How Many Veggies Can You Stuff in a Wrap?

A lot!  This was my "uber-veggie wrap" that I just finished eating.  I love this kind of lunch.  Energizing with plenty of veg, rather than something fully cooked or carb-heavy, that tends to make you feel sluggish soon after.

So, what do I have in there?  This time round, it was diced celery, diced green pepper, grated carrots, grated beets, sliced and lightly broiled zukes, and broccoli sprouts.  Normally I'll julienne some greens like spinach or baby lettuces, but we were plum out.  Not sure if I would have been able to squeeze them in today anyhow - this wrap was STUFFED!  Some tahini sauce and Balsamic Maple Sauce (from ed&bv) for dipping/drizzling on the side.  You  can also smear some mustard, olive tapenade, pesto, or tahini on the wrap before layering in the veg, to help keeps things together and add extra flavor.  You can also sprinkle some hemp seeds or chopped pumpkin seeds in with those veggies for extra crunch and a boost of healthy fats and protein (I had a lil' of both in the morning, so didn't feel like including them in my wrap). 

As for the wrap itself, this was a sprouted tortilla by Ezekiel.  They are nutritious and have a deeper nutty flavor, but are a touch pricier than other wraps and not quite as pliable. So, if you want to opt for a standard tortilla, just be sure to check the ingredients.  Most (really, most) have hydrogenated oils and plenty of additives.  Also, most of those 'spinach' and 'tomato' varieties are disguising themselves as healthful wraps - check the label - again, most have hydrog oils, and are made with white flour.  Look for whole-wheat tortillas instead of the multi-colored tortillas (but again, check the ingredients to avoid trans fats).

There are probably more veg in this one wrap than some people eat in a day - or a week.  We need to eat more veggies, folks.  Milk doesn't do the body good (nope, it'll mess your body up)... but veggies do!  Stuff 'em in, blend 'em in, pack 'em in, just get them in - you!

Milk proteins, milk sugar, fat, and saturated fat in dairy products pose health risks for children and encourage the development of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. (source: PCRM)

Chickpea Sensation Patties

Unlike my last post, these patties won't hold up on the grill. But that shouldn't keep you from making them, because these Chickpea Sensation Patties from ed&bv are really delicious.

They are a combination of chickpeas, brown rice, and oats blended with sauteed veggies and seasonings including thyme and a scattering of capers. And this is how I like to eat them - not in a bun, but served on their own, with warm Balsamic Maple Sauce (*get recipe through vegan.com link, scroll down after rolls) on the side. They are just so moist and flavorful, that for me, a bun (or wrap or pita) is just not needed. Instead, serve a side of spuds with these patties - like Lemon Rosemary Potatoes from Vive, and a salad. You can't go wrong with that.

Then, if you're needing to keep that sweet tooth happy, maybe a reminder that it's time to bake up a mountain of Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies like so...

Simply The Best

With food, simple is often best. Sometimes we fuss over preparation and details, when fresh (or very good quality) ingredients are all that's needed for an outstanding dish. Just the simplest of seasonings can then enhance the natural, beautiful flavors of these foods.

Like these tomatoes. We had family over for dinner last Sunday. That morning I picked up gorgeous yellow tomatoes and heirloom red tomatoes at our local farmers' market. Have you ever had yellow tomatoes? They are a little sweeter than red tomatoes, and not as acidic. I love them!

For a side dish with our dinner, I sliced several of these perfectly ripened, fragrant tomatoes and layered them on a plate. Since basil and tomatoes are nature's soul mates, I arranged a handful of fresh basil leaves over the tomatoes. Just before serving I drizzled on my Balsamic Maple Sauce from ED&BV, and a pinch of sea salt and ground pepper. This sauce is thick and delicious, but a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar with a sprinkle of sea salt and pepper would be equally wonderful. But... don't dress the tomatoes and basil until you are ready to eat. Otherwise the salt and vinegar will draw the juices out of the tomatoes and wilt the basil (just like how you don't want to dress a salad until just ready to eat).

This fresh tomato salad was a highlight of our meal. The tomatoes and basil were not masked by too many ingredients, allowing their vibrant, summer-rich flavors to shine through.

Try this for your own dinners or when entertaining, and also think of other simple and delicious pairings when meal-planning, including:

- crusty breads and a great quality olive oil. Place olive oil in small bowls with or without balsamic vinegar for dipping. Coarse sea salt is also quite nice for sprinkling.
- selection of olives
- seasonal produce left raw or lightly blanched, drizzled with oil or with a simple dip like hummus or raw aioli (I managed to squeeze my recipe for raw red pepper aioli in ED&BV for you just before going to print!)
- bowl of raw nuts, or...
- buy a big bag of mixed greens for a simple salad with just these greens (maybe a few cherry tomatoes) and some raw pine nuts, pecans, or walnuts tossed in.
- accentuate flavors in your meals with wedges of lemon or lime (ex: lemon juices with legume-based dishes and lime juice with spicy foods and entrees)
- big bowl of guacamole with lightly salted tortilla chips. My guacamole is always a huge hit, and it still surprises me because it is so darn simple! But, I don't think people make their own guac that often. I keep it very simple for guests, adding a good amount of fresh lemon or lime juice and salt to taste, and keeping some chunky texture. Keeping it simply seasoned with lemon juice and salt pleases everyone, without ingredients that might be unpleasant (or offensive) to some (ex: cilantro - you either love it or hate it!)
- grilled/roasted veggies. One of my favorite things to do is roast veggies. In the summer, chop things like zukes, mushrooms, bell peppers, shallots, and fennel and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Pop it all on a baking sheet lined with parchment, and bake at about 400-450 for 40 minutes or longer until the veg are caramelized and golden brown. The flavors are just magnificent! Then, all you have to do is serve as a side dish, or toss into hot pasta, or into cold grains for a salad. Seriously great stuff!

These are just a few suggestions for quick and simple food pairings... what are some of yours?

Also, just a reminder that this is the last week for voting in the VegNews survey. I'm nominated for favorite cookbook author, favorite veg blog, and favorite column. Please vote for me in any (or all!) categories. Remember, you have a chance to win in this survey too (in case you need that extra push to complete the survey)! And, if you've already voted - my big thanks. I'd love to win, and each and every vote from you is important. Many thanks. :)

Christmas in July?

Phew! It's been a busy few days. Catching up on everything from laundry to e-mails (and sorry to those of you that have waited to hear back from me). Also clued up some editing on the front/back cover of ED&BV - and we may be going to print the end of the week. Ooooeeee! So, we're on track to have it in bookstores in mid-late October.

I also finished some testing on a new recipe for my next VegNews column. My articles appear in every second issue, so I work on any given piece about 4 months in advance of its printing. As you can imagine, this is often peculiar in the sense that you are trying to jump ahead to the season when the article will be in print. If I want to feature seasonal produce (ex: winter squash in the fall; basil in the summer), it's never abundant at the time of writing. So, it can be tricky when working with seasonal items.

This next article will feature some cranberry recipes. Of course, very seasonal for Nov/Dec. Not so much for July/August (though it's been so flipping cold some days this summer it's almost fitting)! I created and tested this Holiday Chickpea Tart in early July, and so one evening we sat out on our patio in the sunshine eating our holiday tart with cranberries. Hubby says "feels like Christmas"! I said, "I know, it's not very appropriate for this time of year"... but as my mom always used to say (and still does to this day)... "you either like it or lump it"!

Here it is just after baking. For convenience, I used a Wholly Wholesome whole-wheat pie shell to hold the filling. I've said it many times before, I love Wholly Wholesome products. Not all are vegan, but those that are vegan are lovely, wonderful, incredible! Love them!

So, here you are. A festive chickpea tart with walnut, spinach, and cranberries that will appear in the VegNews Nov/Dec issue. Great menu item for those of you that don't want a Tofurkey/Faux Turkey/Noturkey/Rubberturkey on the table (like me)!

I served it with my wicked Balsamic Maple Sauce that you will be able to get very soon as it is included in ED&BV. This sauce is so super good, that you will want to drizzle it on steamed veggies, sandwiches, grains, or to have with spring rolls, potstickers, etc, the list goes on because this sauce is nummy good stuff... and you know I'm a saucy girl!

I'll get back to seasonal food goodies next... in the meantime, since we're on topic of VegNews... my gentle reminder to vote! :)