A highly nutritious and delicious take on the classic pita bread /gyros concept. The quinoa is amazing when cooked in this manner, both in texture and flavour. Crispy, smoky, and wonderfully complemented by the cool tzatziki and veggies.
The chips are firstly steamed in a pressure cooker, or boiled, then broiled with the thyme and spices to create that rustic crispness. Delicious!
Smoky Red Quinoa Wraps With Veggies, Vegan Tzatziki & Chunky Chips
Makes 10 wraps
Ingredients:
For the quinoa:
2 cups red quinoa, rinsed
3 cups of veggie stock
1tsp smoked paprika
1tsp onion powder
1tsp ground coriander
A pinch of cumin
A few sprays of coconut oil
A pinch of salt
For the chips:
3-4 large white potatoes, scrubbed & cut into thick strips
A few sprays of coconut oil
1tsp sweet paprika
1tsp onion powder
1tbsp fresh thyme leaves
Salt
For the vegan tzatziki
400g plant based yogurt, plain & unsweetened
1 small cucumber, roughly grated
1tsp fresh dill, finely chopped
1tsp fresh chives, finely chopped
1-2 garlic cloves minced, or 2tsp garlic paste
1/2tsp salt
To put together:
10 wholemeal pita breads
Some dried oregano
Fresh lettuce leaves, finely chopped
Tomato slices
Extra chopped chives
Salt & pepper to taste
🌯 To prepare the quinoa, first rinse it well, until the water runs clear. Preheat the oven to 190C. Place the quinoa in a pressure cooker or a pan on the hob and add 3 cups of veggie stock. Cook until the water is absorbed (or for 1 minute in the pressure cooker). Remove from the heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. Spread on a lined baking tray and cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring half way.
🌯 For the chips, preheat the grill. Steam the chips in the pressure cooker, or boil them in salted water for 10-15 minutes. Dry them on a tea towel, then spread them on a lined baking tray. Sprinkle the spices over them and spray them with the coconut oil. Broil them for 5 minutes, turning them half way. Watch them closely so they don’t burn.
🌯 For the vegan tzatziki, first place the cucumber in a tea towel or cheesecloth and squeeze all the liquid out. In a bowl, mix all ingredients together.
🌯 To prepare the pita breads, sprinkle them with a little salt and oregano, then lightly spray them with olive oil. Warm them up in a toaster, or a pan until they become soft and pliable, or to your liking.
🌯 To serve, place each pita bread on a piece of baking paper, then add some tzatziki, some lettuce, some tomato slices, some quinoa and sprinkle some chives over the top. Wrap the pita and fillings in the paper and tie with some string. Serve with the chunky chips.
Enjoy!
Red quinoa, as all quinoa varieties, is a very highly nutritious “grain”, with the highest and complete protein content of all grains. It also contains considerable amounts of manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, folate, copper and B-vitamins.
Soy yogurt is packed with friendly bacteria which promote a healthy gut and regulate digestive health, it is low in saturated fat and a wonderful source of calcium and some protein. Coconut yogurt is nutritionally very similar.
