Turkey Meatball Pita Pockets

By Anne Marie

Ingredients

• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried italian herb blend
• 1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
• 12 oz 93% lean ground turkey
• 6 oz hot italian turkey sausage, removed from casing
• 2 cups italian seasoned panko bread crumbs
• 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 6 sandwich-size whole wheat pita breads
• 3 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• 3 cups diced tomatoes
• 6 Tbsp low-fat creamy Caesar or Italian dressing

Details

Servings 24
Preparation time 45mins
Cooking time 75mins

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the oven to 375 F. Coat a wire rack with cooking spray and place on a baking sheet.
In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and saute until the onion is soft and translucent, about 4 mintues.
Stir in the garlic and Italian herb blend, then cook for another 30 seconds. Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl, then stir in the tomato sauce. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Add teh ground turkey, turkey sausage, breadcrumbs, egg whites, sale and pepper, then mix well. Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs (makes 24 meatballs).
Place the meatballs on the prepared wire rack and bake until the meatballs are browned and cooked through, about 20 minutes.
To assemble the pita pockets, cut off one edge of each pita. Stuff with lettuce, tomato and meatballs, then drizzle with dressing.