THE COOKING HOBBYIST: Pinwheels make for a quick, tasty lunch

LUNCH IS BORING. This is one reason why I don’t like preparing it and why I rarely enjoy eating it.

The other reason is that, during the work week, there’s just an hour to get home, make lunch, eat and get back to work, so lunch also has to be very simple.

I’ve tried many things throughout the years.

Sandwiches are good in a pinch, but they don’t vary too much and bread seems to go bad too quickly in my home.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

I’ve done the fast-food thing at lunch more often than I care to admit. It’s definitely fast, but I’m not sure how much actual food is involved.

I’ve heated up frozen meals as lunch, made soup or chili, and sometimes gotten leftovers from the previous night’s dinner out.

Still, after all these years, I honestly haven’t found a better lunch option than anything that was fed to me at my high school more than a decade ago. To be fair, that school had pretty great food.

Lately, my lunch go-to has been pinwheels.

I’ve bought these sandwich rolls in stores and always enjoyed them. A few weeks ago, I thought “How difficult could it be to recreate these at home?”

Not difficult at all, it turns out.

The great thing about pinwheels when you make them at home is that you have total control over what goes in them.

And you know how healthful the ingredients are as well.

My favorite pinwheel so far is quite simple: I use cream cheese, Provolone cheese, red leaf lettuce, chicken deli slices, turkey deli slices and roasted red peppers. I also buy carb-balance tortillas.

The easiest way to roll this all up that I’ve found involves covering one side of the tortilla in a light layer of cream cheese, and then placing the Provolone cheese at one edge.

On top of the cheese, layer the lettuce and deli slices. Next, scoop out a roasted red pepper from the jar and slice it so it’s easier to roll.

When all of that is layered, start at the end of the tortilla where everything is. Roll the start as tightly as you can and continue that tightness through the remainder of the roll. The cream cheese should work to seal the roll at the end.

Finally, just chop the roll into the number of pinwheels you wish to have and voilá! A quick, fun lunch.

For more nutrition and to make lunch more filling, I usually have this with a side of raw vegetables and/or a small serving of fruit.

________

Emily Hanson is a copy editor/paginator for the Peninsula Daily News. She is also a beginning baker and clumsy cook. She can be reached at 360-452-2345 ext. 560-50 or ehanson@peninsula dailynews.com.

More in Life

Shanna Bloom, who lives at the intersection of Fifth and Cherry streets in Port Angeles, plans to keep her American flag lights up well into spring. "These aren't Christmas lights anymore," she said. "They are patriotic lights now." (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Patriotic lights

Shanna Bloom, who lives at the intersection of Fifth and Cherry streets… Continue reading

An article from the Olympic-Leader newspaper of Port Angeles on July 20, 1894.
BACK WHEN: A tale of a Peninsula tragedy from 130 years ago

IT IS THE start of a new year. Have you made any… Continue reading

Angel Beadle holds Phoebe Homan, the first baby born on the North Olympic Peninsula in 2025. Father David Homan stands by their side in a room at Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Port Angeles couple welcomes first baby of 2025

Phoebe Homan joins 7-year-old brother

Andrew May/For Peninsula Daily News  
Fall color can add so much to your garden, as seen here on a garden designed and planted for 16 years. Always add some new fall color to your garden.
A GROWING CONCERN: Don’t let warmer temperatures catch your garden out in the cold

IT’S SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT to come to terms that Wednesday is a new… Continue reading

Photos by Katie Salmon

 

Cutline: Just look at those smiling and happy faces of the Neon Riders 4-H horse group as they hold up their completed community service projects — care packages filled with personal hygiene items (toothpaste/brushes/shampoo) along with snacks, colored markers and coloring books for children — they gave to organizations helping recently displaced families
HORSEPLAY: Yes, you can be a mentor to a child

MENTORS. ASK A group of adults if anyone had a good mentor… Continue reading

Striped legs with ruby slippers peek out from under a house being prepared to move from a lot on Third Street in Port Angeles. (Kelley Lane/Peninsula Daily News)
Wicked worksite

Striped legs with ruby slippers peek out from under a house being… Continue reading

Betsy Davis, the executive director of the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding, with her 1914 wooden boat “Glory Be.” (Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding)
Boatbuilding school director plans to retire

Betsy Davis says she will work with her replacement

ISSUES OF FAITH: Finding the path to wisdom

THEY ARE ON the way! No, I don’t mean late-arriving Christmas presents… Continue reading

Sunday program set for OUUF

Julia McKenna Blessing will present “Tis the Season to… Continue reading

Speaker scheduled for Sunday service at Unity in Olympics

Doug Benecke will present “Amazing Space” at 10:30 a.m.… Continue reading

Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News
A fire dancer from Port Townsend's Fire Dance Collective, performs in front of spectators during the 2nd Annual Solstice Bonfire hosted by Jefferson County 4-H at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds on Saturday.
Solstice Bonfire

A fire dancer from Port Townsend’s Fire Dance Collective, performs in front… Continue reading