Aren’t three day weekends just the best? I hope you all had a great Memorial Day weekend! Mine was so much fun and jam-packed with wedding festivities for one of my closest family friends. That meant lots of extra indulging for me all weekend between the wedding cake, cocktails, and late-night snacking. Whenever I have a weekend like that, all I crave the next day is something super fresh and healthy to help me reset and get back on track. These loaded Chicken Collard Wraps definitely did the trick. If you’ve never had collard greens before, it’s time to add these power greens into your diet. They’re an incredible source of chlorophyll, Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, Manganese, and fiber (the list goes on and on), and with their huge leaves, they’re absolutely perfect for a wrap!
Collard Wraps – TIPS and TRICKS:
Here’s my little time-saving trick for these Collard Wraps (and honestly for most of the meals I make!): go get a bunch of pre-chopped/shredded veggies and organic chicken from the Whole Foods salad bar so you don’t have to spend your time chopping away! I went with shredded beets, carrots, red cabbage, and sliced some Persian cucumbers. Putting together these wraps took me about 5 minutes, so anyone who says they don’t have time to eat healthy needs to try out this recipe!
Another tip: Try this hummus. Total game changer and amazing in these wraps!
DE-STEMMING: Once you have your ingredients ready, the next step is getting the collard leaf ready for wrapping. You’ll notice there’s a pretty large stem running down the middle. First cut the bottom of the stem, then flip the leaf so the prominent spine is facing up. Using a sharp paring knife, carefully shave down the spine (as seen below) until you reach the end. Be careful not to cut through the leaf – the goal is just to remove the thick part of the spine. This makes rolling up your wrap much easier!
Ingredients
4 large collard leaves
4 tbsp of your favorite hummus – I used HOPE Kale Pesto Hummus
2 organic chicken breasts – cooked and chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
2 Persian cucumbers – cut in half and sliced
1/2 cup shredded beets
1 tbsp hemp seeds
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
Salt & pepper to taste
Optional: dijon mustard or any other condiment that you love on your wraps!
Recipe makes 4 wraps.
1. De-stem and de-spine collard leaf. Cut the bottom of the stem where it meets the leaf. Flip the leaf so the
spine is facing up. Using a paring knife, carefully shave down the spine until you reach the end.
2. Time to build your wrap. Turn the leaf over – spine should be vertical. Spread 1 tbsp or so of hummus in the center
of each leaf. Then layer the carrots, cabbage, cucumbers, and beets (or any other veggies you want).
3. Lastly, add the chicken, hemp seeds, pepitas, salt, pepper, and dijon mustard, if desired. Be careful not to
overload the wraps as they can break when you try to roll them.
4. Fold the top and bottom of the leaves in, then roll from the sides like a burrito, tucking the leaves in as you roll.
5. Slice in half and enjoy! Serve with extra hummus or any other dipping sauce!
If you’re ever feeling like you could use a little reset after an indulgent day, this Chicken Collard Wrap will perk you right up. Feel free to get creative with your veggies, protein, and spreads, and I guarantee that this lunch will never be boring!
I’m always looking for new healthy ideas and inspiration, so please share in the comments below… what’s your favorite healthy lunch??
