By Sarah Steffens

Collard greens are a great, nutrient-dense substitute for a tortilla or wrap during your Whole30. Because they’re sturdy and hold up well, they make a great Whole30 Lunch option. Most people prefer them to be blanched (instructions for balancing are included below) but some like them raw. Experiment to see which way you prefer, and experiment with your fillings, too. We’ll get you started with three tasty recipes.

Breakfast Burrito Collard Wraps

Serves 4

These breakfast burritos use nutrient-dense collard leaves to hold a yummy scramble, we know you’re going to love this recipe as much as we do!  To keep this easy to whip up in the mornings, blanch a few bunches of collard leaves when you’ve got an extra 15 minutes and then store in the fridge for up to a week so that the next time you need to wrap up a scramble or some leftover meat and veggie, you are ready to go!  

Ingredients

8 slices of bacon
12 large eggs
2 tablespoons ghee
2 bunches of collard greens, or about 12 leaves
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons hot sauce (optional)
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 whole scallion, minced

Instructions

PREHEAT your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake bacon on a sheet lined with parchment paper until it is crispy, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

BLANCH collard leaves by bringing a large pot of water to a boil and then turn off the heat. Carefully hold each leaf by its stem and dip the leaf into the hot water just until covered by the water, then set aside to cool on a plate.

Carefully SLICE the ends of the center stem off of each leaf and trim down the center stem without actually removing it (this step simply makes the center stem smaller, making it easier to use as a wrap.

SCRAMBLE your eggs with ghee in a skillet set to medium low heat. When done, add the bacon, crumbling with your fingers. Gently toss together with the eggs.

MIX the mayonnaise, hot sauce (if using) sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder and minced scallion in a bowl until it is well combined.

Gently MIX in the scrambled eggs with bacon and toss until it is coated by the mayonnaise mixture.

PLACE a large scoop of scrambled eggs on each collard leaf and carefully roll each leaf up as you would a burrito, tucking the ends of the leaf so that the eggs do not fall out of each leaf.

If you have extra scrambled eggs, serve it alongside your wraps.

Whole30 Lunch Idea: Tuna Salad Collard Wraps

Serves 4

We like to stock our pantry with cans of tuna to use in recipes just we did in these tuna salad collard wraps. Bright collard leaves tucked with tuna are easy to pack and take to the office, in your child’s school lunch, or as a quick bite while you’re at the airport! We kept this recipe simple, but feel free to play around and add fruits such as grapes or raisins and crunchy nuts like cashews or walnuts.


INGREDIENTS

4 cans of tuna, packed in water
2 bunches of collard greens, or about 12 leaves
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 whole scallion, minced
½ cup parsley, minced
1 cup celery, diced
2 apples, cored and diced

INSTRUCTIONS

BLANCH collard leaves by bringing a large pot of water to a boil and then turn off the heat. Carefully hold each leaf by its stem and dip the leaf into the hot water just until covered by the water, then set aside to cool on a plate.

Carefully SLICE the ends of the center stem off of each leaf and trim down the center stem without actually removing it (this step simply makes the center stem smaller, making it easier to use as a wrap.

MIX the mayonnaise, sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, minced scallion and minced parsley in a bowl until it is well combined.

Gently MIX in the drained tuna, celery, apple and toss until it is coated by the mayonnaise mixture.

PLACE a large scoop of tuna salad on each collard leaf and carefully roll each leaf up as you would a burrito, tucking the ends of the leaf so that the tuna salad doesn’t fall out of each leaf.

If you have extra salad, SERVE it alongside your wraps, or store in the fridge to enjoy at another meal.

Whole30 Lunch Idea: Chicken Salad Collard Wraps

Serves 4

Collards are the star in these wraps that will soon be ones of your favorite ways to use these leafy greens. Crunchy cabbage and minced radish pairs wonderfully with a bit of sweetness from coconut aminos and cilantro and a bit of tang from seasoned mayonnaise. These are perfect to pack in your lunch or prepare for your next social gathering!

INGREDIENTS

1 pound of boneless & skinless chicken thighs
2 bunches of collard greens, or about 12 leaves
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon coconut aminos
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup cilantro, minced
2 cups mixed cabbage, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

Begin by cooking the chicken thighs and allowing to cool. You can saute them in some ghee, slow-cook them or pressure cook them. Once cooked, place in a bowl and allow to cool in the fridge. When it has cooled, transfer it to a cutting board and chop into small pieces.

Blanch collard leaves by bringing a large pot of water to a boil and then turn off the heat. Carefully hold each leaf by its stem and dip the leaf into the hot water just until covered by the water, then set aside to cool on a plate.

Carefully slice the ends of the center stem off of each leaf and trim down the center stem without actually removing it (this step simply makes the center stem smaller, making it easier to use as a wrap.

Mix the mayonnaise, coconut aminos, sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder and minced cilantro in a bowl until it is well combined.

Gently mix in the chopped chicken thighs and cabbage and toss until it is coated by the mayonnaise mixture.

Place a large scoop of chicken salad on each collard leaf and carefully roll each leaf up as you would a burrito, tucking the ends of the leaf so that the chicken salad doesn’t fall out of each leaf.

If you have extra salad, serve it alongside your wraps, or store in the fridge to enjoy at another meal.


Published by Lindsay Rhodes

Lindsay Rhodes currently lives in Chicago. She attended Butler University where she received her B.S. in Marketing and a minor in Strategic Communication. Previously, Lindsay has worked for management consulting firms as a marketing consultant and as a campus recruiter.

Sarah Steffens

Recipe Developer

Sarah Steffens, our Recipe Developer, has a B.A. in Business Administration, Public Relations from The Master's University in Southern California. After years of experimenting with nutrition and recipes in her own kitchen, she now works as a Personal Chef and Food Photographer in Sacramento, creating meals that support her client's intention to physically and mentally thrive. She has catered several independent film sets, making it her goal to optimize the energy and well-being of each creative crew. You can find many of Sarah's recipes in various Whole30, Paleo and Keto cookbooks. When Sarah is not cooking and styling recipes, you can find her enjoying a long walk, working on creative projects with loved ones or exploring beautiful Northern California.