Homemade Spinach Wraps - Everyday Annie

Being a working mom certainly has its pros and cons, just as being a stay at home mom does. I know that it’s the right thing for our family and definitely the right fit for me personally, but there are times when the balancing act can be more taxing than others. Last year when Andrew started kindergarten I had more than a little on my plate. I was finishing residency, starting fellowship, and studying every free moment to prepare for taking the mother of all exams, my residency boards. I hated that I was so preoccupied during my little buddy’s first few weeks of kindergarten. It especially upset me that I didn’t have time to pack his lunch, or that when I did, it was far from creative.

Eventually after things had settled down at work and I started to come out of my post-exam fog, I got into a better routine and was able to start making lunches. I even branched out beyond the two sandwiches we had been alternating between all year until that point. One thing I made often was veggie wraps – just random veggies from the fridge, some cheese, and a spinach wrap to pull it all together. I loved them because they were so easy and Andrew just loved them, period. However, one glance at the ingredient list was enough to stop me from buying the wraps again. Andrew kept asking for “the green wraps” so I knew I needed to find a homemade alternative.

I haven’t bought tortillas in ages since learning to make those so I figured a few tweaks could make some passable spinach wraps. As it turns out, this worked amazingly well. A whole grain, non-processed version with only six ingredients is definitely something I can get on board with. Andrew is happy to have his fave green wraps back and I’m happy knowing they aren’t full of junk. Just as with nearly every homemade bread that I make, I keep a stash of these in the freezer so that we have them around whenever we need them.

I’m happy that this year we are into a great routine and I’m enjoying making school lunches every day. Just a reminder – I am doing a lunch-a-day feature on Instagram throughout the month of August, sharing school lunch ideas most days as well as some work lunches scattered in. If you’re looking to get out of a lunch rut, especially where school lunches are concerned, this might help provide some inspiration. I hope you’ll follow along!

(*The lunchbox pictured above is this one from Pottery Barn Kids. I can’t say enough good things about it! After wrangling endless reusable snack bags, storage containers and lids all through last school year, this has made packing lunches infinitely easier.)

Yield about 8 wraps

Ingredients

3 cups white whole wheat (or all-purpose) flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 heaping tsp. salt
½ cup chopped frozen spinach, thoroughly drained
5 tbsp. refined coconut oil (or unsalted butter, softened)
2/3 t0 1 cup water, divided

Directions

01
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and spinach in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse thoroughly to finely chop the spinach.
02
Add the coconut oil or butter. Pulse the mixture until the mixture is crumbly, about 5 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. (If you don’t have a food processor, this same effect can be achieved with a pastry cutter or two forks.) With the food processor running, add 2/3 cup of the water in a slow steady stream until the dough just forms a cohesive ball. If needed, add additional water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time until the dough comes together.
03
Knead for 30 seconds more, until the dough is tacky. If the dough is too sticky, add a bit more flour.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces (a kitchen scale helps ensure equal sized pieces). Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes.
04
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Working with one dough ball at a time and keeping the others covered, pat the ball into a disk. Dust lightly with flour and roll the dough into a very thin circle, about 10 inches in diameter.
05

Carefully transfer the shaped dough disk to the heated skillet and cook each side for about 10-20 seconds, just until bubbles form and are lightly browned. Do not overcook or the wraps will be too stiff. Immediately transfer the cooked wraps to a plate and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Repeat this process with the remaining dough balls, lowering the heat as needing to prevent burning. Stack on top of each other as they finish cooking. The steam and moisture that collect when the wraps are stacked together will help keep them tender.
Store in an airtight bag in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, or freeze. If the wraps are stiff before use, microwave briefly (about 20-30 seconds) to make them more malleable.

Source

adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride