Kid-Approved, Island Pinwheels From Snowy Utah

Amy Roskelley, Super Healthy Kids

My 11-year-old daughter has the unfortunate event of having her birthday on December 26^th.  She never gets to have the coveted “swim party” and of course, many of her friends are on a holiday vacation.  We usually wake up on her birthday to a pile of snow, and freezing temperatures.  We are definitely a sun-loving family, so we try really hard to make her birthday extra special.

Now that she is old enough to share what she wants, she wants to go to Hawaii more than anything else in the world. Instead of making the long trip… we decided to bring the tropics to us in snowy Utah and have an Island themed Luau for her birthday this year! Our plan is to decorate with inflatable palm trees, wear grass skirts, drink pina colada’s, and eat homemade Hawaiian pizza and “Island Pinwheels!”

It always amazes me that we can serve healthy food at a birthday party and the kids completely dive in!  I have never had a child ask where the candy and pop are!  In fact, food hardly gets discussed at all.  We serve what we like, and the children partake!

For our Island Pinwheels, we used some healthy Whole Wheat Tortillas from La Tortilla Factory.  My kids were the test subjects, and they couldn’t get enough of them.  I literally had to smack hands away so I could take a picture before they were gone.

Recipe Directions:

• 1 package Soft Wrap Mini La Tortilla Factory Honey Oat Tortillas
• 4 ounces light cream cheese
• 1 cup crushed pineapple (drained or squeezed of excess juice)
• ½ cup coconut
• 4 kiwi
• 2 mandarin oranges

Mix the cream cheese with the crushed pineapple and coconut and spread a tablespoon of the mixture onto each tortilla.  Next, peel the orange and separate the segments and peel and slice the kiwi.  Then arrange the kiwi onto half of the tortillas and the orange segments on the other half.  (We’ve also done this with mixed berries and they are amazing!!)

With the filling in place, roll the tortilla tightly and secure with a toothpick! NEXT: chill in the fridge until the cream cheese gets a bit harder, and they are easier to cut.  After a few hours, remove from fridge, and cut tortilla into 1-inch segments.  Sprinkle extra coconut on top for garnish.

Having a party in the middle of winter can be fun and healthy!  Kids enjoy finger food, and these Island Pinwheels are perfect for the party, or to brighten up any dreary winter day.   And my Erica is officially excited about the theme.  She wants to get out the construction paper and start making decorations already!