Falafel the Meat Wagon-what started it all

I have never liked meat: the way it feels in my mouth and sticks to my molars triggers my super strong gag reflex. But in college I met Mr Meat-Eater who thought I was insane and was a little put off by my distaste for one of the main food groups. He had never met a vegetarian he liked. Since I was determined to marry this man (and not cook meat for dinner) I had to prove that he could have an entire meal without meat and not even miss it.
One evening in my dingy little apartment I rolled out balls of falafels while oil heated in a skillet. Who could resist pitas filled with cucumbers, tomatoes, Kalamata olives, red onions, creamy yogurt sauce, and those freshly made falafels? I removed the balls from the frying pan (I bake them nowadays) and then tried to remove the frying pan from the burner but it wouldn't come! I began to panic and tugged a little harder....and it came free! But so did half the oil, all over the hot burner. Yep, there was a giant grease fire in my kitchen and it even spread to the pan. I'll save myself the embarrassment of the rest of the story and just say that even though we didn't eat any Vegetarian Gyros that night, Mr Meat-Eater married me. And even though I do cook meat for him and the beautiful children he gave me occasionally, we all enjoy mostly meatless meals. And when we eat at a Greek restaurant you can bet he orders lamb gyros. At home? Nothing but two thumbs up for those delicious little falafels! Who ever said 'A House Divided' couldn't stand? Oh yeah, the Bible....but I have learned to bridge the divide of meat-lovers and vegetarian meals and am very happy to share it with you!
In honor of that first bridge, I give you:

Vegetarian Gyros
Serves a family of 5

1 box Falafel mix (Fantastic World Foods is a widely available brand. In future posts I'll show you how to make your own mix so it is gluten-free)
8 Pitas
2 tomatoes, sliced in thick half moon shapes
1 cucumber, sliced in thick half moon shapes
1/2 red onion, sliced very thin
1/4 cup pitted and sliced Kalamata olives
Crumbled Feta

Broil or fry falafel balls according to directions. Layer 3 or 4 in each pita and top with remaining ingredients. Serve with Tzatziki Sauce.
Want a great side dish? Try Spinach Rice (see post)

Tzatziki Sauce
pronounced Tsa-see-kee

1 cup plain greek yogurt
3 T olive oil
2 T lemon juice
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 T fresh basil, minced
1 T fresh mint, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cucumber

Peel cucumber and slice in half lengthwise. With a spoon, remove the seedy interior and roughly chop. Add all ingredients to a food processor (or blender) and process until smooth, about 45 seconds. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld.

I'll be making these in the next week and will share photos. Let me know what your carnivores think!