Test Kitchen: Sargent Choice Veggie Wrap With Pea Pesto

Mia Sugarman, SAR Dietetics ‘22

Recipes modified from The Mountain Table
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients for Pesto

• 1 cup sweet peas (can use frozen or canned)
• 3/4 cup packed basil leaves
• 1/4 cup mint leaves
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 5-6 tbsp olive oil

Ingredients for Veggie Wraps

• 4 pieces whole-grain naan
• 3 cups chopped veggies – grape tomatoes, cucumber, radish, red onion, carrots
• 1 can chickpeas (drained, rinsed)
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
• salt and pepper, to taste
• feta
• lettuce (optional)

Directions

1. Add all the pesto ingredients except olive oil to the base of a food processor or blender. Pulse, slowly drizzling in the oil until the texture becomes creamy. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Toast naan bread in the oven for about 3-5 minutes until it becomes warm and soft.
3. Chop veggies into bite size pieces. Combine in a large bowl with the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Add in rinsed chickpeas and toss.
4. Spread some pesto down the middle of your naan. Top each wrap with 1 cup of veggies and bean mixture. Sprinkle with feta. Top with lettuce (as desired) and enjoy!

Low Prep/Dorm Recipe Tip

Short on time? Purchase pre-cut vegetables, pesto, canned beans, and lemon juice. Combine topping ingredients in a bowl or Tupperware, and mix/shake. Add a spread of pesto to whole-grain naan, and top with bean/veggie mixture.

What We Liked

• The combination of basil and mint infused the pesto with a cool and refreshing flavor that created a delicate sweet and savory sensation.
• The peas gave the pesto a beautiful green color.
• The use of peas and sunflower seeds makes this recipe unique, as pesto is often made with pine nuts.
•  This dish is easy to transport as either a meal or a snack, and can made in bulk.
• The pesto can be used as a filling or a dip.

Suggestions

• Add additional vegetables for added flavor and texture. Tomatoes, beats or bell peppers would work well and provide complementary flavors to the dish.
• Store the pesto without the feta cheese to make it last longer.
• Warm the naan bread before adding the pesto if you prefer to have a warm version of this dish.
• Chickpeas can be added for additional protein or instead of the cheese to make this dairy-free.

Nutritional Value

• Peas, tomatoes and lemon juice contain vitamin C, which helps to support our immune system and tissue repair… and helps the dish taste great!
• Basil and mint are delicious herbs that add flavor to our foods instead of relying on salt to help to make our meals tasty.
• Feta cheese contains protein to help our meal last longer, as well as providing calcium.