Good morning. Ethan recently covered the protein trend and discussed how learning to make nutrient dense meals at home is often the better solution than continually buying expensive packaged food items.

• Today we’re covering the wrap framework, which is an easy starting point for making high protein, low cal food at home that still tastes great.

RECIPE BREAKDOWN🤯

Prepping healthy snack wraps

Prepping wraps in advance is a great habit to get into. They keep in the fridge or freezer well, and when made well, can be more satisfying than chalky protein bars or a handful of chips.

Why you should learn this

This framework lets you create a satisfying, protein-rich meal with a variety of ingredients

Wraps are versatile enough for any time of day—perfect as a post-workout snack or an easy dinner when you're too tired to cook. Best of all, they keep well in the fridge for several days.

What you’ll need

• Cooked protein (chicken, beef, lamb)

• Fresh toppings (lettuce, tomatoes, onion, peppers)

• Sauce (hummus, yogurt sauce, etc)

• Wrap (lavash, pita bread, tortilla)

How to make it

1. Prep the protein: cook the desired protein how you like and slice it up after. Or use leftover protein that you have around.

2. Gather fresh toppings: chop up lettuce or tomatoes, onion, shred cheese etc.

3. Make sauce: make or pull out hummus, yogurt sauce, sour cream etc.

4. Assemble: lay down the wrap and add the desired sauce, followed by the protein, fresh toppings, and a little more sauce. Make as many wraps as you desire and store in the fridge for several days to enjoy.

Storage tips — Roll individual wraps in foil to preserve freshness. Enjoy cold or warm up before eating. For longer storage, add those to a gallon bag, squeeze out the air, and freeze. Thaw and reheat as needed.

RECIPE RECOMMENDATIONS ✅

Our best wraps

Head on over to Cook Well to check out a bunch of example recipes:

FOOD TRENDS 🚀

Swedish princess cake

What is princess cake?

Princess cake is a traditional Swedish cake. It consists of sponge cake filled with cream and topped with marzipan that is usually green. Modern versions have added jams like raspberry, which is a controversial among purists

So why did it become so popular?

1. Sight — There’s a visual element of food. Our eyes tend to eat first. We are influenced by presentation, color, and visual cues in food. The cake is a usually a beautiful green with layers of cake and cream that gives off a pleasing visual.

2. Balanced taste — The cake is perfectly tart, moist and not too sweet. This dessert is really popular among people who don’t love really sweet cakes or frosting.

While this dessert is most popular in Sweden, it has taken American social feeds & restaurants by storm. One of the most loved pizza restaurants in Los Angeles, Quarter Sheets, makes their own version, becoming one of the most famed desserts in LA.

READER Q&A 🧠

Potatoes

Answer: The skins probably make a negligible difference, so you can do whatever is more convenient for you in the recipe.

Some people claim keeping skins on “concentrates” the flavor of a potato.

• Boiling the potatoes with the skin might contribute extra ‘potato’ aroma (as found in the potato deep dive video), but not a significant amount.

• What might be more of a factor is that boiling peeled or cut potatoes can leak starches and some flavor/aroma into the water, which then gets drained off. We’re skeptical on how big of a difference there is (this probably needs a side-by-side taste test).

If you really want that potato skin flavor, keeping it on and roast with high heat to trigger the Maillard reactions. Because the skin has less moisture than the inside, it’s more likely to get those browned, crispy flavors you love.

Have a culinary question? Reply to send it in for a chance to be featured and get your question answered.

WINNING READER SUBMISSION 🏆

Tofu Ramen Bowls

This week’s dinner winner is Jay R., who made build your own tofu ramen bowls.

Reply with your best home-cooked food photos for a chance to win & be featured!

EXTRA HELPINGS 🍽️

A read: Does ketchup need to be refrigerated?

In a minute or less: The best toast?

What we’re watching: Seafood fraud

Food science: Gelation

The Cook Well app is happening: Get in on early subscriptions

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