Thursday, November 06, 2008

Vegetable Versatility.

It seems that wraps have become more popular in the last few years. Perhaps it's because we can feel less guilty because we're ingesting less carbs. But wraps can often be more unhealthy than a traditional sandwich. A Reuben on a whole wheat wraps makes it barely more nutritious than on marble rye. But it gives us the perception that we've made a healthy choice.

When you decide on having a wrap for a meal, why not choose a healthy filling? Below is my very popular Grilled Vegetable Wrap with Goat Cheese, Arugula and Pesto. Some key point when making wrap sandwiches:
  • Select fillings that are somewhat dry
  • Heat the wrap before filling and rolling to prevent it from breaking
  • Use some sort of adhesive to close the sandwich (Sour cream works very well)
  • Eat and enjoy the same day. The texture changes significantly if not consumed the same day. No one likes a soggy wrap.

First, let's start with the vegetables: Eggplant, Zucchini, Summer Squash, Assorted Peppers. I don't use any vegetables that can't be sliced into long or flat pieces (i.e. mushrooms). Slice all the vegetable about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. I cut the squash on a bias because the length works better when building the wraps.

As always, SEASON! Salt and pepper and a little oil. You don't want to drench the veggies in oil because the wrap will turn out too wet. Add just enough oil to create a shimmer on the vegetables so they won't stick to the grill.

After grilling, let them cool and gather the rest of your items for the wrap: pesto, goat cheese, arugula, sour cream, and the wrap. Make sure everything is within your reach so you're not scrambling when you start to make the sandwich.

To heat the wrap, you can either grill it (no oil and grill for a few seconds on each side) or you can simply microwave it for 10-20 seconds until it softens. Place the wrap lengthwise on your cutting board and spread the pesto all over. In the center of the wrap, working horizontally, add the grilled vegetables. Four slices of each vegetable is usually plenty. Crumble some goat cheese on top of the vegetables and then add a decent amount of arugula to fill the wrap. It will look like a mess at this point. But you're almost done.

Add a dab of sour cream to the edge of the wrap that is away from you and gently lift the edge close to you over the filling. Pull it in and roll. Have the wrap sit on the closed edge to secure it. To slice and serve, I suggest using a serrated knife to cut the end of the wrap. I find this much easier than stick the end in when rolling. Then, slice the sandwich in half, on a bias, if you'd like for a more attractive presentation.


Feel free to add some of your favorite wrap fillings below or ask questions or request recipe or menu ideas that you'd like to see.



2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am reading this article second time today, you have to be more careful with content leakers. If I will fount it again I will send you a link

Anonymous said...

I read about it some days ago in another blog and the main things that you mention here are very similar