Thanks to healthy collard greens, a delicious Paleo Dill Cream Cheese Spread, and your favorite meats, you can now make Paleo Pinwheels from home! They’re perfect for lunch, football parties, or even bridal/baby showers.

paleo pinwheels
paleo pinwheels

Whenever I scroll through lunch ideas on Pinterest, I’m always struck by pinwheels. Usually made with deli meat, a cream cheese spread, and some kind of a large tortilla or wrap, they’re beautiful and look like such a fun lunch. In years past, I’d admire the cute pinwheels and then keep scrolling because they’re not, by any stretch of the imagination, Paleo-friendly. THEN, one day (I’m a slow learner/thinker sometimes), it dawned on me that, “maybe I could make one that IS Paleo-friendly!”

Excitement started to bubble at the thought of a healthier pinwheel option showing up in lunch boxes and at bridal/baby showers everywhere. How FUN would that be?! I had two hurdles to tackle: the wrap and the creamy spread.

The wrap was a no-brainer. You see, I’ve been using (and loving) giant collard green leaves as wraps for YEARS. They showed up on my blog in my Paleo turkey wraps in 2013 and also in my book! The collard greens are sturdy enough to hold a wrap together AND supply a serving of vegetable …win/win. My only pro-tip for using collard green leaves for wraps is this:

  1. Lay your chosen leaf stem side facing up on a large cutting board.
  2. Using a large knife, slide it carefully into the raised part of the stem, keeping the knife parallel with your cutting board and the leaf. Slide the knife down the length of the stem so’s to “thin” the stem. Without cutting a hole in the leaf, we’re aiming to keep the stem as thin as the leaf itself.

Thinning the stem of the raw leaf helps keep the wrap feeling like a wrap (opposed to a giant leaf).

My next hurdle was the creamy spread. Though there are a number of Paleo-friendly options I could have toyed with, my mind settled on cashews! After a quick soak in some water, raw cashews make the base of this spread. I added a little lemon juice and generous sprinkling of dill (+ sea salt) and then voilà! A creamy, delicious, almost-cream-cheese-like spread was born.

paleo pinwheels

With this Paleo creamy spread and a trick for perfect collard wraps, you can now make Paleo pinwheels to your liking. Use your favorite meats, maybe add in a few pickles, and have fun with these! I can’t wait to see your creations.

Paleo Pinwheels

5 from 1 vote
By Cassy
Prep: 4 hours
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 4 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Thanks to healthy collard greens, a delicious Paleo Dill Cream Cheese Spread, and your favorite meats, you can now make Paleo Pinwheels from home! They’re perfect for lunch, football parties, or even bridal/baby showers.

Ingredients  

For the Paleo Dill Cream Cheese Spread::

  • 1 cup raw cashews soaked in 1.5 cups cool water for at least 4 hours, drained
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice about 1.5 lemons
  • 1 tablespoon dried dill weed fresh works, too!
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

For the wraps::

  • 4 large collard green leaves stems shaved
  • 6 to 8 ounces shaved turkey your favorite homemade or deli variety
  • 6 to 8 ounces shaved beef your favorite homemade or deli variety

Add on’s::

  • dill pickles
  • bell peppers
  • red onions

Instructions 

  • For the Paleo Dill Cream Cheese Spread, add all of the ingredients to a food processor. Blend on high for 1 minute, stop to scrape down the sides, and blend for an additional 2 minutes, or until creamy. Note: if your spread is too thick, add 1/2 teaspoon of water at a time until you get the desired consistency.
  • For the wraps, spoon 1/4th of the sauce onto the backside (stem side) of a collard leaf. Top with 1/4th of the meat plus any bonus add-on’s. Roll the wrap so that the stem spans the length of the whole roll.
  • Using a sharp knife, cut the wrap into 1-inch thick pieces.
  • Chill until serving and then enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 1445mg | Potassium: 477mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 546IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 173mg | Iron: 4mg

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer, Lunch
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 273
Keyword: gluten free pinwheels, paleo pinwheels

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About the Author

Cassy Joy Garcia, NC

Cassy Joy Garcia, a New York Times best-selling author, of Cook Once Dinner Fix, Cook Once Eat All Week, and Fed and Fit as well as the creative force behind the popular food blog Fed & Fit.


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14 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I make the cashew spread every week for our collard wraps! So glad I found it! Thank you!

  2. Hi Cassy!

    It’s my understanding that lunchmeat / deli meats are super processed and aren’t good for you. You definitely know what you are doing & are a wonderful cook, so I am looking for recommendations on any good brands to get or what to look out for when buying them? Or would shaved deli meat at Whole Foods be okay?

    Thanks so much!

    1. I think that would be good! This recipe is more of an alternative to conventional pinwheels vs. a “eat this all the time” kind of recommendation. I hope that helps!

  3. I made these today, and they made quite a tasty little app. The bitterness of the collard greens paired nicely with the creaminess of the dill cream cheese. Thank-you for the recipe!

    1. I’m so glad you liked them, Donna! Thanks for your support!

  4. These would be perfect for me for lunch. I work in sales so I’m always in my car and on the go. Anything I can eat with my hands is right up my alley!

  5. Any idea how long they last in the fridge? I am getting ready to meal prep for the week and I am wondering if I should wait to assemble them until the morning that I am going to eat them.

    I am so excited to try this for lunch this week!

  6. Hi Cassy,
    If you don’t have collard greens what else would you suggest. I’m in rural Canada and they aren’t readily available to me. Thanks! I think you’re awesome by the way. Your kind spirit is refreshing these days

    1. Hi Stephanie! Kale, Romaine, or even a big cabbage leaf might work! Hope that helps 🙂

  7. These look so great! I used to love a good pinwheel, but haven’t had one in years since I was diagnosed with Celiac. This is absolutely brilliant. I can’t wait to make them!