Toasting the pita adds crunch to this bright-tasting salad, and a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of ground sumac—the berry of a bush that grows wild all over Lebanon—add depth. Letting the salad sit for a bit before eating allows the pita to soak up the lemony dressing.

Makes 8 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each

ACTIVE TIME: 25 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

2 6-inch whole-wheat pitas, split
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons ground sumac, divided
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 large head romaine lettuce, coarsely chopped
2 large tomatoes, diced
2 small salad cucumbers or 1 large cucumber, seeded and diced (peeled if desired)
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh mint

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Place pita halves rough-side up on a large baking sheet. Brush with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sumac. Bake until the pita halves are golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. When cool, break into bite-size pieces.
3. Whisk lemon juice, salt, pepper and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon sumac in a large bowl. Add lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, mint and the pita pieces;
toss to coat. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 136 calories; 6 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 19 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 4 g fiber; 269 mg sodium; 387 mg potassium.

Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (90% daily value), Vitamin C (46% dv), Folate (29% dv), Selenium (15% dv).

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat

TIP: Note: The tart berries of the sumac bush add another element to many Middle Eastern dishes. Find them whole or ground in Middle Eastern markets or online at kalustyans.com or lebaneseproducts.com.

I tried it. the kids loved it. It's not an expensive dish. U have all the time ingredients at home. Easy to prepare.

Noha Batshon, Salem, OR