• 14 for dressing:.
• 15 whisk together all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. will keep for a week in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator.