Every weekend we make it a point to visit our local farmer’s market. Fortunately, there is one in most neighborhoods here in Brooklyn. For those of you who live outside a of a city, you are probably blessed with roadside stands or even a great garden of your own. Unfortunately, we don’t have that luxury and farmer’s markets are our chance to get our vegetables right from the grower and we love it.
Typically, one of the highlights of our weekly visits to the market are the leafy greens. They are fresh, abundant and cheap. Kale, swiss chard and collard greens over flow the tables and we fill our bags with them. We have found buying our greens at the farmers market rather than at the grocery store definitely has its advantages. The shelf life seems to be twice as long as the greens you find in the grocery store. Selection is also a great advantage at most farmers markets. We are able to see and buy varieties of greens we do not always find in the grocery store. Tri-colored swiss card and huge collard greens that are still non-GMO just to name a few.
Thanks to a recent trip to our farmers market, we were able to make fresh collard green wraps. It is those amazing collard greens that shine in this recipe. Making the large collard leaf into a wrap is not only healthy and delicious, it is also fun.
In this recipe, we fill them with roasted veggies, protein packed quinoa and a combination of hummus and zhoug. They simply burst with flavor. But you can use whatever you like to make them your own. Using a leaf for the wrap also eliminates the worry of gluten allergies, so they are great for gathering with a variety of diet needs. Chances are, people will gobble them up.
We hope that even if you do not have the fortune of having a garden of your own, that you at least seek out a farmer’s market near you. You never know what you might find or what inspiration may come.
- 7-10 Large Collard Leafs (Excess Stem Removed)
- 2 Sweet Potatoes (Peeled and Cubed)
- 1 Large Zucchini (Sliced)
- 1 Large Red Onion (Peeled and Sliced)
- 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes (Halved)
- 1 Cup Cooked Quinoa
- Hummus (Any variety)
- Zhoug sauce
- Preheat the oven to 400 Degrees. Wash and prepare all fresh produce.
- On a baking sheet, coated with olive oil, arrange the sweet potato, zucchini and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30-40 minutes, flipping half way through, until all vegetables are tender and slightly browned.
- While the vegetables roast, heat water in a kettle or a sauce pan until boiling. When the water starts to boil. Carefully hold the collard leaf over the steam, until it is slightly wilted and pliable. Remove most of the stem with a sharp knife, while the leaf is flat. Cut until the ridge is level with the leaf. If you accidently cut the leaf, don’t worry it will be wrapped inside!
- Place the collard leaf on a flat surface for filling….
- First, spoon a layer of hummus down the center of the leaf, running lengthwise over the stem.
- Next, add a layer of the cooked quinoa, followed by the roasted vegetables, fresh tomatoes and top with a dollop of zhoug.
- To wrap the leaf, Roll the leaf lengthwise over the fillings. When you get just past the fillings, fold the ends in toward the center. Continue to roll the wrap over the folded in ends and finish the wrap to the end of the leaf, just like you would wrap a burrito.
- Cut in half and serve with more hummus, if desired.
- Enjoy!