I whipped up these Rainbow Collard Wraps with peanut sauce last week, and now I am completely addicted to them. Isn't it great when healthy recipes do that to you?

If you have never tried collard wraps because you think, "Why would I wrap my food in a leaf when tortillas and wraps and pitas exist??" Well, you are just going to have to trust me on this one.

..Yes, collards are gluten-free and grain-free and a nutrient-dense whole food -- great features. But really, they actually have a delicious, easy to love flavor and excellent crisp, fresh texture in each bite. Their heartiness is also my preference over using a romaine leaf or softer leafy green as a wrap because I feel like my filling is more securely tucked away - in a cozy, green, sturdy, edible blanket.

Now onto this recipe..

All these rainbow-colored goodies inside!..

How to prep collards for wrapping: It is Easy! You just use a knife and remove that thick vein/stem of the collards. Then you can either use the whole leaf for one wrap, or tear into halves for each wrap.

Tip: If your leaves are a bit too firm, crunchy or hard and break when rolling, lightly steam them or even rinse them in hot tap water. This should soften them up nicely without fully 'boiling' them.

Collards and peanut sauce = perfection. Seriously. I could just slather this sauce on the leaves and munch away. What is it about greens and peanut sauce?? re: Kale Peanut Salad

Simple peanut sauce: peanut butter, water and maple syrup.

Bonus. Health Benefits of Collard Wraps. Collards are super healthy. They are rich in vitamins K, A, E and C. A good source of plant-based calcium, iron and fiber. And on and on. They may provide anti-inflammatory benefits, cardiovascular and digestive support and more: Read more about the health benefits of collards on World's Healthiest Foods.

I love adding beets because they add such beautiful color and sweet flavor..

How many do I eat? These are around 75-100 calories per wrap, including the sauce, if you add all the ingredients I suggested. Obviously, if you just add all veggies you will need to eat more wraps to fill you up, that is why I love adding some hearty ingredients like the quinoa, avocado and hummus. I would say 4-5 wraps makes a nice lunch meal and 2-3 is a nice snack -- when generously stuffed with hearty goodies! But any way you make these, you could definitely devour an entire giant plate of these for a meal.

Question of the Post: I would love to know what your favorite fillings and sauces are or any tricks you have for preparing the collard greens for rolling. I have heard some folks lightly steam them or brush them with coconut or olive oil. Leave your tips and thoughts or fillings you might want to add in the comments section! I would love to hear them.

Easy Collard Wraps with Peanut Sauce

By Kathy Patalsky
Published 02/22/2016

These easy Rainbow Collard Wraps are stuffed with quinoa, avocado, garlic hummus and beets. The perfect dip is this warm peanut sauce.

Ingredients

collard wraps:
5 large collard leaves, organic
½ - 1 avocado
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup shredded beets
½ cup garlic hummus
¾ cup cooked quinoa, optional
peanut sauce:
¼ cup peanut or almond butter, softened
¼ cup hot water
1 tablespoon maple syrup
tools: toothpicks
optional: fresh lemon juice

Instructions

First prepare the sauce by blending the three ingredients in a blender or simple whisking together in a small cup or mug.
Prep the collard wraps: rinse with a fruit and veggie wash or warm water to remove and residue. Pat dry with a paper towel. Using a knife, remove the thick stem and vein. Discard stems. For my small wraps, I use one half of a large leaf for each wrap.
Start wrapping! Add the filling to each half leaf: spread on the hummus, add avocado slices, sprinkle in the shredded veggies. Start your first wrap with minimal amounts of filling to test out how much you can cram into one wrap and still have a successful roll. Tightly roll up each wrap. Secure each wrap with a toothpick (optional but helpful).
Serve right away or chill in the fridge for serving later. If I am storing my wraps in the fridge I like to squeeze lemon juice over top and on all the veggies.
To serve: I dip the wraps in the peanut sauce or spoon some over top each bite. You could also add the sauce to the wraps before rolling up.

Yield: 10 wraps
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 15 mins.
Total time: 15 mins.