Apple-Quinoa Salad Cabbage Wraps
Not just for slaw, red cabbage gives wraps visual appeal and crunchy texture, and ups their health ante. However, you could also use green or savoy cabbage. Toasting quinoa first imbues the grain with a tantalizing nutty flavour, while goat cheese adds tang and creamy texture to these wraps. They can be assembled ahead of time and brought along to the office for a nutritious way to break out of the lunchtime sandwich blues.
1 cup (250 mL) organic quinoa, preferably red or black
2 cups (500 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth
1 large apple, diced
1/3 cup (80 mL) roughly chopped almonds or walnuts
1/3 cup (80 mL) chopped parsley
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil or camelina oil
2 Tbsp (30 mL) cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) black pepper
1 head red cabbage
5 oz (140 g) soft goat cheese, crumbled
Heat heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat. Add quinoa and toast until fragrant and beginning to pop, about 4 minutes, shaking the pan often to prevent burning. Add broth to pan, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covered until quinoa is tender and water has absorbed, about 12 minutes. Set aside to cool and then fluff with fork.
Toss together quinoa, apple, almonds or walnuts, parsley, and green onion. In small bowl, whisk together oil, cider vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Bring large pot of water to a boil. Place cabbage head in water and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, turning often. This will help soften leaves and make them easier to separate. Carefully, remove cabbage head from water using tongs and slice off tough bottom end. Remove 10 leaves, being careful not to tear them. Some outer leaves may have ripped during boiling, so will need to be discarded. Return cabbage to pot of boiling water if needed after stripping a few leaves to soften inner leaves further. Reserve remaining cabbage for other uses.
Place some goat cheese and quinoa mixture down centre of a cabbage leaf. Fold pliable top of leaf (opposite the core end) over part of quinoa mixture and then fold over each side of leaf. Turn over wrap so that seams are on bottom. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Makes 10 wraps.
Each wrap contains: 121 calories; 5 g protein; 6 g total fat (2 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 13 g total carbohydrates (3 g sugars, 2 g fibre); 107 mg sodium
source: "Wrap & Roll", alive #377, March 2014
Apple-Quinoa Salad Cabbage Wraps
Directions
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD
Matthew Kadey is a dietitian, nutrition writer, and recipe developer. He is also the author of Rocket Fuel (VeloPress, 2016) and Muffin Tin Chef (Ulysses Press, 2012).
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
Salmon Tacos with Red Cabbage and Orange Slaw with Lime Yogurt
These mildly spiced salmon tacos served with sweet and spicy pumpkin seeds will bring a party together. Make a small quantity of salmon go further when you pair it with a fresh red cabbage slaw featuring citrus and cilantro. Drizzled with some bright lime yogurt, the flavours come together perfectly. Sustainability status Wild salmon from the Pacific Northwest and Alaska are considered among the most sustainable, as the fishery is subject to limited harvests. With salmon stocks in decline, supporting managed fisheries such as these can help maintain populations into the future. That may also mean eating salmon less often than we do now. Salmon is a favourite Salmon is the most popular variety of fish in Canada and the second most popular in the US.
Mussels with Tomato, Saffron, and Fennel
B12-rich mussels are a very good and economical source of protein and iron. Steamed mussels are a classic way to enjoy seafood—and so is this rich, aromatic broth of tomato, fennel, and saffron. Be sure to allow saffron to fully infuse to get the full flavour benefit, and finish off the dish with the fragrant fennel fronds. Sustainability status Farmed mussels are considered highly sustainable due to their low impacts on the environment. They are easy to harvest, require no fertilizer or fresh water, and don’t need to be fed externally, as they get all their nutritional requirements from their marine environment. Mussel prep Selection: Look for mussels with shiny, tightly closed shells that smell of the sea. If shells are slightly open, give them a tap. Live mussels will close immediately. Storage: Keep mussels in the fridge in a shallow pan laid on top of ice. Keep them out of water and cover with a damp cloth. Ideally, consume on the day you buy them, but within two days. They need to breathe, so never keep them in a sealed plastic bag. Cleanup: In addition to being sustainable, farmed mussels tend to require less cleaning than wild mussels. Most of the fibrous “beards” that mussels use to grip solid surfaces will have been removed before sale. But if a few remain, they’re easily dispatched: grasp the beard with your thumb and forefinger and pull it toward the hinge of the mussel and give it a tug. Afterward, give mussels a quick rinse and scrub away any areas of mud or seaweed, which, with farmed mussels, will require minimal work.
Open-Faced Shrimp Sandwich with Celery, Radish, and Sunflower Shoots
The delicate flavour of shrimp is highlighted with just a touch of lemon and a hint of mustard, while radish and celery give some fresh crunch to this dish. Eat it in lettuce cups, on top of greens, or served on whole grain bread for a filling snack. Sustainability status Both wild and farmed shrimp can be sustainable depending on where they’re caught and how they’re raised. See our article “Sea Change” for more information about choosing ethical shrimp.
Steamed Pacific Halibut Packets with Kale, Grape Tomatoes, and Garlic Lemon Chili Oil
Steaming fish in parchment-paper packets, also known as cooking en papillote , is a classic technique that allows you to cook all your vegetables and fish at the same time in a quick, easy, and convenient way. Flavours of lemon, garlic, and spicy dried chili make this a simple, yet showstopping meal. Sustainability status Wild-caught Pacific halibut has Ocean Wise and Marine Stewardship Council certifications and is fished using longlines, which is a more selective method of fishing that results in less bycatch. Prep party Involve family or guests in the prep and have everyone make their own packet. Once you’ve mastered the technique, it’s easy to change up the ingredients. Make sure you select vegetables that will cook at the same rate as the fish.