It's collard collard greens, ya'll! For some reason every time I get collard greens, I always say that. I'm from Columbus, Ohio...I don't say "ya'll"...but for some reason collard greens bring it out. I have no idea why, but it does. I just can't contain my excitement about collard greens!

And this recipe.

If you are looking for a fresh, healthy recipe bursting with vibrant color and loads of nutrition, then you have come to the right place.

In addition to my regular job, I do some consulting work on the side. There was a stretch a while back where I was doing a lot of presentations to kids and their parents about healthy eating. I would often talk to the kids about eating a "rainbow" of colors to get a broad range of vitamins and nutrients for healthy growth AND to make food fun and pretty. I would do easy cooking demos where I would let the kids make their own dish using as many colorful vegetables as they could. It was so fun to watch them have fun with food...especially vegetables!

This recipe brings the idea of "eating the rainbow" to adults in a fresh way. Collard green wraps are a great way to get more of those nutrient dense greens into your diet. They are surprisingly sturdy without being so tough that you have to gnaw away at them.

In order to allow the collard leaves to be as flexible as needed, you will need to trim the thick backbone portion of the stem so it bends well at the bottom. Be sure to check out the collard wrap tutorial from Choosing Raw in the instructions section of the recipe!

With color in mind I chose a rainbow of veggies for my filling. The bell peppers, carrot, and cucumber give a fresh crunch and the avocado and peanut sauce give it a creamy, savory element which I love. For protein I added some quinoa, which makes this wrap perfect for quick lunches and power snacking.

The peanut sauce I used is a staple in our house. Not surprisingly, it is absolutely divine in this wrap! In addition to using the sauce inside the wrap, don't be afraid to drunk the wrap head first into your sauce bowl for some added yumminess. In fact, I recommend it :)

Be creative with collard wraps! You can use these leaves to wrap any combo of beans, grains, and veggies. And even if you are typically a meat and cheese eater at lunch, using a collard leaf to wrap it all up is still a great way to add more greens into your diet. It's perfect for whatever you choose to fill it with.

Collard Green Wraps with Rainbow Veggies & Peanut Sauce (V + GF)

Perfect for quick lunches and power snacking, this vibrant wrap is a great way to help you "eat the rainbow"!

|Makes 1|

Wrap Ingredients

1 collard green
1/4 avocado, mashed
1/3 cup cooked quinoa
1/4 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup sliced cucumber (about 5 medium thin strips)
1/4 cup red bell pepper (about 5 medium thin strips)
1/4 cup orange bell pepper (about 5 medium thin strips)

Peanut Sauce Ingredients

|Makes about 1 cup|

3 Tbsp Bragg's liquid aminos (or low sodium soy or tamari sauce)
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small clove garlic
3 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
2 tsp red Thai chili paste
1 Tbsp almond milk

Instructions

Start with preparing the sauce by combining all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
Lay the collard leaf on a flat surface and spread mashed avocado in the middle of the leaf.
Take 1 Tbsp peanut sauce and stir into cooked quinoa. Spoon the quinoa onto the leaf (on top of the avocado).
Follow with all the remaining veggie fillings.
Drizzle more peanut sauce over the top then fold the collard leaf to make a wrap. Take a look at this collard wrap tutorial from Choosing Raw. This is exactly how I wrap mine!
Enjoy!

Notes

*I usually make enough for 4 wraps at a time. If you would like to do this, adjust wrap ingredients as necessary (ex. 4 collard green leaves, 1 whole sliced bell pepper, 1 cup shredded carrot, 1 whole avocado, etc).

*Feel free to double up on the collard greens for added sturdiness.

*Use leftover peanut sauce on roasted or raw veggies, pasta, or other sandwich! Check out the recipe for my Soba Slaw with Thai Almond Butter Sauce that I shared on One Part Plant a few months ago. This recipe is another WONDERFUL way to use the sauce!

xoxo,

Lauren