Flour-free Collard Burritos for a Healthier Fiesta

Collard greens have taken the backseat to Kale, who now gets more press and media than anyone would've imagined just a decade ago. Where you find collard greens most often is in Southern cookin' or the less familiar Ethiopian cuisine.

Most often collards are served as a sautéed side dish. Lately steaming them has started to gain some traction among more health-conscious cooks.

A fun, creative use of these nutrient-rich greens is to use the big collard leaf as a wrap!

You can fill and roll the greens raw, or lightly steam them before making them into fabulous wraps.

These wraps can be filled with any fixings that work in a traditional wrap, but today we're going with Latin flavor, which basically makes them burritos minus the tortilla.

In fact, these burritos are not just gluten-free, but also completely flour-free!

What do you think? Delicious, hearty and vibrant green burritos without the flour tortilla... I'd say this deserves some attention!

Seriously. Try it out.

Gather all of your burrito fixings, but pass on the flour tortilla, and give the collards a chance! I think they may surprise you!

Flour-free Collard Burritos

By Chef Katie Mae

Makes 4 burritos | Ready in 20 minutes (with cooked rice/beans) | Stores 3 days in the fridge

INGREDIENTS

• 4 large collard leaves (read chef’s notes before starting)
• 1½ cups cooked black or pinto beans
• 1½ cups cooked brown rice
• 2 cups thinly sliced cooked or raw veggies of your choice
• ½ cup salsa of your choice OR diced tomatoes
• 1–2 avocados, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS

1. Before steaming the collards, rip off a few pieces of a paper towel to layer in between the steamed collards to absorb extra moisture. If the leaves are too wet, the fillings won’t stay as firm and eating will be messier.
2. Fill a pot with a few inches of water, cover and bring to a boil on the stovetop. Once boiling, lift the lid and hold one of the collard leaves over the steam until the collard leaf becomes soft enough that the sides hang instead of staying flat. Hold close to the water so it goes faster; this could take 20 seconds to 1 minute depending on the arrangement. Lay the steamed collard on a paper towel and then layer on a second paper towel for the next collard leaf. Steam and dry the remaining leaves.
3. The lower half of the collard stalk is very thick. Don’t cut out the stalk, but trim it if you can. Starting at the end of the stem, use a paring knife to carefully slice off the backside of the stalk so it’s not as thick. This is an optional step, but it does make the leaf easier to roll and chew.
4. Now, add your fillings! Spread a leaf out so it’s flat and then pile your fixings just off center, a little to one side. Start with the rice—no more than a ¼ cup—because it’s slightly sticky and will help to keep everything together. Add your remaining fillings, but careful not to add too much that you can’t roll and close your wrap. Add the avocado last, as it will help adhere the fixings to the leaf on the opposite side of the rice.
5. Time to roll! Starting at the side where the fixings are piled, begin to roll your wrap. As you go, tuck in the sides and continue to roll. There’s no need to seal the end, just be careful as you move the rolls so they don’t unroll. You could try a little avocado or hummus smeared on the outer edge of the collard to help keep it closed.
6. Now make another! Once they’re all done, cut them down the middle and enjoy!

CHEF'S NOTES

Choose large collard leaves that do not have any tears or holes. If yours do, that’s ok; your burritos may just be a bit messier.

You can use leave your collards raw or lightly steam them. The raw leaf makes for a studier wrap, but it’s also a little tougher to chew. Steaming makes the leaves more pliable for rolling, but also more delicate. It also enhances the flavor, so I prefer them steamed.

If you’re not steaming the collards, start at step 3 or 4.