I’ve been a little slow this week on the blog. Apparently if I’m not super organized with planning our meals on Sunday night I’m like a lost puppy when it comes to food. Literally Jaryd will come home from work and I’m all like…
Zero plan for dinner. Haha, anyway! On these kinds of weeks, usually by Wednesday I get my act together. Happy Wednesday!!
How was your weekend? We have a swim club membership in the suburbs and have been kind of loving it! We went the other day and the kids splashed in the pool a bit, then we BBQed, and relaxed. I can’t even tell you what a pleasant experience it was. There was room for the kids to run around, there was grass, a playground, a sandbox, I mean. It was kind of heavenly. My littlest guy just kept crawling and crawling, like he’s never seen such a long stretch of grass before!
My parenting (and adult) experience thus far has been the city life. The “have to be on top of your kids so they don’t run into the street which is three feet from your front door” kind of life. The “why has that homeless man walked by this playground three times, maybe it’s time for us to leave” kinda life. The “let’s open the door for some fresh air, ugh God close it, it smells like piss” kinda life.
But yet, I love the city. I’ve been living in the city for, er, 9 years?! I can walk anywhere that I need. I love that within five blocks, I can walk to the food store, the library, five different playgrounds or parks, the bank, the post office, the nail salon, my hair dresser, and twenty different coffee shops (ha). It’s really hard for me to picture a life that isn’t that convenient.
There are so many people now raising their kids in the city, and I love it. But then we went out to the suburbs and it seemed so easy. So relaxed. Parents were sitting, enjoying their meal while their kids played
Lately I’m starting to feel like the kids need more space. More air, and more earth. Does that make sense? It’s hard for me to picture suburb life but I’m starting to crave some aspects of it. Anyway, let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Has anyone transitioned to suburb life? I don’t think one is better than the other, they’re just different. They both offer different pros, different cons, and it’s just a matter of what works. Â I feel like I’m mentally preparing myself for an eventual suburb move.
But enough of that. Let’s cut to the chase. I slather this aioli on everything. I put it on salads. I use it as a dip. Here? I put it in a wrap. Guys! This is the best aioli. You need to give it a try.
I’ve been loving using collard greens as wraps too. It’s a great low carb (and gluten free) option and they are thick enough to give you a good crunch, but bendy enough to fold. They do have a bitter taste to them, so I recommend using a base to your wrap, such as this aioli, hummus, or a peanut-soy sauce, depending what you’re going for.
Here’s what you do:
Place all the aioli ingredients in the food processor. If you have the foresight, you can soak your cashews in water for an hour or more. This will make it smoother. I always (always always always) forget to do this, so I just throw them in and it’s still perfect.
Turn it on for about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and let it roll again for a few minutes until it is smooth and blended through.
Meanwhile, get your collard green. I usually cut out the thick stem. Notice in the picture above I didn’t cut it all out, just the thickest bottom part.
Sauté the sweet potato in coconut oil until it is soft and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, spread the aioli over the collard green.
Then pile on the cabbage, cooked sweet potato, pistachios, and craisins. The sweet potato adds some warmth to the wrap that is really satisfying! Look at those colors!!
Fold it up, one side at a time, making sure to tuck and hold secure (if that makes sense). Secure each end with a toothpick (or two). Using a sharp knife, gently cut through the middle.
These make great lunches!! Just wrap them tight in some plastic wrap or aluminum foil and pack for lunch!
Recipe
Collard Green Veggie Wrap + Spicy Aioli
Want an easy, veggie packed lunch that doesn’t disappoint on flavor? You’ll love these Collard Green Veggie Wrap + Spicy Aioli! They’re vegan + gluten free!
Ingredients
Aioli
- 3/4 cup unsalted cashews
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/4 cup water + 2 tablespoons of water
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wrap
- 4 collard green leaves
- 1 large sweet potato, cubed
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil for frying
- 1 cup purple cabbage, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup pistachios
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Place all aioli ingredients in the food processor.
- Blend for 30 seconds.
- Scrape down the sides using a rubber spatula. Continue to process for about 3 minutes.
- Sauté the sweet potato in the coconut oil over medium heat.
- Cook for about five minutes, until soft and golden brown.
- Cut off the thick bottom stem of the collard green leaf.
- Spread aioli over the center of the collard leaf.
- Place cabbage, pistachios, dried canberries and sweet potato on top.
- Fold in each side of the leaf, holding tight as you progress on each side. Secure each end with a toothpick.
- Gently slide a knife down the center of the wrap to cut in half.
Nutrition Info:
- Serving Size: 4
Enjoy!! xo
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