Fast food doesn’t have to be unhealthy. In this chapter, I have included a variety of delicious recipes for burgers, pizza, and sandwiches. To make your own quick and easy wraps, mix and match some of these options:
GUIDE TO CONSTRUCTING HEALTHY WRAPS
SERVES 2
INGREDIENTS
Small amount of olive oil
¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
2 cups cooked kidney or pinto beans or canned no-salt-added or low-sodium kidney beans, drained
½ cup minced onion
2 tablespoons low-sodium ketchup
1 tablespoon wheat germ or old-fashioned rolled oats
½ teaspoon chili powder
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a baking sheet with a little olive oil on a paper towel.
Chop the sunflower seeds in a food processor or with a hand chopper. Mash the beans in the food processor or with a potato masher and mix with the sunflower seeds. Mix in the remaining ingredients and form into six patties.
Place the patties on the baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly, until you can pick up each patty and compress it firmly in your hands to re-form the burger. Return the patties to the baking sheet, bottom side up, and bake for another 10 minutes.
NOTE: If desired, these may be cooked on a grill.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 123; PROTEIN 6g; CARBOHYDRATES 18g; TOTAL FAT 3.6g; SATURATED FAT 0.4g; SODIUM 5mg; FIBER 5.4g; BETA-CAROTENE 61ug; VITAMIN C 3mg; CALCIUM 24mg; IRON 2.2mg; FOLATE 94ug; MAGNESIUM 39mg; ZINC 1mg; SELENIUM 1.1ug
SERVES 8
INGREDIENTS
1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup ground walnuts
1 cup water
¼ cup tomato paste
No-salt seasoning blend, adjusted to taste, or ¼ cup Dr. Fuhrman’s MatoZest
1 cup diced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups finely minced mushrooms
2 teaspoons dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Freshly ground pepper to taste
⅔ cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Combine rolled oats and ground walnuts in a bowl. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, whisk together water, tomato paste, and MatoZest or other no-salt seasoning blend. Heat over medium-high heat until boiling. Pour over rolled oats and walnuts. Stir well and set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons water in a sauté pan and add onion and garlic. Sauté until onion is translucent. Add mushrooms, basil, oregano, parsley, black pepper, and additional water, if needed to prevent sticking. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender.
In a large bowl, combine sautéed onions and mushrooms, rolled oat/walnut mixture, and spinach. Stir well to combine. With wet hands, shape ⅓ cup of mixture into a well-formed burger. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and repeat with remaining mixture. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn burgers to bake the other side for another 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Serve on small, whole-grain hamburger buns or whole-grain pita bread halves. Top with thinly sliced, raw red onion and no-salt or low-sodium ketchup.
Makes 8 burgers.
NOTE: If desired, 8 ounces of ground turkey breast may be mixed in before forming the patties.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 199; PROTEIN 9g; CARBOHYDRATES 21g; TOTAL FAT 11.1g; SATURATED FAT 1.1g; SODIUM 101mg; FIBER 4.4g; BETA-CAROTENE 1,642ug; VITAMIN C 12mg; CALCIUM 50mg; IRON 2.5mg; FOLATE 55ug; MAGNESIUM 86mg; ZINC 1.5mg; SELENIUM 14.1ug
Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers 
SERVES 6
INGREDIENTS
⅓ cup raw cashews
⅓ cup raw pecans
1½ cups cooked black beans* or 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added or low-sodium black beans, drained
¾ cup baked sweet potato, mashed
½ cup diced red onion
½ jalapeño pepper, deseeded and diced
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Small amount of olive oil or olive oil cooking spray
* Use ½ cup dried beans; see cooking instructions.
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place nuts in a food processor and grind to a fine powder. Add remaining ingredients, except for olive oil, and pulse to combine.
Form mixture into 6 burgers. Place on a baking pan that has been rubbed lightly with olive oil or sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 30 minutes until lightly browned.
Serve with avocado, tomato, and red onion slices.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 163; PROTEIN 8g; CARBOHYDRATES 22g; TOTAL FAT 5.6g; SATURATED FAT 1.1g; SODIUM 18mg; FIBER 6.4g; BETA-CAROTENE 2,967ug; VITAMIN C 9mg; CALCIUM 40mg; IRON 2.5mg; FOLATE 234ug; MAGNESIUM 77mg; ZINC 1.5mg; SELENIUM 2.1ug
SERVES 6–8
INGREDIENTS
½ cup chopped red onion
2 cups chopped portobello mushrooms
½ cup chopped carrots
½ cup peeled and chopped zucchini
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon white miso
1 cup cooked brown rice
½ cup raw sunflower seeds, ground
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 cup whole-wheat bread crumbs
Olive oil (small amount)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Heat ⅛ cup water in a large frying pan over medium heat. Water-sauté onions, mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, and garlic about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender, adding more water if needed to prevent sticking. Add miso and blend well.
In a food processor, add sautéed vegetables, cooked rice, sunflower seeds, parsley, and basil and pulse several times until well mixed.
Add bread crumbs and pulse again until all the ingredients hold together.
Rub a baking pan with a small amount of olive oil. Shape mixture into 3½ by ½ inch burgers and bake for 10 minutes on each side, until firm.
Makes 6–8 burgers.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 147; PROTEIN 6g; CARBOHYDRATES 18g; TOTAL FAT 6.7g; SATURATED FAT 0.8g; SODIUM 82mg; FIBER 3.5g; BETA-CAROTENE 948ug; VITAMIN C 6mg; CALCIUM 40mg; IRON 1.6mg; FOLATE 48ug; MAGNESIUM 72mg; ZINC 1.2mg; SELENIUM 16.9ug
SERVES 6
INGREDIENTS
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
½ cup sliced onion
8 ounces no-salt-added or low-sodium tomato sauce, divided
2 cups cooked pinto or black beans* or canned no-salt-added or low-sodium beans, drained
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
6 corn tortillas
* Use ⅔ cup dried beans; see cooking instructions.
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375°F (optional).
Sauté the green pepper and onion in 2 tablespoons of the tomato sauce until tender. Stir in the remaining tomato sauce, beans, corn, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, cilantro, and cayenne (if using). Simmer for 5 minutes. Spoon about ¼ cup of the bean mixture on each tortilla and roll up. Serve as is or bake for 15 minutes.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 187; PROTEIN 8g; CARBOHYDRATES 37g; TOTAL FAT 1.7g; SATURATED FAT 0.3g; SODIUM 33mg; FIBER 9g; BETA-CAROTENE 351ug; VITAMIN C 25mg; CALCIUM 57mg; IRON 2.2mg; FOLATE 107ug; MAGNESIUM 77mg; ZINC 1.3mg; SELENIUM 2.9ug
SERVES 6
INGREDIENTS
1 head broccoli florets, chopped
½ head cauliflower florets, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ cup raw cashews
½ cup raw almonds
½ cup unsweetened soy, hemp, or almond milk
1½ cups cooked pinto beans or 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added or low-sodium pinto beans, drained
6 whole-wheat tortillas or large romaine lettuce leaves
DIRECTIONS
Place 2 tablespoons water, the broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, bell peppers, zucchini, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and oregano in a large covered pot. Sauté for 15 minutes or until tender, adding more water if needed. In the meantime, place nuts and milk in a food processor or high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Add the cashew mixture and beans to the vegetables and mix thoroughly. Spread the mixture on the tortillas or lettuce leaves and roll up to form burritos. Serve with salsa.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 524; PROTEIN 20g; CARBOHYDRATES 78g; TOTAL FAT 17.2g; SATURATED FAT 3.6g; SODIUM 447mg; FIBER 14.7g; BETA-CAROTENE 3,666ug; VITAMIN C 167mg; CALCIUM 154mg; IRON 6.2mg; FOLATE 385ug; MAGNESIUM 151mg; ZINC 3.2mg; SELENIUM 25.8ug
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
4 portobello mushroom caps, cut into strips
2 green bell peppers, cut into strips
2 small yellow squash, cut into strips
1 medium white onion, chopped
½ Serrano chili, seeded, minced
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder, or to taste
1 cup cooked beans* (any type) or canned low-sodium or no-salt-added beans, drained
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 large whole-grain tortillas
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
* Use ⅓ cup dried beans; see cooking instructions.
DIRECTIONS
Combine mushrooms, green peppers, squash, onion, Serrano chili, garlic, and chili powder. Heat 2 tablespoons water in a skillet and water-sauté veggies until tender, about 5 minutes, adding extra water if needed to prevent sticking. Add beans and cook until heated through. Stir in cilantro.
Serve on warmed tortillas topped with salsa and sliced avocado.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 411; PROTEIN 14g; CARBOHYDRATES 64g; TOTAL FAT 12.4g; SATURATED FAT 2.3g; SODIUM 375mg; FIBER 11.1g; BETA-CAROTENE 514ug; VITAMIN C 65mg; CALCIUM 102mg; IRON 5.1mg; FOLATE 196ug; MAGNESIUM 83mg; ZINC 1.9mg; SELENIUM 19.8ug
SERVES 2
INGREDIENTS
2 cups broccoli florets
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch slices
1 large portobello mushroom, cut into ½-inch slices
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon dried oregano
5 ounces organic baby spinach
½ cup no-salt-added or low-sodium pasta sauce
2 whole-grain tortillas or whole-wheat pita bread
2 tablespoons mozzarella-type, nondairy cheese, shredded
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Toss broccoli, bell peppers, and mushrooms with garlic powder, balsamic vinegar, and oregano. Roast seasoned vegetables on a cookie sheet for 20 minutes, turning occasionally and mounding to keep from drying out.
Steam spinach until just wilted.
Spread a layer of pasta sauce on tortilla or on top of pita bread, sprinkle lightly with nondairy cheese, and distribute roasted vegetables and spinach on top.
Bake for approximately 7 minutes or until cheese is melted.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 388; PROTEIN 14g; CARBOHYDRATES 64g; TOTAL FAT 9.8g; SATURATED FAT 2g; SODIUM 498mg; FIBER 7.5g; BETA-CAROTENE 5,376ug; VITAMIN C 170mg; CALCIUM 200mg; IRON 6mg; FOLATE 318ug; MAGNESIUM 222mg; ZINC 1.8mg; SELENIUM 25.6ug
» Chef Christine Waltermyer
SERVES 2
INGREDIENTS
¼ cup unsulfured, unsalted, dried tomatoes
2 cups shredded lettuce
¼ cup chopped parsley
½ cup finely ground walnuts
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1½ tablespoons tomato paste
Pinch of garlic powder
Thinly sliced red onion
2 (100% whole-grain) pitas or tortillas
DIRECTIONS
Soak dried tomatoes, for 30 minutes, in just enough water to cover. Drain, reserving soaking water, and chop.
In a bowl, mix soaked tomatoes and soaking water with lettuce, parsley, walnuts, seasoning, tomato paste, and garlic powder. Along with sliced onion, stuff into whole-grain pitas or place on tortillas and roll up.
NOTE: If desired, 1–2 ounces sliced or chopped oven-baked chicken or turkey breast may be added to each wrap.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 413; PROTEIN 14g; CARBOHYDRATES 50g; TOTAL FAT 21.2g; SATURATED FAT 2.1g; SODIUM 370mg; FIBER 10g; BETA-CAROTENE 2,679ug; VITAMIN C 31mg; CALCIUM 84mg; IRON 5mg; FOLATE 148ug; MAGNESIUM 122mg; ZINC 2.2mg; SELENIUM 31ug
Popeye Pitas with Mediterranean Tomato Spread
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE SPREAD:
1 cup cooked* or canned great northern beans, low-sodium or no-salt-added, drained
¼ cup pine nuts (see Note)
2 tablespoons unsulfured, unsalted, dried tomatoes, minced
1 clove garlic
No-salt seasoning blend, adjusted to taste, or 1 teaspoon Dr. Fuhrman’s MatoZest
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary, if desired
* Use ⅓ cup dried beans; see cooking instructions.
FOR THE SANDWICH:
4 whole-wheat pitas
1 tomato, sliced
½ cup thinly sliced red onion
2 cups finely chopped arugula
2 cups finely chopped spinach
1 avocado, sliced
DIRECTIONS
Combine spread ingredients in a high-powdered blender or food processor until smooth.
Toast pitas, slice open a top slit, and spread apart. Stuff with sandwich ingredients and spread.
NOTE: Use Mediterranean pine nuts if available. Chopped almonds may be substituted. See box.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 387; PROTEIN 15g; CARBOHYDRATES 57g; TOTAL FAT 14.5g; SATURATED FAT 1.7g; SODIUM 365mg; FIBER 12.1g; BETA-CAROTENE 1,262ug; VITAMIN C 16mg; CALCIUM 99mg; IRON 5.3mg; FOLATE 147ug; MAGNESIUM 132mg; ZINC 2.7mg; SELENIUM 29.4ug
Portobello Red Pepper Sandwich
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE SANDWICH:
4 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed
½ large red onion, thinly sliced
4 whole-grain pitas
2 cups large arugula leaves
2 medium roasted red bell peppers, drained, seeded, and cut into ½-inch-thick slices
FOR THE SPREAD:
½ cup tahini (pureed sesame seeds) or ⅔ cup unhulled sesame seeds
½ cup water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
No-salt seasoning blend, adjusted to taste, or 1 tablespoon Dr. Fuhrman’s VegiZest
1 teaspoon Bragg Liquid Aminos or low-sodium soy sauce
2 pitted dates, chopped
1 small clove garlic, chopped
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Arrange mushrooms and onions on a baking sheet and roast until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make tahini spread by blending all ingredients together until creamy in a food processor or high-powered blender. (If using whole sesame seeds, first blend sesame seeds with ¼ cup water until creamy and then add the other ¼ cup water and remaining ingredients.)
When mushrooms/onions are done, split pitas in half horizontally and warm slightly. Spread generous amount of tahini on top half of split pita. Place ½ cup arugula on bottom half and then 1 mushroom cap (patted dry with paper towels to absorb liquid), sliced onion, and roasted red pepper.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 392; PROTEIN 14g; CARBOHYDRATES 52g; TOTAL FAT 18g; SATURATED FAT 2.5g; SODIUM 442mg; FIBER 7.7g; BETA-CAROTENE 443ug; VITAMIN C 7mg; CALCIUM 80mg; IRON 4mg; FOLATE 78ug; MAGNESIUM 87mg; ZINC 2.8mg; SELENIUM 35.2ug
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
1½ cups cooked garbanzo beans* (chickpeas) or 1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium or no-salt-added garbanzo beans, drained
1 large tomato, chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
4 leaves romaine lettuce, shredded
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar or Dr. Fuhrman’s Riesling Reserve Vinegar
4 whole-grain tortillas
½ tablespoon tahini (pureed sesame seeds)
* Use ½ cup dried beans; see cooking instructions.
DIRECTIONS
Mash garbanzo beans. Toss with tomato, avocado, cucumber, lettuce, and vinegar.
Warm a whole-grain tortilla, spread a thin coating of tahini on it, top with the vegetable/bean mixture, and roll up.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 318; PROTEIN 12g; CARBOHYDRATES 45g; TOTAL FAT 11.8g; SATURATED FAT 1.8g; SODIUM 222mg; FIBER 10.8g; BETA-CAROTENE 2,223ug; VITAMIN C 26mg; CALCIUM 121mg; IRON 4.1mg; FOLATE 267ug; MAGNESIUM 74mg; ZINC 1.8mg; SELENIUM 10.8ug
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
2 cups cooked* or canned no-salt-added or low-sodium black beans, drained
½ large ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and mashed
½ medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 green onions, chopped
⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
⅓ cup mild, no-salt-added or low-sodium salsa
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
8 large romaine lettuce leaves
* Use ⅔ cup dried beans; see cooking instructions.
DIRECTIONS
In a bowl, mash the beans and avocado together with a fork until well blended and only slightly chunky. Add all the remaining ingredients, except the lettuce, and mix.
Place approximately ¼ cup of the mixture in the center of each lettuce leaf and roll up like a burrito.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 171; PROTEIN 10g; CARBOHYDRATES 27g; TOTAL FAT 4.1g; SATURATED FAT 0.6g; SODIUM 13mg; FIBER 11g; BETA-CAROTENE 2,470ug; VITAMIN C 26mg; CALCIUM 63mg; IRON 2.8mg; FOLATE 231ug; MAGNESIUM 80mg; ZINC 1.3mg; SELENIUM 1.6ug
SERVES 2
INGREDIENTS
4 prunes (reduce to 2 prunes for diabetic and weight-loss diets)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons shredded carrots
2 tablespoons shredded cucumber
¼ cup chopped red onion
¼ cup chopped bell pepper, green or red
2 large collard leaves, thick stems removed
2 medium romaine leaves
4 tomato slices
½ avocado, cut into 4 slices
DIRECTIONS
Soak prunes for 30 minutes in enough water to cover. Drain and chop. Combine the Dijon mustard, prunes, and red wine vinegar in a medium bowl and mash with a fork. Stir in carrots, cucumber, red onion, and pepper.
Lay out a large collard leaf and place a romaine leaf on top of it. Top with half of the mustard/vegetable mixture and 2 slices of tomato and avocado. Roll like a burrito.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 150; PROTEIN 4g; CARBOHYDRATES 18g; TOTAL FAT 8g; SATURATED FAT 1.5g; SODIUM 136mg; FIBER 7.3g; BETA-CAROTENE 2,816ug; VITAMIN C 56mg; CALCIUM 58mg; IRON 0.8mg; FOLATE 113ug; MAGNESIUM 36mg; ZINC 0.6mg; SELENIUM 0.5ug
Korean Vegetable and Mushroom Lettuce Wraps
The vegetables in these wraps can be stir-fried for a quick meal or pickled for an authentic Korean flavor. Since the vegetables need two days to “pickle,” plan ahead and do some extra vegetables to keep on hand for other uses. They will keep in the refrigerator for three to four weeks.
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE VEGETABLES:
1 medium onion, sliced
4 cups small broccoli florets
2 medium carrots, cut diagonally into ⅓-inch pieces
4 medium red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch squares
2 cups bok choy, cut in bite-size pieces
3 cups fresh mushrooms (shiitake, porcini, and/or cremini), stems removed
1 pound fresh spinach
FOR THE DRESSING:
⅓ cup raw almond butter
¼ cup unsweetened soy, almond, or hemp milk
¼ cup water
3 tablespoons unhulled sesame seeds
2 dates, pitted
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
Pinch of hot pepper flakes, or more to taste
FOR SERVING:
Romaine, Boston or other lettuce leaves, large enough to use as a wrap
DIRECTIONS
For pickled vegetables, see recipe for Nutritarian Pickling Juice. Allow 2 days for vegetables to pickle.
If you are not pickling your vegetables, heat 2 tablespoons water in a large sauté pan and water-sauté the onion, broccoli, carrots, and bell peppers for 5 minutes, adding more water as necessary to keep vegetables from scorching. Add the bok choy and mushrooms, cover, and simmer until vegetables are just tender. Remove the cover and cook off most of the water. Add the spinach and toss until wilted.
Blend all dressing ingredients together in a high-powered blender until creamy. Add more water as necessary to adjust consistency.
To serve, spoon filling onto a lettuce leaf, add a bit of dressing, and roll up.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 339; PROTEIN 16g; CARBOHYDRATES 39g; TOTAL FAT 17.7g; SATURATED FAT 1.9g; SODIUM 175mg; FIBER 13.2g; BETA-CAROTENE 13,175ug; VITAMIN C 290mg; CALCIUM 350mg; IRON 7.5mg; FOLATE 465ug; MAGNESIUM 243mg; ZINC 3.2mg; SELENIUM 12.3ug
» Talia Fuhrman
SERVES 10
INGREDIENTS
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup oat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
12 Medjool dates or 24 regular dates, pitted
1 cup coconut milk beverage
¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup baked and peeled sweet potato
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup frozen corn kernels
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Combine cornmeal, oat flour, and baking powder in a large bowl. Stir well and set the bowl aside.
In a high-powered blender, combine dates, coconut milk beverage, coconut, sweet potato, ground flax seeds, and spices. Combine with the dry ingredients, stirring just until well combined. Add in frozen corn kernels.
Pour the batter into a nonstick square baking dish, cast iron skillet, or even bake as individual muffins. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top has a golden tinge. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 229; PROTEIN 5g; CARBOHYDRATES 49g; TOTAL FAT 3.1g; SATURATED FAT 0.9g; SODIUM 25mg; FIBER 5.5g; BETA-CAROTENE 2,438ug; VITAMIN C 5mg; CALCIUM 114mg; IRON 2.1mg; FOLATE 47ug; MAGNESIUM 42mg; ZINC 0.6mg; SELENIUM 3.5ug