Chickpea Quinoa Vegetable Wraps

Vegetable and bean wraps are sometimes the perfect solution for a summer meal. Cool and refreshing, wraps involve raising very little heat in the kitchen — an optimal result when the temperatures are soaring outside. But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy some added heat in the wraps, which I like no matter the time of year.

These wraps make a perfectly balanced protein-packed meal with buttery chickpeas, nourishing quinoa and crunchy vegetables combined with spices in a zesty filling made with a creamy cashew and sriracha sauce. Layers of texture and flavor abound, and serving them with chopped lettuce, pea sprouts and slices of avocado provide a wonderful fresh taste. They don't take long to prepare either, once the chickpeas and quinoa are all cooked up. I made sure not to overcook the vegetables to preserve their freshness and crunchy texture. Soggy wraps are not especially appealing! The thick and creamy cashew sauce provides an extra dose of nutrients, and it complements all of the other flavors to near perfection.

For these wraps, I made fresh homemade tortillas cooked on a non-stick skillet. A superior filling deserves a superior wrap! But do use your favorite wrap — just look for quality and freshness.

Chickpea Quinoa Vegetable Wraps

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on July 27, 2015 Tender chickpeas, nourishing quinoa and crunchy vegetables combined with spices and a creamy cashew-sriracha sauce wrapped in fresh homemade flour tortillas for a nutritious and refreshing light summer meal Preparation: 30 minutes Cooking time: 35 minutes Print this recipe Creamy cashew sauce: 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 2 hours and drained 1 clove garlic, minced 3/4 cup almond or hemp milk 1 tablespoon sriracha or other hot sauce 1/3 cup nutritional yeast juice from 1 lime (2 tablespoons) 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste Filling: 1/2 cup dried chickpeas (1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 14 oz can) 1/2 cup dried quinoa (1 1/2 cups cooked) 1/4 to 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 small red onion, diced 2 teaspoons chili powder 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped 1 plum tomato, finely chopped 1 small carrot, cut into thin strips 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, trimmed and chopped juice from 1 lemon (3 tablespoons) 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste To serve: 6 10- or 12-inch flour tortillas a few handfuls of fresh alfalfa or pea sprouts lettuce leaves, cut into thin strips 2 avocados, sliced Instructions: Rinse the chickpeas and soak in several inches of water for 8 hours or overnight. Separately, rinse the quinoa and soak in 1 cup of water in a medium saucepan for 8 hours or overnight. Soak the cashews in hot water for 2 hours. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and transfer to medium saucepan. Cover with fresh water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until buttery soft. Drain and transfer to a medium bowl and let cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, bring the quinoa and soaking water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and set aside to cool. While the chickpeas and quinoa are cooking, soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain, chop finely, and set aside. Drain the cashews and transfer to a food processor. Combine with the remaining ingredients for the cashew sauce and process until smooth. The sauce should be fairly thick. To make the wrap filling, heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the red onion to the pan and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until the onion begins to soften. Now add the spices and jalapeño and stir for 1 minute until the spices are fragrant. Add the sun-dried tomato and plum tomato to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for another few minutes to thicken. Stir in the carrot and red pepper and simmer for another few minutes — don't overcook. Stir in the chickpeas, quinoa, cashew paste, cilantro, lemon juice and salt. Cook for another few minutes to warm and then remove from the heat. To assemble, spoon some of the mixture onto a tortilla and add chopped lettuce and sprouts. Wrap it up, cut in half, and serve with slices of avocado, additional lettuce or sprouts, and salsa if you like, or enjoy just as is. Makes 6 full or 12 half servings

More wraps to grace your summer tables:
Broccoli, Quinoa and Black Bean Burrito with Cashew Sauce
Pinto Bean and Avocado Burritos
Refried Beans with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

On the top of the reading stack: The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Vegan Recipes To Glow From The Inside Out