Thai Tuna wraps

 So, for about a year now (it will be a year in Feb) I decided to take hold of my health and work on getting back to the me I was before I had kids and let myself go.  It's a health decision, not a weight decision though weightloss is certainly a part of it.  I made some changes, and am working on the daily battle of getting healthy again.  These are some of the changes I've made - diet, excercise, drink more water, try to live greener, eat more locally, get out unhealthy toxic products and replace with healthier products, drink more water.   Since this is my recipe blog, I'm concentrating more on the diet aspect.  NOW, Let me make one thing clear - I don't believe it diets, no fad diets, no drinking shakes to loose weight, I believe that the changes that are made need to be LONG lasting changes in habits that aren't healthy.  So I guess you could say I am making lifestyle changes, not dieting.  One of the things we are doing is eating vegetarian several nights a week.  NOT vegan but vegetarian and even then, sometimes we have a predominantly veggie meal with some small bit of protien but meats are not the main course of the meal.  I decided to post this meal because it was particularly tasty and not too hard to prepare and also - because we have the extra added challenge of a gluten free family member - have there be very little grains.  This one is most certainly a winner in my book.  The kids seemed to like it as well and the best part was - it was filling.

 We started off with Chinese Cabbage Soup from one of my fav. vegetarian cookbooks: 1,000 Vegetarian Recipes by Carol Gelles.
1 1/2 tbsp vege oil (I use EVOO)
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 c. sliced onion
1 clove minced garlic
5 C. vege broth
1 TBSP dry sherry
1tsp.soy sauce
3 C shredded bok choy
1/2 C carrots,
1/2 C mushrooms (I used shitaake)
1/4 C Peas
1/4 C. scallions
Saute the cabbage, carrots, onion and garlic in a big pan. Add Vege broth, sherry and soy sauce. Then simmer until veggies are soft.  Add bok choy, mushroom, peas and scallions toward end.

Added to the soup was Almond Ding Veggies, Also from Carol Gelles' cookbook.
toast 1/2 C. almonds (I used slivered) and set aside.
in bowl stir together 1/4 C water, 3 TBSP mirin or sherry,  1 tbsp soy sauce (I use tamari because it is wheat free)  1 tbsp thickener (I use tapioca starch due to corn allergy but you can use cornstarch)  and 1/2 tsp sugar.  In large Wok or skillet heat 2 tbsp Olive or sesame oil, 4 C chopped celery, 1 C. diced onions, 3 cloves garlic, minced, one can of water chestnuts and 1 can of bamboo shoots and 1 head of brocolli chopped up.  Sautee until crisp-tender and then add your soy/mirin mixture and stir in, take off heat and add the almonds.
Lastly, we had Thai wraps.  My kids LOVE these things.  You take Rice Wrappers, soak them in water until they are pliable (I do one at a time) and rice noodles (you can buy a package of rice thread noodles and pour hot water over them unti they soften) The put the noodles on the wrapper, then add: Tuna (we prepare it like tuna sandwich filling) shredded carrot, avocado, pickled daikon radish, slivered red bell pepper and fresh mint or cilantro and then wrap according to package directions. We usually dip ours in Thai Peanut sauce, hot chili sauce or Hoisin sauce (not for those who are gluten free) .