Raw Kale Wraps with Edamame Pâté, Ginger Mint and Carrot Apple Slaw

Dear World Wide Web: I've been avoiding you.

At a cottage over the weekend, full of group-meal-planning, a steady flow of failed food substitutions arose. There was too much water in my coconut whipped cream: it became coconut whipped spread. I didn't have the right ingredients to cut the gluten-free injera: it became compost. As my first failed crepe batter turned into pizza crust,  I consistently flipped a flawless wheat-flour batch. When my second crepe batter attempt separated into sizzling puddles of disappointment, well - a girl can only bounce back so quickly.

Long story short, I've been feeling defeated. Nothing new here. Last week, steering away from creativity and experimentation, I burnt my last frozen veggie burger, and with my cupboards void of any fixings, wrapped it in rice paper with some mustard and lettuce. Low point.

Moving forward- and using what was in my fridge, freezer and garden for inspiration- I've peeled myself off of the kitchen floor and dusted off my food processor. The result: these little hand-held pockets of goodness. Just what I needed to feel better.

Protein-Packed Vegan Salad with Quinoa, Beluga Lentils and Edamame

Ottawa has officially skipped spring and dropped summer on us in a hurry. The concrete jungle that is my back terrace has a climate akin to a sauna and my outdoor plants have begun to fry. Since my landlord has officially broken my heart with a written notice to discard my garden box because vegetable growing on the property is prohibited, my window-sills have become overcrowded. So, while I ask myself questions like: "Can lettuce grow to adolescence indoors?" and, "Will legal action seriously be taken against me if I plant mint among my roses?", at least the Ottawa Farmer's Market has kicked off with a forest of little herb plants to lift my spirits.

When my girlfriend told me about beluga lentils, the name alone made me want to try them right away. Now, they are possibly my favourite of the lentil family. They don't get mushy, are a cinch to cook and taste fantastic. What better way to kick off the first patio dinner than with a tasty bowl of protein-rich grains, vegetables and garden-fresh (or, in my case, window-sill-fresh) herbs?