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Mediterranean Collard Wraps

A sneak peek from the Radiant Section of my book Food Story!

A rainbow of fresh veggies nestled inside tender collard leaves, creating these bright and colorful wraps. Loaded with collagen-stimulating vitamin C and vibrant vegetables to help keep your skin feeling firm and supple. The velvety white bean spread and tangy, nutty-sweet romesco sauce are filled with anti-inflammatory ingredients and next level flavor.

INGREDIENTS

Romesco sauce:
1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts or almonds
1/2 cup chopped roasted red pepper
1/4 cup crushed or pureed tomatoes
2 Tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 Tbsp vinegar, such as sherry, red wine, or balsamic
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

White bean puree:
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained or 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans
1/4 cup vegetable broth
Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Wraps:
4 large collard leaves
4-inch piece English cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 8 thin pieces lengthwise
1/2 red or orange bell pepper, seeded, membranes removed, and thinly sliced lengthwise
1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded (about 1/2 cup packed)
1/2 cup packed finely shredded purple cabbage
1/2 large ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced
1/2 cup microgreens

A sneak peek from the Radiant Section of my book Food Story!

A rainbow of fresh veggies nestled inside tender collard leaves, creating these bright and colorful wraps. Loaded with collagen-stimulating vitamin C and vibrant vegetables to help keep your skin feeling firm and supple. The velvety white bean spread and tangy, nutty-sweet romesco sauce are filled with anti-inflammatory ingredients and next level flavor.

INGREDIENTS

Romesco sauce:
1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts or almonds
1/2 cup chopped roasted red pepper
1/4 cup crushed or pureed tomatoes
2 Tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 Tbsp vinegar, such as sherry, red wine, or balsamic
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

White bean puree:
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained or 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans
1/4 cup vegetable broth
Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Wraps:
4 large collard leaves
4-inch piece English cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 8 thin pieces lengthwise
1/2 red or orange bell pepper, seeded, membranes removed, and thinly sliced lengthwise
1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded (about 1/2 cup packed)
1/2 cup packed finely shredded purple cabbage
1/2 large ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced
1/2 cup microgreens

METHOD

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the nuts to a fine meal. Add the roasted red pepper, tomatoes, parsley, vinegar, garlic, and paprika. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil. Transfer to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. 

In a small saucepan over medium heat, simmer the olive oil and garlic, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beans and broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the clean bowl of the food processor and purée. Scrape into a bowl and season with salt and pepper; the bean puree should be smooth, thick, and spreadable (like hummus).

Rinse and dry the collard leaves. Cut out and discard the thick stem to about halfway up the leaf, so the leaf is pliable and can be rolled into a wrap. The leaf should be about 8 inches wide and 9 to 10 inches tall.

For each wrap, spread 1/4 cup white bean purée in the bottom third of the leaf, overlapping the gap created by removing the stem and leaving about 2 inches clear at the bottom and 1 inch clear on either outer edge. Spread the bean puree about 3 inches wide. Layer the veggies in a row on top of the bean purée in this order: 2 slices cucumber, 4 to 6 slices red bell pepper, 2 tablespoons each shredded carrot and shredded cabbage, a quarter of the avocado slices, and 2 tablespoons microgreens. 

Fold in the outer edge of the leaf, then fold the bottom of the leaf up and over the ingredients. Roll up as you would a burrito, folding in the edges as you roll and keeping the wrap nice and tight. (Be careful not to let it tear.) Cut the roll in half crosswise down the middle. Serve with the romesco sauce for dipping. Enjoy!

Recipe excerpt from the book Food Story: Rewrite the Way You Eat, Think, and Live by Elise Museles © 2021 Elise Museles, reprinted with permission from the author and the publisher, Sounds True, Inc.