Veggie Wrap

A veggie wrap, rolled with hummus, sliced cheese, and crisp vegetables, makes a satisfying lunch, whether you’re at home or on the go. Be sure to try all the variations or freestyle your own vegetarian wrap.

At a glance

What stands out: Veggie wraps are reliable for on-the-go lunches, picnics, a simple lunch at home, or a light dinner.

How long it takes: 10 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: sharp knife
Servings: 1 (or as many as you want)

Sometimes lunch is our least favorite meal of the day. Often we're rushing around and making lunch seems like so much of a chore.

When our kids were younger, after returning home from errands, play dates, or outings, we’d all be tired, hungry, and maybe even cranky. Waiting a half hour for lunch to be ready was too long, and it’s still true today even though our kids are older.

The last thing we want to do is spend a lot of time making lunch. No, we guess that’s not the last thing we want to do, but it’s up there.

So we're always trying to find ways to mix up lunch a little. We like to try something new, try to keep things interesting, but still lighter.

You might be thinking, “Yeah, Rach, straightforward for you to say, you’re at home for lunch. We're stuck in our cubicle at work.”

That doesn’t have to mean PB&J every day! There are tons of lighter and creative options that will keep you looking forward to lunch. A good example is this veggie wrap: it’s lighter and satisfying, and you can have it ready to eat in less than 10 minutes.

About This Recipe

We almost hesitate to call this a recipe. It’s more an idea or suggestion. A veggie wrap can be all sorts of things, depending on what you like or what you happen to have in your refrigerator.

Actually, it doesn’t even have to be a veggie wrap. You can add sliced deli meat to it if you want. Take a look at the recipe links below for lots more wrap ideas.

To reiterate, this vegetarian wrap is simple to make, incredibly versatile, and loaded with lots of fresh, lighter ingredients.

Get creative with it. We'll give you lots of suggestions but we're sure you’ll be thinking of your own, too.

What You’ll Need

• Wrap: This can be as simple as a flour tortilla. We love whole wheat tortillas. You can also buy spinach or tomato wraps, or low carb wraps. There are all sorts of choices out there. For a no-carb wrap, substitute a sturdy lettuce leaf or one of the carb-free wraps on the market such as an egg white wrap.
• Spread: A spread not only helps glue everything together, it adds protein and flavor. Choose from hummus, bean spreads (try this rich black bean spread.), flavored cream cheese, edamame dip, or guacamole.
• Sliced Cheese: There are so many options, from provolone to sharp cheddar to pepper Jack. If you prefer, try crumbled cheese, such as feta, blue cheese, or gorgonzola.
• Veggies: Crisp thinly sliced veggies round out the wrap. Choose from radishes, cucumbers, bell peppers, celery, and so on. Chopped tomatoes are great, too. Try olives or capers for a savory touch. Roll in sprouts, roasted peppers, or pickled red onions.
• Spinach: Of course, spinach isn’t the only choice, either. Any tender leafy green will work.

How it comes together

Once you’ve decided what you want to include in your wrap, it’s time to get rolling.

Prep the vegetables first. Wash and dry them thoroughly. You don’t want a watery wrap. It’s best if the veggies are thinly sliced, julienned, or shredded. If they are sliced too thick and chunky, it can be difficult to roll the wrap and they tend to fall out more easily.

Put the wrap on a counter or cutting board. Thinly spread the hummus on the wrap. Don’t go all the way to the edge; leave about a half-inch border so the spread doesn’t ooze out on your fingers when you eat it.

Now for the filling. Layer on the sliced cheese, and then the veggies you’ve chosen. Finish with spinach leaves. Don’t be tempted to pile the fillings too high. We always get carried away and then find that it’s impossible to roll up the wrap.

To roll up the wrap, make a small fold on the bottom side to hold in the fillings. That part is optional but it does help. Then roll the wrap from one side to the other. Secure it with a toothpick or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap if you’re eating it on the go.

Enjoy! Make lunch an event, the way it should be. You’ll be so happy you did when that 3 P.M. slump hits. We guarantee if you have a lunch like this, you’ll be feeling a lot better than if you hit up some fast food joint on your way home. Just sayin’.

Make It Your Own

• For a panini-style wrap, heat a skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add a dab of butter or olive oil. Brown the wrap lightly on all sides. Serve immediately.
• For a low-carb option, wrap everything up in a large lettuce or collard leaf.
• Add a dressing, dip, or balsamic reduction.
• Try one of the wrap recipes listed below.

Keeping leftovers

The veggie wrap is best served immediately or the day you prepare it. If you want to prep veggie wraps for lunchboxes, wrap them up tightly with plastic wrap. They’ll keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator.

For best results if you want to make wraps ahead, avoid watery vegetables like tomatoes, or runny dressings. We find that cream cheese spreads or bean spreads hold up better than hummus or guacamole.

• Yield: 1 serving
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Total: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 (2-ounce) wrap
• 2 tablespoons hummus, spreadable cream cheese, or guacamole
• 2 thin slices cheese (about 2 ounces)
• 1 small carrot, julienned or sliced thin (about ¼ cup)
• 1 small salad cucumber julienned or sliced thin (about ¼ cup)
• 1 radish, julienned or sliced thin (about 2 tablespoons)
• ¼ cup loosely packed baby spinach

Method

1. Spread hummus (or spread of choice) evenly over one side of the wrap, leaving about a ½-inch border around the edge.
2. About ¾ of the way to the end, arrange the cheese slices. Layer carrot, cucumber and radish, and then finish with the spinach.
3. Roll wrap up tightly and secure with string or a toothpick. Best enjoyed immediately or the same day.

Notes

Nutrition information is calculated using 2 tablespoons hummus.

Have fun customizing this wrap with your favorite flavors of flat bread, hummus and sliced cheese.

Instead of hummus, try guacamole, flavored spreadable cream cheese, or black bean spread.

Try different vegetables: red peppers, sprouts, pickled red onions or pickled radishes.

Spinach wrap, vegetable cream cheese, provolone cheese, vegetables of choice

Tomato wrap, balsamic glaze, mozzarella cheese, vegetables of choice (we recommend tomatoes, red onions, basil)

Multigrain wrap, guacamole, black beans, pepper jack cheese, vegetables of choice, pickled red onions