Wrap

Tofu has a custard-like texture and is available in soft, firm and extra-firm varieties; firm is preferable here. Serve these hearty burritos topped with purchased salsa and some plain nonfat yogurt.

A vegetarian takeoff on the classic Chinese minced squab dish. Chopped raw vegetables, not fried noodles, add crunch.

These rolls are baked instead of deep-fried, making them a healthful, satisfying alternative to traditional egg rolls.

You can also make these with chicken, ham or roast pork.

Buy some potato salad and raw vegetable sticks to round out the menu; then offer fudgy chocolate cupcakes for dessert. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe can be made vegetarian by substituting either soy sauce or Bragg Liquid Aminos for the Nuoc Nam, a Vietnamese fish sauce made from anchovies which is used as a salty seasoning. The flavor will not be quite the same, but it will be equally satisfying.

(Rouleaux de Poulet aux Kumquats, Sauce épicé) These spring rolls can also be made with duck instead of chicken.

Round out the main course with leaves of romaine lettuce topped with purchased guacamole and salsa; also offer rice pilaf. For dessert, spoon Kahlùa and chocolate sauce over coffee ice cream.

In this recipe, tortillas are a supermarket stand-in for mandarin pancakes. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 35 min

The chicken is cooked with onions, lemon and dill, then spooned onto warm pita bread rounds and topped with a yogurt sauce. Then the sides of the bread are folded up and the sandwich is eaten like a taco.

At the end of the century, vegetarian cooking gained wide acceptance-and became sophisticated. Wraps (basically burritos) were a hot fast food; everything from Thai chicken to ahi tuna got "wrapped" in flour tortillas or flatbread. The two trends pair up in this terrific dish. To make these even more like burritos, add one 15- to 16-ounce can of drained black beans to the filling.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Look for chipotle chilies in adobo sauce in the Latin American foods section of the market. Serve the wraps with purchased salsa and an avocado, grapefruit and red onion salad with oil and vinegar dressing. Complete the menu with chocolate wafer cookies and coffee ice cream.

The salsa has a nice balance of sweet and spicy flvaors and is a perfect compliment to purchased frozen spring rolls or egg rolls.

This dish, which is called Vietnamese Fajitas at Kim Son restaurant in Houston, works well as an appetizer or as a main course.

"At the Manhattan law office where I'm a legal secretary, it seems as though the phones are always ringing," writes Lisa Caiazzo of Franklin Square, New York. "And if it isn't the phones that have me occupied, then there are lots of documents that need my attention. By the time I get home from the city, I usually have only about 45 minutes to put together dinner for my husband, Angelo, and myself. Still, that's enough time to make something filling and delicious, like a salad and a hearty pasta or soup. My best cooking, though, is done on Sundays during the fall and winter, when I become a football widow. An afternoon of cooking can be very therapeutic after a busy week." Any mixture of vegetables you have on hand would make a great filling. Serve the wraps with purchased salsa and sour cream.