By: Dr. Michelle Pobega, ND

• Pick your fillings
  • Protein: open up a can of beans (rinse well), dice up some tofu or slice up some cooked chicken breast or steaks. Season these how you like them J
  • Starch: Rice, quinoa, roasted sweet potato (in small chunks) or cauliflower rice
  • Veggies: chose 2-3 of the following
    • Match stick carrots (can get pre-cut and bagged), thinly slicked red cabbage, cucumber (diced), coloured peppers thinly sliced, tomato (diced), avocado (sliced)
  • Sauces to possibly add – peanut sauce, teriyaki sauce, salsa,
• Blanching the collard greens
  • Get a large pot of water – and set it on the stove to bring to a simmer.
  • Also get a large bowl ready with cold water and some ice
  • While the water heats up on the stove – pick big round collard leaves to use for the wraps and wash the collard leaves
  • Lay them flat on a cutting board with the thicker part of the stem facing up. Cut off the thick stem at the base of the leaf. Next, you want to trim the thick spine of the stem that goes down the middle of the leaf. Lay a knife flat against the leaf to thinly slice off the bulk of the spine.
  • Using tongs, gently submerge 1 collard leaf at a time into the simmering hot water. Remove the leaf after 30-60 seconds. Do not do it for any longer or the leaf will be too flimsy and rip.
  • Submerge the leaf for 10 seconds in ice water bath.
  • Put to the side and pat dry. Continue to blanch remainder of leaves.
• Heat up a skillet with 1 tbsp of coconut or olive oil. Add starch and protein of choice to warm up for the burrito.
  • At this stage you can season as you like, or add a sauce.
• Add a scoop of starch and protein onto a blanched collard leaf – place it in the middle of the leaf,with at least 2 inches of leaf on each side. Be sure to not overfill so that you can fold over the leaf to make your burrito
• Add your veggie choices on top – again be sure to not over fill
• Fold the leaf up from the bottom, fold the top of the leaf down, then take one side and fold over to tuck in all the filling and continue to roll into a burrito.
• Take a bite and enjoy!!