Using collard greens for a wrap is a wonderful way to introduce some variety into your lunch box. The best part about a collard-green wrap? You can fill them with just about anything! The recipe below made use of common leftovers, all made new by the addition of a fresh-avocado crema…. because the best wraps involve a delicious dipping sauce. Other large-leafed greens can be folded into a wrap as well: silky rainbow chard, or large cabbage leaves that have been blanched for a few seconds so they soften.
Avocado Crema:
Ingredients:
- 1 medium avocado, cut in half lengthwise, peel and pit removed
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup sour cream or greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 1 medium lime)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend, or use a large bowl and an immersion blender, being sure to scrape down the sides as you go. Because this sauce is avocado-centric, it’s best to make fresh and use within 3 hours or else it will begin to brown.
Collard Wrap:Wraps like this collard-version are a wonderful vehicle to use up whatever leftover tidbits are swimming in your fridge like cooked grains, shredded chicken, chopped veggies, or even boiled eggs. The list below is just what we used in this video, but truly, make it your own! A good formula to follow includes a cooked grain, a cooked vegetable, something raw or pickled, fresh herbs, and bonus items like cheese, nuts, or seeds. And avocado crema, or some other delicious dip, like hummus.
Sample Ingredients:
- Leftover fried rice
- Arugula
- Roasted fennel bulb, quartered
- Roasted baby carrots
- Sliced radish and carrots
- Green onions
- Feta cheese
Assemble:
- To successfully roll your collard greens, you will need to devein the leaf, cutting out about half of the rigid stem. (At this point, you can also blanch the leaves for very-easy rolling. We went raw in our version!)
- On a clean work station, lay out your de-veined collard with the spliced end facing you. Overlap the cut ends slightly to close the gap, and smear a bit of your dipping sauce down the center of the leaf. This will help keep things together.
- Next, carefully pile your desired fillings in a small hill towards the center of the leaf. The trick to an easy roll? Don’t overfill! Less is practically more.
- Roll like a burrito, folding the loose end facing you over the mound first, then the sides, then roll. At this point, you can stick a toothpick through the roll to keep it together if you’d like. Cut, dip, enjoy! These make a wonderful to-go lunch, a nice break from your usual sandwich fare.