When you need to make sure there’s THM-friendly appetizers and snacks around, these Perfect Pinwheels are just the thing. I’ve taken my mother-in-law’s classic cream cheese pinwheel recipe and made it Trim Healthy Mama friendly. I also include a bonus Fuel Pull Deli Pinwheel and more ideas for both S and FP variations.
My mother-in-law makes these yummy little cream cheese pinwheels. They seriously get devoured at every family get together! Everybody loves them, and so do I.
The only problem is that they’re made with white flour tortillas. Definitely not on plan! I’ve been craving those yummy little pinwheels recently so I set out to THM-ify one of the best pinwheel recipes ever.
You certainly can sub the regular tortillas with low-carb versions BUT too much “frankenfood” in your diet can cause a stall. They’re great in a pinch or as a special treat but should not be the mainstay of your low carb tortilla needs.
So what’s a Trim Healthy Mama to do?
Hello Wonder Wraps, Our Old Friend!
If you haven’t made Wonder Wraps yet you really should. There’s a great basic recipe in the THM books, both the Original Plan book and the first cookbook. I adapted that for my Chicken Florentine Wonders (also a Fuel Pull) and for these THM-friendly pinwheels I adapted my adaptation.
Kind of like WonderWraps 3.0 I guess.
I’ve included an actual recipe below for 2 variations, but honestly there are SO many ways you can make low carb pinwheels! Even low fat pinwheels have many options, you just might have to get a bit more creative there.
S Style or Low Carb Pinwheels Are Super Easy!
My mother-in-law’s recipe is basically cream cheese, shredded cheddar, garlic powder, green onion, black olives, pimento, and green chilies. Of course, I didn’t have all that on hand so I improvised.
The best thing about this low carb pinwheels recipe is that it’s super forgiving. Mix up what you have available, it’ll be good.
Even though I lacked the exact ingredients, my THM-ified pinwheels taste pretty much like I remember! Of course there is a bit of a texture difference using psyllium husk-based wraps but when you want to stay on plan it’s not an issue, right?
My kids loved them too and that’s all the stamp of approval a mom needs!
More Low Carb Pinwheels Options.
Mix any of the following into regular or 1/3 less fat cream cheese:
- Turkey bacon and chives
- A mixture of cheeses such as cheddar, Monterrey Jack, or hot pepper
- Taco seasoning, olives, jalapenos
- Cooked ground meat, bell peppers
- Sundried tomatoes, garlic, and capers
- Dill pickles, diced turkey ham, green onions or chives
Or try my Easy Homemade Yogurt Cheese with Cilantro, Garlic, and Lime as a spread.
Fuel Pull Pinwheels? Yes, you can!
For many new THMs Fuel Pulls can seem daunting and maybe even boring. Low fat AND low carb? How can it taste good?
Need some Fuel Pull Inspriation? I’ve got over 50 ideas for you!
In my recent post, How to Make a THM Charcuterie Board, one of the tasty little snacks on my Fuel Pull charcuterie example was these beautiful little pinwheels. A little low fat cheese spread, some lean deli meat, and organic salad greens — all rolled up into tasty poppable bites.
More Fuel Pull Pinwheels Ideas:
We have to get a bit more creative here to make up for the lack of fat. But it’s not impossible! I use 1/2 of an Aldi version of Light Laughing Cow cheese wedge per wrap (which comes out to .75 grams of fat per whole wrap and even less per pinwheel). You could certainly use a whole one if you want more cheesy goodness.
- Mix some dijon mustard with my Low Fat Mayo, spread it on the wrap, then top with your favorite deli meat and finely diced pickles
- A few turkey pepperoni slices, low fat mayo or low fat cheese wedge, a light sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, and fresh basil leaves
- Sugar free pizza sauce, lean deli chicken, a sprinkle of low fat mozzarella or Parmesan
- Turkey breast, cranberries, and low fat mayo
- Peanut Junky Butter and some Slim Belly Jelly (from the Cookbook)
- Peanut Junky Butter and finely diced strawberries
Another flavorful Fuel Pull favorite is my low or no fat Creamy Cajun Ranch Dressing or Dip. If you make a thicker dip style it would make a great spread option here too.
[bctt tweet=”Low Carb Perfect Pinwheels are great for snacks and party platters! #thm #keto #glutenfree #grainfree #partyfood” username=”OhSweetMercy”]
Perfect Party Pinwheels to Please a Crowd.
You can get 5, maybe 6, pinwheels out of one wrap depending on the size. The recipe below will make 8 to 10 wraps so anywhere from 50 to 60 pinwheels can be made from one batch. That sounds like a lot but trust me, they’ll disappear in a flash.
Simply double or triple the recipe if needed. Or even more if you have a huge crowd! I’ve not kept these more than a day because they just get gobbled up but if your filling isn’t too wet you should be able to make them the day before a party if needed.
If you make Wonder Wraps and freeze them these delicious little pinwheel appetizers can be made on a moment’s notice too. They’re perfect for surprise guests!
If you’re looking for baked, low carb, THM-friendly pinwheels my blogging buddy Keri at My Table of Three has what you want!
Have You Been Looking for a THM Pinwheel Recipe? Here you go!
Perfect Pinwheels | THM S or FP and Gluten Free
Perfectly poppable pinwheel appetizers are perfect for any crowd. Gluten free, THM friendly (can be made S or FP styles) and super easy to make.
Ingredients
For the Wraps
- 1 1/3 cups egg whites
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- 1 tablespoon PLUS 1 teaspoon Psyllium husk
- 1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon high mineral salt
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon THM Oat Fiber (optional)
S Style Cream Cheese Pinwheels
- 8 oz cream cheese, light or regular
- 2 tablespoons finely diced bell or jalapeno peppers
- 2 tablespoons finely diced black olives (about 4)
- 2 tablespoons salsa
- 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
FP Style Deli Pinwheels
- 1 slice lean deli meat per wrap
- 1/2 to 1 wedge light spreadable cheese per wrap
- Organic salad greens
Instructions
Make the Wraps
- In a mixing bowl, combine the egg whites, coconut flour, psyllium husk, oat fiber (if using), Parmesan cheese, nutritional yeast, salt, and seasonings and whisk well making sure to break up any lumps.
- Let the mixture sit a few minutes while preheating your skillet. If using a ceramic coated nonstick skillet, reheat slowly on low to medium and do NOT use cooking spray.
- If making S style pinwheels you can use butter or other fat in the skillet if desired. If making FP style use very little fat or use cooking spray to keep them from sticking.
- When skillet is hot spoon about 3 or 4 tablespoons of the mixture into the pan and quickly and evenly spread it around into a wrap sized circle.
- Cook for 3 minutes or until the edges start to look dry then flip and cook for one more minute.
- Remove to a plate to cool and repeat with remaining batter.
S Style Cream Cheese Filling
- Combine cream cheese, peppers, olives, salsa, and shredded cheese in a small bowl and mix well
Assemble the Wraps
S Style Cream Cheese Filled Wraps
- Spread about 1 tablespoon of the filling onto each wrap, spreading to cover the entire wrap.
- Roll the wrap.
- Trim the ends off then cut into 5 or 6 slices
FP Style Deli Pinwheels
- Spread 1/2 to 1 wedge light spreadable cheese on each wrap.
- Add one slice of lean deli meat.
- Top with a few pieces of organic salad greens.
- Roll, trim the ends, then slice into 5 or 6 pinwheels
Notes
More Options for S Style Pinwheels:
- Turkey bacon and chives
- A mixture of cheeses such as cheddar, Monterrey Jack, or hot pepper
- Taco seasoning, olives, jalapenos
- Cooked ground meat, bell peppers
- Sundried tomatoes, garlic, and capers
- Dill pickles, diced turkey ham, green onions or chives
More Options for FP Style Pinwheels:
- Mix some dijon mustard with my Low Fat Mayo, spread it on the wrap, then top with your favorite deli meat and finely diced pickles
- A few turkey pepperoni slices, low fat mayo or low fat cheese wedge, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, and fresh basil leaves
- Sugar free pizza sauce, lean deli chicken, a sprinkle of low fat mozzarella or Parmesan
- Peanut Junky Butter and some Slim Belly Jelly (from the Cookbook)
- Peanut Junky Butter and finely diced strawberries
**Nutritional information will vary depending on ingredients. Feel free to calculate nutritional information using this link: Spark People Recipe Calculator
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linda spiker says
Those wraps are genius!
Dawn Yoder says
Thanks Linda!
Wish I could take credit for the genius of Wonder Wraps but alas I can not. Only my little tweaked version here 😉 I’m not sure if the THM sisters invented them or not but that’s where I discovered them. They are definitely wonderful!
Renee D Kohley says
How FUN! My girls will adore this – my youngest prefers these little finger foods that are easy to pick up and eat! Thank you!
Dawn Yoder says
Hey Renee, that’s great to hear! My youngest is 10 so I never thought of that perk but you’re so right. Thanks for stopping by, hope your girls love them!
Anya says
These wraps are just what I’m craving right now.
Dawn Yoder says
Hi Anya!
They are fun and perfect for snacking!