Post by Serene on Jan 14, 2013 11:03:58 GMT -5
I had a friend over the other day and we were talking about nutrition (of course), healthy eating for her and her growing family. She mentioned she likes to keep things simple. Her quick and easy day time "go to" meals involve sticking something yummy inside of something else yummy. Meaning - she likes to wrap or sandwich food.
What options do most Mamas have when it comes to stuffing one food into another? There is the typical PB and J or turkey sandwich and of course stuffed pitas and then "carby" wraps. Have you noticed the green colored wraps in stores lately? Companies are adding spinach color to try to appeal to people trying to eat healthier. Don’t be fooled, they are simply colored, flour based wraps. They just as easily spike your blood sugar. There are low carb wrap options too of course. Those are okay now and then but they are a bit “frankenfoodish” and often contain some suspect ingredients.
Is there a healthy, protein packed, low calorie, low glycemic wrap recipe that only takes a few minutes to make? One that can work for the THM plan for S and E or even fuel pull meals? A standard wrap that is friendly to all categories of foods, growing children, hungry husbands and trimming Mamas? Does such a “one size fits all” wonder wrap exist? Yes!
I was happy to introduce my friend to one of my favorite foundational foods. I clattered through my pot cupboard and pulled out my large non-stick griddle. (Yes I am a purist but I do use a non stick skillet in my THM arsenal. I am careful never to scratch the surface and I never cook with it on high heat. with these precautions taken I don’t have concern about the Teflon issue. I have learned that purism to the point of anxiety over every little thing is worse for your health than a few concessions that make life easier).
In a few minutes I whipped up a big batch of "Wonder wraps" and proceeded to make her some cheese quesadillas out of them. She was hooked from the first bite and knew they’d be a winner for her whole family. We sat there enjoying every succulent morsel of our snack while we brain stormed all the amazing ways we could mix and match and wrap and roll with these things.
A day later she texted me about the venison stuffed wrap that she had thoroughly enjoyed for her lunch. Just a few days after that she texted me a picture of a delicious S personal pizza dinner she had made for each member of her family using the wraps as bases. The picture looked so yummy I was tempted to get in the car and invite myself over for any left over’s.
These wraps are packed with protein and chock full of fiber. They have no fat, hardly any carbs but taste like they do. The best thing is they hold together even with moist fillings and are great for "send to work lunches.” They won't be mushy by the time they are eaten. There are only two ingredients besides your choice of flavors and spices so you can whip up a meal quick!
Please do not be put off by the simplicity of this recipe and the sound of the ingredients used. These wraps will astound you. In our book they are on page 275, they were a late edition, we were stressed about deadlines at the late hour and shoved the name, “Egg White Wraps” on them. I’d like to rename them Wonder Wraps. Also, in that first printing of the book, we suggested 3 Tbs. psyllium husks, now we find the mixture works better with 1/8 cup which is slightly less. Look how easy the recipe is:
Wonder Wraps
Mix together the following with a whisk or use a blender if you prefer.
*1 cup of egg whites ( I use 100% liquid egg whites from a carton)
*1/8 cup of psyllium husks ( I use whole husk flakes and find them at Whole Foods - 365 brand or buy online, they are inexpensive, don‘t use orange flavored stuff that you find at pharmacies)
*Flavors and spices of your desire
After whisking ingredients very well, ladle a Tbs. sized dollop of mix onto low-medium heated griddle or pan. Take the back of a spoon and swiftly enlarge the dollop into a circle, spreading the edges into a larger circle until the wrap is as large and thin as possible without making it transparent or with holes. You will get the perfect knack after a few batches of practice. You can get 4 large or 6 medium wraps from the batch.
I always make up a double batch, for my husband and I to keep in the fridge for quick meals or snacks. My husband makes way better food choices when there are a pile of wraps in the fridge. He’ll grab one when he’s hungry and stuff it with some deli meat and cheese and heat in the oven - way better than what he might normally want to forage for which would be lots of bread or a bowl of granola and milk - ouch fat and carbs collision! My oldest daughters make another double batch for themselves since they are now at an age where they do not need to overdo bread either.
You can blend sun-dried tomatoes into the mix in a blender and make red wraps for a gorgeous display of color. You can even make them sweet instead of savory and stuff them with 0% Greek yogurt and berries or a little reduced fat cream cheese and cinnamon. For savory options, my regular spices of choice are a few dashes of garlic and onion powders, a generous spoonful of nutritional yeast and a dash of sea salt and Tabasco.
Now bear with me while I tell you all the ways I love them. They are a great Fuel Pull, stuffed with left over chicken breast sautéed with 1 tsp of coconut oil and sprinkled with my favorite cheese. I find it at Costco. It is called Kirkland Pecorino Romano. It doesn’t say raw, but this brand is. It is also lower in fat and calories and stronger in flavor than most cheeses so a little bit goes a long way, you can easily use up to a full ounce for a Fuel Pull serving! Other lighter cal cheeses like Parmesan or Romano cheese or small amounts of part skim mozzarella work for Fuel Pull options too. Just wrap up and heat in a hot over for about five minutes or until the cheese is melty. Another of my favorite lunches is to stuff the warps with tuna, spicy mustard, my aforementioned cheese and then roll up and make a tuna melt in a hot oven, another Fuel Pull for you… Yippee!
S options - They’re great with salmon, avocado and all sorts of veggies. Left over beef pot roast… Oh that wrap was good the other night! Another idea is a fried egg wrap melted with more of the cheese that I am shamelessly promoting or any cheese of your choice. When in S mode you can go with regular cheeses like cheddar of course but I never like to overdo calories if they’re not needed.
The wraps are delicious as mini pizzas bases, and can also be used for casseroles that call for tortillas or sheets of pasta ie enchilada casserole or lasagna... Amazing. What about bean burritos THM style? That would be a yummy E choice with salsa and Greek Yogurt. I can’t stop the wrap brain storm! See why I want to rename them Wonder Wraps? Besides their unbelievable versatility they are wonderful because their perfect combination of lean protein and high fiber makes them a powerful, nutritious, filling and appetite curbing food.
I love them best, grabbed from the pile in the fridge, stuffed then warmed up in a lightly coconut oil greased pan or just broiled or baked in the oven. They are good cold, straight from the fridge but they really melt in my mouth when you eat them hot. I love to hold the wraps rolled up nice and hot like a burrito and dunk into some of my favorite hot sauce. I feel like a football jock, over eating at a sports bar when I stuff my face with this kind of filling meal but the truth is they promote weight loss and are kind to a feminine waistline.
I actually just finished eating a wild pink salmon and avocado wrap with a little of my sheep's cheese for dinner. I wanted to take a photo but my mouth was watering and I just wolfed it down before I could get organized. I promise a picture will be on the way in a future post. I owe you one but once you try these Wonder Wraps, you will know why there was nothing left on my plate to photograph.
From my Happy THM kitchen to yours.
Love Serene.