Did you ever make one of those sandwiches at Thanksgiving where you combine the turkey, cranberry sauce, and stuffing in a sandwich? I love the sweet and savory combination of the flavors coming together. This weekend I was dying with cravings for some reason. They usually don’t bother me this much so I try to listen when they come up. There must be a reason in my mind.
I was really wanting something like the Thanksgiving sandwich – oozey, sweet, savory goodness all rolled into one. I stood looking at my options for a bit and came up with a weird sounding but great combination that matched what I was looking for. It had the sweetness of pumpkin and vanilla protein combined with the savory spinach and turkey.
Grilling this like a panini made the contents gooey while the outside was crispy. If you haven’t tried them, I really recommend the Hungry Girl brand of flat breads and wraps. They come in a nice variety and are all low calorie and high fiber. It’s a bonus that they don’t taste like cardboard either like some of the wraps do.
Turkey Pumpkin Panini
- 1 Hungry Girl flax wrap
- 1/4 cup canned pumpkin
- 2 oz sliced deli turkey
- 1 handful fresh spinach
- 1/2 scoop (21g) vanilla protein
Preheat a panini grill or George Foreman grill. You can also grill the sandwich on the stove top in a non-stick pan. Lay the wrap out flat and spread the pumpkin evenly over one half. Layer on the sliced turkey and spinach. Add a little bit of water to the protein powder and stir until pudding consistency.
Spread the protein pudding over top of the fillings. Fold the wrap in half to make a sandwich and grill until toasted on both sides. Remove from heat and slice in half. Makes one huge sandwich at approximately 243 calories – 32g protein, 27g carbs, and 4g fat.
I told you it sounded weird but look at this beauty. I had one the following day just to confirm that it wasn’t just a rash decision made in the name of hunger. Nope, still amazing on take 2. If the thought of vanilla protein on a sandwich gives you the willies, you can also use cream cheese, goat cheese, or Greek yogurt in its place.
It reminds me of the burger I made a while back. That one was weird but good too. So far this contest prep hasn’t really been filled with cravings. It’s all about listening to what you want and having a little bit of it here and there. Have you ever had a weird craving while on a diet? What’s the strangest sandwich you’ve ever had?
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