Harley Pasternak's Tortilla Sandwich Recipe
The perfect quick and easy lunch — Harley Pasternak’s Tortilla Sandwich with turkey and veggies will make you excited for every break.
What’s filling, savory, simple, and travels well? A tortilla sandwich! Celebrity trainer and nutrition expert Harley Pasternak walked us through his favorite easy and healthy lunch recipe that is full of flavor and perfect for both at-home and on-the-go lunches.
According to Pasternak, the key to the perfect tortilla sandwich is finding a tortilla where you can really see the grains. "Instead of using a brioche bun or a bagel or some kind of bread that takes over the whole show, I like to use a high-fiber tortilla. I love this because it takes on the flavor and texture of whatever goes inside. The tortilla doesn’t steal the show.”
If you ever had doubts about the health of deli meat in a sandwich, no worries — it’s all about the type of deli meat that you choose. “Some people have a confusion when it comes to what makes a healthy sliced turkey,” says Pasternak. “You want to avoid nitrates and buy something that’s nitrate-free if you can. The fact is, there is sodium in a lot of these proteins. I’m not too scared of protein as long as you don’t have any health issues that require you to avoid sodium.”
Next comes the flavor-rich components: mustard, cheese, and veggies. Pasternak prefers Dijon mustard with Swiss cheese as a nice complement to the savory turkey. Then to round it out, iron-and-fiber-rich spinach with a fresh crunch from jalapenos and pickled peppers bring it all together. You can also choose to cook down the spinach before adding it into your tortilla.
Eat it as is, or if you have time, press it in a grill pan for even more delicious texture. You can also use a sandwich weight or add another heavy pan on top to press it. When you’re ready to serve, cut it in half and pair it with a side salad. Pasternak enjoys a blend of microgreens and cherry tomatoes.
Tip:
This meal is a great source of energy to help you gear up for your workouts. We recommend pairing this recipe with one of Harley Pasternak’s Superhero Series workouts on Alo Moves. Try it free with a 14-day trial.
Harley Pasternak’s Tortilla Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients
High fiber tortilla
Dijon mustard
4 slices turkey
2 slices Swiss cheese
Jalapenos
Roasted red peppers
Spinach
Directions:
Lay your tortilla flat and spread the mustard on one half of it.
Layer your sliced turkey, cheese, jalapenos, roasted red peppers, and spinach on that same side.
Fold the remaining part of the tortilla over and toast it in a pan for a couple minutes. If you have a grill press, use that on top to flatten it down and get some grill marks on the tortilla.
Cut in half and serve.
Craving more? See a full list of Harley Pasternak’s recipes on our blog.
Recipe Courtesy of Harley Pasternak
Harley Pasternak is a celebrity fitness trainer, nutritionist, and best-selling author based in Los Angeles. He holds a master of science degree in exercise physiology and nutritional sciences from the University of Toronto and an honors degree in kinesiology from University of Western Ontario. He is also certified by The American College of Sports Medicine and The Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology, and served as an exercise and nutrition scientist for Canada’s Department of National Defense.
As a fitness and nutrition specialist, Pasternak boasts the largest celebrity client roster in the industry. He is also a New York Times Bestselling Author whose titles have attained global bestseller status, which has led to translation in 14 languages in over 25 countries around the globe. Pasternak believes that you don’t need to spend hours inside a gym to create a healthy lifestyle — it’s all about how you spend your time outside of it, from incorporating regular movement into your day to better sleep and stress management.
For more of Harley’s recipes and to receive access to our library of fitness classes, start your free 14-day trial to Alo Moves.
