Try low-carb pinwheels for on-the-go eating

No matter the occasion – tailgating, school lunch, road trips and more – low-carb pinwheels are an easy food item to satisfy your taste buds. The challenge is to find a healthier alternative to the typical flour tortilla. Dana Porter, RDN, offered some tips for healthy and delicious pinwheels for on-the-go eating.

First, pick your low-carb wrap. 

“Nowadays, there are wraps made from everything from egg whites to cauliflower to almond flour,” said Porter. “The key is to look at the ingredients. You can’t always go by what is highlighted on the front of the package, so check the ingredients list to get the whole story.”

Instead of using wraps made from wheat flour, try something lower in starch and higher in fiber. Chickpea, coconut, flax and pea protein are a few of the other varieties on the market today.

Next, pick your spread. 

Plain cream cheese and the flavored varieties usually work best, but you can also experiment with hummus, guacamole, refried beans or tzatziki.

This will help hold it all together and add flavor.

Add in veggies and protein. 

“The possibilities are endless,” said Porter. “Include leafy greens such as arugula, romaine, basil or spinach and as many other colorful veggies as you like, such as red onion, bell peppers, carrots or radishes.”

For protein, in addition to the standard chicken, turkey or tuna, you might also consider mixing an unflavored protein powder into the cream cheese spread to further increase the protein content.

Finally, roll, refrigerate and slice. 

When you have it all spread out in an even, thin layer, roll it up tightly into a log and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate it for about an hour to set. Remove it from plastic wrap and slice it into your preferred thickness.

Porter offered a few tasty combinations to get you started:

• Roast beef, provolone, shredded lettuce, horseradish sauce
• Ham, Swiss cheese, mustard, pickle
• Turkey, cheddar, red onion, bacon, ranch
• Chicken, refried beans, salsa