Napa Wraps

While living in Chicago, I was part of a cookbook club at Read it and Eat on the first Tuesday of each month. Together, our group voted on a cookbook for the month, then we signed up for a recipe to prepare for the group from the book. Truly, it was something I looked forward to every month. I met amazing people, shared stories, tried new recipes, & talked about we tasted/enjoyed/would have done differently with the recipe.
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The recipe which follows is a spin off from Sprouted Kitchen's Quinoa Collard Wraps. Since collard greens were not available, I chose Napa cabbage instead. After talking with people, I've realized many people are uneasy about substituting ingredients. Either because they don't know what ingredients would be make good replacers or simply because they do not feel comfortable. Often people will prepare something else and not consider what they could use instead. As you cook more often and branch out in your diet, you'll find similarities amongst many foods. What's the worst that could happen? You can learn from your mistakes and try something else next time. Remember to have fun with your food and think outside the box. 

Napa Cabbage

Collard Greens

As you can see from the pictures above, the two are similar with the main differences being the the leaf broadness and thickness. Napa is more watery with a sweeter taste than collard greens, which is more bitter and stiff in structure. Nutritionally speaking, when both are eaten raw, collards dominate in vitamin K, A, C and manganese with slightly more protein and fiber versus Napa. That said, it's important to get variety in your diet, so don't let the nutritional breakdown steer you away from choosing Napa. 

Now, onto my version of Napa Wraps
Makes 8

Miso-Carrot Spread
Ingredients: 
1 cup coarsely chopped carrots (squeeze out carrot juice and reserve)
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
1 shallot, minced
2 tbsp yellow miso 
2 tbsp rice vinegar
​2 tbsp chia seeds, ground 
2 tbsp sesame oil 
pinch salt

Using a food processor, combine in the bowl the carrots, ginger, shallots, miso, vinegar, & chia and process until smooth, 1-2 minutes. At this time, drink your carrot juice! 
With the motor running, slowly add the sesame oil and process until well combined. 

Napa Wraps
Serves 8
​Ingredients: 
16 napa leaves, washed, trimmed & blanched
2 cups cooked quinoa
2 tbsp tahini 
1/2 lime, freshly juiced
1 medium beet washed and grated (be sure to squeeze out any moisture/juice)
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and mashed 
​1 cup sprouts, cleaned 
(miso-carrot spread)

Lay out the cabbage on a dish towel and dry. To make it easier for rolling, be gentle laying out the leaves and cut off the stiffer ends of the stalk. 
In a bowl, stir together the cooked quinoa, tahini and lime juice until distributed. 
Prepare a work surface with all your ingredients ready for rolling. Arrange two of the napa leaves head to foot, overlapping the halfway, creating space for the meat (spread & veg) in the center. Spread a generous amount of the miso-carrot and begin layering in the following order: quinoa, beets, avocado and sprouts onto the leaves.

Fold over each end, tuck one side under, and roll like a burrito. There you have it, Napa Wraps....and beet juice (if you have any to spare).