This gloriously technicoloured lunch boasts superior levels of dietary nitrates, potassium, antioxidants, and fibre – what’s more, it tastes delicious.
SERVES 2
Ingredients
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
2 beetroot
1 tbsp olive oil
3 wholewheat wraps
80g (23⁄4oz) watercress
For the hummus
2 tbsp tahini
3 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1⁄2–1 tsp ground cumin
400g (14oz) can chickpeas in water, rinsed and drained
good handful of coriander
freshly ground black pepper
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas 6). Halve and deseed the peppers, then chop them into large chunks. Peel the beetroot and cut it into quarters or chunks 2cm (3⁄4in) across.
2 Once chopped, put all of the vegetables onto a baking tray and drizzle them with the olive oil. Roast at the top of the oven for 20 minutes until the beetroot is cooked, but still has some bite. Once the vegetables have roasted, remove them from the oven and set them aside to cool a little.
3 Meanwhile, place the tahini and lemon juice into a food processor and blend for a minute to cream the tahini. Use a spatula to wipe down the sides, then add the olive oil, garlic, and ground cumin. Blend again, then pour in three-quarters of the chickpeas and mix until smooth. Add the coriander, plenty of black pepper, and the remaining chickpeas. Pulse to roughly mix, but keep the hummus chunky. Season with more cumin, lemon, and black pepper, to taste. Warm the wraps.
4 Spread the wraps with the hummus, using 2–3 tablespoons per wrap. Add a handful of watercress in a line down the centre of the wrap and top with the warm roasted veg. Season with more black pepper and a little lemon if desired, then roll up the wrap and serve. Any leftover hummus can be stored in a covered container in the fridge for another meal (see also here).
NUTRITION PER SERVING Calories 514 Total fat 23.3g Saturated fat 5g Carbohydrates 59.4g Dietary fibre 15.5g Sugars 14.7g Protein 15.8g Salt 1.1g
Smart swaps
• Swap the roasted beetroot for carrot batons (cut them into batons about 1cm/1/2in) thick) to boost the wrap’s levels of beta-carotene, which the body uses to make immune-boosting vitamin A.
• Replace the watercress with rocket leaves to double the brain-friendly folate levels.
NUTRIENT KNOW-HOW
Beetroot and watercress are rich in blood-pressure-lowering nitrates, which the body uses to widen blood vessels and improve blood flow. This may also help prevent dementia by improving blood flow to the brain.