Cranberry Collard Green Rolls Recipe

Although kale has been taking center stage lately there is another leafy vegetable that deserves its time in the spotlight: collard greens. This hearty green, used frequently in the South, is quite the versatile one. You can use it in soups, stir-fries, omelets, pesto, savory oats, and more. It's part of the cruciferous family of vegetables so it's absolutely packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn puts collards to good use with this cranberry collard green rolls recipe. "In an effort to reduce processed foods I am always on the hunt for creative ways to swap out something processed with a more natural ingredient," Hahn explains. "Using collard greens as a wrap does just that — it eliminates the need to use a processed wrap and it provides a nutrient dense substitute." Plus, it provides a pretty nifty way to use up the greens in case you got a little overzealous at the grocery store.

To make this recipe, pick up a sweet potato, collard greens, a lemon, and avocados in the produce department. "When you shop for collard greens look for a bunch that has large leaves and leaves without tears or holes which may tear when wrapping," Hahn explains.

Then you'll need some olive oil, salt, garlic powder, tahini, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, quinoa, and cranberry sauce. "If you have leftover cranberry sauce from holiday meals, this is the perfect way to put it to good use," Hahn shares.

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Add the sweet potato, olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and garlic powder to a large bowl and toss to combine.

Spread the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer and cook for 20 minutes.

In a small bowl combine the tahini, maple syrup, remaining salt, Dijon, lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons water.

Cut off any stem piece that protrudes beyond the collard leaves. Turn each collard leaf upside down with the stem facing up. Using a paring knife, shave as much of the rounded stem as possible creating a flat surface. Repeat with the rest of the leaves.

Add about an inch of water to a large skillet and bring it to a boil. Place one leaf at a time into the boiling water for about 10 seconds. Place them on a clean dish towel to dry.

Mash the avocados in a medium bowl.

Lay out a collard leaf horizontally in front of you. Leaving a 3-inch border, add a layer of mashed avocado to the leaf, then follow with quinoa, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and tahini dressing.

Fold the right and left sides in, then wrap it up like a burrito. Cut in half.

The collard green rolls are ready to serve.

These cranberry collard green rolls are at their freshest right after rolling, but there's a few things you can do if you want to make them ahead of time. Since we are dealing with avocado here, we all know how they lose their prettiness in a short amount of time. However, you can squeeze on some fresh lemon right after mashing them and their color will remain more vibrant.

The other thing you can do is skip the blanching step. The collard greens will still roll up easily. In their raw form are much sturdier so they will hold up better if made ahead.

Another make-ahead tip is to get all of the components ready, but just wait on assembling. "You can get the sweet potato roasted and make the tahini dressing the day before which will make it a snap to finish them off right before serving," Hahn remarks.

There are many pairing options for the cranberry collard green rolls and many different opportunities to serve them. They can be served as an hors d'oeuvre with other appetizers for game day, book club, or happy hour. "I always like to serve something veggie forward when a grouping of appetizers is involved so that there is a healthy option for those that are looking for that. They go well with potato skins, spinach dip, and bruschetta," Hahn shares.

They make a great light lunch or dinner and can be served with a bowl soup like a hearty minestrone, a bean chili, or this sauteed spinach soup. Pairing with any type of protein like roasted chicken, baked fish, or grilled steak works well also.

When serving them you can keep them whole in "burrito" form or slice them up. They make a beautiful presentation when they're cut and placed face up in a deep tray so you can see what's inside. However you choose to serve these rolls they are sure to be a hit. Who knew that collard greens could double as a wrap?