gyro nachos

There is this really amazing little Middle Eastern restaurant that is so close to where I work, I can see it from my office window. Their lunch menu is full of delicious classics like falafel sandwiches, gyros and kebabs. We hit it up a few weeks back, and I was immediately drawn to the specials board where something called “Pita-chos” were listed for $7.99. Pita? Nachos? What the what!? I jumped all over that and ended up getting this amazing plate set before me a few minutes later.

The iPhone photo doesn’t do them justice. They were awesome. Crunchy pita chips topped with gyro meat, tzatiki and all the standard gyro toppings. I knew from the first bite this was something I just had to recreate at home.

Like most American homes, my kitchen does not include gyro meat machine/spindle/cooker thingy (technical term). And beyond the lack of necessary equipment, I wanted my version of these nachos to be a little less heavy on the lamb. As you can tell in the pic from the restaurant, the gyro meat was the star of the dish, but I much prefer meat to play a supporting role. So in place of the mountain of gyro meatliciousness, I sprinkled on some Greek-flavored ground lamb. With less meat, I could focus on upping the beautiful, brightly-colored veggies, which I think make the dish!

This recipe makes a lot of nachos. It could easily serve four people for a fun, finger-food dinner or serve a small army as appetizers. Or, you know, serve two, very hungry Johnstons who stuff themselves sick. This recipe makes two plates the size of the one in the photos. I think these would make an awesome twist on the standard nachos for your next Stanley Cup playoffs viewing party. For example.

I think I might actually like these better than regular nachos. I feel like I’m cheating on Mexican food by saying that, but, damn, these ‘chos be rockin’.

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Gyro Nachos

Yield: 4-8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

This recipe makes a lot of nachos. It could easily serve four people for a fun, finger-food dinner or serve a small army as appetizers.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound ground lamb
• 1 tablespoon Cavender's Greek Seasoning
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 4 whole wheat pitas
• Cooking spray
• 1 batch Ten Minute Tzatziki
• Favorite gyro toppings (chopped cucumber, chopped tomatoes, crumbled feta, sliced black olives, chopped parsley, diced red onion)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. In a large skillet, brown ground lamb with Cavender's and oregano over medium low heat until cooked through. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
3. Pull apart the two sides of each pita (so they are only "one ply") and using a pizza cutter, slice each into eight triangles. Arrange in one layer on a baking sheet, spray with cooking spray and bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until crispy and brown.
4. To assemble nachos, layer pita chips on a plate, top with lamb, tzatziki and favorite toppings.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 337Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 1015mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 23g

At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.

What’s your go-to lunch spot?