I have a new obsession. And no, for those of you who follow on Facebook I’m not talking about Kale Chips again. (Though I did make some yesterday…)
My new obsession is Collard Wraps!
You’ve heard of lettuce wraps, right? Well these Quinoa Collard Wraps are kinda similar except for the collard leaves are thicker, bigger and a whole lot more durable. To me, this makes it much more like a traditional wrap sandwich and is a great solution for those of use trying to avoid gluten. (Or anyone concerned about too many carbs!)
And before you dismiss the idea because of the work involved in preparing the leaves, you will be happy to know that you can prepare the leaves when you get home from the grocery store and they will keep for a week or more in the fridge! I keep mine in two large zip lock bags, one over each end.
I love being able to pull out a collard leaf ready for topping when it is time for a meal or snack!
Not only is this a simple and easy to make whole foods meal, but its also one that you can play with. I’ve used nut cheese, roasted red pepper spread and even pesto in place of the hummus. For fillings, the sky is the limit! If you have a favorite sandwich, try it on a collard wrap! Yesterday, I actually had a veggie burger in one and you know what? I really wasn’t missing the bread.
Anyone who knows about my bread obsession knows that his is a really big deal. 
Those into raw foods could easily use sprouted quinoa and a nut based spread. (In fact, I think I’ll be trying that myself soon!)
Ingredients
- 8 large collard leaves
- 2 cups hummus (1/4 cup per leaf)
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1/2 cup sprouts
- 1 avocado, sliced
- Drizzle of balsamic vinegar dressing (or any dressing of choice)
Instructions
- Cut off the portion of the stalk with no leaf. Soak leaves in a
- mixture of warm water and apple cider vinegar for about 15 minutes.
- Shave down the thick part of the stalk until it is just a little
- thicker than the leaf, being careful not to cut the leaf.
- In a medium bowl combine quinoa, red pepper, carrots and green onions.
- Spread hummus on the side of the collard leaf that you didn't cut.
- Top with quinoa mixture, sprouts and avocado. Drizzle with balsamic
- vinegar dressing and fold.
Notes
Carbohydrates 23g, Protein 9g, Cholesterol 0, Sodium 252 mg, Sugars 1
Note: The hummus used for nutritional analysis was commercial hummus with 23 calories, 1.3 g Fat and 53 mg Sodium per tablespoon. I typically make my hummus with no oil and I cook dried chick peas which significantly lowers the sodium intake.
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