The park is where it’s at right now. Yesterday, for instance, we spent four and a half hours outside running around our local park, rolling on the grass, digging intricate cakes and castles in the sand, chattering with our friends, dancing through the sprinklers, and soaking up summertime. The thing is, blush, we ended up eating pizza for lunch… pizza from the grocery store, which is good but not best.
For our next park visit, we might be able to swing something a little more healthful and homemade. A little more like yummy picnic food.
What really inspired us to make this nutritious wrap filled with cumin spiced carrots and a cool cucumber raita is that all its components travel well, taste delicious cold, and do not take hours to make. My children refuse to eat raw greens still, but I loaded mine up with spinach, sprinkled in a few flax seeds, and was in heaven. It is very adaptable that way. Add things that your picnickers are going to love.
And just one note on what we wrapped with… because this was very impromptu, we used store-bought multigrain wraps. However, I cannot wait to make up a batch of chapati to wrap everything up in the next time we make these wraps. Take a look at our chapati party here for inspiration and the recipe.
Happy weekend, Yummies and Happy Summer!
Cumin Carrot and Cucumber Raita Wrap
For the carrots:
*1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
*1 t. cumin seeds (if you do not have cumin seeds, you can use 1/2 t. ground cumin)
*pinch of salt
*black pepper, to taste
*1/3 c. good olive oil
*2 T. apple cider vinegar
*1 T. fresh mint, chopped
*1T. parsley, chopped
Steam the carrots. With your mini-chef, fill a medium pot with an inch or so of water. Place your carrots in a steamer basket and load it into the pot.
Big Person: Turn on the heat to high and steam the carrots until just slightly tender, 3-5 minutes. They should still have a bit of bite (unless your mini-chef will absolutely, positively not eat them al dente, in which case steam them till they are soft). Remove from the pot and shock in a bath of ice water. A “bath” is just a big bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooking. You can let your mini-chef know that sometimes carrots get to take baths, too.
To prepare the cumin seed for the dressing, toast them in a small pan over medium heat stirring them occasionally till they are toasted. Here, use your nose. Let your mini-chef help you, too. Both of you will be able to smell when they are ready.
Together Again: While the carrots are steaming, make the dressing. In an unplugged blender, have your Yummy measure out the olive oil and vinegar and add the cumin seeds, salt, and pepper.
Help your mini-chef place the lid to the blender on securely. Then turn on the blender and blend everything together till the cumin seeds are completely powdered and integrated into the rest of the dressing. When you are ready to dress the carrots, sprinkle with the parsley and mint, pour the dressing over the carrots, and toss together.
For the raita:
*2 c. organic plain yogurt
*1/2-2 cloves of garlic, minced
*juice of a lemon
*3/4 c. cucumber, finely chopped
*pinch of salt
*ground pepper, to taste
In a small bowl, stir everything together. If you know that you looooove garlic, then go whole hog and add two whole cloves, but it might be best to start with 1/2 clove, taste, and then proceed when you have the exact garlickyness that your family likes.
Using your favorite whole-grain wrap or chapati, pile some of the carrots into the middle in a long tube. Spoon on some of the raita. Fold and eat.
Note: If you are taking these on a picnic with you, keep all the components separate. Toss the carrots in the dressing and sprinkle with the mint just before assembling the wraps.
