The New Way to Get in Your Greens: Collard Green Wraps

Collard green wraps aren’t brand new in the food world, but they are new in my personal repertoire. I’ll be honest, I don’t think I’d ever even eaten collard greens until I turned it into this wrap, but I’m so glad I finally did; they are delicious! Collard greens are mild tasting and are sturdy, so they hold up extremely well to all sorts of scrumptious fillings. Anyone looking for easy ways to get in your daily greens? Because bundling up bright and colorful veggies like carrots and peppers into a wrap made of a leafy vegetable will get the job done in a hurry.

 

Collard greens are rich in calcium, Vitamins A, C, and K, and are often lumped together with the cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage, which are valued for their cancer fighting abilities. Plus, think about all that healthy fiber! So this dietitian says to eat them regularly.

 

The bigger the collard green leaf, the easier it is to make into a wrap. Simply wash the leaf off and nuke it in the microwave for 10 seconds, which wilts it just enough to make it pliable. Then, use a sharp knife to cut off the stem and to shave off the thick raised stem that runs down the leaf (that part doesn’t taste the best). Here’s your chance to get creative–anything you would normally put in a tortilla wrap or on a sandwich can go down the middle of the wrap. As an added bonus, the leaves last a long time in the fridge before they turn brown; I’ve had some organic ones in my fridge for the last week and a half, and they still look perfect!

 

My current favorite way to have a collard green wrap: a little roasted red pepper hummus and chicken down the middle with shredded carrots, sliced bell pepper, avocado, and cherry tomatoes with 1/2 a baked sweet potato on the side. You can use shelled edamame instead of chicken for a vegetarian version.

 

 

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{Roasted Red Pepper & Chicken Collard Wrap}

Get in a variety of veggies by wrapping it up in a collard green leaf. They are stronger than traditional lettuce, so don’t be afraid to load them up with all sorts of healthy fillings!

 

Servings: 1

 

Ingredients

1-2 large collard green leafs (if the leaves are smaller you can layer 3 or 4 together to increase the surface area)

2 tbsp roasted red pepper hummus

handful of shredded carrots (I buy them bagged and shredded)

1/4 of a sliced green bell pepper

1/4 of a sliced avocado

5 or 6 cherry tomatoes

3 oz chicken breast (for a vegetarian version, substitute 1/4-1/2 cup shelled edamame)

 

Directions

Wash collard green leaves to remove any dirt and microwave for 10 seconds to semi-cook and make the leaves more pliable. Using a paring knife cut off the bottom stem, and cut off any raised stem vein that runs down the center of the leaf (be careful not to cut the leaf) so that the stem is equal height to the leaf. Spread hummus down center of leaf (if using 2 large leaves for a big wrap, face stems in opposite directions). Pile high with veggies and chicken. Fold in both ends, and roll leaf towards opposite end (just like they do at Chipotle). Cut in 1/2 and enjoy.

 

Nutrition info for 1 wrap with chicken:  265 cal,  9 g fat, 19 g carb, 26 g protein, 7 g fiber

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