California almonds are in season and have I got a delicious and nutritious idea to help you stuff your little ones’ bellies with a fabulous alternative to a white bread sandwich! Forego the cooked cafeteria fare packaged meats, and canned tuna and go for the gusto with a healthy and energizing meat-free lunchtime.  My almond spread makes a great alternative to canned tuna and kids love it as much as adults!  Almonds have as much calcium as milk, more magnesium than spinach and oatmeal, phosphorus to help build strong bones and teeth, and are the best whole food source of heart healthy vitamin E. So forego that canned and processed fish and try this amazing wrap.

This recipe uses both the leaves and the stems of Swiss chard. Soaked almonds make a creamy filling that’s packed with protein and antioxidants.

Swiss Chard Veggie Wraps with Creamy Almond Spread

Ingredients for Creamy Almond Spread:

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic or 1 garlic clove

Ingredients for Swiss Chard Wraps:

• 6 large Swiss chard wraps
• 1 cup grated carrots
• 1/2 cup green onion, minced
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 small tomatoes, de-seeded and minced
• 1 small cucumber, peeled and cut into matchsticks

Instructions:

1. To make the creamy almond spread, place almonds in a large bowl and cover with water. Soak at room temperature 8 hours, or overnight.
2. To make swiss chard veggie wraps, trim center ribs from chard leaves, set leaves aside, and dice the ribs thinly, just like celery. Toss together diced chard ribs, carrots, onion, lime juice and oil in bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Drain almonds, reserving soaking water. Place almonds, 1/4 cup soaking water, cumin, coriander and garlic in food processor; puree 2 to 3 minutes, adding more water if necessary for a creamy spread. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Place 1 chard leaf, smooth side down, on a clean work surface. Spread leaf with 2 heaping tablespoons of creamy almond spread, leaving 1-inch boarder on all sides. Next, spoon 1/3 cup carrot slaw down center of leaf. Top with diced tomato and cucumber dividing equal amounts between all wraps. Roll chard leaf from the bottom (side closes to you) up into a tight cylinder, tucking in sides as you go. Secure wrap with a toothpick. Chill completed wrap for 15 minutes before serving, or store up to 2 days in fridge.

Tip; Have a picky eater… try substituting the Swiss chard for a softer wrap, like romaine lettuce.

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