I love these Collard Wraps wraps! And since I’m already slicing and dicing, I typically double the recipe and use the extra filling for salads or buddha bowls. I am also re-committing to a 100% gluten-free diet. Therefore, I decided to use greens instead of a traditional grain wrap.
In case you didn’t know, collard green belongs to the same family as kale, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and bok choy. Collard greens are nutrient-dense and low in calories. They’re an excellent source of calcium, folate, and vitamins K, C, and A. Furthermore, they’re high in fiber and antioxidants.
These veggie wraps are packed with high-quality protein, thanks to the quinoa. This naturally gluten-free grain is considered a superfood because it’s a powerhouse of nutrition. Quinoa contains all nine essential amino acids and lends seven grams of hearty protein per serving. I made hummus with quinoa because it seemed like a good pairing! Here are some quick tips for cooking quinoa (pronounced keen-wah).
- Rinse the quinoa. I usually only do this with other grains, like rice. But it is 100% necessary when cooking quinoa from scratch. You run the risk of having crunchy quinoa if you don’t.
- Cooking the quinoa in vegetable broth gives it much more flavor.
Modify the recipe to your liking by using the vegetables of your choice. I suggest using sliced tomatoes instead of the red pepper, swapping kale for the spinach, or adding a few crisp radishes. And vegan feta instead of avocado also gives it a delicious creamy bite! The best part, though, is the Thai Peanut Sauce!
Vegan Collard Wraps with Thai Peanut Dressing
Description
Substitute any veggies you have on hand, such as sun-dried tomatoes, red peppers, spinach or romaine lettuce.
Ingredients
- 1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1–2 carrots, julienned or cut into thin strips
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, cut into long strips
- 2–4 green onions, cut lengthwise (green part only)
- 1/4 head purple cabbage, shredded
- 1/4 cup sprouts or microgreens
- 1/2 cup quinoa hummus
- 1/4 cup cilantro, spinach, Thai basil, and/or mint, chopped
- 4 large collard leaves
Instructions
Collards:
- Wash and dry collard leaves.
- Cut the stem off the collard green leaf and then carefully shave it down using a small knife so it’s flat. This will help prevent the collard leaf from breaking at the end and make it easier to roll up.
- Add water to a large pot and bring to a boil.
- Add 1 Collard leaf to the simmering water, gently holding the leaf down with tongs so the leaf is submerged.
- Simmer each leaf for 30-60 seconds. Don’t go any longer, or the leaf will become more flimsy and tend to rip.
- Remove the leaf and immediately place it in a bowl of iced water.
- Submerge the leaf for 10 seconds in an ice bath.
- Remove and place on paper towels to dry.
Wraps:
- To assemble wraps, lay collard on a flat surface and place quinoa hummus in the first half of the wrap.
- Add ingredients based on the size of the collard leaf, being careful not to overfill. A good rule of thumb is about 1-2″ inches wide.
- Carefully wrap it using the tuck and roll method like a burrito. (There are some excellent YouTube videos out there!)
- Continue until all collards are filled.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Always place all the filling in the tortilla’s first half, closest to your hand, not the center. That way, you have more surface area to cover the filling.