Collard Wraps with Raw Sunflower Pate
A few months ago I soaked a bowlful of sunflower seeds overnight with the intention of creating some sort of yummy pate to be wrapped up in a collard green. I wasn't quite sure how it would evolve but I trusted it would be, at the very least, edible. After rinsing and draining the soaked seeds I pulled out nearly every ingredient imaginable from the refrigerator. Now time has taught me to not go overboard and to just stick with a few ingredients when creating recipes. So I chose three (not including salt, pepper, and herbs) and tossed them all into the food processor along with the soaked seeds.
Both Tom and I were more than delighted with the results. Our toddler boys couldn't seem to get enough! A few days later I measured ingredients and whirled the food processor once again to figure out the amounts. We've made these wraps a number of times since then and even demonstrated them at a recent Elimination Diet cooking class. We never seem to get bored with them.
To make the collard greens pliable for wrapping I decided to blanch them. Just sixty seconds in boiling water creates an awesome flourless wrap folks! If you don't decide to use the filling ingredients below I hope you will venture into trying the wraps with whatever fillings you desire.
Turkey and honey mustard? Smoked Salmon with Avocado Mayonnaise? Refried Beans and Brown Rice?
The trick is to find very large greens with out too many slug bites or insect damage (holes)!
Collard Wraps with Raw Sunflower Pate
This delicious, nourishing Phase 3 Elimination Diet recipe is very easy to make. The wraps can be prepared and then stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Go ahead and get creative by using whatever ingredients you would like. I like to add my Raw Super Green Salad to the filling of these wraps, but you could use fresh leaf lettuce or baby arugula!
Sunflower Seed Pate
Other Ingredients
- Cut the stems off of the bottom of each collard green. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- While the water is coming to a boil, drain and rinse the sunflower seeds in a fine mesh strainer. Place all pate ingredients into a food processor fitted with the "s" blade and pulse until desired consistency. I like mine processed until the pate is fairly smooth. Taste and adjust salt and seasonings if necessary. Set aside.
- To blanch the collard greens, dunk each one in the boiling pot of water for approximately 60 seconds. Gently remove with tongs and set on a plate to cool. Continue to do this until all of the greens are blanched.
- To assemble the wrap, place a green onto a large plate or cutting board. Place a few scoops of the filling on the bottom (stem-end) of the green. Add your other filling ingredients on top. Fold the long ends in slightly (about an inch on each side) and then tightly roll. Refrigerate right away or cut in half and serve.
Use this recipe in our Meal Planner
About the Author
Ali Segersten
Alissa Segersten holds a Bachelor's of Science in Nutrition from Bastyr University and a Master’s of Science in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine from the University of Western States. She is a Functional Nutritionist, the mother of five children, a whole foods cooking instructor, professional recipe developer, and cookbook author. She is passionate about helping others find a diet that will truly nourish them. Alissa is the author of two very popular gluten-free, whole foods cookbooks and guidebooks: The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook and Nourishing Meals. She is also the co-author of The Elimination Diet book. Alissa is the founder and owner of Nourishing Meals®.Nourishing Meals Newsletter
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I got to sample this recipe last summer when someone brought it for lunch, and have wanted to make it ever since. (just kept forgetting to soak the seeds overnight!) I finally made it this weekend, and will be making it from now on, and telling everyone else how amazing it is. Is it ok to share on FB with a link to your site? Also planning to get your cookbook(s), everything looks equally amazing. Thanks! Rio
Just made this and love it!!!
Another option for enjoying the collards raw is to cut out the "spine" in the middle and make two smaller wraps from each collard green leaf. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi there...
I just found your blog and I LOVE it! Fantastic recipes! I will be trying this recipe and scouring your site for more. Great job!
Ellen
www.lapuremama.com
Hi! I'm really excited to try this recipe, but I don't see the instructions for making the sunflower seed pate! I love your blog!!!
The pate recipe looks fantastic. I have used my own recipe of soaked sunflower seeds, lemon juice, water, a little celtic himalayan sea salt and olive oil, but this looks a bit better!
The sunflower seed pate doesn't store too long, if I am certain, and after a day in the refrigerator a brown water like substance seems to seep out over the top. Definitely worth eating the day of making it.
These were fantastic. I have a new love for sunflower seeds thanks to your blog/book. Before I thought they were boring but little did I know they could be so versatile! Thanks for all your culinary expertise. :)
These were delicious. I left out the avocado as it wasn't ripe yet, but it made a very nice dinner indeed. My bf hates health food, and he said that if hippies made food like this then he'd be more into their food. He doesn't understand why they feel the need to make healthy food taste like crap, other than understanding that they think if it tastes like crap it must be good for you.
Uh...YUMMMMMMMY!!!! I am SO making this! Yum yum yum!! Delightful!! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks all for the feedback and yummy ideas! I've been busy this week and have not had much time for the blog.
I do use raw, tender young collard greens for making wraps. We usually use them for a simple hummus and veggie roll-up. I just had the idea that blanching them would hold this type of filling better, and it did.
As far as the specific questions go....
Barb - Those mildly irritating foods are best kept out for a month and then reintroduced to see if there is still a reaction. I say a month in the general sense. When Tom is assisting people on this diet he looks at the *whole* person to determine what is best. Symptoms indicate that yes there is something going on in the body. I imagine that an occasional slip up won't cause any lasting damage. It is eating those foods day in day out that causes problems (I am sure everyone is different though).
Olivia - On our Facebook page under this recipe link there are a number of great suggestions for replacing the lemon. Using a little raw apple cider vinegar (a few teaspoons) should work great. Depending on the scope of your health, Tom will often recommend adding in this type of vinegar during phase 3 (keeping all others out until the challenge phase). Hope it works out! :)
Laila - Well yes and no. Carob powder is fine as long as you know for sure that it is manufactured in a gluten, dairy, soy-free facility. Powders can often be cross-contaminated with other foods. Dried apricots are fine for some people. Tom sometimes keeps all dried fruit out until the challenge phase for certain folks, depending on what health conditions are presenting. Hope this helps. :)
This looks great! I'll have to make it next week when I'm on phase 2.
Random elimination diet question: Are carob powder and dried apricots ok?
Thanks so much for your great blog...also loving your cookbook!
Since I am in Phase 2 and i saw this recipe. I decided to make collard wraps with red quoina, grated carrots, cilantro, sliced avocados, and sunflower seeds. My daughter likes it. :) Great idea to use collard greens as a wrap. Add beans to it will also taste good.
I'm in phase 2 so this would be a great meal for me! I definitely want to try that pate!
Hi Ali! Do you have any suggestions for replacing the lemon in this recipe? I'd love to make it but found out through doing the elimination diet that I don't tolerate citrus.
I am on day 22 and feel incredible. I am so grateful for your blog and support. My doctor referred me here BTW.
Liv :-)
Hhhmmmmm! Heavenly! I want some so bad right now. YUM!!!!!
You always have the most stunning photos, Ali. This one and the one in your last post you should submit to tastespotting.com--everyone needs to see them!
I love the idea of flourless wraps. How easy and healthy!
How very cool on being included in the iPhone app! Congrats!
Hugs,
Shirley
I get lemons today! As soon as I am finished here, I am off to soak sunseeds. I feel fabulous!
I have an Elimination diet question: When you do react to a food, what should you do about the future of that food? In other words, foods that affect me profoundly will not be reintroduced, but what if I find I have a reaction I can *live with* to a food? For example, vaguely tingly lips for a while, or lethargy that I could take if it were only at the end of the day while I'm slumped in front of a video, then gone the next day. Is there a breakdown going on in my body even with these minor reactions that I should not allow to happen? Or, is it OK to visit these symptoms on occasion just for the pleasure of eating that food?
Thanks loads!
Barb
I make collard wraps fairly often and I learned from the phytofood blog to marinate the collard greens in sea salt and lemon juice and then use a rolling pin to soften the leaves and make them more pliable for rolling into a wrap.
I had tried it with just raw collard greens when I saw collard wraps at our farmers' market and couldn't get them to roll without splitting (kind of like anything I try to make with rice tortillas). Blanching and marinating are good tricks to learn for making these tasty wraps!
One of my favorite "pre-gluten free" lunch items was a whole wheat tortilla or pita pocket stuffed with hummus or pate and raw veggies. Since giving up gluten, I haven't been enjoying wraps much in the past few years. But this one looks like a winner! Thanks so much!
Oh Ali these are such a treat! Although pretty simple to prepare, the taste is absolutley divine. They have been on my mind for 2 months, and I am so glad you posted this, AND that your recipes are so easy to follow. Thanks a million!
These look delicious!! The pate sounds perfect!
My mouth is watering! Gorgeous photo!
These look delish, Ali! I can't wait to try them!
Say, Ricki, do you do anything to soften the raw collards--like marinate a bit in lemon juice and/or a bit of sea salt?
Your wraps look great, and I love the sound of the pate! I eat collard wraps quite a lot, but I don't even blanch the collards--I just enjoy them raw. While I love all greens, I find I like collards and kale both much better raw--absolutely no bitterness (not to mention much quicker!) :)
That is such a clever idea and honestly that looks amazing.
What a great idea, I love collard greens. I will try this with fish! Thanks