Rainbow Hummus Collard Wraps

Collard greens are a staple in the South where they are often cooked and eaten as a side dish. They are a leafy green related to cabbage and broccoli and when raw they taste like a cross between the two- definitely stronger flavoured than more delicate leafy greens like romaine and spinach. Just one cup of raw collard greens (around 3-4 leaves) provides half the amount of vitamin A needed for the day and well over double the amount of vitamin K needed.

Vitamin A is essential for maintaining healthy eyesight and immune systems along with promoting normal growth and development all the way down to a cellular level. The vitamin A found in plants and animals comes in two separate and different forms. The type in leafy greens comes in the form of phytonutrients called carotenoids, which the body converts to vitamin A. This type also acts as an antioxidant, providing protection from free radicals. The vitamin A in animal products is called retinol and while deficiencies are rare in the Western world, strict avoidance of dairy products, eggs, fish and meat can cause a deficiency after a year or so and often starts to show up as night blindness. Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting and maintaining strong bones. Some studies have shown that not only does the vitamin keep bones strong but it can strengthen them even if they have been weakened to the point that an official diagnosis of osteopenia or osteoporosis has been made. Both vitamins are fat soluble, meaning they are absorbed into and used by the body most effectively when they are paired with fats. Using a spread like hummus made from good quality oils serves as a boost of flavour, helps keep the wraps together and provides some healthy unsaturated fats. 

Being a member of the cruciferous family, collard greens are very supportive of the body’s ongoing detoxification, a burden that falls largely on the liver’s ability to function. Many detox programs out there list symptoms of toxicity that are also signs of nutritional deficiencies, then they advocate strict regimes that only exacerbate these deficiencies. Adding in cruciferous vegetables a few times per week, along with a rainbow of other vegetables supplies your body with nutrients to thrive and detoxify better than a severely restricted diet can. The sulphuric compounds in cruciferous vegetables along with the antioxidant functions in many of their vitamins and minerals helps the body do what it needs to do as best as it can in a constant and sustainable way.

Basically any vegetables work for this and adding some onion, chopped herbs or hot sauce will amp it up even more. Here I used purple and orange carrots, red pepper and cucumber- all sliced thinly a.k.a. julienned for ease of wrapping and eating.Collards are pretty flexible so they are easy to use for wraps but it is best to shave down the stem of each leaf, reducing its thickness to make it as pliable as possible.