These collard green wraps are the perfect substitute for grain-filled tortillas. Perfect for every diet and way of eating. Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, low-carb, Paleo, ketogenic, Whole30 compliant.
Today I’m going to try something a little different. Rather than focusing on the ingredients that go into these healthy collard green wraps, I’m going to focus on the process of creating the wraps themselves.
You can add whatever ingredients you like, the options are ENDLESS! Collard greens can be a bit tricky to work with, so I’m going to give a few simple tips. You have to be gentle, in order to get great wraps that don’t rip when you’re folding or pop open when you’re picking them up.
I’ll also give some ideas towards the end on great flavor combinations that I think would work really well.
To prepare the collard green wraps, you will want to remove the bottom stems, which are too fibrous to chew. You will also want to remove the thick part of the stem towards the base of the leaf. This can get tricky, as you can easily cut into the leaf if you are not careful.
You want to remove the thickest part, which will help the wraps to fold closed without snapping. Simply run your knife parallel to the leaf to remove the stem, as shown in the photo above.If you do happen to cut into the leaf, don’t sweat it. I’ve done this and they still haven’t had a problem holding up.
Next, you will add your ingredients to the wraps and then fold them up. Be sure not to overfill the wraps, or it will make folding them challenging or impossible. You’ll figure this out quickly, when the first wrap will not close. I do this every time. Trying to roll up an overstuffed wrap will lead to their breakage. It’s best to remove some of the filling rather than trying to force it to close.
I find it easiest to fold in the sides of the wrap first, and then to roll the wrap away from you to close it. Having a toothpick handy to hold it together after rolling is quite helpful. Otherwise they may just pop back open by themselves, or you may lose all of the contents when you go to pick it up, and no one wants that!
If your collard green leaves seem really thin and you are worried they’ll rip even if you’re gentle, you can always double up on the leaves. This also works great for those leaves you accidentally rip during assembly. Rather than throwing out the wrap, just add another one for extra support!
Filling Ideas:
For Meat-Eaters:
-Chicken, bacon, tomato and cheese, dipped in ranch dressing
-Chicken with parmesan cheese, croutons and Caesar dressing
-Ground beef with taco seasoning, cheese, lettuce, salsa and jalapenos
-BBQ pulled chicken or pork with peppers, red onions, cilantro and cheese
For Vegans/Vegetarians:
-Hummus with carrots, cucumbers and bean sprouts
-Tofu, carrots, peppers and cabbage, dipped in a savory peanut sauce
-Rice, beans, avocado, salsa and cilantro
–Baked falafel with tomato, feta, cucumber and tzatziki sauce
Let me know if you guys enjoy this basic type of recipe. I want my recipes to be accessible to everyone, and I know sometimes important basic details can be overlooked when writing more in-depth and complicated recipes. Let me know if you give these collard green wraps a try, and what filling you added to yours!
Collard Green Wraps (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free)
Ingredients
- Collard greens stems removed
Instructions
- Trim stems off collard greens. Stuff with desired filling and roll them up. Start by folding the sides inward, and then rolling away from you. Use a toothpick to close.
