For a lack of a better name, this was the only title I could come up with for this hearty wrap.  So if anyone out there has a better name, let me know and we can revise.

I made this wrap a few months back.  It was sort of an impromptu thing.  I had picked up yet another brand of faux chicken strips (this time I used Quorn brand…not too bad in my opinion…any thoughts?), had some fresh wraps in the fridge, and a whole lot of random frozen veggies/pantry staples that needed to be used.  That’s the beauty of wraps-pretty much anything can get tossed together, drizzled with a little Ranch dressing (or not, depending on your own preferences), and rolled in burrito-esque form.

I called it Southwestern because of the flavors I used..a little chili powder, some avocado, some lime.  It packed a little heat from the spices, but the addition of lime and a little Ranch cooled it down a bit.  The black beans added in some more protein.  And all the veggies?  Just a little more vitamins/nutrients to sneak in there.  And the best part?  I made enough for about 4 servings, so I had easy re-heatable leftovers throughout the work week.

Anyone out there for a margarita?

Southwestern “Chicken” Wraps

Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 large 10 or 12-inch wraps (I used a whole wheat, but feel free to use spinach, white, etc.)

Olive oil, for cooking (I used about 1/2 a tablespoon)

One 12-ounce bag chicken substitute, thawed

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

Juice of one lime

One 15.5-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed

1 cup spinach, chopped

Three green onions, chopped

1 avocado, thinly sliced

1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Ranch dressing, for drizzle, if desired

Instructions

1. In a sauté pan over medium heat, gently heat the olive oil (enough to thinly coat the bottom) until shimmering.

2. Add the faux chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, 1-2 minutes.

3.  Add the water, breaking up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.

4. Add the black beans, chili powder and cumin, stir to combine, cover the pan and let cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

5. Remove the cover and add the corn, mixing to combine.    Sprinkle the lime juice evenly over the mixture. Continue cooking until heated through, about 5-10 more minutes (most of the water should have evaporated at this point.)

6.  To prepare the wraps: Microwave the wraps for about 10 seconds to warm slightly.

7. Assemble each wrap by placing about 1/4 cup of the chicken/bean mixture, 1/4 cup spinach, 1/4 cup cheese.  Garnish each with green onion, avocado, and a drizzle of Ranch dressing.  Roll each wrap tightly and serve immediately.

Source:  A Curvy Carrot original.

Growing up, I have to say that both my mom and dad were expert scrambled egg-makers.  In fact, scrambled eggs were probably one of the first things that I learned how to make as a child.  Everyday growing up, my mom would make us scrambled eggs with hot chocolate for breakfast (unless we begged and pleaded for a rare Pop-Tart or Cap’n Crunch cereal…..).  They introduced us to endless variations, but my dad’s special cream cheese eggs were my favorite.  Any kind of egg dish with cheese is pretty good, in my opinion.

In an effort to use up the last bit of chives from this post, I decided to make myself some creamy, cheesy and chive-y scrambled eggs for breakfast one morning.  No rubbery icky chunks of overcooked egg.  I like mine a little soft but completely cooked through, so you can adjust your cooking time according to your own personal preferences.  But, in my opinion, the secret to creamy scrambled eggs is the constant stirring during the cooking time-it definitely makes for a nice and light texture.

Cheese and Chive Scrambled Eggs

Servings: 2

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

6 large eggs

1 tablespoon heavy cream

1/2 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded

1/4 cup chives, chopped

Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. In frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter.

2. In a small bowl or 2-cup measuring cup, whisk together the eggs and heavy cream.

3. Pour the egg/cream mixture into the frying pan, and, using a spatula, lightly stir the mixture together.

4. Add the cheese, and, stirring constantly, cook the eggs until the cheese is completely melted and the whites are cooked through, about 2-3 minutes.

5. Add the chives and cook for another 10-15 seconds, stirring constantly.

6. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Source:  A Curvy Carrot original.

Discovering this recipe was a little like a Hallejuhah!  I had been craving tacos recently, but I didn’t want to buy the “fake” ground beef for it. And I didn’t want to do a simple bean taco, either.  When I initially saw this recipe, I was actually quite intrigued because the idea behind it is pretty awesome.  Take some canned black beans (ok, healthy enough).  Add some rolled oats (um, ok.  Extra fiber).  Add a little cornmeal for consistency (got it.)  And then add a whole bunch of spices, mash it all together, and then BAKE it.  Bake it so that it is crumbly, filling, and devoid of icky grease.  And believe me, it has enough flavor to it so that if you didn’t want to add your own concoction of spices, it would still taste great (unlike some of those soy ground beef substitutes I have tried).

I tried the suggested red pepper and corn salsa to go with the tacos, but I added in some fresh tomatoes and extra flavors.  And, to keep it low-fat, don’t feel like you have to fry the corn tortillas, either.  I sprayed a little cooking spray on mine, lightly toasted them in a frying pan, and then sprinkled a little flaky sea salt on top before assembling the tacos.  And, for leftovers, I made nachos with the bean mixture. Fantastic!  I also topped my tacos with Monterey Jack cheese, but you don’t need the cheese if you are looking to make this a vegan recipe.

Is it Cinco de Mayo yet?

Black Bean Tacos with Red Pepper and Corn Salsa

Servings: 4

For the tacos:

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup cornmeal

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided

8 corn tortillas (I used 6-inch)

For the salsa:

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 jalepeno, seeded and chopped

1 medium tomato, chopped

3 scallions, chopped

Lime juice from two limes

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

For the tacos:  cheese, sour cream, etc.

Instructions

1. For the tacos:  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Generously spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside.

3. Using your food processor, combine the garlic, beans, oats, cornmeal, chili powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and process for about 1 minute, or until well-mixed.

4.  Crumble the bean mixture evenly over the baking sheet and lightly spray with cooking spray.

5. Bake for about 10-15 minutes.

6. After 10-15 minutes, lightly toss the beans to break up the crumbles more with a spatula.

7. Lightly spray the beans again with cooking spray and bake for another 10-15 minutes.

8. For the salsa:  Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well.  Cover until ready to use.

9.  For the tacos: Warm or lightly toast the tortillas as desired.  Fill each taco with a generous serving of the bean crumbles, followed by cheese (if using), and top with salsa.  Serve immediately.

Source:  Adapted from SELF magazine via Epicurious.

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