ITALIAN QUINOA WRAPS

Italian Quinoa Wraps

 Yesterday as I was contemplating what to have for lunch, the basil and quinoa in the fridge started calling me…the rest just sort of fell into place when I looked at what I had on hand.  The collard greens came from my most recent Farm Fresh to You delivery.

6-8 large collard green leaves

2 cups cooked quinoa

1 ½ cups chopped ripe tomato

½ cup rough chopped fresh basil

1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped

¼  tsp salt

Pepper to taste

2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

¼ cup pine nuts

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Add the chopped tomatoes to the food processor and pulse.  You want to maintain some of the tomato’s texture, so do not puree it. 

Pulse Tomato

Next add the basil, garlic, salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar.  Pulse again to incorporate.  Set the mixture aside to marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.

Add the Basil, Garlic, Salt, Pepper, and Balsamic

Wash the collard greens and dry both sides.  Remove the lower stem and most of the rough bone in the middle of the leaf.

Trim and Bebone the Collard

Place the quinoa in a bowl and add the tomato mixture to the quinoa.  Stir to combine.  Add the pine nuts and mix well.

Add Tomato Mixture to Quinoa

Add the Pine Nuts

Assemble the wraps by placing 1/3-1/2 of a cup of the filling onto the top third of the collard green leaf.  Roll the leaf tightly as you would a burrito being careful to overlap the bottom portions that were separated by the removal of the rib (you don’t want the filling to fall out).  Repeat this step until all of the wraps have been made.

Add the Filling

 I made all six and plan to keep them in the fridge as lunches or snacks for the rest of the week…we will have to see how long they last though since I have already eaten two of them!

For a printable version of this recipe click here.