By Special Request – The Panzanella Wrap!

So the other night as I was brainlessly watching some dumb sitcom, Bobby Flay – the famous TV chef - appeared on my screen to do a “Build Your Own Sandwich” commercial for Hellman’s. Generally, I just DVR through any and all commercials, but this one was about food! Yummy looking food! I listened, watched, and rewound several times as Bobby waxed eloquent about how to make a “Panzanella Sandwich.” (Utilizing Hellman’s Mayonnaise, of course!)

I searched online for the particulars of Bobby’s recipe, but had no luck finding it, even though I looked carefully through Hellman’s “Build Your Own Sandwich” website. I eventually got around to googling the word “Panzanella” (after I figured out how to spell it) and found that it is a popular Italian Bread Salad, not to be confused with a salad made with plain old croutons. Apparently, when you get overrun with stale bread, this “Bread Salad” makes good use of it.

That was all well and good, but I didn’t want a salad; I wanted a sandwich like Bobby Flay’s, and I even had a new bottle of Hellmann’s Mayo with Olive Oil Reduced Fat Mayonnaise™  waiting unopened in the refrigerator!

So, inspired by Bobby Flay’s Panzanella Sandwich, here is my version of Italy’s “Bread Salad” -  a tasty, low fat, good-for-you Mediterranean Wrap!

Quick and Easy Panzanella Wrap for One

Dash together a quick marinade:

¼ cup balsamic vinegar
½ t Italian Seasoning
Minced or powdered garlic to taste
Salt or Also Salt™ and pepper to taste
Red pepper flakes if desired
Any other Italianish herbs that strike your fancy

Into the marinade, place

1 Roma tomato, chopped
½ cucumber, chopped

Let tomatoes and cucumbers marinate as you start assembling the wrap.

Take one LaTortilla Factory Tomato-Basil Soft Wrap™ and position the following ingredients down the center:

1 T Hellmann’s Mayo with Olive Oil Reduced Fat Mayonnaise™
2 T Thinlandia Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Spinach Pesto
2 T feta cheese
Greek olives (if desired, optional calories)

Lightly drain tomatoes and cucumbers as you place them carefully into the wrap. A toothpick might be helpful in holding the wrap together while you are eating it, as it is a pretty full wrap.

Enjoy!

*Recipe published 5/16/09

Approximately 300 calories per main dish serving