Elements:
FLOUR OR CORN TORTILLAS (I prefer to use the uncooked kind because the ingredient list is basic, just like homemade. We don’t prefer the texture of whole wheat flour tortillas, but the uncooked multigrain ones are great!)
A STICKY FACTOR (something to hold your tortillas together), like HUMMUS, REFRIED BEANS, VEGAN SOUR CREAM or VEGAN CREAM CHEESE plain or mixed with salsa for flavor.
A MAIN PROTEIN like HAM/TURKEY LUNCH MEAT, SHREDDED CHICKEN, SHREDDED PORK, SHREDDED BEEF, or REFRIED BEANS.
Ideas for extra flavor and fun – SALSA, thinly sliced TOMATOES, thinly sliced AVOCADOS, chopped GREEN ONIONS, CORN, thinly sliced RED ONION, chopped CILANTRO, squeeze of LIME JUICE, DAIYA CHEESE, RICE CHEESE, etc. (See comment on substitute cheeses below in the Tips section.)
Application:
Heat the uncooked tortillas over medium heat, pricking the bubbles with a fork, until golden on each side but still pliable. If using already cooked tortillas, I still like to heat them up on the pan without extra oil to get them a little crisp. Remove tortillas from the pan and place on your work space.
Add a thin layer of your sticky factor to each tortilla. THIN is important, as you don’t want excess squeezing out the sides.
Add a thin layer of your proteins and extras.
Sandwich the tortillas together and smoosh them down a bit to make sure everything is intact.
Using the tip of a sharp knife, carefully cut out your shapes. I often do festive shapes or different puzzles that they have to solve, as pictured above.
Wrap in plastic wrap and toss in their lunchbox! Since they’re pliable they should fold over easily to fit inside.
Tips:
We’ve tried every kind of cheese substitute locally available and the one we like best is Daiya brand! It is tapioca-based and tastes/melts wonderfully! The link above is to their jalapeno harvati so you can see what the branding looks like, but we’ve also tried their mozzarella & cheddar shreds (on pizza, in pastas/lasagnas, in soups of all kinds) and they all work beautifully. Rice-based cheeses are only ok in taste in our opinion and its melting abilities are way more limited. Of course, taste is completely a matter of personal preference so find what you like best. Just know that if you haven’t tried a cheese substitute yet, there are all kinds of brands/flavors and certain kinds that that melt better than others.
