Triple Protein Power Wrap

Feeling peckish, friend? Try this triple protein wrap and you will perk right up! It couldn't be easier. Just get the following stuff together and wrap it up into a little burrito of awesomeness.

Large tortilla, warmed on the stovetop
Your favorite hummus
Several medium tomato slices
A handful of lettuce
A handful of sunflower seeds
A handful of your favorite nuts (I used pecans)
Your favorite salt, pepper, herbs and spices*

*I used the Everyday Seasoning from Trader Joe's. It's so yummy! (And cheap.) If you don't have a Trader Joe's in your neighborhood, you can put together something similar on your own. The Everyday Seasoning contains sea salt, mustard seeds, black peppercorns, coriander, onion, garlic, paprika and chili pepper.

Sweep the hummus on your tortilla, then top the whole thing like a pizza. It should look something like this. 

Then carefully, and as tightly as you can, roll it up into a lovely wrap. Cut in half and enjoy! Taste great with a kombucha or an iced tea!

Awesome Vegan "See Food" Feast

Being a Southerner, I pretty much grew up on my Mee Maw's fried catfish. And I have a particular fondness for the flavor of seafood because I met my husband in the seaside town where I attended college, and we were always surrounded by the stuff. It smelled great, tasted better. Since becoming vegan, I've never found anything quite akin to great seafood or my granny's fried catfish... until now!!

Here's what you see on the plate:

• Pan-Fried Tofu Wedges with Easiest-Ever Tartar Sauce.
• Cauliflower Hummus and Tortilla Chips
• Asian-Inspired Veggie Slaw
• and some olives too

And here are the recipes:

PAN-FRIED TOFU WEDGES
1 pound extra-firm tofu, lightly pressed and sliced into 16 equal wedges
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Dash of cayenne
1 cup canola or vegetable oil

• In a small pan or wide, shallow bowl, whisk together soy milk, arrowroot, and lime juice until no lumps remain. The lime juice may curdle the milk slightly, but that's okay. I usually don't marinate the tofu, but I suppose you could marinate it up to an hour before cooking. 
• Mix all dry ingredients together in another small pan or wide, shallow bowl. 
• Heat oil over medium heat in a cast iron skillet.
• Gently dredge your tofu slices, one at a time, through the milk mixture and then through the cornmeal mixture, making sure each piece is completely and evenly coated. 
• Place gently into the frying pan. Cook for about 2 1/2 minutes on each side, turning with both a small spatula and a pair of coated tongs. Only cook a few at a time. I like to place them onto a rack in my lightly heated toaster oven after they're done frying, so I can keep them nice and warm while I finish cooking them all. It also allows some of the oil to drip off. 

EASIEST-EVER TARTAR SAUCE
1 cup vegan mayonnaise
1/4 cup dill pickle relish
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and black pepper, to taste

• Throw it all in a bowl and stir it up. Easiest ever.

CAULIFLOWER HUMMUS
1/2 head's worth cauliflower florets, gently boiled until softened
3 cloves garlic
2 cups garbanzo beans
1/4 cup garbanzo bean cooking liquid, or more to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1/8 cup lemon juice
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Dash of cayenne

• Chuck everything into a food processor and blend until creamy.

ASIAN-INSPIRED VEGGIE SLAW
I saved the best for last! I have been fiddling with this slaw (or "salad," depending on your mood) for a while now. And I think I have finally perfected it! Give it a try.
1 medium zucchini, finely diced
1 medium yellow squash, finely diced
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
1 Granny Smith apple, diced
1/2 head green cabbage, diced

• Throw everything into a bowl and coat liberally with the following dressing. Add the dressing a little bit at a time, to taste. You probably won't use it all, but it keeps great in the fridge!

ASIAN GINGER DRESSING
2 teaspoons minced ginger root (I used the little frozen cubes)
3/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
1/4 cup water
1/8 cup agave nectar or maple syrup
1 teaspoon garlic powder
A few shakes of sesame oil
2 tablespoons lime juice

• Put all ingredients into a bottle, or something that you can vigorously shake, and shake it until it's well-mixed. I actually prepare and store this dressing in an old soy sauce bottle. It keeps very well in the fridge for several days. Just be sure to shake it up again before using it.

CREAMY LENTIL HUMMUS

I am always searching for ways to cram more fiber into my diet. Any place I can stick in some lentils or some good cruciferous veggies... well, it's a good place. Today I was craving hummus and I just happened to notice that I had a half a cup of uncooked lentils sitting in my pantry. So a light bulb went on! Why not cook those high-fiber bad boys up and add them to the hummus? I wasn't sure how it would taste, as lentils can sometimes dampen the flavor of a dish. But my hunch was a good one. It tastes yummy! Try it for yourself...

1/2 cup uncooked lentils
1 cup water
1 15.5oz can garbanzo beans (do not drain)
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup lemon juice (or less, to taste - I like it tangy)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tsp salt (or less, to taste)
A few shakes of sesame oil, to taste (I did 5 or 6)
Dash cayenne pepper
Garnish with freshly ground black pepper (optional)

• Bring the lentils and water to a boil. Cover and simmer on low heat until lentils are soft and water is gone. Allow to cool.
• In a blender, combine all ingredients (except black pepper) and blend on high until nice and creamy, occasionally stopping to scrape the sides. It can take up to three full minutes to reach the creamiest consistency. Just keep stopping and scraping and tasting until you get it where you want it.
• Sprinkle some freshly ground black pepper on top before serving. This is optional, of course, but it looks nice and gives that top layer a little extra "bite."
• Tastes great with carrot sticks or tortilla chips. Enjoy!

The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen 

Vegetarian Times Cooks Mediterranean

Kristen Suzanne's EASY Raw Vegan Sides & Snacks

 P.S. If you haven't done it already, don't forget to enter the giveaway for a $40 gift card to CSN Stores online!

Cheap-O Hummus

Let's start this blog with a basic staple of every healthy kitchen. Hummus! It's full of fiber and nutrients, and it's just so dang good I eat it almost every day. This is my own, very basic recipe. I know that tahini paste can be expensive, so if you can't swing the price, or just can't find it, you can substitute a few shakes of sesame oil instead.

2 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (reserve juice from one can)

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons lemon juice

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce (use gluten-free, if preferred)

2 tablespoons tahini paste (or a few shakes of sesame oil)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cumin

• Place all ingredients into a blender (for smoother hummus) or a food processor (for chunkier hummus). 
• Add reserved bean juice a couple of tablespoons at a time, until desired consistency is reached. I use almost the entire can of juice in my hummus.  I like it really creamy!
• When you get ready to serve, sprinkle with a dash of paprika, and spritz a little lime juice on top. Green onions on top are nice too!
• We like dipping carrot sticks (cheapest organic veggie on the market right now) and baked tortilla chips into it. I also like to spread some on a whole wheat tortilla with a bit of salsa and green onion, and grill it up like a quesadilla.
• Makes about 8 servings.
• Enjoy!