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So when you think of deli meats and cheeses I’m betting 99% of you are thinking about a sandwich, right? If you’re like me you grew up on taking a bagged lunch or lunch box to school with some piece of fruit, either a bag of chips or a cookie and a sandwich. If mine wasn’t pb&j it was bologna or ham and cheese. However times are changing. We’re more cognizant of the foods we eat, what it’s made with and honestly if it’s on the healthier side. Kids lunches are getting more diverse and we are getting more adventurous in the kitchen. I, for one, am loving this.
When it comes to deli meats and cheeses I am a HUGE snob. I’m sorry but I want QUALITY, incredible flavor and frankly, no additive crap in it. I’ve been buying Castle Wood Reserve® deli meats and cheese for quite some time now. Mr. Fantabulous and I both love them as they taste incredible and I never have to worry about ‘stuff’ in them. So when these great folks reached out to me asking me to take their deli products beyond the sandwich I went with something, honestly, I’ve been making for quite sometime now.
You see I love bread, carbs, dough… all that deliciousness is incredible BUT it’s the bane of my existence when it comes to losing weight. I swear I see a loaf of bread and without even taking one bite my thighs jiggle just a tad more. Or if I see a roll, it’s like “HELLO let’s add some flabby here”. So I had to find alternatives and reduce my bread intake. That’s when I turned to veggies. I use veggies not only for pasta and pizza (yes try my spaghetti squash pizza crust!) but also for ‘sandwiches’ or in this case, rolls and wraps.
What I love about Castle Wood Reserve® deli meats is that they contain No binders, No MSG, Trans-fat Free, and are Gluten Free. This means I don’t have to worry about their products. And don’t get me started on their cheeses! Not only do they taste AMAZING but they also contain No MSG. Additionally they are Trans-fat and Gluten Free. Plus all cheeses are rBST free! BONUS! A quick trip to my local Walmart was all I needed to pick up everything I needed. These deli meats and cheeses can be found next to the deli. After grabbing a few packages, I grabbed some cucumbers (though you can use carrots, zucchini, squash, egg plant or parsnips) and then some whipped cream cheese.
OH OH OH before I forget, remember how much I am in love with the ibotta app? Well from now until October 31st when you sign up and redeem the 2 rebates for Castle Wood Reserve® deli meats and cheese you can earn $1.75 on the meat, .75 on the cheese AND when you buy them both together you can get a bonus of another .75!!! SWEET! Join team TKW Family ibotta today!!!
To make these it’s pretty straight forward. I HIGHLY recommend using a mandoline to make the job easier. You can use a veggie peeler but you run the risk of the slices either not being even in cuts or them ripping. And unless you’re a pro (i.e., you’re a ninja) when it using a knife, don’t. I HIGHLY recommend using the PL8. It’s a professional one that’s high quality and worth it.
The only stuff you really have to make for this is the Everything Bagel Cream Cheese Spread. Trust me on this, you will want this in these rolls! It adds the perfect flavor profile and marries the flavors perfectly! To make this just grab your favorite Castle Wood Reserve® deli meant (I went with Virginia Brand Smoked Ham) and cheese (I went with Natural Colby Jack), thinly slice up your cucumber on the mandoline and grab some toothpicks.
To assemble what I did was cut my meat and cheese into long strips however I cut mine to match the width of the cucumber thus some strips fatter versus some not so fat. I wanted to see meat and cheese all the way around; not tucked in because I cut them too small.
So down went a cucumber strips, on top of that 2 slices of cheese. Next came a thin layer of the cream cheese spread and then the ham. To roll I started at one end and slowly started to roll up the cucumber strip tightly. Once I got to the end I secured with a toothpick. Since cucumbers are high in water I stored these in a paper towel lined lidded container. Though to be honest, they won’t last long.
Mix and match your flavors and veggies! The roast beef with pepper jack cheese is awesome with carrots or zucchini! Go on and make up a batch of these for lunches this week and watch your kid’s lunch be the envy of the lunch room!
Cucumber Ham Rollups
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Ingredients
- 1– 2 large cucumbers
- 1 package Castle Wood Reserve® Virginia Brand Smoked Ham
- 1 package Castle Wood Reserve® Natural Colby Jack Cheese
- Everything Bagel Cream Cheese Spread
Instructions
- Using a mandoline (or veggie peeler), slice the cucumber thin.
- Cut the meat and cheese into strips as wide as the cucumber strips.
- On each cucumber strip place 1-2 strips of cheese covering the length of the cucumber but leaving a 1/2″ at the end furthest from you.
- Place 1/2-1 teaspoon of the everything bagel cream cheese spread on top of the cheese.
- Next place 1-2 strips of ham on top.
- Starting at the edge of the cucumber closest to you (not the end that has the 1/2″ uncovered) start to slowly roll up the cucumber while pulling taut .
- Once the cucumber is all rolled up, secure with a toothpick.
- If not serving immediately place in a paper towel lined lidded container and store in the fridge.
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