Collard Green Wraps with Peanut Sauce
yield: 4 WRAPS
These collard green wraps with creamy peanut sauce offer a fresh, healthy main dish or appetizer that is bursting with vibrant color and loads of nutrition. The mix of raw & cooked veggies is great for overall digestive health. Can be stored in an airtight container for a convenient meal prep option. Try using seasonal & local veggies to mix up the options and satisfy different tastebuds!
Wrap Ingredients
- 4 whole large collard green leaves
- 1 cup of cooked brown rice
- 1 cup carrots, sliced
- 1 cup cucumber, sliced into strips
- 4 mini bell peppers, sliced into strips
- ½ cup of red onion, sliced
- Protein of choice: 1 cup of cooked ground Turkey or 1 cup of drained chickpeas
- 1/2 cup peanut sauce, recipe below
Peanut Sauce Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Bragg’s liquid aminos, or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, or red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons natural peanut butter
- 1 tbsp of sesame oil
- 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Thai chili paste, or 1/4 tsp Sriracha (optional)
Instructions
- Start by preparing the peanut sauce. This creamy sauce is very easy to make in about 5 minutes. Simply combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until smooth. If needed, heat the mixture in the microwave for 30 seconds to allow for easier blending. Set to the side while you start on the wraps.
- Collard leaves are very large and rigid. They require a few steps to make them a little easier to work with.
- First, lay the collard leaf on a cutting board or other flat surface and turn it with the coarse side up. Use a sharp knife to trim the thickest part of the stem, being careful not to cut through the leaf. This will help allow the leaf to be rolled and folded without cracking and tearing. Next, bring a pot of water to boil to parboil the leaves to make them more pliable and easy to bend when rolling. Lower the heat to medium-low. Hold the long stem of the leaf (or use tongs) and dunk it into the water for approximately 20-30 seconds, then quickly remove the leaf and lay it on a cutting board or another flat surface.
- Each leaf will need to be done separately, so don’t pile all of them in the pot together. I like to parboil all my leaves during one prep time even when I’m not planning to make all the rolls at once. This is because, once they are prepared, they keep really well in the refrigerator.
- Use scissors or a sharp knife to cut off the long stem to level with the bottom of the leaf.
- Now, it’s time to stuff and roll the leaf. Begin by spooning 2-3 Tbsp of cooked rice onto the middle of the leaf, about 1/4 of the way up the stem.
- Add all of the other diced and grated vegetables and drizzle with approximately 2 Tbsp of the peanut sauce. You can also leave the peanut sauce on the side for dipping.
- Now it’s time to roll them up! Fold the side edges of the leaf over the middle-filled portion. And, make sure that your stuffing ingredients are not all pushed too far up the leaf.
- Next, fold the bottom (stem end) up and over the filling. It looks like you’re making a little pocket for the filling. You want it to be nice and firmly folded, but be careful not to tear the leaf.
- Begin to roll it up firmly to the end, then place the roll side down on a plate. You shouldn’t need a toothpick or anything to hold them in place because leaves are more flexible and stay in place due to the blanching in boiling water step above.
- Lastly, use a sharp knife to slice them in the middle for easy serving because all of the colors on the inside make a beautiful and impressive display.
- Serve immediately with the rest of the peanut sauce for dipping.