Nutty Mushroom Collard Rolls are one of my favorite meals. So full of flavor, texture, and healthy ingredients, it's a recipe I turn to again and again. Inspired by a recipe in Vegetarian Times, this version makes a regular appearance in my meal plans is because they're so easy to prepare. A few ingredients, pulsed in a food processor or even chopped by hand, the filling requires no cooking. Blanched (quickly cooked in boiling water) collard greens serve as the wrapper for this spicy, chunky filling. Sure you can use the filling to stuff pita bread, why would you when collards are one of the healthiest foods you can eat?
Collards are a cruciferous vegetable, in the same family as broccoli and cabbage, and are loaded with important vitamins and minerals. Vegans in particular will want to find ways to eat more collards because they are a natural and abundant source of plant-based calcium. That's right - just another reason to leave the milk for the calves who actually need it. Another amazing benefit of eating collards is lower cholesterol; they bind to bile acids in the digestive system, which makes it easier for them to exit the body. And if all that weren't enough reason to wrap up this nutty filling in a collard leaf, collards counteract the toxic effects of carcinogens and expedite their removal from the body.
Enough about the wrapper; the filling boosts its own remarkable health benefits. Packed with protein, omega-3 fatty acids, immunity boosters and calcium from the tahini sauce, you might want to eat eat this every day. And why not, with a touch of spice, bright lime juice, and a tender-crunchy texture, Nutty Mushroom Collard Rolls taste as good as they are for you. Perfect for a light lunch or as an appetizer, boost the nutrition and texture by adding sliced avocado before rolling. Keep any extra filling to eat with a spoon!
Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Set out a baking tray lined with a clean tea towel or paper towels. Remove stems from collards by placing them one at a time on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, start at the thinnest tip of the stem (near the top of the leaf) and cut straight down, as close to the stem as you can cut. Repeat on the other side. Reserve stems for making stock, compost, or use for dog treats. When water comes to a boil, place a few leaves at a time into the water. Cook for about 60 to 90 seconds, until the leaves are bright green and tender. Use tongs to remove collards and place on lined baking tray. Layer towels in between leaves so they dry.
To make the filling, place garlic, jalapeño and ginger in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add walnuts, shiitake, hemp seeds and scallions. Pulse again till everything is roughly chopped. Add toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, and lime juice. Pulse again till combined.
To make the tahini sauce, whisk ingredients together in a small bowl. Add more or less water to thin to desired consistency.
To make the wraps, lay a collard leaf on a cutting board. Overlap the sides to close the gap where the stem was cut out. Spread about a tablespoon of tahini sauce on the leaf. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons or so of filling on the end closest to you. Tuck the sides in first, then begin to roll away from you. Place finished roll seam-side down and cut in half. Arrange rolls on a plate and serve drizzled with more tahini sauce.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Set out a baking tray lined with a clean tea towel or paper towels. Remove stems from collards by placing them one at a time on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, start at the thinnest tip of the stem (near the top of the leaf) and cut straight down, as close to the stem as you can cut. Repeat on the other side. Reserve stems for making stock, compost, or use for dog treats. When water comes to a boil, place a few leaves at a time into the water. Cook for about 60 to 90 seconds, until the leaves are bright green and tender. Use tongs to remove collards and place on lined baking tray. Layer towels in between leaves so they dry.
To make the filling, place garlic, jalapeño and ginger in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add walnuts, shiitake, hemp seeds and scallions. Pulse again till everything is roughly chopped. Add toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, and lime juice. Pulse again till combined.
To make the tahini sauce, whisk ingredients together in a small bowl. Add more or less water to thin to desired consistency.
To make the wraps, lay a collard leaf on a cutting board. Overlap the sides to close the gap where the stem was cut out. Spread about a tablespoon of tahini sauce on the leaf. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons or so of filling on the end closest to you. Tuck the sides in first, then begin to roll away from you. Place finished roll seam-side down and cut in half. Arrange rolls on a plate and serve drizzled with more tahini sauce.
