Avocado and White Bean Wrap

The fact that Carole, Jen and I all posted something sandwich-like and light over the past three days speaks to the fact that with the heat in the high 30s in Toronto this week, but feeling like the high 40s, the last thing any of us wanted to do was to cook or eat something heavy. In fact, a popsicle or ice pop for dinner sounded like a really good idea most nights. Especially since every night this week I've started preparing a meal for an expected four or five family members but by dinnertime the number has been whittled down to one. And that would typically be Q just because he has nowhere else to go. Corbin has been working nights, Austin disappears with "friends and plans," I'm not hungry in this heat, and Maddie runs to the local swimming hole for hours on end. And on Thursday night, with our local jazz festival closing off the surrounding streets, she was begging to skip dinner at home and just sample all the street foods that were being set up along Queen Street. Who can blame her... a nice buttery cob of corn served up alongside some tangy lemonade and quaffed down with some super-sticky caramel corn. Perfect July meal for any 10-year-old and her girlfriend as they get to live dangerously and walk down the streetcar tracks in the middle of the street, not worrying about traffic for once.


So dinner that night ended up being just Austin and me, and since he's my easiest critic and will eat anything, I knew that whatever we made would likely be a hit. He was predictably up for trying this cold summer wrap that I'd discovered a few days earlier on the Eating Well website, combining white beans with ripe avocado to make a rich vegetarian filling, topped with some crunchy slaw. I accidentally went a little heavy on the minced onions so that became the overpowering flavour, but other than that, it was a nice light dinner and probably a perfect lunch too in the coming weeks.


Avocado and White Bean Wrap
serves 2


1 tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup shredded carrots and cabbage
half a 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
1/2 ripe avocado
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tbsp minced red onion
2 8- to 10-inch whole-wheat wraps or tortillas


Whisk vinegar, oil and salt in a medium bowl. Add carrots and cabbage; toss to combine.

Mash beans and avocado in another medium bowl with a potato masher or fork. Stir in cheese and onion.

To assemble, spread about 1/2 cup of the bean-avocado mixture onto a wrap and top with about half of the carrot-cabbage slaw.



Rest of the week


July 19 Corbin's Italian twist on croque madame sandwiches. Major yum.


July 20 Grilled panini with turkey, roasted tomatoes, caramelized onions and cheese


July 21 Avocado and white bean wraps