Zucchini Chickpea Pancakes

I think I may have mentioned a few weeks ago that I had more zucchini than I knew what to do with.  Well, after trying this recipe, this is where a good portion of this year’s crop has gone.   These pancakes are so tasty, I’ve made them at least five times in the last few weeks. 

Needless to say, my arms have gotten a good workout from shredding so much zucchini!  I should say my right arm.  I’ve noticed that it’s significantly stronger than my left and it finally occurred to me it’s from all the chopping, peeling, and grating of vegetables.  I’ve actually began to switch hands for some things, although, I don’t trust myself with a chef’s knife in my left hand just yet!

As you’ll see below, it’s best to squeeze the liquid from the zucchini to keep the batter on the thicker side.    Don’t throw away the juice, though.  It has a nice taste and is very refreshing.  If you can't imagine drinking it, use it to flavor your water, or add it to a vegetable smoothie.

Zucchini Chickpea Pancakes

2 medium zucchini, washed, dried, and shredded

½ medium Vidalia onion, grated

2 eggs, partially beaten

1T fresh lemon juice

1 c or more chickpea flour

1 t baking powder

1 t salt

½ t ground pepper

¼ t garlic powder

¼ t coriander

½ t cumin

coconut, olive oil, and/or butter

Using your hands, squeeze the liquid from the shredded zucchini and place in a large bowl.  Add the onion, eggs, and lemon juice and mix well.  

Combine the dry ingredients then gently mix into the zucchini mixture. 

Allow the batter to sit for 10 minutes, then drain any excess liquid that accumulates around the edges of the bowl. 

Heat a large skillet on medium then add a bit of oil and butter, if desired.  Spoon ¼ - ½ cup portions of batter into the pan.  Cook until lightly browned on the bottom, then flip and brown the other side and allow the center to cook through.  They will be slightly wet on the inside. 

Allow them to cool slightly before eating.   They’re good with pesto, tahini dressing, and I’ll bet they’d go well with a cool, lemony yogurt dip.  

Zucchini Banana Muffins

This is about the time of the summer when the zucchini are growing so quickly that it’s difficult to keep up with them.  It’s also fun because I can step outside in the early morning to pick fresh vegetables to use immediately in a recipe, like this one for zucchini banana muffins.   They’re gluten-free and I’ve used coconut palm sugar, which has less of a glycemic load than other sugars.  I’ve also made them with maple syrup and with almond flour and they’re terrific either way.   Hope you enjoy!

Zucchini Banana Muffins

1.5 c shredded, unpeeled zucchini

1 med banana, mashed

3 eggs

2 T coconut oil

1/3 c coconut palm sugar

1 t lemon zest

1 ¼ c gluten-free flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour)

¼ c unsweetened shredded coconut

1/8 tsp xanthan gum

1 t baking soda

½ t salt

1 t cinnamon

½ t nutmeg

½ c raisins or chopped nuts (optional)

Combine the first set of ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.  Mix the dry ingredients together and gently fold into the wet ingredients, just until incorporated.  Fold in the nuts or raisins.

Spoon into greased muffin pans (3/4 full) and bake at 350°F for ~20 minutes, or until lightly browned and they spring back when touched.  Let cool for about 10 minutes before removing from the pan.  Store in an airtight container.  

Anti-inflammatory Juice

Lately there’s been a lot of debate over which is better, green juices or green smoothies.  I believe that there is not right answer; it depends on who you are and what you like.  In the past, I would load the blender full with cucumbers, celery, greens and other veggies, but found it to be a little too much fiber for me. 

So I switched to juicing because I could more easily control the amount of pulp that went into the juice and the slow crushing juicer I use does a nice job of extracting as much juice as possible.   If you’re concerned about the waste, you can use the leftover pulp to make veggie burgers and I will be posting a recipe for those soon.

My daughter was here visiting from California recently and we got into the habit of preparing a daily green juice.  I love them more and more as the weather gets warmer because they’re refreshing, energizing, and can help with your body’s cleansing process.   The juice below is one we prepared the most and I like it for its anti-inflammatory ingredients, like ginger, parsley, and tumeric.  Play around with the veggies and fruits or simply use whatever you’ve got because juicing is one of the best ways to get large quantities of vegetables into your diet. 

Anti-inflammatory Juice

2 carrots

1 cucumber

1 tart, green apple

2 stalks of celery

½ a lemon

a handful of fresh parsley  

1 inch piece of ginger

Wash, trim, and peel the vegetables (if not organic) and pass through the juicer.  Pour into a nice glass and sprinkle with tumeric.   Slowly enjoy the healthy decadence.

Some variations: 

•        add in additional greens such as kale, collards, or spinach;
•         include a small beet - this will change the color completely;
•         use a sweeter apple, like a pink lady or Fuji, or a crisp pear;
•        sprinkle with other spices such as paprika, curry powder, or cayenne pepper, or add a drop or two of tobasco sauce

Note:  if you don’t have a juicer, use your blender and strain the mixture through a colander. 

Fruit and Nut Truffles

Lately, whenever I’ve wanted something sweet, I’d whip up a batch of these.  They’re quick to make and just as good with the substitutions in parentheses.  To minimize messy hands, I now shape them into perfect little mounds using a small cookie scoop.  The batter could also be pressed into a small pan, chilled, and cut into small squares. 

I love the combination of orange with the chocolate and fruit but it can easily be left out or swapped for almond or maybe some cinnamon.  Try them as an after school snack for the kids, or as a sweet treat after lunch or dinner.  They also travel well; I took them on a plane trip and they made it wonderfully.

Fruit and Nut Truffles

1 c raisins or dates

1 c walnuts

¼ c chopped good quality dark chocolate (or 2 T cocoa powder)

2 T unsweetened coconut

1 t vanilla

few drops orange extract (or 1 t orange zest)

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor until mixture gets crumbly.  Form teaspoon sized portions into tight balls or pack the mixture into a small cookie scoop to form more uniform mounds.  Chill to set and store in an airtight container in fridge.

Tangy Tahini Sauce

As much as I enjoy using tahini in recipes, it wasn’t until my daughter showed up for a visit last month that it became a daily staple in the kitchen.  I normally use it to make hummus and she’ll use it plain as a condiment.  Below, she created this combination that works as a delicious dipping sauce or dressing for salads, meats and fish, vegetables, wraps, and whatever else you can think of that can use a little zing.   I've used it on a kale salad, on salmon, and on this tempeh, cabbage, and kale dish that's one of my favorite quick meals.  

The recipe below makes about 1.5 cups of sauce and is easily scalable. 

Tahini Dressing or Sauce

1/3 c fresh squeezed lemon juice

½ c tahini

¼ c sesame oil

½ c plus 2 T water

1 t curry powder

2 t cumin

1 t garlic powder

¼ t paprika

¼ t pepper

½ t salt

Whisk all the ingredients together in a glass or ceramic bowl until well blended.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge.  

Recipe Makeover - Shepherd's Pie

One of the simplest and least invasive ways to eat healthier is to upgrade the meals you’re already eating using healthier ingredients.  This way, you can still enjoy the dishes you like as you begin to also explore new foods. 

Growing up, Shepherd’s Pie was a regular on our dinner table.  Truth be told, I didn’t like it.  The original recipe began with cooked ground beef and onions.  Layered on top of that was a can or two of creamed corn, followed by a thick layer of mashed potatoes.  It was baked in the oven until the top got a little crispy and was usually eaten with ketchup. 

Even to this day, I won’t eat this traditional version of Shepherd’s Pie, yet, the other day, I asked my daughter what she wanted to make for dinner and her answer was, you guessed it - ‘The Pie”.  Thankfully, she was all about a recipe makeover too, to make it more palatable for me and we were both on the same wavelength when we came up with the recipe below. 

We preplaced the standard ground beef with organic ground turkey and added chopped celery in with the onions.  For the middle layer, we eliminated the sugary creamed corn and instead combined half of the onions and celery with frozen organic corn and peas as well as fresh, chopped carrots.   My favorite part was the top layer.  We roasted cauliflower and sweet potatoes and combined them for a sweeter yet less dense topping that carries a lower glycemic load than the traditional potatoes.

In the end, we have a cleaner, fresher, and I think, tastier version of one of my family’s favorites that doesn’t need condiments.   Since this dish requires a fair amount of work, my suggestion is to make a large pan and either have it for leftovers throughout the week, or freeze some for later.  Believe it or not, though, this dish did not last long...

Shepherd’s Pie

1 head organic cauliflower, washed and cut into florets

2 large sweet potatoes, washed, peeled, and chopped into 1” pieces

olive or coconut oil

1 lb organic ground turkey

1 large Spanish onion, chopped small

2-3 stalks celery, washed, ends trimmed and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup frozen organic corn (or fresh removed from cob if in season)

1 cup frozen organic peas

2-3 large carrots, washed, peeled, and sliced into quarters lengthwise, then diced

sea salt

pepper

oregano

thyme

Combine the cauliflower florets and sweet potatoes in a bowl.  Drizzle with oil and a dash of salt, stir to coat well, then transfer the mixture in a single layer to a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees F for ~45 min, or until both vegetables are tender.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, brown the turkey in a frying pan, adding herbs such as oregano and thyme if desired.  Transfer the meat to a bowl and sauté the onions, celery and garlic in the pan drippings until tender, adding a small amount of oil if necessary.  

Transfer half of the vegetables to the meat and combine.  Spread the meat into an oiled 13 x 9 baking dish.

To the remaining onions and celery, add the corn, carrots, and peas and a just enough chicken or vegetable broth to steam the vegetables.  Cook covered over medium heat until the carrots are almost cooked through.  Add salt and pepper to taste and layer the mixture on top of the meat. 

While the vegetables are steaming, place the cauliflower and sweet potatoes into a food processor and process until smooth.  Add a bit of broth or milk for a thinner consistency if necessary.   Spread the potato/cauliflower mixture on the meat and vegetables. 

Bake the pie in a 350 degree F oven until heated through, ~30-45 minutes.  Serve with sautéed greens and/or a crisp green salad.

You may also like:  Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Blueberry Quinoa Muffins

Lately, I’ve gotten into the habit of always having some cooked quinoa in the fridge because I’m never more than a few minutes away from a healthy meal.  For example, in the time it took to saute vegetables, I had this nice Confetti Quinoa ready.

In addition, there are so many unexpected ways to use it, like in the salmon burgers I made last night, and in the blueberry quinoa muffins below.  A friend emailed me for a blueberry muffin recipe and since I happened to have quinoa in the fridge, I was able to whip these up in no time.

By using a combination of whole grain spelt and buckwheat flours in this recipe, you’ll be reducing the gluten.  The quinoa will add protein and fiber, making them more filling, and you'll barely know it’s there…


Blueberry Quinoa Muffins

Dry ingredients:

1 ¼ cup whole grain spelt flour

½ cup buckwheat flour

½ c sugar like sucanat or turbinado sugar

1 ½ t baking powder

1 t  sea or Himalayan salt

1 t cinnamon

½ t cardamom

Wet ingredients:

¼ c coconut oil or butter, melted

1 large egg

1 c unsweetened almond milk

1 t vanilla

2 c cooked quinoa, cooled

1 c fresh blueberries

½  c chopped walnuts, optional

1.  Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix with a wire whisk. 

2.  In a separate larger bowl, combine the wet ingredients and mix well. 

3.  Gently fold in the dry ingredients and mix just until they are incorporated.  Fold in the blueberries and walnuts.

4.  Fill lightly greased muffin tins ¾ full with batter.  Bake at 350°F for ~20 min, or until cooked through.   Let cool slightly before removing from the pan. 

Confetti Quinoa

Having color on your plate is more than visually appealing.   It’s one of the easiest ways to ensure that you’re getting a variety of phytonutrients from your food, provided that the color is found naturally in fruits and vegetables.   In this article, I explain the benefits of phytonutrients and break it down by color.   And in this recipe, I’ve combined several colorful and flavorful vegetables with quinoa for a healthy lunch or side dish for dinner.

Confetti Quinoa

To make this simple, colorful dish, begin by sautéing chopped vegetables, like the ones below, then add cooked quinoa and spices. 

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 small red pepper, chopped

1 small sweet potato or yam, diced

1 medium zucchini, chopped or shredded

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 handful kale, chopped

sea salt

ground pepper

curry powder

tumeric (optional)

Begin by heating a pan and adding one teaspoon of oil.  Sautee the onion and red pepper until the onion is translucent, then add the sweet potato and one tablespoon of water and cover for a few minutes to let the sweet potato soften.  Add the zucchini, garlic, and kale and cover briefly again until the kale wilts.  Add cooked quinoa and spices or seasonings and mix well.  Can be served warm or as a cold salad.

Free Teleclass - Diet is Not a Four Letter Word

 

Does this sound like you or someone you may know?

Have you tried every diet out there, only to feel unsatisfied, deprived and a failure for either quitting almost before it began or losing weight, only to gain it back?

Are you tired of dieting and being a slave to food?

Do you want to enjoy eating without worry or obsession?

Do you want to understand how to lose weight while feeling energetic, fulfilled, and happy?

Would you like to understand how to manage your weight the right way and never have to diet again?
 

Then you’ll want to hear this!

On Monday, January 23^rd at 7 pm, I’m hosting a free teleseminar entitled: 

“Diet is Not a Four Letter Word; Seven misconceptions about diets and why they don’t work.” 

This high content call will identify the common beliefs held by many of us surrounding diets, how they may be holding you back and what you can do to eliminate diets from your life for good.
 

I’d like to sign up for the call!

If you have a friend that would be interested in the call, please let them know about it too!

Can’t make the call on January 23^rd?  No problem!  If you sign up anyway, you’ll receive the link to listen to the call at your convenience.
 

So sign up today!

We’d love for you to be there,



Linda DiBella, Ph.D., is a nutrition and lifestyle mentor and a First Line Therapy Practitioner with a background in Biomedical Sciences who helps clients gradually change their diet and lifestyle habits so they can lose weight, eliminate their dependency on stimulants, have more energy, and improve their moods. She works with clients in person, over the phone, or Skype. For more information, visit her website at http://www.getreal4health.com or email her at getreal4health@gmail.com.

Image courtesy of isolated images

Purple (and Green) Smoothie

The holidays are not quite over yet, but maybe you wish they were so that you could get back to eating normally.  Thankfully, there’s a week between Christmas and New Year’s where we can slow down with the food, and if you’re on vacation, where you can slow down with the body.  Often, if I want to take a break from food, I’ll turn to one of the smoothies below.  Maybe I shouldn’t refer to it as something other than food though.  There’s plenty in there to keep your blood sugar from plummeting after a couple of hours and heading to the leftovers. 

You can play around with the amounts and try different spices.  I love the warmth of cardamom this time of year and sometimes I’ll add ginger too.  Even a pumpkin pie spice would work well.  It tastes more like a treat that way! 

Happy holidays!

Purple (and Green) Smoothie

1 c water or almond milk

½ c frozen blueberries

½ frozen banana, cut into chunks

1 T chia or hemp seeds, or

1 scoop protein powder, or

½ cup plain Greek yogurt

¼ avocado

handful of greens (baby lettuces, spinach, or kale)

sprinkle of spices (cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, etc.)

1 t real maple syrup or honey (optional)

Combine the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  For a thinner drink, add more water or milk.

Quick, Whole-grain Cereal

If you're trying to get away from the boxed cereals that are often loaded with sugar and artificial or genetically modified ingredients here is a great alternative that is easy to make and store.  It's a source of whole grains, proteins and healthy fats and is sweetened with natural ingredients.  You can also play with seasonings to change the flavor.  I made a quick bowl this morning and it was perfectly satisfying.  

Easy Homemade Muesli

3-4 c rolled oats, uncooked
1 c mixed unsalted nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, etc.)
1 c raw, unsalted seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, hemp, sesame, chia)
1/2 - 1 c dried fruit (raisins, currants, dried cherries, chopped apricots, etc.)
cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves (to taste, optional)


Combine all the ingredients in an airtight container.  Serve with plain yogurt or almond milk.  For more sweetness,  add a bit of honey or real maple syrup.




Image courtesy of Michelle Meiklejohn

The Health Food You May Not be Eating

I’m a huge fan of meals in a bowl.  They can be soups, stews, hearty grain dishes, or even salads.  In fact, more and more, I prepare my salads chopped–meaning that the ingredients are cut small and tossed together to make more of a slaw than a chunky salad.  Which is one reason I also like the vegetable grater for veggies like carrots, beets, and zucchini.  Tonight, I took the grater to another vegetable, the daikon radish.  Shown above, it’s much larger than the typical round, red radish.  I’ve seen them over a foot long.  This one was not so big. 

Why eat daikon versus red radishes? I actually prefer them to red radishes because they have less of a bite.  The taste is similar, just less intense. And to me, this is one vegetable where looks can be deceiving because rather than a vibrant red or orange or green color, they’re white and I always associate bright colors with beneficial nutrients.  Yet for few calories, they’re loaded with vitamin C, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and lots of fiber.   And shredding really brings out the water in them, so they’re juicy and a little crunchy at the same time. 

Just wash, peel, and shred with the large grater.  Tonight, I ate them alone as a side dish with some greens and pumpkin soup.  But they’re great in a salad too and I like to cut them into sticks for dipping into hummus or guacamole.  If you normally shy away from radishes, I encourage you to try daikon.   It’s a simple healthy food you don’t want to miss out on…

Pumpkin Mousse Parfaits

Why is it good this time of the year to have roasted pumpkin or squash ready to go in the fridge at a moment’s notice?   Because it can be used in so many tasty ways.  It can be added to a smoothie, it can be used to make a quick blended soup, it can be warmed up as a side dish and it can even be used to make dessert. 

A few days ago, I was about to try this easy and great sounding cookie recipe and instead, I used similar ingredients to make a pumpkin mousse parfait.  What was so wonderful about this recipe besides the flavor?  It took minutes to make–because I had roasted butternut squash in the fridge, and because it didn’t require cream to be whipped.

If you love the flavor of pumpkin pie, then you’ll love this easy, creamy, decadent, pumpkin mousse.  It’s actually a squash mousse, but that doesn’t sound so good : )  And besides, this can easily be made with fresh or canned pumpkin and I will try it some day.   I will also make the original cookie recipe, because if I like the taste of this mousse, I’m sure I’ll like the taste of the cookies.

Warning…I wrote about the fact that nut butters, like almond butter are calorie dense and should be eaten in moderation.  This recipe uses an all-natural nut butter as well, so this mousse would compare to a traditional whole-cream-based mousse with regard to calories.  It’s meant to be eaten slowly and deliberately so that you can enjoy every bite. 

Pumpkin Mousse

1 c roasted squash or pumpkin

½ c all natural nut butter (peanut, almond, cashew, etc.)

¼ c  plus 2 T maple syrup

2 t cinnamon

1 t nutmeg, cardamom

½ t ginger

¼ t cloves

1 t sea salt

plain Greek yogurt

Add the first eight ingredients (minus the 2T maple syrup) to a food processor and process until smooth and well blended.   Mix the remaining maple syrup, or enough to taste, into the yogurt to cut the tangy-ness. 

Into serving glasses or bowls, add a layer of mousse then a layer of yogurt then a second layer of mousse.  Top the desert with a dollop of yogurt.  Add raisins or chocolate nibs or shavings if desired.   Serve immediately.

Rutabaga, Cabbage, and Leek Soup

This was a simple soup I made the other day that was inspired by a recipe that a friend made the last time I visited.  Hers was also a combination of cruciferous and root vegetables–made with only a few ingredients.  You would never know by the taste though and I wanted to achieve a similar intensity of flavor.   I think it came pretty close.  I like to use nutmeg a lot this time of year, too, so I also added it for a different flavor.

Rutabaga, Cabbage, and Leek Soup

Grapeseed oil

1 large leek, washed, dried, and sliced cross-wise into thin slices

½ medium head savoy cabbage, chopped into small pieces

½ large rutabaga, peeled and cut into small chunks

1 t nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

Wash and dry the leek then remove the bottom and slice crosswise into thin slices.  Heat a Dutch oven to medium then add one tablespoon oil and the leeks.  Saute until then get tender and start to caramelize.   Deglaze the pan with 2 tablespoons of water.

While the leek is cooking, heat a medium saucepan to medium and add 1 teaspoon oil.  Saute the cabbage until it’s wilted and tender.  Add the leaks and rutabaga chunks to the pan and add enough boiling water to bring it about 1 inch from the top of the vegetables.

Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the rutabagas are soft.    Add 1 t nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.

Working in small batches, blend the soup in a blender or use an immersion blender.  Return it to the pot and check the seasonings.   Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with additional nutmeg if desired. 

Apple Zucchini Muffins

What to do when you’ve got a giant zucchini in the fridge?  Well, two of my favorite things to make with zucchini are quick bread and quiche.  Both require the zucchini to be shredded, which is a great workout for the arms–but it goes surprisingly quickly.  In fact, I still have some shredded zucchini leftover from the recipe below, which may indeed be added to a quiche tomorrow. 

This recipe combines both zucchini and apples, since they are in season, with gluten-free flours.  I like to play around with different combinations of gluten-free flours to taste the differences.  I’ve also added lemon rind and plain yogurt, but you could probably substitute apple sauce for the dairy.   In addition, I left these on the less-than-sweet side.  I would rather have the option of spreading on some pumpkin butter, or preserves, or eat them plain with the slight sweetness of the apples. 

Apple Zucchini Muffins

1 c buckwheat flour

1 c gluten-free flour (Bob’s Red Mill)

1.5 t baking soda

¼ t xanthan gum

½ t salt

1 t cinnamon

½ t nutmeg

1/3 c sugar (I used organic, raw sugar)

¼ c grapeseed oil

1 egg and one egg white

1 t vanilla

¼ cup plain yogurt

1 T grated lemon rind

2 c grated, drained zucchini

1 apple, peeled and chopped

½ c chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds)

In a medium bowl, combine the first six dry ingredients and mix well with a wire whisk. 

In a second large bowl, combine the sugar and oil and mix well.  Add in the egg and egg white and whisk until the eggs are well beaten and combined. 

Mix in the vanilla, yogurt, and lemon rind, then the zucchini and apples. 

Fold in the dry ingredients until just mixed in, then gently fold in the nuts.

Spoon the mixture by ¼-cup fulls into greased muffin tins.  Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or until the muffins spring back to the touch. 

Let cool for a few minutes, then use a knife to loosen around the edges of each muffin and remove it from the pan.  Place on a wire rack and let cool completely (or dig in while they’re warm!).  Store in an airtight container.

Collard and Quinoa Wraps

If you’re like me, always looking for ways to sneak greens into your diet, here a great way to do it that at the same time helps to reduce the amount of bread/starch/gluten you may be eating.  It substitutes large collard leaves as wraps for just about anything you would put into a wrap.  Think grilled vegetables and hummus, egg salad or chicken with avocado and tomatoes, beans and rice with salsa or any combination you can come up with. 

The other day, after making a red quinoa with onions and beets, I decided to try it as a filling for collard wraps.  To make it more “sticky” so that it wouldn’t spill out while eating it, I combined it with roasted, mashed butternut squash and avocado.  The combination was unexpectedly great and the best part was that I was able to prepare a few the night before a trip and they made a great late breakfast the next morning.  I simply wrapped them in wax paper, put them in a sealable bag and packed them in my backpack.

This wrap combines a complete source of protein, fiber, a nice variety of carotenoids from the colorful vegetables, and a healthy source of fat.   To give them a bit of a kick, add some Tabasco, a splash of chili sauce.  Give them a try. 

Collard and Quinoa Wraps

Several Collard Leaves

Red Quinoa

Roasted butternut squash

Mashed or sliced avocado

Tabasco or Chili sauce (optional)

Wash and briefly steam the collard leaves.  Tip:  To save time and having to wash an extra pan, if you’re preparing a grain or bean mixture in a large frying pan/Dutch oven, place the leaves on top and cover the pan for a few minutes.  Any leftover steamed leaves can be placed in an airtight container in the fridge for filling later. 

Allow the leaves to cool and remove the tough bottom stems.  Working with one at a time, place the leaf down sideways on a working surface.  Place a small serving of squash on the center of the leaf, leaving plenty of room around all the edges.  

Spoon a tablespoon of quinoa on top of the squash, pressing it down a bit.  

Add a slice of avocado onto the mixture and a splash of the sauce if desired. 

Fold the top and bottom of the leaves in toward the center, then fold up one side and roll towards the free end to seal the wrap.  Enjoy immediately, or if packing for lunch, wrap a few tightly in wax paper and place in a ziploc bag, or place in a sealable container.  Refrigerate until ready to eat.