Tofu Wraps

So I got a bit of interesting news from my naturopath doctor this last week....Apparently my inability to feel better even when I eat well is being caused by a parasite and having too much H. Pylori bacteria in my body. Kinda crazy, but I'm so relieved to have finally figured out what was wrong with me! I'm on a bunch of supplements and it should clear up in a couple months I guess. Thank goodness for that.

The other thing we discovered is that I may be producing too much cortisol due to stress which has caused me to gain a little bit of weight. I think a lot of the stress stemmed from feeling crappy all the time and not knowing why, but I've always been a little bit high strung/anxiety prone so I'm sure that doesn't help either. As of now, my doctor has me on a blood sugar control diet, which basically means I need to get as much protein at each meal as possible. My veggies and beans are chock full of protein but I may not have been eating enough of them to get the proper amount.

I made this delicious wrap last night that features tofu and hummus as the main protein sources. My taste buds were seriously in love so I obviously had to share it with you!

Tofu Wraps

1 gluten-free tortilla of your choice (I like Food for Life brown rice wraps, make sure you microwave them for about 30 seconds though!)
1/2 c. seasoned tofu, this can be from your own recipe, I prefer either Whole Foods sesame tofu from the deli section or Papa G's sesame tofu
2 tbsp. King Harvest hummus
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1 c. spinach
1/4 avocado

After heating up the tortilla, spread the hummus in the middle and start piling on the other ingredients. Wrap up like a burrito and eat! Yummmm!

Nori Rolls

I have a new obsession. Nori. A sea vegetable most commonly known for its roll in sushi (no pun intended), Nori is about 1/3 protein and 1/3 dietary fiber and is an excellent source of calcium, iron, iodine, carotene, B vitamins and vitamins A and C, making it a staple in whole food vegan cuisine. They have a slightly salty flavor that my palate associates with sushi, so the addition of it to dishes makes basically anything taste like sushi!

I'll use it on salad, but my favorite way to use it is to make Nori Wraps. I'm posting a basic recipe here, but know that almost ANYTHING wrapped in Nori is delicious; feel free to create your own delicious rolls with whatever tickles your pickle!

Nori can be purchased at most health food stores. Whole Foods has a whole section dedicated to sea vegetables. You may also be able to find it in Japanese markets.

Vitortarian Nori Rolls

2 sheets nori
1 avocado, halved and sliced
1 carrot, cut into sticks
2 leaves dinosaur kale
1/2 c. cooked brown rice
2 leaves basil
1 tbsp. wheat-free tamari

Place the two sheets of nori on a flat surface. Put half of each of the ingredients on each sheet, rice down first. Roll up like a burrito, dip in tamari, and voila, you have a delicious, nutritious meal in a matter of minutes!

Just FYI, I'll be dining at Abby's Table tonight for her Wednesday night family style dinner she holds at her kitchen in SE Portland. I've helped cook for the dinner but never actually had the full experience! I'll be dining as a Vegan tonight so hopefully I'll get some great new ideas for the blog! Either way, you should definitely check out Abby's Table! She caters, is a private chef, and does reservation-only dinners every Wednesday, and everything is gluten, dairy and soy free. She's a killer chef, not to mention a fascinating person! Check her out and make reservations online at http://www.abbys-table.com/.