A Happy Thanksgiving (and a Recipe) for my Southern Friends!

Image: Minimalist Baker To all of you who live below the border (from Canada, that is) - happy Thanksgiving weekend! May your days be filled with family, cozy fires, tasty eats, and football (not my personal cup of tea, but I've heard it's a big thing down there!).

Canadian Thanksgiving seems like a distant dream, now (we celebrate at the beginning of October), but that doesn't mean the desire for everything above is gone.

Especially the comfort food - with the grey days on the west coast and the prevalence of SAD, I see a ton of patients who have a really hard time eating clean & healthy at this time of year.

The solution? The most comfortable comfort food, with a healthy spin!

I'm a big fan of the Minimalist Baker - she creates recipes that are simple (most are 8 ingredients or less) but nutritionally on point.

This recipe of hers for a vegan Thanksgiving wrap is so innovative - and soooo tasty - it's the perfect gift for my American and Canadian friends, alike.

No matter where you are, be sure to tap into some of that sweet, sweet gratitude this weekend - starting with being grateful for healthy comfort food like this!

 

Vegan Thanksgiving Wraps by the Minimalist Baker

Ingredients

SWEET POTATOES

  • 2 large sweet potatoes (~300 g | organic when possible)
  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) grape seed oil
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • optional: pinch cayenne pepper

CHICKPEAS

  • 1 15-ounce (425 g) can chickpeas, rinsed, drained and thoroughly dried in a towel
  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) grape seed oil
  • 1 tsp fresh or dried thyme
  • Pinch ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • scant 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • optional: Healthy pinch each ground coriander + cardamom

GARLIC HERB SAUCE

  • 1/4 cup (60 g) hummus
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 3/4 - 1 tsp dried dill (or sub 2-3 tsp fresh)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Water or unsweetened almond milk to thin
  • optional: Sea salt to taste

FOR SERVING

  • 4 flatbreads, tortillas, or your favourite gluten-free wrap
  • Toasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
  • Dried cranberries, chopped
  • Fresh arugula or parsley

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Thoroughly wash and dry sweet potatoes, then slice (skin on) into bite-sized rounds/pieces.

Add to a mixing bowl with grape seed oil, thyme, cinnamon, sea salt and cayenne (optional). Toss to coat, then arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.

To the same mixing bowl, add rinsed, dried chickpeas, and grape seed oil, thyme, cinnamon, cumin, paprika, sea salt, and coriander + cardamom (optional).

Toss to coat, then arrange on baking sheet with sweet potatoes where space permits. (Depending on size of baking sheet, you may need to use a second to accommodate all potatoes and chickpeas).

Bake for a total of 25 minutes, flipping/stirring once at the 15-minute mark to ensure even cooking. You'll know they're done when the potatoes are fork tender, and the chickpeas are golden brown, dehydrated, and slightly crispy. Remove from oven and set aside.

In the meantime, prepare toppings and dressing (if using).

Once potatoes and chickpeas are finished baking, wrap wraps in a damp towel and warm in the still warm oven for 1-2 minutes (or in the microwave for 30 seconds) to soften and make more pliable.

To assemble, top each wrap with a portion of sweet potatoes and chickpeas. Add desired toppings, such as dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, arugula, and garlic herb sauce.

Blog, Mental Health, Nutrition, Recipes, Stress ManagementDoctor Marita