Gluten Free Friday Lunch – Nori Wrap “Sandwiches”
A little nori, 1/4 an avocado, some super thin Boar’s Head smoked turkey slices, julienned carrots and some shredded napa cabbage.
That’s been my lunch these last two days. And it is *SO* fast to make! I usually roll up my “nori sandwiches” in the morning, cut them into 2 inch or 3 inch long pieces and I’m good to go. It’s takes hardly any time at all when I’ve prepped the carrots the night before. (Which is easy, because dinner usually means more prepping/chopping than anything I do in the mornings.)
For the last couple days, my colleagues have been eyeing my lunches too. I was sure yesterday that they were trying to figure out if I was eating sushi (with fish, etc) or not. And then today, a couple of my colleagues couldn’t resist. They had to ask about my lunch.
I think I’ve started a trend among my gluten-eating colleagues. LOL
They know I can’t eat bread, but when they saw my lunch, they wondered if I could eat rice. Of course, I can! I told them that my preference for these rice-free, dairy-free wraps was the amount of energy I feel for the rest of the afternoon. (Well, at least until 3:00 when I need to munch on a handful of almonds.) When I told them that I didn’t feel that after-lunch-tired, they rejoiced with me.
I don’t know why lunch sometimes makes me tired. I know what it was when I was eating gluten now, but I’ve been eating GF for years now and I still struggle with after-lunch dips in my energy. I think the days when I feel it the most is if I’ve eaten processed carbs – like white rice, etc. So, just as a test for myself…. I’m not eating any processed carbs for a while at lunch. And now I have lunch-buddies who will bring their wraps on Monday to join me. We’re going to see if it’s a teacher thing (we’re TIRED after the 100+ kids before lunch…LOL) or just a healthy eating thing. LOL. Whatever their motivation, it’s fun to have buddies on the trip with me.
Making a nori wrap “sandwich”.
These wraps are easy too. I scoop 1/4 of a soft avocado on to the nori and smear it around like you would if you were frosting a cake. Atop of that I lay 2 or 3 thin slices of smoked turkey breast. Then long julienned carrot strips and some shredded napa cabbage. Roll it all up tightly (Use the bamboo mats, if you have them OR use plastic wrap under your nori to use that to roll them up too). Slice them to fit your hand and/or your lunch box. I found that cutting my nori wraps in to thirds (about 2-3 inches in length for each piece) was ideal not only for my lunch box but also my hand/grip. But the time lunch rolls around, the nori is perfectly soft and delicious.
These wraps are very versatile and easy, easy, easy! AND, I might add, quite kid friendly. (At least they are very kid friendly in my family – all sides. Our nieces/nephews/friend’s kids LOVE eating nori strips for snacks… so having it for a sandwich? Perfect.)
MMMM. MMMM. Good.
What gluten free food gives you energy for your afternoons?
Happy Weekend All!
-Kate