Peanut butter tortilla rolls

The comfort food of winter and autumn reaches deep down into our bones to warm, but for us it’s the fresh, bright ingredients of summer and spring dishes that enlivens. Salads, cold soups, simple picnic spreads, and smoky barbecued flavours complemented by brisk sauces all get our circulation going that bit more! 

These simple tortilla rolls were real nice to add to that array. Sweet potatoes and the tortilla wrapping are healthy starches and give bulk to the lighter ingredients. 

Today the selection of tortillas on offer in most food stores is dizzying. Depending on your palate, you could opt for a flavoured flour tortilla, while traditional Mexican corn tortillas would bring texture and substance. 

We’re even tempted to try these toppings on a Venezuelan or Colombian arepa pancake, or an El Salvadoran pupusa – but then it wouldn’t be a wrap anymore! 

Saucy

In any case, mixing up the chia peanut sauce is the closest that preparation of this recipe gets to hard work – which thankfully isn’t very close at all! The wonderful combination of cleansing apple cider vinegar and richly sweet maple syrup works quite well with toothsome peanut butter. Be sure that you buy organic peanut butter and natural maple syrup, though. 

Of course we recommend buying everything organic if possible, but it can be hard on the wallet. These are both products where the cheap version really does not sit well, for taste or for health. 

Erbology Organic Chia Powder brings protein and fibre, as well as a healthy dose of Omega-3 fatty acids. It also helps to thicken the runny dressing, bringing together all the elements into a satisfying whole. 

Red cabbage belongs to the Brassica genus of vegetables, next to broccoli, kale, and cauliflower among many others. This means that the refreshing flavour is accompanied by an outstanding nutrient profile including more than half the daily recommended amount of vitamins K and C.(1) 

The beautiful, deep colour comes from a flavonoid called anthocyanin, which a wide ranges of studies indicate to be beneficial for heart health.(2)(3)(4)

Fermented goodness

If you are as infatuated as we are with the cleansing properties of fermented cabbage in sauerkraut and kimchi, how about substituting the variety of your choice for the raw cabbage in this recipe? We’d suggest against it if you are making this to take to work though, as the wrap will become soggy. 

If making at home or to eat right away, you may also want to re-jig some of the other ingredients so the flavours don’t begin competing with one another. We figure the cucumber is definitely a keeper, though. As well as the clean flavour, which would be appreciated even more next to pickled cabbage, the crunchy texture would be good to keep intact if the crispness of the raw cabbage is sacrificed.

For the mouth and for the eye

It’s said that eating across the rainbow when it comes to produce is lovely for the body, as the colour of various vegetables and fruit comes from various healthful properties. That’s something that has always appealed to us, and this dish is pleasurable in that way too. 

Try and take a moment to look at the vibrant orange of the sweet potatoes next to the rich purple of the cabbage, the tender white of the cucumbers, and the deep green of the basil when you slice the wrap in half. Then, just keep enjoying with both mouth and eye!