Boxing Clever!

 

Whether you’re packing a dish for a work-day lunch; packing up a picnic or simply taking some food on the move, bariatrics can ensure that they keep cool, eat fresh and keep things properly portioned for themselves. The easiest way we know here at bariatriccookery.com is to take it in our special bariatric bento box. Not too big or overwhelming like many plastic lunch boxes, and handily divided so that you can get the right proportions of food in your meal, it also keeps food fresh, unsquashed and safe to eat when used with the freezer chill pack and special carry bag (which folds out to make a great meal mat or even something to sit on in the park while you catch some rays!)

I easily become bored with regular sandwich and salad or deli fare unless it is spiced or seasoned up with some fresh zingy flavours. This offering is a current favourite – a rolled wrap of teriyaki marinated roast beef with shredded strips of cucumber, beetroot, red cabbage, red peppers, spring onions/scallions and diced sweetcorn, all the better for dunking into a soy dipping sauce.

 

I have experimented with the wrapping – I’ve used thin rice paper sheets; thin and low-carb wholemeal tortillas; a very thin flat egg omelette; and lettuce leaves – all with great success. So if you’re watching the carbs or find you’re intolerant to bread consider a lettuce wrapper or egg option instead. There is no really hard and fast rules or recipe for this dish and I have, on occasion, taken a ready mix of shredded vegetables (like the ones for making your own coleslaw or stir-fry) instead of slicing my own as the basis for the filling – no need to make hard work of this.

What I do think is essential is that you marinate your beef in just a little teriyaki sauce before assembly – you won’t need much, only perhaps a teaspoon or two to get a great flavour. And then add your own touches to customise – I like to add some chopped fresh coriander/cilantro sometimes; chopped tomatoes another or even cooked and diced soy beans to get added protein. Made the night before required and stored in the bariatric bento box they will keep fresh in the refrigerator for the following day.

My offering today also comes with some slices of cucumber, a few grapes and a Babybel cheese – simple but oh so tasty!

TERIYAKI BEEF WRAPS

Ingredients

METRIC/US

50 g/2 oz thinly-sliced lean roast beef

2 tsp teriyaki sauce

50 g/2 oz or about 1/2 cup shredded vegetables (such as red cabbage, cucumber, red pepper/capsicum, beetroot/beets/ spring onions/scallions for example)

1 tbsp canned or cooked sweetcorn kernels, chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 rice wrappers (or a small low-carb tortilla, large lettuce leaf or thin egg omelette – see intro above)

2 tbsp light soy sauce for dipping

Method

1.  Place the beef in a dish and sprinkle with the teriyaki sauce. Cover and leave to marinate for a few minutes or overnight.

2.  Mix the shredded vegetables with the sweetcorn and salt and pepper to taste.

3.  To assemble, soak your rice wrappers if recommended on the packaging (it makes them easier to roll without breaking) and place one on top of the other on a board. Top with the beef mixture and then the shredded vegetables. Fold the wrappers over the mixture and roll to completely enclose – making something that resembles a sausage. Slice across into 4 pieces for serving. Do the same if using a tortilla, large lettuce leaf (or two overlapping ones) or a thin egg omelette. Place in the bento box and pour the soy dipping sauce into the sauce pot. Chill until required.

SERVES 1

WLS PORTION: 1

CALORIES (using rice wrappers):  141

PROTEIN: 10.9g

CARBOHYDRATE: 20.8g

FAT: 1.6g

Images copyright of Bariatric Cookery (UK) Ltd