Family Table: Wrap Up Summer’s Freshness

Celebrate summer by pairing fresh vegetables with protein.

By Cristen Clark

This summer is shaping up to be a memorable one for our family. Earlier this spring, we jumped into growing vegetables by planting a large garden. While I’m good at raising pigs and growing field crops, I have never succeeded at gardening, so this challenge gave me serious pause at the beginning. Luckily, my husband grew up in a gardening family, and I have many greenthumbed friends!

I’ve made several trips to my local Earl May Garden Center as part of my gardening adventure, so many that the employees know me by name. I always come with a host of questions, but their patience is unmatched. With their help, I leave with a clear sense of what I need to do to keep my garden growing. The herbs are one of my favorites because I planted them in containers on my deck right outside the kitchen. I snip some of the fragrant and flavorful delights to enjoy with every meal. The kids are even enjoying them, too.

This recipe for Deli Turkey Veggie Wraps is one that I use for lunches, picnics and appetizers. The best way to keep the wraps tightly rolled is to assemble them in advance, wrap them in plastic, twist the ends and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

For a refreshing appetizer on a hot day, slice the turkey wraps into 1-inch pieces. I like to sprinkle fresh, chopped herbs on the pinwheels to add more flavor and create a colorful presentation.

Deli turkey is protein-rich and versatile, with many delicious flavor combinations. Some of my favorites include sundried tomato, black pepper and honey mesquite. Depending on the time of year, different vegetables, including garden-fresh veggies, work beautifully in this wrap. Try radish slices, tomatoes, spinach or sliced kohlrabi for a crisp and refreshing option.

For vegetables with a high-water content like kohlrabi or cucumbers, pat them dry with a paper towel before adding them to the wrap to ensure the wrap doesn’t get messy when eaten.

To reduce the carbohydrate count, if you plan to eat this sandwich right away, wrap the ingredients inside the sliced deli turkey and secure with a toothpick – no wrap necessary! For another option, use wraps made entirely of cheese, which can be found at the grocery store.

For an Italian-style preparation, use sundried tomato deli turkey and chopped chives, basil and Italian parsley. Add a few slices of turkey pepperoni and a slice or two of provolone cheese.

Cristen Clark is a pig farmer, creator of the Food & Swine blog and an award-winning baker and cook. She lives on a farm near Runnells with her husband Mike and children Halle and Barrett.

Deli Turkey Veggie Wraps

• 4 ounces cream cheese

• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried dill)

• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried parsley)

• 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried chives)

• 1 green onion, chopped

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/2 pound smoked deli turkey or honey turkey

• 1/2 cucumber, sliced lengthwise, seeded and cut into 1/8-inch sticks

• 1 large carrot, cut into 1/8-inch sticks

• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/8-inch strips

• 2 large tortilla shells (wheat, spinach or tomato basil)

In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, chopped herbs, chopped green onion, garlic salt and pepper. Spread herb cream cheese mixture on tortilla shells. Layer turkey on top of cream cheese mixture, followed by vegetables. Wrap tightly. Roll wraps snugly in plastic wrap. Chill for 1 hour. Slice into 1-inch pinwheels for an appetizer.

Makes 2 large or 4 small servings.

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