I am very excited to introduce you guys to my talented and lovely friend, Kris, of 80twenty. Kris’ beautiful site is filled with delicious and creative recipes that celebrate the balance in life of good and good for you. Today Kris is sharing a recipe for super vibrant and beautiful, but simple-to-make Collard Wraps.  I am really, really excited about this post, as I have recently become obsessed with making wraps with collard greens or Swiss chard.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Like most of you, I love to cook. I am my happiest when I’m in the kitchen working on something to share with the people that I love. I spend most of my free time over at 80twenty dreaming up dishes that inspire people to eat well. Ironically though, one of my least favourite life tasks (along with doing the laundry) is preparing my lunch for the next day. I’m not sure if it’s a lack of creativity, my unwavering need for high quality food, or a desire for a little something special each day, but I put a lot of pressure on myself to come up with really good lunches that also happen to be quick, healthy, and super-tasty. I think I’ve cracked the lunch code with this one! This collard wrap with briny cashew cream provides some serious lunchtime satisfaction. It’s crunchy, creamy, nutty, and beautifully green in all sorts of ways. The best part about it is that it’s so versatile that it can be made differently each week.

For my base this time, I used black rice because lately I can’t get enough of it’s nutty flavour. But you can, of course, use whatever grain you have on hand. I then topped it with julienned vegetable noodles (shredded work just as well), some sprouts, and this cashew cream that you’re going to go insane for! But don’t feel limited by my suggestions. The beauty of this dish is that it can be made with whatever you have on hand. Don’t have radishes and carrots? Add leftover roasted squash or sweet potato. Don’t want to make the cashew cream? I mean, you’ll totally miss out, but avocado fits in nicely here. And the black rice is just a suggestion. Ultimately, this wrap is all about what you like. Sub in your favourite grain and vegetables, top with the briny cream sauce, and you’ve got a truly nutritious and delicious collard wrap made, just the way you like it.

[print_this]Collard Wraps with Briny Cashew Cream

• Collard greens
• 1 cup uncooked black rice
• Shredded or spiralized carrots, beets (red or golden), and radishes.
• Sprouts

Briny Cashew Cream
(Makes enough for 4-6 servings)

• 1 cup raw cashew pieces or whole cashews
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup capers + 2 tbsp caper juice
• 2 cloves garlic
• ½ tsp salt
• Fresh cracked pepper

Soak cashews in 2 cups of water for 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Atter the cashews have soaked, strain them and add them to a high-speed blender or food processor along with the water, capers, garlic, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add a little more water, if necessary. Add more salt and pepper to taste, if you want. Set aside.

While the cashews are soaking, prepare the black rice. Rinse and drain the rice well. Place rice in a pot with 2 cups of cold water and a pinch of sea salt. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer for approximately 35-40 minutes. The rice should be soft and chewy. Alternatively, cook in rice cooker with a ration of 1 cup rice to 2 cups water. When the rice is cooked, place it in the refrigerator to avoid bacteria.

Wash the collard leaves and cut off the stalk. Lay the collard with the fat end of the stem facing up. Slice or “fillet” the the stem so that it is thinner and easier to fold. Gabrielle has a great photo to demonstrate this here. For a burrito-style wrap, place the rice horizontally across the top of the leaf and top with veggies, cashew cream, and sprouts. Roll the leaf from the top down and tuck the sides in at the same time. For an easy, but probably a little messier roll-up, simply put all of your sandwich fillings vertically down the centre of the collard and roll in the sides. See photos for a clearer understanding of these two methods. [/print_this]