How to Roll a Wrap

on March 30, 2010
in How to Roll a Wrap

Good afternoon! Megan and I went on a glorious bike ride this morning (we both decided we’d rather work in the evening and workout in the morning).

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We don’t bike on the sidewalk, we were just taking a breather.  We bike in the bike lane!

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We had a nice ride.  It was a little windy and chilly, but still very pleasant outside.  I finished 18.0 miles in 1 hour and 10 minutes.  Booyah!

 

After our workout, I ran some quick errands, including the grocery store.  I posted this Operation Beautiful note in a random aisle:

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If you’ve posted any notes lately, be sure to e-mail them to me at seebriderun@gmail.com!  Each note goes up on the site, and I’ll link back to your blog, if you have one.

 

Time for lunch:

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A few people have asked how I get my wraps to look so “pretty.”  There is a technique!  Here it is:

 

Start with a good, solid wrap that won’t rip.  This is my favorite brand because it’s not calorie dense (100 calories; I’d rather fill-up on the nutrient-dense fillings) and doesn’t have any trans fat.

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The key is to use some sort of “sticky” condiment to hold the wrap together.  I usually use melted cheese, hummus, ketchup, or mustard.    Also, you want to start on an edge of the wrap, not in the center.  I started today’s wrap with hummus and sprouts.

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The hummus was awesome, by the way.  It was this wonderful Dill and Cucumber flavor that I found at my grocery store.

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Then, add the bulk of your wrap.  Be careful not to overstuff!  I added grilled zucchini and squash that was marinated in balsamic.

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(If you want to fold in the edges, now is the time to do it; I just don’t always do it.)  Then, grab the end of the wrap closest to the edge and pull over the insides, tucking along the “glue.”  Tuck it as tightly as possible.

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Roll all the way up, flip over so the seam is facing down, and slice down the middle.  Re-plate if necessary.  🙂

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I also had roasted yellow potatoes and ketchup.

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Now that I’ve spent the morning playing, I need to get to work!  I have tons of writing to do. 

 

Are you a wrap or a sandwich kind of person?  I must admit… I love a good sandwich.

{ 90 comments }

 

  • Freya @ Brit Chick Runs March 30, 2010, 1:16 pm

    I didn’t think I was really either, and I went about 3months not having them. Then the other week I made an AMAZING tempeh sandwich, so I thought I was a sandwich girl – til I made my first wrap last week! Now I’m sold on them too 😛
    I posted some Operation Beautiful notes 2 or 3 weeks ago…do you still want to see them!?
    Congrats on the bike ride btw 🙂

    • caitlin March 30, 2010, 1:17 pm

      yes, definitely! email them to me! the more, the merrier.

  • Megan @ Eat.Scrap.Run March 30, 2010, 1:20 pm

    I love both sandwiches and wraps. I try to alternate buying wraps and sandwich bread so I only have one in the house at a time. Great job on your bike ride!

  • Heather (Heather's Dish) March 30, 2010, 1:21 pm

    oh, that’s a hard question: i really LOVE burritos and wraps, but nothing compares to a good sandwich. i love the wrap tutorial! 🙂

  • Therese March 30, 2010, 1:21 pm

    You ARE a great wrapper! I’ve been improving but I’ll try your technique next! Although I have become quite good a rolling sushi, I wonder if it’s similar? Hmmm…

    I like wraps more than sandwiches. I just don’t like crusts! Although now that I’ve discovered sandwich thins there’s a bit of a toss-up!

  • PippaPatchwork March 30, 2010, 1:25 pm

    Haha, that’s actually really helpful! Rolling wraps is harder than it seems.

    I think I’d say I’m a wrap person. I love good, fresh bread, but I think it tastes better unadorned.

  • Sara @ Activegal March 30, 2010, 1:26 pm

    Oooh I would have to go with wraps! I love them and I don’t make them enough! Both are yummy to my tummy though!

  • Kristi March 30, 2010, 1:28 pm

    I love a good wrap in the morning and a good sandwich for lunch or dinner. Does that make me weird that I like them both but at different times of the day? Just like you, my favorite wrap is this brand too! I love to pair it with some greek yogurt, strawberries, almonds and flax seed for a filling breakfast.

  • John March 30, 2010, 1:28 pm

    Nice bike ride. Now I have a goal for my first ride this aft.
    You avergad 3.88min/mile so for 10 miles I will try for 39minutes. Just gives me extra motivation out there 🙂

    • caitlin March 30, 2010, 1:30 pm

      you’ll do great. wear your helmet 🙂

  • kalli@fitandfortysomething.com March 30, 2010, 1:32 pm

    definitely a wrap person and thank you for showing me how to wrap it-mine never look as pretty as yours! good job on the bike ride! i should be getting my new bike soon 🙂

  • Beth @ Beth's Journey to Thin March 30, 2010, 1:32 pm

    I go both ways when it comes to wraps and sandwiches. Love em both.

  • Jessica @ How Sweet March 30, 2010, 1:32 pm

    I love wraps! And LaTortilla Factory are my favorite too. Have you ever had the green onion flavor?!? They are tasty. 🙂

    • caitlin March 30, 2010, 1:34 pm

      i have not! but now i’ll be on the look out!

  • Evan Thomas March 30, 2010, 1:36 pm

    Thanks for the tips! I’m the one who usually has the fillings go flying 🙂

  • Lauren @ Eater not a runner March 30, 2010, 1:37 pm

    I love both! But I think sandwich takes the cake 😉

  • Marlene March 30, 2010, 1:38 pm

    Hilarious! You have no idea how many times I’ve been tempted to email you to ask you how to wrap a wrap!!! Thank you for posting!

    One last question: How did YOU learn to wrap a wrap? Did someone show you? Did you teach yourself? Did you work at a fancy wrap restaurant???

    • caitlin March 30, 2010, 1:39 pm

      hehehe close – i worked as a bartender at a mexican restaurant and the chef taught me.

  • Brie (The Fit Bride) March 30, 2010, 1:38 pm

    I like to wet a paper towel a little bit (just so it’s damp) and cover the wrap in that, then microwave it for 15 seconds or so. When it’s warm, it doesn’t rip nearly as much when you stuff it, and the steam from the wet towel keeps it from drying out!

    • caitlin March 30, 2010, 1:38 pm

      epic suggestion!

  • Lisa March 30, 2010, 1:39 pm

    I feel like I SHOULD like wraps but I’ve never really had one that was so fantastic I needed to eat it again. But then, I’m a bread addict so….SANDWICHES! 🙂

  • Tara March 30, 2010, 1:40 pm

    ooo! Thanks for posting this! I was definitely not utilizing the “glue” component properly! Now I know how to make killer wraps! I have the same kind of tortillas at home. Score!

    I was always trying to mimic how they do it at chipotle… but they always work so fast, it’s impossible to see the logical steps behind the magic!

  • Carolyn @ lovinlosing March 30, 2010, 1:42 pm

    Totally off topic, but do you have any awesome Tofu recipes? I have some Extra Firm tofu that needs cooked ASAP!

  • Dori March 30, 2010, 1:43 pm

    Thanks for the wrap technique tip! My wraps are always big messes that fall apart, this is great to know. I prefer wraps over sandwiches.

  • Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday March 30, 2010, 1:46 pm

    Always slice in an angle for optimal prettiness.

  • katherine March 30, 2010, 1:46 pm

    I definitely prefer wraps, and I second Brie’s suggestion of nuking the wrap for about 15 seconds. It’s much softer and more moldable so the whole package stays together better!

  • Kelly March 30, 2010, 1:52 pm

    Wrapping a wrap is alot harder than it looks. You don’t put everything in the middle? Every instruction packaging i’ve ever read says to put the crap in the middle. hm…

  • Heather (runningwithsass.com) March 30, 2010, 1:54 pm

    sandwich girl here. good job on the bike ride!

  • megan March 30, 2010, 2:04 pm

    Strange question. I love those wraps too, but I find that since they are so pumped with fiber they do not agree with my intestines. Does anyone else have this problem? Maybe I’ll just get used to it. I normally eat a lot of fiber-y foods anyway, so it could be overload. Thanks!

    • caitlin March 30, 2010, 2:07 pm

      i am too lazy to get up and look at the ingredients list, but i wonder if they have fake added fiber in them (like amazing grass does). that usually bothers my tummy.

    • Lindsay March 30, 2010, 6:11 pm

      I think the first ingredient in those wraps is oat fiber. I had them once and was in serious pain (I guess I just need my fiber in small doses?!). That, and anything with too much fiber tastes really gummy to me!

  • Susan - Nurse on the Run March 30, 2010, 2:05 pm

    Overstuffing is definitely my main problem…

    Speedy bike ride there!

  • Amanda March 30, 2010, 2:06 pm

    I love wraps and sandwhiches equally. I’m jealous of all your biking lately. We don’t have bike lanes here, and I’m scared to actually ride in the road. People drive crazy and I’m afraid of getting hit. I wish I lived somewhere more runner/biker friendly.

  • Nicci@NiftyEats March 30, 2010, 2:06 pm

    I’m a wrap girl. I’m not the best at getting them to stay closed, but I love eating wraps.

  • Emily March 30, 2010, 2:06 pm

    I like a nice, toasted/pressed sandwich!!! And I wish I could always fit my workouts in in the AM. Jealous!!!!

  • Heather @ Side of Sneakers March 30, 2010, 2:07 pm

    You do make a pretty wrap:) I’m a wrap person- I like the goodies on the inside! Although I really like good bread too–just not competing with my sandwich fillings!

  • Jessie March 30, 2010, 2:08 pm

    I am usually a sandwich girl, especially when there is some kind of sturdy, chewy bread involved. I really love your use of veggies on the sandwich/wrap. It is nice to have a reminder that I don’t necessarily need a meat for my sandwich, I just need to be creative about with what I have.

  • Jennifer March 30, 2010, 2:12 pm

    I’m so glad you mentioned operation beautiful in this post because I always forget to comment/email about a message on my jogging path. The path I take to run is about 3.2 miles and circles around a park. Well, about halfway around the park there is an arrow spray painted on the sidewalk with the words “You can do it!” underneath! I’m pretty sure this qualifies as vandalism, but it sure is inspiring and gives me a little boost! One day I will have to remember to take me camera and snap a shot of it! 🙂

    • caitlin March 30, 2010, 2:13 pm

      i’d love to see that! at least it’s positive vandalism 🙂

  • Sarah March 30, 2010, 2:13 pm

    Thanks for the wrap tips! I ALWAYS forget to think ahead and I put all my fillings in the middle, then I have to squish them over when I try to roll it up, haha.

  • Christie {Honoring Health} March 30, 2010, 2:18 pm

    Great tutorial. I am not a great wrap roller 😀

    I used to prefer sandwiches but now that I am gluten and yeast free, I eat brown rice wraps and like them. They make a good sub for when I am in the mood for a sandwich and don’t have time to make my own bread.

  • Paige (Running Around Normal) March 30, 2010, 2:36 pm

    Thanks for the wrap tut! I usually tuck in the sides, but that’s a good idea to put the filling on one side instead of in the middle. I’ll try that the next time I make a wrap … probably tomorrow! Obviously I’m a wrap person 😉

  • eatdrinkandbemerrynyc March 30, 2010, 2:44 pm

    That wrap looks professional! LOVE it!
    Sara

  • amanda@thegrainsofparadise March 30, 2010, 2:52 pm

    Aloha! I just nominated you for a Sunshine Award! Check it out:-)http://thegrainsofparadise.blogspot.com/2010/03/sunshine-awards.html

  • Gina G March 30, 2010, 2:58 pm

    i love both! but i would have to say, wraps mostly take the cake for me =

  • clay March 30, 2010, 3:24 pm

    That is one sexy rap ;)… I am a sammy guy though

  • Christina March 30, 2010, 3:26 pm

    I’m a sandwich person too since I’m not as skilled at wrap rolling as you are! I’ll have to give your technique a try.

  • Amber K @ sparkpeople March 30, 2010, 3:38 pm

    It totally depends on the fillings. If I am using things that work better on bread, I’ll make a sandwich. And if I am using chopped veggies that would just fall off the bread, I use a wrap instead.

  • Cynthia (It All Changes) March 30, 2010, 3:46 pm

    I love wraps and always use hummus or Laughing Cow as a glue.

  • Melissa March 30, 2010, 3:52 pm

    I choose wraps from 12 noon onwards. But I could never give up my peanut butter and banana sandwiches. They are my favorite breakfast!

  • Nora@LiveLifeEatRight March 30, 2010, 4:06 pm

    I ALWAYS have problems with wraps! Hummus and cheese are usually staples in my wraps but I pile them a mile high with veggies and can never close them. Maybe the key is to keep it simple!

  • Matt March 30, 2010, 4:10 pm

    I prefer sammies!

  • Anna@ Newlywed, Newly Veg March 30, 2010, 4:13 pm

    I love both…but nothing beats a sandwich with awesome bread 🙂

  • JC March 30, 2010, 4:28 pm

    Oooh yum! I hadn’t thought to use grilled zucchini as the main ingredient in a wrap but this post gives me ideas! Looks delicious!

  • Joanne March 30, 2010, 4:31 pm

    Great ride. The sunshine makes it look warm even though you said there was a chill.

    It’s rare that I can eat a sandwich or wrap. If they are the slightest bit mushy, it makes my stomach flip flop. I would rather have my bread/tortilla on the side, dry.

  • Nicole, RD March 30, 2010, 4:33 pm

    Yum! I’m a wrap girl, for sure! Though I hardly eat either…it’s always leftovers!

  • Hedda March 30, 2010, 4:37 pm

    Uh oh, this left me feeling a bit…boring when it comes to food, haha! Usually I only use wraps when we eat taco, but why limit it to just taco? As you show, wraps are very easy to use.

    But, at the moment I have to go with the sandwich, since I am such a wrap- newbie.

  • Kate March 30, 2010, 4:39 pm

    I am not a huge wrap fan. I never really find a brand that Im crazy about. Perhaps Ill try the kind you use!

  • Sarah @ See Sarah Eat March 30, 2010, 4:50 pm

    Thanks for the wrap demo, I am terrible at it! I actually probably prefer wraps (when someone else wraps ’em) but I love sandwiches too 🙂

  • Diana (Mymarblerye) March 30, 2010, 4:51 pm

    I love me a good sandwich and wrap. They both can be equally filling but sandwiches take me back to my childhood. Oh and thanks for teaching us how to “roll” something..tee hee.

  • Jenny March 30, 2010, 5:02 pm

    I love me a good wrap! i love how you can have a bit of melded flavor, it just tastes so much better than a sandiwch to me!

  • Laura Georgina March 30, 2010, 5:30 pm

    The timing of this post is too funny! I usually don’t have wraps for lunch but made one with hummus today and wondered how you get yours so tidy and neat (mine ended up ok thanks to the hummus, but it was still much less photogenic than yours).

  • Jessica @ The Process of Healing March 30, 2010, 5:50 pm

    I’m usually more of a sandwich person but I love a good wrap! I’ve had a wrap almost every day for this week! And I use those tortillas too, they are awesome! 😀

  • andrea March 30, 2010, 6:11 pm

    make a video of it please!!

  • Tina March 30, 2010, 6:17 pm

    I am normally a wrap person. I like all the insides and don’t want the bread to fill me up too much. Your wrapping technique looks very helpful.

  • Julia March 30, 2010, 6:26 pm

    Neither. I grew up in Japan, so everything is “rice”. So “bowl” would be my answer; what can I put over rice? What can I put in a bowl over rice? (Miso soup, stir fry, bologna sauce, ramen… endless possibilities!) I’m still not that down with the American sandwich tradition… maybe give it a few more years? haha.

  • BroccoliHut March 30, 2010, 6:33 pm

    Awesome tutorial! I think I like sandwiches better–I just love bread too much!

  • Kelly @ Healthy Living With Kelly March 30, 2010, 6:47 pm

    SANDWICH!!!

  • Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca) March 30, 2010, 7:11 pm

    I never think to make wraps or sandwiches, but when I do, I love them!

  • Daniel March 30, 2010, 7:29 pm

    Thanks for the tips with the wraps! I always screw mine up but that’s because I love to try to stuff it with a LOT of veggies and what not. I prefer open face sandwiches the most because then you’re filling up with less calories from the bread and still getting a ton of toppings! I really really enjoy wraps but there’s only so much you can put in and usually I end up with a good hunk of wrap left over at the end. :p

  • Sean March 30, 2010, 7:29 pm

    Have you been doing any hill work at all on the bike? I know the whole Florida = flat thing but I hope there’s something close by. I think the TT section of the Napa century has 2500ft or so of climbing — granted most of it right at the end of the TT.

    • caitlin March 30, 2010, 7:31 pm

      im doing hill training tomorrow but in general i think im just doing to die during the century.

  • Naomi (onefitfoodie) March 30, 2010, 7:30 pm

    haha I had a wrap tutorial ove ron my blog too!!! love WRAPS! i am eating one right now in fact! that dill hummus sounds great!!

  • Lori K. March 30, 2010, 7:44 pm

    I am generally a sandwich person but have been trying more wraps lately.

  • Katharine March 30, 2010, 7:52 pm

    I love your lunch posts because I always get such great ideas – I struggle coming up with things that aren’t boring. And that hummus sounds divine, I’ll be on the lookout for that. 🙂

  • Jen March 30, 2010, 9:46 pm

    I love wraps! awesome job on your bike ride!

  • Emily Eats and Exercises March 30, 2010, 10:43 pm

    I always overstuff my wraps. I know I’m doing it, but sometimes a little mess is worth some extra veggies. I’ve been grilling my wraps in the Foreman – you can fit more in that way because it gets pressed down.
    If it’s really good bread, I’m a sandwich person, but I don’t eat them very often.

  • Jess March 31, 2010, 8:11 am

    You totally need to come see the Lululemon outlet in orlando…. its covered in Operation Beautiful!!

  • Diana @ frontyardfoodie March 31, 2010, 9:11 am

    I totally would pick a sandwich over a wrap any day but there are those times when a good wrap sounds super fantastic.

  • Dominique March 31, 2010, 10:50 am

    I don’t think I’m either–I had my first PB&J sandwich for lunch when I was in high school, but your wraps always look fabulous. Wraps over here are always filled with shredded iceberg and day-old tomatoes and the like so I can’t ever get myself to order one. I’ve always wanted to order one at a more fresh and health-minded restaurant but am still afraid.

  • Susan March 31, 2010, 1:57 pm

    The sticky condiment is genius. Dude, I worked in a deli where we churned out hundreds of wraps a day and I never even thought of that!! I prefer pitas above all else. You can cram waaay more goodness into a pita than you can a wrap or sandwich 🙂

  • Angela (ohsheglows) April 29, 2010, 8:21 pm

    It is my sole mission in life to wrap a wrap as good as you. bahaha.

  • Marie August 24, 2010, 4:33 pm

    my wraps always fall apart and make a big mess! thanks for this!

  • Chad April 10, 2011, 6:41 pm

    I love this blog. I linked to this post because it’s the best one I’ve seen for showing how to roll a wrap the right way 🙂

  • Paul September 17, 2015, 7:13 am

    I make a lot of wraps filled with mashed kidney bean mixed with finely chopped celery, chilli, olives, grilled capsicum ( peppers ), mushroom and prawns ( shrimp ). Using a Rice dough wrap. I’ll beat one egg and brush all the adjoining surfaces and cook in my pizza oven. Nothing falls apart. I now seek treatment for my addiction haha.

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