I don’t have the winter blues.  I don’t have the winter blues.  I don’t have the winter blues.  I keep telling myself that.  I only have 3 more months to get through.

I buy stuff on sale, marked down, clearanced–the manager’s special.  Last summer I found red peppers on sale–about ten red peppers in a bag for $2.00.  I bought three bags, and then started looking for recipes to fit my supply of 30+ red peppers.  I took these photos this summer, but perhaps you need a Veggie Shot in the middle of all those winter comfort foods. 

My Hunni eats out half the year.  Now to me that sounds like a whole-lotta-fun, but he craves healthy food on the road.  It is easy to find butter and garlic sautéed shrimp, cream-heavy mac and cheese, carb loaded pastas, and spicy Thai food.  But it is rather difficult to find a light, refreshing meal on the road.  After sitting for several hours, The Hunni just wants something healthy and not highly spiced.  We are nothing alike.  I could always find the appetite for butter and garlic sautéed shrimp and Thai food.

However, The Hunni introduced me to this recipe, and I love it.  Again, these photos were taken this summer when fresh produce was abundant.  (I have an amazing garden.)  But maybe you are wishing for something other than soup for lunch this week.  My kiddos didn’t dig into the veggie wraps.  They were more adult food.  I probably offered them a jar of peanut butter and jelly as an alternative.

As we live close to Detroit, which has the largest Iraqi population outside of Iraq, and a large Yemenis population, and several other middle eastern nationalities, I don’t have any problem finding a good pita bread.  For this recipe, you will want a whole wheat pita.  I’m not on a health kick; it actually tastes better in this recipe. 

You can easily make humus, I have been told.  I have a can a chick peas in my pantry just waiting for me to make into humus.  That can will wait a little longer, as store-bought humus is delicious, instant, and not too expensive.

Slather on the humus.  It is garlic disguised as a protein packed chick-pea spread.  The more you slather on, the happier you will be.

Slice up all the veggies you have on hand.  Cut them into “matchsticks” or if you are feeling like a chef, julienne them.  Either way, they end up looking very similar.  Here I used peppers, celery, and fresh green beans.  This veggie V was for The Hunni, and he didn’t want carrots as they were “too crunchy”.  “Just load on the peppers! and the fresh ground pepper,” was his request.

Fold and indulge.

And now for my Veggie Wrap. . .

Nothing tastes more like summer and wonderfulness than a garden fresh tomato.

Add some Kalamata olives.  (Don’t drool on the keyboard.)

Oh I miss summer!!  Doesn’t it just look divine?

I probably won’t make these again until next summer.  I just needed to be reminded that summer will once again come.  I will once again see green grass.  I will once again get to eat tomatoes fresh from the garden.  Summer will come again. 

Your Health Nut Host,

–rebecca

P.S.  I apologize that my cooking photos have looked so awful.  These photos in this post were taken with natural light.  They turn out so much better with natural light.