By Jodee Weiland

Inspired by a breakfast wrap I recently ordered in one of my favorite restaurants, I decided to create a wrap of my own. Only my wrap would be a lunch or dinner wrap. My Prosciutto, Cantaloupe, and Veggie Wrap with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette is perfect for lunch or a light dinner. This multi-grain wrap has prosciutto, cantaloupe, goat cheese, fresh spinach, and asparagus topped with my homemade Honey Mustard Vinaigrette. It not only tastes delicious, but it’s easy to make as well.

The wrap I had at the restaurant was for breakfast, so of course it had scrambled egg whites, fresh veggies, some shredded cheese, and a mustard vinaigrette. It was in a wheat tortilla and tasted delicious. I especially liked the use of fresh vegetables in this particular wrap. Thinking about how good it was, I decided to use that wrap for inspiration in making my dinner wrap. I used creamy goat cheese topped with prosciutto and baby spinach, and then I added a thinly sliced melorange, or what most of us would call cantaloupe. Melorange is actually slightly smaller, firmer, and sweeter than a cantaloupe, but it is still a melon and probably the closest thing I’ve ever seen to a cantaloupe. So when making this wrap, you can use either one, whichever you prefer for this wrap.

I added fresh veggies to this wrap, baby spinach and lightly steamed asparagus. Last of all, I lightly drizzled my Honey Mustard Vinaigrette over it all, and then folded my multi-grain tortilla wrap around this delicious blend of ingredients. It was an immediate hit for us, because the rich flavors all came together so well creating a light and absolutely wonderful meal! You’ll love it!

Prosciutto, Cantaloupe, and Veggie Wrap with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

4 to 6 large multi-grain tortillas
About 8 to 12 ounces goat cheese (this will vary according to taste)
6 to 7 ounces prosciutto
2 to 3 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 (more or less) cantaloupe or melorange sliced thinly about 1/8 inch
12 fresh asparagus
Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Recipe for Homemade Honey Mustard Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons organic honey
5 drops hot sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Sea salt to taste

Lay your tortilla on your preparation surface. Spread the goat cheese down the middle in a two-inch wide strip. Put two to three strips of prosciutto on top of the goat cheese. Next, cover the prosciutto with baby spinach. Place thin slices of the cantaloupe over the spinach and two slightly steamed asparagus on the top. Then drizzle lightly the Honey Mustard Vinaigrette over everything. Be careful not put on too much vinaigrette in order to avoid making your wrap soggy. Fold in both ends of the tortilla and then fold over the side to close your wrap. Use a toothpick to hold it together and serve.

For the vinaigrette, put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together thoroughly with a whisk or handheld blender. Then put it in a container for dressing that will make it easier to drizzle on to your wrap or spoon it on carefully.

Once done, serve your Prosciutto, Cantaloupe, and Veggie Wrap with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette. I decided to cut it in half to make it easier to eat and then served it with a side of fresh fruit, including any extra cantaloupe I had left. One thing I feel certain about is that this light and tasty meal will be enjoyed by everyone in the family. We loved it, so enjoy!

By Jodee Weiland

One thing I have always enjoyed was a good pulled pork sandwich with a delicious tasting barbecue sauce. A good barbecue sauce really is key to the success of the sandwich in this case.

When I was a kid growing up in Chicago, my mom used to make the absolute best barbecue ribs in the world, or at least that’s how I remember it. As an adult, I have made mom’s ribs with her homemade barbecue sauce on several different occasions and always with rave reviews from those participating in the meal. Traditionally, the way with our family is to make slight adjustments to our recipes throughout the years according to taste, and I have carried on the tradition of always trying to make it a little better each time I cook it. Nonetheless, I am happy to say, it is still mom’s recipe for the most part, and I still believe her sauce to be the best ever!

As a fan of pulled pork sandwiches, I have tried a wide variety of them when travelling down south and here in Chicago, usually finding some great ones and some additional ideas for this sandwich along the way. Now I have decided to take my memories of great barbecue ribs as a child and apply mom’s homemade barbecue sauce, with my slight adaptations over the years, to pulled pork sandwiches! Along with that, I want to add cole slaw, banana pepper rings, and bread and butter pickles for add ons. Here’s the recipe I have come up with from all the different recipes I have tasted or seen over the years, including mom’s homemade barbecue sauce.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Homemade Barbecue Sauce from Mom

1 boneless pork loin roast, about 3 lbs. (I prefer the leanest possible cut of pork)
Salt and ground black pepper (to lightly season pork roast prior to browning)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped or minced
1/2 cup of fat free chicken broth (vegetable broth can also be used)

Lightly season the pork with the salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil in frying pan over medium heat and brown the pork roast on all sides, turning frequently, for about 10 minutes. Once browned, remove the roast from the pan and set aside.

Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to pan drippings and saute for 3 to 5 minutes over medium heat until softened. Then add chicken broth.

While onions and garlic soften, blend together and rub the browned pork roast with the following rub on all sides.

1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
1/2 tablespoon thyme
1/2 tablespoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon red cayenne (or to taste)
1 tablespoon brown sugar

While pork is cooking, prepare the homemade barbecue sauce below. Combine all the ingredients below for the barbecue sauce in a bowl and blend well using a whisk to dissolve the brown sugar. Then refrigerate sauce until needed later.

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar (or more to taste)
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 tablespoon molasses
Salt to taste (optional)
1/4 teaspoon red cayenne

Once the pork roast is done cooking, transfer the roast only to a platter and pull into shreds with a fork, removing any fat. When finished, return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and add the recipe for homemade barbecue sauce prepared earlier. Be sure to leave in the mixture in which the pork was cooked. This is additional moisture and flavoring for the pulled pork.  Blend barbecue sauce into shredded pork, set the temperature to high on the cooker and cook a little longer, leaving it uncovered and stirring it frequently until the sauce thickens. This may take about 20 to 30 minutes. Done right, the results will be satisfying enough to make all the preparation for this dish well worth your effort.  Enjoy!