Mexican Rice Paper Wraps!

I love Mexican food! I love Asian food!
...actually, I just love Ethnic foods in general :) So opportunities to combine 'em? Taken!

I made this for myself, and it was so delicious that I started bragging about it to everyone who would listen. I made it for the family I work with, and they loved it! Not only that, they discovered so many variations: leave out the beans, add Thai chili sauce/carrots, etc. Told the vegan boyfriend about it, and now I've gotta make it for dinner again :P I'm definitely okay with that. I'm thinking this might actually be lunch today, too... :)

From my kitchen to yours <3

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups brown rice, cooked
1 can beans in tomato sauce
1 avocado (peeled, pitted, sliced)
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup butter lettuce
4 rice paper wraps

Directions:
1) One at a time, wet rice paper wraps in warm water gently, just until pliable enough to use.
2) Lay first rice wrap down on your cutting board. In the center, fill with the butter lettuce, salsa, avocado, brown rice, and beans.
3) Roll up the wrap like a burrito, tucking in the ends. Cut in half with a knife.
4) Repeat steps 1-3 for remaining wraps.
5) Serve, chew, taste, love.

peace, love, food <3
Char, xo

Jack Daniel's Whiskey BBQ Tempeh Rice Wraps

Remember my Jack Daniel's Whiskey BBQ Tempeh? And the Philly 'cheesesteak' pizzas I made with the leftovers? Well now here is more you can do with it! I give you: Jack Daniel's Whiskey BBQ Tempeh Rice Wraps! (say that 5 times fast :P hehe.)

I used rice paper wraps, but the kale kinda poked through it...in hindsight, I should have either:

a) Used butter lettuce with the rice wraps, or

b) Used a whole grain tortilla with the kale.

But anyhoo, this was so delicious! I warmed up the tempeh first, and put some vegan mayo with it in the wrap. The vegan mayo is a must-have with the BBQ sauce!! :D Not much of a recipe here, just an idea ;) Enjoy!

peace, love, food <3
Char, xo

Veggie Bean Wraps!

I actually made this awhile ago, just after I made my Dilly Bean Dip. These were so good, & were very portable. The bean dip gave a lot of flavour, so I didn't need to season the veggies or anything at all. Everyone who tried a bite also loved it! (Yes, sometimes I share my food.) Seriously love rice wraps :) Also, to my fellow University students: these are CHEAP!! I love good food...but it's even more awesome when it's inexpensive :)

From my kitchen to yours <3

Ingredients:

2 rice paper wraps

2-3 tbs Dilly Bean Dip

1/4 cup leafy greens, chopped

1/4 cucumber, spiralized

1/4 carrot, spiralized

Directions:

1) Lightly moisten rice wraps with water, and press together. They should be flexible & easy to work with.

2) Spread Dilly Bean Dip onto your rice paper.

3) Top with leafy greens, cucumber & carrots.

4) Roll like a burrito.

5) Eat :D

peace, love, food <3

Char, xo

Banana Wraps!! :D

Who doesn't love bananas?? :) These bad boys are pretty much where I get the bulk of my calories from. I eat about 10 bananas a day. I lovelovelove bananas!! Om nom nom :D
This summer, I was in Qualicum Beach visiting the farmer's market. All of the local farmers, artisans, bakers, crafters 'n such bring their amazing goodies to make available for purchase.
I was lucky enough to run into a friend there :) His mom sells jam, & she had made a new one: Strawberry, sweetened with Stevia!! Not only did they let me have a taste, but they gave me the jar :) Cheers to spreading the love!

Wanting to feature it on my blog in appreciation, I created this recipe :) Enjoy! (And much thanks to Landon & his mom!)

Ingredients:
2 rice wraps
1 tbs almond butter
1 tbs jam (pick your fave flavour, or mash a few berries!)
1 ripe banana, peeled

Directions:
1) Lightly sprinkle water onto wraps, & rub all over. Stack the wraps together, so they stick together & hold well.
2) Spread almond butter & jam on the rice wraps, then top with the banana.
3) Roll up like a burrito & chow down!

P.S. I am often asked why I don't eat peanut butter. In truth, I could have a tablespoon of it, & wake up with a massive zit on my cheek. Peanuts are the 'dirty nut.' They absorb toxins in the ground. Only the dirtiest, moldiest peanuts are used for peanut butter. So, um, YAY ALMOND BUTTER!! :D

Peace, love, food

Char, xo

Toronto Part 4, & Veggie Rice Wraps!!

Day 5:

When Friday hit, it was a rainy day. Still stiflingly hot (I love it), we decided we were going to make the most of it anyway.
Breakfast was simple: I showed Lolo how to cut a pineapple, one of the best things I learned while living in Thailand. She chopped the cantaloupe & mango, & we sat down to a platter of fruit :) Simple. Awesome.
And onward we went to the shops! Lolo needed to pick up some things for the kitties, as well as some shelves for her kitchen. Then she did something super awesome for both of us. Ever heard of a spiralizer? I’ve wanted one since I went vegan. She bought us EACH one!! Love you, Lolo :) More info on those below!
Before continuing shopping, we decided it was time to have some lunch…at ‘LIVE’ raw food restaurant! I can’t possibly describe to you how amazing it was. We shared an appy & 2 main courses. We figured this way we could sample a little of each dish :)

Our starter? RAW POUTINE!! No, I’m not joking. I couldn’t believe it when I saw poutine on their raw food menu. So, um, yes, we HAD to order it.
Holy French fries, Batman. Was this ever incredible. Fresh crisp Jicama 'fries' topped with an herbed cashew crumble and miso gravy….I have no words. Mostly because my mouth is full of drool.

….and then our mains :) We first ordered the Soft Shell Tacos: Corn tortillas filled with fresh salsa, guacamole, cashew sour cream, jalapeno jelly and spiced walnut 'taco meat'.

We also ordered the Smoked Reuben: Sesame kale and carob 'rye' bread smothered with a spicy sesame mayo, avocado, probiotic sauerkraut and smoked walnut veggie patty. Served with root veggie chips and dill pickles. Verdict on both? OH EM GEE!! My tastebuds sang, danced, clapped, took a bow, & went back for more!! We were both super impressed with the food. Since each plate had two pieces, we traded one for one. Probably ate more than we usually would for lunch, but hey! You only live once. Balance ;)

After our fabulous lunch, we headed to Costco to stock up on fruits & veggies (that’s honestly where I do most of my grocery shopping). Mangos, peaches, zucchini….om nom nom!! Lolo also picked us up the BEST cutting boards (pictured below). They have a collapsible draining bowl, & are perfect for cutting veggies over the sink :) I use mine all the time now.

And home we went, to test out our new spiralizers! Check the photo: isn’t that so freakin’ cool?? Waaaaay faster than peeling zucchini with a potato peeler!

First, we made up our delicious rice wraps for lunch the next day. Then, we used the leftovers to create a light dinner (lunch was a little too heavy, so we weren’t feeling very hungry). Both were amazing!! See the noodles in the wrap? WOW!! These were soooo good! Made mostly from tofu & water, these noodles have only 25 calories in a serving. Watch for more recipes with these bad boys in later posts ;) Try them!! We lovelovelove ‘em :) Bon apetit, foodies!

Veggie Rice Wraps

Ingredients:
2 rice paper wraps
½ cup mixed greens
1 carrot, spiralized
1 zucchini, spiralized
1 small cucumber, spiralized
1 small handful of pea sprouts
4 slices avocado
4 slices tomato
½ bag tofu noodles, rinsed & drained (3.5oz)
½ batch of Rawsome ‘Peanut’ Sauce

Directions:

1) Wet a clean towel & lay it down on the counter. Take your first rice paper wrap & lay it down on one end of the towel. Fold other side over & leave for one minute, or until soft.
2) Place soft wrap on a plate. Top with half the greens, half the carrot, half the zucchini, half the cucumber, half the pea sprouts, half the avocado, half the tomato, & half the noodles.
3) Fold bottom end of the wrap in, & then roll the sides together, leaving the top end open (like a burrito). Wrap tightly in saran wrap.
4) Store in the fridge. Serve with my Rawsome ‘Peanut’ Sauce.

Spiralized Salad


Ingredients:
1 carrot, spiralized
1 zucchini, spiralized
1 small cucumber, spiralized
1 Roma tomato, diced
¼ avocado, diced
Small handful pea sprouts
1 ½ tbs Newman’s Own Sesame Ginger dressing
Directions:
1) Toss all ingredients together. Divide equally between two bowls & serve :)

Georgie & Lolo, xo

Nori Veggie Wrap

mmmMMMmmmMMM!! Deliciously yummy veggie wrap. I've been having a slight sushi craving, & also a slight wrap craving, soooo, this came just in between :) You can use pretty much any veggies that come to mind. And while I would have really liked avocado in this, mine were moldy :( I used the raw pesto I'd made, though, & it was fantastic. I promise it would also be just as amazing with my rawsome peanut sauce, or even just some Bragg's liquid soy seasoning for dipping. Yum yum yum! Also, I used 2 nori sheets for wrapping, only because this wrap is a little more heavy-duty than an avocado roll. This is a great wrap to take with you on the go; just make sure you wrap it in plastic, first, or you'll have veggies falling everywhere!

Ingredients:
2 raw nori sheets
2-3tbs raw pesto sauce
2 crimini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 small zuchinni, sliced
1/2 large carrot, sliced
1/2 stalk celery, sliced
1/3 cup bean sprouts

Directions:
1) Spread pesto sauce on nori sheet. Top with veggies, and roll up carefully.
2) Use remaining nori sheet to secure the other side of the wrap with a big hug.
3) Munch time!

Char xo

TACO TYME!!

These were delicious!! I made it for my fam (mom & brother) and they loved them! I love when they both really like what I make for dinner. They both like their meat, but they said they couldn't tell the difference in eating these.
I love me some Mexican food (actually just any ethnic foods in general). I prefer Mexican, Asian, and Indian cuisine over North American any day. Wraps, stirfries, sushi, and curry :) mmmmm MM!!
I've mentioned Yves Cuisine in previous posts, but I'll touch on it again. It's a line of vegan "meats" that taste fantastic. I have yet to meet an Yves product that I dislike. It's really useful for those wanting to transition off of a heavy meat diet, or even for people who want to cut back a little bit. Veggie "meats" have about 1/3 of the fat and calories that real meat do, and nobody has to die to be on your plate :) I'd say that's win-win.
Sour Supreme is made by Tofutti brand (you can find it in health stores, or Save-On-Foods). It tastes exactly like sour cream, but again, less fat and calories, and no animals harmed :)
Anyhoo, the work for this was pretty much nil. I chopped veggies and sauteed a couple of them. This is literally a 5 minute dinner that feeds 4 people (and you don't have to saute the veggies, either). So for those days when work has been long, and you just want to get food on the table, this is your meal!!

Ingredients:
1 package Yves Mexican veggie ground round ("beef")
1 can baked beans (in tomato sauce)
1 onion, chopped
1 large red pepper (or 2 smalls), chopped
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
3 roma tomatoes, diced
Sour Supreme, to taste
salsa, to taste
4 whole wheat wraps, for serving
1 tbs coconut oil, for frying

Directions:
1) Over medium heat, saute onion and red pepper in coconut oil until browned. Meanwhile, in a sauce pan, mix baked beans and Yves "beef" over medium heat until warmed.
2) Top your tortilla in the order you'd like, using any and all ingredients.
3) Happy Chowing :)

I also need to share this with you, because it's so exciting!! I planted these babies on January 3rd in my AeroGarden, and look how HUGE they are!! The biggest one is basil, and I also have thyme and chives. This was seconds before I harvested the chives and basil. I ate the chives because there wasn't enough to use in anything. Mmmmmm fresh plants :) And the smell of my basil is incredible!! I have about 5 leaves ready for use...I may be making rawzagna... ;)

Raw-some Sandwich & Fettuccini Alfredo <3

Soooooooo for Christmas I got spoiled. I FINALLY got a food dehydrator!! While I have tons of other ideas for how I'm going to play with it, I only had room for peppers & bread this round. Anyhoo, I also got Ani Phyo's uncook books, and I LOVE them. I followed the bread recipe pretty closely, but not really for the alfredo. Both turned out fantastic. I even made another sandwich for my 14 year old brother and he LOVED it. I only wish I had had a tomato and an avocado kicking around, because they would have been fantastic in the sandwich. I did, however, use homemade salsa that a lady I work with made for me.

The addition of Victorian Epicure spice in the alfredo is from my aunt. She sells them and gave me a bunch to try, so you'll probably see them show up more often in my posts. Feel free to sub any other herbs in place of them.

Raw Fettuccini Alfredo

Ingredients:

1 zuchinni squash, peeled into strands (use a potato peeler)

Sauce:

juice of 1/2 lemon (1 tablespoon)

1 cup cashews, soaked overnight (will equal about 1 1/4 cup)

1 1/2 stalks celery, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons Victorian Epicure 3 onion dip mix (onions, chives, scallions, herbs, dried)

Directions:

1) Place peeled zuchinni strands onto a plate.

2) Mix all sauce ingredients in a food processor, and blend until smooth.

3) Pour half the sauce over zuchinni strands; the rest may be refrigerated for a few days.

4) Enjoy your raw alfredo :)

Black Sesame Sunflower Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup ground flax seeds

1/3 cup whole flax seeds

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chopped onion

1 1/3 cup water

2/3 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup black sesame seeds

Directions:

1) Mix all ingredients in a bowl, adding sunflower & sesame seeds last.

2) Spread batter evenly with a spatula onto dehydrator tray, and dehydrate at 104 degrees for 4 hours.

3) Cut bread into 8 slices, and flip. Dehydrate for one more hour.

4) Bread may be stored in fridge or freezer.

My Fabulously Raw Sandwich

2 slices black sesame sunflower bread

1 tablespoon alfredo sauce

1 tablespoon homemade salsa

zuchinni & celery, cut into thin strips

sliced crimini mushrooms

dehydrated peppers (I used red, yellow, & orange)

chopped onion

mixed baby greens

So delicious :)

Chickpea Salad Sandwich

I honestly used to eat waaaay too much tuna for my own good, but it was my favourite kind of sandwich. I'd heard the idea before of using chickpeas as a substitute, so I decided to try it. While I didn't have green onions or celery in the fridge, feel free to add them. I know it would be quite tasty :)

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas (500ml)

2 tablespoons Vegenaise, plus more for spreading on bread

6 slices of bread (I used Ezekial brand, sprouted grain)

4-6 leaves of romaine lettuce (or spinach, whatever)

all the garlic you can stand

sea salt & black pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Drain water from the can of chickpeas, and mash them (I used a potato masher) together with the Vegenaise (vegan mayo), garlic, sea salt, & pepper.

2) Spread a little bit of Vegenaise on the bread (you don't need much, the chickpeas are quite moist).

3) Scoop the chickpea mash, and spread it on the bread. Top with romaine lettuce, close it, et voila! A super yummy, tuna & dolphin friendly sandwich! :)