Sweet Potato Hummus Collard Wraps

The broad and tender leaves of collard greens make a wonderful alternative to flour-based wraps, as they are milder in flavour than other winter greens. You’ll require two collard leaves per wrap—the bigger the better. Roll these up for workaday lunches at the office or for lighter dinners. The sweet potato riff on hummus assures that each bite is packed with even more nutritional firepower. This recipe uses only half of the hummus; use the extra as a dip or freeze for future use.

1 lb (450 g) sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 cups (350 mL) cooked or canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed 
1/4 cup (60 mL) tahini
3 Tbsp (45 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp (5 mL) orange zest
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3/4 tsp (4 mL) sweet paprika
1/2 tsp (2 mL) cumin powder
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) black pepper
8 large collard leaves, preferably at room temperature
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, sliced into matchsticks
1 cup (250 mL) sliced roasted red pepper 
2 cups (500 mL) sprouts or microgreens

Place sweet potato in steamer basket and steam until very tender. Set aside to cool.

Place cooled sweet potato and chickpeas in food processor container and blend together. Add tahini, olive oil, garlic, orange zest, lemon juice, paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper; blend until smooth.

To prepare the wraps: Cut off firm white stalks of collards. Fillet off the thickest parts of the remaining stalks that run down the leaves with a sharp knife to make them more pliable. Try not to nick the actual leaf as you do this.

Place 2 collards head to foot (stalks at opposite ends) and partially overlap leaves. Apply a generous amount of sweet potato hummus down the centre lengthwise and then top with some avocado, carrot, roasted red pepper, and sprouts or microgreens. Tightly roll leaves beginning from the bottom, tucking in sides as you go.

Cut in half on a bias to serve. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Serves 4.

Each serving contains: 304 calories; 11 g protein; 16 g total fat (2 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 34 g total carbohydrates (6 g sugars, 10 g fibre); 164 mg sodium

Good for you: Collards infuse mealtime with healthy amounts of folate, a B vitamin that may help lessen the risk of hypertension.

source: "Hearty Winter Greens", alive #375, January 2014