The newest addition to the work week lunchbox is Roasted Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Seed Pinwheels. Roasted sweet potato strips meet a spicy cilantro sauce, sprouted pumpkin seeds, bell pepper and fresh greens before getting wrapped up in a whole-grain tortilla. Sure, you could just eat it as a wrap. But pinwheels are so much more fun!
The Sweet Potato Saga Continues
If you read my post on Duck Confit Shepherd’s Pie then you already knew that another sweet potato recipe was coming. After netting a total of 8 white sweet potatoes in last week’s farm box, I committed to using as many as I could before my eyes started to glaze over them on the counter.
Roasting up a bunch of sweet potatoes on Sunday means you’ll have plenty to use beyond Monday. It’s one of the few vegetables that is just about as good reheated as right from the oven.
Making New Friends
The secrets to Roasted Sweet Potato and Pepita Pinwheels are Ezekiel 4:9 flax seed tortilla wraps and Bitchin’ Cilantro Chili Sauce. Both can be found at Whole Foods, or make your own substitutions.
The Ezekiel wraps might be the healthiest and most fiber-packed thing you’ve ever eaten. Having grown up on Wonder Bread, I used to be terrified of Ezekiel products. It took some time, but over the years I’ve acquired a taste for whole grains and have come to really enjoy the natural earthiness that they lend.
The original plan for this wrap was to use hummus. One problem. I got addicted to Majestic Garlic’s Sprouted Hummus when I was living in California and now nothing else will do. And they stopped shipping so I’m out of luck.
After an eternity staring at the same old hummus choices at Whole Foods, I noticed they had another product that I learned to love in California. Bitchin’ Sauces. These are almond based and come several yummy flavors. Use it like hummus, or as a dip, or as a sauce or whatever. Very multipurpose, no bad ingredients.
Don’t Get Wrapped Up in Recipes
You can follow my recipe and use the same filling ingredients. But it’s your wrap. Don’t get too wrapped up in following recipes. Ask yourself, “What would go better in this than what she used?” Comment and let me know what you come up with!
Use whatever you have, but I do highly recommend these sprouted pumpkin seeds. They add the perfect bite and extra protein to anything you throw them on.
Time to Wrap it Up
Put a little care into your wrap. Similar to how I roll sushi, you need to tuck, pull and roll slowly to make a wrap that will slice into pinwheels.
To assemble the Roasted Sweet Potato and Pepita Pinwheels, I started with sauce. Then I layered the sweet potato, bell pepper, greens and alfalfa sprouts. I sprinkled some pumpkin seeds on top.
It worked, but on my next one I decided it made sense to sprinkle the pepitas directly onto the sauce so they’d stick.
From there I made the Roasted Sweet Potato and Pepita Pinwheels backwards from my first try. Sauce, pepitas, greens, alfalfa then potato and peppers. That worked better IMO.
Roasted Sweet Potato and Pepita Pinwheels
I had a vision of folding the side of the tortilla in like you would when rolling a burrito. This wrap doesn’t have a bunch of preservatives so it is too fragile for that. I ended up slicing off a little of the overlap on each side before slicing into pinwheels.
Turns out those little extras were delicious as a snack dipped in the Bitchin’ Sauce.
I’m looking forward to Monday already knowing these Roasted Sweet Potato and Pepita Pinwheels will be in my lunch box. That said, I’m definitely going back to traditional sweet potatoes once these white sweet potatoes are gone.
Ingredients
- 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in quarters lengthwise
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 4 Ezekiel 4:9 Flax Tortillas
- 1/2 cup Bitchin' Cilantro Chili Sauce (sub salsa verde or hummus)
- 1/2 pkg alfalfa sprouts
- 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup pepitas
Instructions
Roasted the Sweet Potatoes
- Preheat oven to 375℉. Wash, peel and cut your sweet potatoes lengthwise into quarters. Drizzle with the olive oil and shimmy the pan around to get them coated. Season well with salt and pepper. Roasted for 30-40 minutes, turning over halfway through. Potatoes should be very tender and started to turn golden.
Assemble the Pinwheels
- Lay a tortilla on a flat working surface. Spread about 2 tbsp of the sauce onto the lower 1/2 of the tortilla. Sprinkle with about 1 tbsp pepitas. Layer on about 1/2 cup of spinach, 1/4 cup sprouts. Add two slabs of potato and some bell pepper strips.
- Roll the tortilla over the filling and tuck in underneath, pulling toward you gently while using your palms to gently compact everything. Finish rolling the wrap up. Trim off the ends with a serrated knife and cut into pinwheels.
Nutrition
Have you fallen in love with these pumpkin seeds? Me too. Check out Sushi Rice Risotto with Roasted Butternut Squash, Feta and Pepitas or Cucumber and Avocado Salad with Hemp Hearts and Pepitas if you can’t get enough.
Ooooo, I’m making those sweet potato doodads this week!!