Apple-Quinoa Salad Cabbage Wraps

Not just for coleslaw, red cabbage gives wraps visual appeal and crunchy texture, and ups their health ante. However, you could also use green or savoy cabbage. Toasting quinoa first imbues the grain with a tantalising nutty flavour, while goat cheese adds tang and creamy texture to these wraps. They can be assembled ahead of time and brought along to the office for a nutritious way to break out of the lunchtime sandwich blues.

1 cup (250 ml) organic quinoa, preferably red or black
2 cups (500 ml) low-salt vegetable stock
1 large apple, diced
1/3 cup (80 ml) roughly chopped almonds or walnuts
1/3 cup (80 ml) chopped parsley
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 Tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp (30 ml) cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp (1 ml) salt
1/4 tsp (1 ml) black pepper
1 head red cabbage
5 oz (140 g) chevre (soft goat cheese), crumbled

Heat heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat. Add quinoa and toast until fragrant and beginning to pop, about 4 minutes, shaking the pan often to prevent burning. Add stock to pan, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered until quinoa is tender and water has absorbed, about 12 minutes. Set aside to cool and then fluff with fork.

Toss together quinoa, apple, almonds or walnuts, parsley and spring onions. In small bowl, whisk together oil, cider vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper.

Bring large pot of water to a boil. Place cabbage head in water and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, turning often. This will help soften leaves and make them easier to separate. Carefully, remove cabbage head from water using tongs and slice off tough bottom end. Remove 10 leaves, being careful not to tear them. Some outer leaves may have ripped during boiling, so will need to be discarded. Return cabbage to pot of boiling water if needed after stripping a few leaves to soften inner leaves further. Reserve remaining cabbage for other uses.

Place some chevre and quinoa mixture down centre of a cabbage leaf. Fold pliable top of leaf (opposite the core end) over part of quinoa mixture and then fold over each side of leaf. Turn over wrap so that seams are on bottom. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Each wrap contains: 506 kilojoules; 5 g protein; 6 g total fat (2 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 13 g total carbohydrates (3 g sugars, 2 g fibre); 107 mg sodium 

source: "Wrap & Roll", alive Australia #21, Spring 2014