This month’s newsletter is focused on simple meals that require little, if any, cooking so you can spend more time outside during these delightful summer months.

Simple Sandwich Wraps

If you have a variety of vegetable and bean spreads in your refrigerator during the summer months, quick no-cook meals are as easy to put together as opening your refrigerator and choosing an assortment of items to assemble on your wrap. Some of my favorite spreads are listed here as well as my favorite toppings. Vary any of these to suit your tastes or availability of items in the market.

Keep a variety of tortillas in your refrigerator such as whole wheat, corn, or corn/wheat varieties. Heat them up individually on a dry non-stick griddle until warmed on both sides (about 30 seconds per side), then smooth on a layer of spread of your choice and layer on the vegetables. Top with hot sauce, if desired.

Wraps

A fast, delicious, no-cook meal for those hot summer nights during the next couple of months.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Servings: variable

Spinach, Whole Wheat or Corn Tortillas
Hummus or another spread recipe
Shredded Carrots
Kalamata Olives, chopped
Pickled Sweet Peppers, chopped
Alfalfa Sprouts
Cucumber, diced
Avocado, diced
Lettuce, Shredded
Sriracha Hot Sauce or salsa

Prepare all the vegetables ahead of time and place in individual bowls. Let each person assemble their own wrap, placing a line of the hummus or spread down the center of the tortilla, and then layering on their choice of vegetables and hot sauce, if desired. Roll up and eat!

Artichoke Spread

This is delicious as a spread for sandwiches, as a dip for crackers or veggies, or stuffed into pita and topped with chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and sprouts.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Servings: Makes about 3 cups
 

2 14 ounce cans artichoke hearts in water, drained and rinsed
1 15 ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.

Hummus

There are many variations of Hummus in most supermarkets and natural food stores. Many of them have added olive oil and most have tahini. Some people are convinced that Hummus without tahini is just not Hummus. However, I have been making no tahini Hummus for years and it is delicious, plus it is healthier for your body. If you can’t stand the thought of Hummus without tahini, then add 1 tablespoon of it to this recipe, realizing that you are also adding some fat to the recipe.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Servings: makes 1 ½ cups

1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1-2 tablespoons water
dash sea salt
Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until very smooth.

Hints: Add other ingredients to this basic Hummus, for flavor and variety.

1. ½ cup roasted red peppers plus ½ teaspoon ground cumin
2. ½ cup chopped parsley or cilantro
3. 1-2 teaspoons chopped jalapeno pepper

Spicy Garbanzo Spread

This makes a delicious sandwich spread or wrap filling, a dip for raw vegetables or a stuffing for pita bread.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour
Servings: makes 1 ½ cups

1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 green onions, chopped
1 ½ tablespoons grated ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
½ teaspoon minced fresh garlic
½ teaspoon agave nectar
Dash Sriracha hot sauce, if desired

Place all ingredients (except hot sauce) in a food processor and process until smooth. Taste and add hot sauce as desired. Refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow flavors to blend.

Savory Lentil Spread

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Servings: makes about 4 cups

4 cups water
1 cup uncooked brown lentils
½ cup vegetable broth
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 ½ teaspoons basil
1 ½ teaspoons marjoram
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sherry

Place water and lentils in a saucepan and cook, covered, until lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, place the vegetable broth, onions and garlic in a non-stick pan. Cook and stir occasionally for about 5 minutes, until onions are soft. Add mushrooms and cook 5 minutes more. Add herbs and spices, cook and stir another 10 minutes, adding a bit more vegetable broth if needed. Add cooked lentils, soy sauce and sherry. Cook and stir until liquid is absorbed and mixture starts to stick to the bottom of the pot.

Place in a food processor and process until fairly smooth.

Serve warm or cold as a spread for bread or crackers.

Other Spread Suggestions:

Spicy Lentil Spread: Quick & Easy Cookbook, page 250

Mock Tuna Spread: Quick & Easy Cookbook, page 250

Asian Garbanzo Spread: Quick & Easy Cookbook, page 251

White Bean Pate: Quick & Easy Cookbook, page 253

Deviled Spread: Quick & Easy Cookbook, page 246

All of these can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated. They will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about 5 days, and may be frozen for later use. Keep a few of these in your refrigerator all summer and you'll always have a quick meal at your fingertips.

Simple Garbanzo Wraps

Since I really love garbanzo beans, I look for easy ways to incorporate them into my meals. This one is super fast and delicious.

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 ½ cups salsa

Place the garbanzo beans in a pan with the salsa and cook for about 8-10 minutes. Wrap in a tortilla, as explained above and top with an assortment of vegetables of your choice. Or try this wrapped in lettuce leaves or collard leaves.

Fresh Tomato Wraps

I make these often during the summer months for a simple, filling meal.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Resting Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4-6

2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
1 15 ounce can beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup chopped avocado
½ cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
dash hot sauce
dash sea salt
4-6 fresh corn or flour tortillas
chopped lettuce for garnish

Combine first eight ingredients in a bowl and mix gently. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. To serve, place a line of the tomato-bean mixture down the center of a tortilla, top with some chopped lettuce and more hot sauce if you wish, roll up and eat.

Hint: Use any type of bean that you like. I think black beans and pinto beans work best in this recipe.

Spicy Garbanzo Pinwheels

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Chilling Time: 2 hours
Servings: variable

1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 ½ tablespoons grated fresh ginger
½ teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
½ teaspoon honey (optional)
dash hot sauce, if desired
fat-free tortillas
shredded carrots
grated red cabbage
alfalfa sprouts
green onions

Combine the beans, 2 green onions, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, honey, and hot sauce to taste in a food processor and process until smooth. Refrigerate before using to allow flavors to blend. Adjust seasonings, if necessary, after mixture has been refrigerated for at least 1 hour.

Spread the garbanzo mixture on the bottom of a large tortilla, almost to the edge. Layer with shredded carrots, grated red cabbage, alfalfa sprouts, and julienned green onions. Roll up tightly like a log, then slice into thick pinwheels, about 1 ½ inches thick. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Hints: This may also be served over baked potatoes or whole grains.

Border Salad

Make this salad ahead of time to allow the flavors to become bolder. This is delicious in a bowl as a refreshing summer meal, or serve this on top of a plate of assorted greens, rolled up in a tortilla, atop a mound of cooked grains or as a topping for baked potatoes.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Chilling Time: 2-4 hours
Servings: 6-8

2 15 ounce cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 small red onion, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup baby corn, cut in half
1 cup sliced roasted red bell peppers
1 14 ounce can water-packed hearts of palm, drained and sliced
1 15 ounce can water-packed artichoke hearts, drained and cut in half
1 tomato, chopped
1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 ½ cup fresh salsa (see hint below)

Place all the ingredients except the salsa in a large bowl and mix well. Process the salsa in a blender jar until fairly smooth and pour over the vegetable mixture. Toss to mix. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours to allow flavors to blend.

Hints: Blending the salsa makes for a smoother Mexican-style dressing for this salad. If you would like your dressing a bit chunkier, just add to the vegetables without blending. The jalapeño does give this salad some heat, so feel free to omit it, if desired. For those of you who don’t like cilantro, just leave it out or substitute parsley instead. This will keep in the refrigerator for several days.

Mushroom Gnocchi

This tastes best right after it is made. It does not reheat well and the gnocchi become quite hard when it is served cold.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4

¼ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
1 cup fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 cup fresh cremini mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable broth
½ red onion, thinly sliced
½ pound asparagus, sliced into 2 inch pieces
1 pound gnocchi, preferably whole wheat
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/8 cup Parmesan Cheese Substitute (see hint below)

Combine the dried porcinis and the boiling water in a small bowl. Let rest for 30 minutes while preparing the other ingredients. Strain, reserving the liquid, then finely chop the porcinis and set aside.

Place a large pot of water on to boil.

Place the fresh mushrooms in a large non-stick sauté pan with 1 tablespoon of the broth. Cook and stir until mushrooms are slightly softened and beginning to brown. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add the gnocchi to the boiling water and simmer until gnocchi rises to the top. Drain and place in a bowl.

Meanwhile, add the remaining broth to the sauté pan along with the onions and the asparagus. Cook and stir until onions have softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add peas, chopped porcinis, and the cooked mushrooms. Cook and stir for about 1 minute to heat through. Add the cooked gnocchi, the Parmesan Cheese Substitute, and about 1/3 cup of the porcini soaking liquid. Mix well, heat through, and serve.

Hints: Serve with extra Parmesan Cheese Substitute on the top, if desired. May also be topped with some Sriracha hot sauce if you’d like more heat. For a bit richer dish, top with about ¼ cup of toasted sliced almonds. There are several varieties of Vegan Parmesan Cheese substitutes available in many markets.

Parmesan Cheese Substitute

It is easy to make your own parmesan cheese substitute. Just mix equal amounts of almond meal or walnut meal and nutritional yeast together in a jar. Shake well, add a small amount of onion powder and salt, if desired, shake again, and it’s ready. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Jill is one of the cooking instructors during the McDougall live-in Programs and she often makes this wonderful salad during one of her demos. This dressing will keep in the refrigerator for several days. Serve this over a salad of baby lettuces mixed with arugula and topped with avocado, onions, vegetables, sunflower seeds and summer fruit, for a very satisfying summer meal.

Makes about 1 cup

Jill says “Some people don’t like the combination of fruit and vegetables but I find the flavor of the sweet, tangy and bitter light and delicious. Use really tasty berries, it makes all the difference. If you want a bit more flavor contrast, add a few chopped salty olives or capers.”

¾ -1 cup raspberries or strawberries
2 tablespoons raspberry or other fruit vinegar
1 tablespoon regular or golden balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons water or broth, or oil substitute for salad dressing
2 teaspoons agave or other sweetener
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend well.

Chef AJ was one of our instructors during the McDougall Celebrity Chef weekend in June 2009. This was a favorite salad during the weekend and I still get requests for it.

This is now the best selling salad at Whole Foods Market in Pasadena Arroyo. Even people who say they don’t like kale will gobble this up.

Ingredients:

2 large heads of curly kale (about 24 ounces)
sesame seeds or chopped almonds (optional)

Dressing:

1 cup peanut butter or raw almond butter (unsweetened & unsalted)
1 cup water
¼ cup fresh lime juice (about 2) and their zest
2 cloves garlic
fresh, peeled ginger (approximately 1” or ¾ of an ounce)
2 tablespoons low sodium Tamari
4 pitted dates (soaked in water if not soft)
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Preparation: Combine all ingredients for the dressing in a high powered blender and process until smooth and creamy. Remove the thick, larger stems from the kale, chop finely and place in a large bowl. Pour about 1½ to 2 cups of the dressing over the kale and toss to mix well. (If you need more dressing, feel free to add it, otherwise save the rest for later use.) Sprinkle with sesame seeds or chopped almonds before serving, if desired. This dressing also makes a delicious dip for fresh veggies, but you need to cut way back on the water and add some cilantro. This dressing is higher in fat because of the nut butter.

www.chefajshealthykitchen.com  Copyright 2010