HEALTHY REPLACEMENT FOR BREAD

By Vegan Victoria, Certified Nutrition Consultant

It seems to be almost a staple for the American diet; a sandwich with 2 pieces of bread; a hamburger or hot dog in a bun; a tortilla wrapped around shredded meat and vegetables.  But with many people trying to reduce or eliminate wheat from their diet, there’s a much healthier and tasty option.  Using a large lettuce leaf as a wrap instead of a slice of bread, a bun or a tortilla is a great way to cut back on wheat intake.  This has been popular in Asian cuisine for a while and it’s starting to catch on here in the U.S.

Wheat is different now

Even if you’re not gluten-intolerant, too much wheat can be a problem.  That’s because modern wheat can be tough for many to digest.  According to Discovery News, scientists began cross-breeding wheat 50 years ago to make it hardier, shorter, and better-growing.  This work, which won U.S. plant scientist Norman Borlaug the Nobel Prize, introduced some compounds to wheat that aren't entirely friendly to the human digestion system. And some scientists now suspect that gluten and other compounds found in today's modern wheat is what's responsible for the rising prevalence of celiac disease, "gluten sensitivity," and other problems.

Healthy Replacement for Bread

What to do?  Try a large, strong lettuce leaf instead of a slice of bread, a bun, or a tortilla. I like romaine lettuce leaves because they actually contain some protein.  It might be a little messy, and take a little time to get used to the concept, but it’s a great, low-calorie, healthy alternative.  You can smear the lettuce leaf with hummus, or avocado and put some pieces of a veggie burger or baked tofu on top, along with onions, cilantro, salsa or anything else that suits your fancy.

And for dessert, this is my go-to “recipe” if you can call it that.  It’s only three ingredients and while the peanut butter is more fat than I usually like to eat, it really kicks any strong hunger pangs to the curb.

Peanut-Butter Banana Wrap

1 large romaine lettuce leaf

½ sliced banana

1 tsp all-natural peanut butter

Spread a very thin layer of peanut butter over the middle section of lettuce leaf. Line about 4-5 slices of banana down the spine of the leaf. Roll the outer parts of the leaf toward the center, and dig in!