Quick and Easy Pinwheels

One morning, I was getting together with some friends, and I realized that I was supposed to bring an appetizer. Oh what to do?! I had some tortillas, cheese, salami and veggies in the frig. I wondered what I could make with those ingredients. A really easy and delicious pinwheel snack!

First I spread cream cheese onto a tortilla, and then topped it with salami slices. Baby spinach and blanched asparagus made up the veggie component. Chunks of mozzarella added a creamy texture. I rolled it up, secured it with toothpicks, and sliced it into pinwheels.

An easy, quick-to-prepare, snazzy-looking appetizer or late-afternoon snack.

Fruit Wrap Tutorial

Yesterday, I posted on how to make a veggie wrap. Today's post is all about a delicious fruit-filled wrap!

First of all, here are the ingredients with which I began - bananas, whole wheat tortillas and peanut butter. I spread a thin layer of peanut butter onto the tortilla, all the way to one edge - that will be the sticky edge that seals the wrap shut.

Next, I sliced up a banana. I did a bias-cut (which basically means a diagonal cut), because I think it looks fancy. However, any type of slice will work.

After laying the banana slices down the middle of the tortilla, I decided that I wanted some more color and flavor, so I added a few craisins. Same as with the veggie wrap, I simply rolled up the tortilla towards the peanut-butter-filled edge. Securing it with two food picks, I cut the wrap on the bias.

Now, if you'll excuse me ... this banana-craisin-peanut-buttery goodness is calling my name. Happy eating!

Veggie Wrap Tutorial

Today, I am going to demonstrate how to make a veggie wrap. Honestly, it's not hard. And the beauty of the wrap is that you can customize it based on (1) what you have on hand and (2) what veggies you like!

This picture represents the veggies that I had on hand - snap peas, carrot sticks and thinly sliced cucumbers. To make the wrap, I had whipped cream cheese and flour tortillas. (Also pictured: whole-wheat tortillas, peanut butter and bananas. These items are for a fruit-filled wrap, which I will feature in tomorrow's post.)

First, I spread a thin layer of whipped cream cheese on my tortilla. I prefer the whipped kind for this food adventure since it spreads better than the regular block cream cheese.

Next, I laid a few cucumber slices down the middle of the tortilla.

I topped the cucumber slices with carrot sticks and snap peas. So colorful!

Then I just rolled it up. I spread a bit more cream cheese on the edge of the tortilla to enable it to "seal shut". Two flower toothpicks held the wrap closed, while I cut in half.

Tada! Colorful, healthy lunch (or snack)!

DIY Veggie Wraps

So this week's post are about Veggie Wraps and Fruit Wraps. However, the kiddos got home from school before I had a chance to make the wraps and take the pictures. Of course, my growing children were HUNGRY, so ...

I put out all of the veggies, already cut up. And I spread a small amount of cream cheese on two whole-wheat tortillas.

Then I invited my kids to create their own after-school snack.

 My son even put radishes on his veggie wrap. He doesn't like radishes. But they were there, so he thought he'd try them. Fine by me!

They love to create their own dishes.

Sometimes, they pretend they are on MasterChef Junior.

But eating your colorful, edible presentation is even better.

They ate far more veggies in a child-assembled wrap than if I had made it for them.

Plus, the whole-wheat tortilla tides their seemingly-always-hungry bellies until dinnertime.

Later this week, I'll post a "How To" about veggie wraps and fruit wraps.