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Mendo Lake Family Life

Protein Power

By Ceri Marsh

“I’m so bored of [insert complaint here] in my lunch.” I hear it, I know you hear it. How I envy those parents whose kids will eat the same lunch every day for a school year! This tasty wrap is my response to a recent letter to management. It’s hearty and filled with protein, but with the lime and peppers, it still feels light. And I’m careful not to make it too many times in a row, so it never gets on the “I’m bored” list. Because I’m smart like that.

Tuna and Black Bean Wrap

Makes: 4 wraps

Prep time: 40 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 can (19 oz/540 ml) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (5 oz/142 g) tuna packed in oil, drained

1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped fresh tomato

1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped red pepper

1/4 cup (60 ml) finely chopped red onion

1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil

3 Tbsp (45 ml) lime juice pinch of salt and pepper

1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped cilantro

4 10-inch (25 cm) whole grain tortillas

2 handfuls chopped lettuce

1/2 avocado, sliced

GET AHEAD Save time by completing step 1 in advance.

  1. In a large bowl, toss together the beans, tuna, tomatoes, peppers, onions, oil, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently, being careful not to break up the tuna into tiny pieces. Cover and refrigerate for at least half an hour or overnight for the flavors to combine and develop.
  2. When you’re ready to assemble your wraps, add the cilantro to your bean mixture and give it a gentle stir. Lay the tortillas out on your work surface. Place the lettuce in the middle of each wrap (this will keep your tortilla from getting soggy). Scoop the bean mixture on top, then add a few slices of avocado.
  3. Lift one side of the wrap over the filling. Now fold over the top and bottom, enclosing the filling. Roll the whole thing toward the open side until it’s closed. Wrap it snugly in plastic wrap or parchment paper.

Excerpted from The School Year Survival Cookbook: Healthy Recipes and Sanity-Saving Strategies for Every Family and Every Meal (Even Snacks) by Laura Keogh and Ceri Marsh. Copyright © 2017 Sweet Potato Chronicles. Photography copyright © 2017 Maya Visnyei Photography. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.