TLT Wraps (Tempeh, Lettuce, Tomato, etc…)

Makes four wraps
Recipe from Heidi Swanson 101 Cookbooks
Adapted and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Tempeh is made from cooked and slightly fermented soybeans and formed into a cake or patty. It can be found in the freezer section of Lost River Market & Deli. Tempeh is low fat, cholesterol free, very high in protein and calcium. This recipe was our first experience with tempeh. My husband absolutely loved this wrap and told me, “Don’t lose this recipe!” The original recipe put the ingredients on toasted bread. Lost River Market & Deli has very nice spinach tortillas in the refrigerated aisle and so I was inspired to make wraps instead of the traditional sandwich. I also added the Chipotle Mayonnaise (more of a sauce) which is made with silken tofu. (Recipe below and also on the blog.) Of course, this delicious mayonnaise can be used on any sandwich. If cherry tomatoes are not available, you could substitute roasted peppers or a spoon full of Glen Muir Fire Roasted Tomatoes. You could also add a smidgen of crumbled cheese (goat, blue or feta would be nice!) Serve this with a crisp apple or a couple of Clementine oranges and you have a great and healthy meatless meal!

Tempeh Marinade (Marinate the tempeh a few hours or overnight.)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce (You can use low sodium.)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
3 tablespoons chipotle peppers (minced) with adobo sauce (These are available in cans at La Comadre, the Mexican grocery store, a neighbor of Lost River Market & Deli.)

8 ounces of tempeh, cut into 1/3-inch thick strips

Whisk together the 3 tablespoons of olive oil, shoyu, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and adobo sauce. Pour 1/3 of the tempeh marinade into an 8x8 baking dish (or something comparable) - you want a dish that is just big enough to hold the tempeh in a single layer - this way it will be fully enveloped by the marinade. Pour the remaining marinade over the top of the tempeh, cover and keep in the refrigerator for a couple hours, overnight or until ready to use.

Wrap Fixings:
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Spread out on a sheet pan and roast for 40 minutes at 350 F. Or Roasted peppers (from a jar, drained) Or Glen Muir Fire Roasted Tomatoes (from the can, drained)
• Lettuce or baby spinach leaves
1-2 large avocados, remove peel and pit, and then slice
• Crumbled blue cheese, feta, or goat cheese (optional)
• Chipotle Mayonnaise (recipe below)

Spinach flour tortillas or your favorite whole wheat bread, toasted

Assembling the Wrap:
When the tempeh is done marinating heat a large pan over medium-high heat and cook the tempeh slices for a few minutes on each side. Set the tempeh slices aside until you are ready to assemble the wraps.
To assemble each wrap, spread a little Chipotle Mayonnaise over the entire spinach tortilla. Place a few slices of tempeh on one half of the tortilla. Top the tempeh with a spoonful of roasted tomatoes. Add a few slices of avocado. Sprinkle with cheese. Place
lettuce or spinach on top of the filling. Roll up the tortilla, wrapping the yummy filling up so that it doesn’t fall out…like a burrito or taco.

Chipotle Mayonnaise
Yield: Makes 16 (2-tablespoon) servings
Recipe from Epicurious August 2006
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Chipotle Chilis in Abobo Sauce are smoked jalapeno chilis. A little goes a long way. You'll only need a small amount, so put the leftover from the can in the freezer for when you make this again. You can also use them in this easy husband-tested recipe: Slow-Cooked Tex-Mex Chicken and Beans (These are available in cans at La Comadre, the Mexican grocery store, a neighbor of Lost River Market & Deli.)

1 chipotle chile (This comes in a can.)
3 ounces silken tofu (This is found in small boxes at Lost River Mkt. & Deli.)
3 tablespoons nonfat mayonnaise (I used regular mayo.)
3 tablespoons ketchup (I used Local Foods Ketchup.)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Combine the chipotle chile, tofu, mayonnaise, ketchup and Dijon mustard in a small food processor or blender and process until smooth.

Nutrition per 2 Tablespoon Chipotle Mayonnaise serving: 12 calories, 2 g carbohydrates, 1 g protein, <1 g fat, <1 g fiber, <1 mg cholesterol, 76 mg sodium