Healthy Recipe: Mediterranean Rainbow Rolls with Lemon-Tahini Dipping Sauce

Mediterranean Rainbow Rolls with Lemon-Tahini Dipping Sauce

Recipe by Kaley Todd, MS, RDN | Photo by Erin Kunkel

Lucky you, there’s a pot of nutritional gold at the end of these rainbow rolls. They’re packed with brightly colored vegetables that provide a variety of health-boosting nutrients. If your favorite piece of produce isn’t represented, feel free to swap it in—that goes for the beans and wrap as well. Just keep things colorful to maximize the nutritional benefits. Perfect for lunch or sliced into delicious appetizers, these rainbow rolls will brighten up any table.

INGREDIENTS

For the lemon-tahini dipping sauce:
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup (2½ oz/75 g) tahini, well stirred
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2–3 tablespoons of water, plus more if needed

6 large collard, kale, or chard leaves
1 cup (6 oz/185 g) diced tomatoes
1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 English cucumber, seeded and cut into thin strips
½ cup (2½ oz/75 g) cooked brown rice
¾ cup (5 oz/155 g) chickpeas, no salt added, rinsed and drained
½ cup (2½ oz/75 g) feta cheese, crumbled
1 bunch fresh mint (optional)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

To make the lemon-tahini dipping sauce, in a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, tahini, 2 teaspoons olive oil, garlic, parsley, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir in the water one tablespoon at a time, until thick and creamy. Add more water to reach a thinner consistency, if you like. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Blanch the collard leaves by submerging them in the boiling water, 1 minute. Transfer immediately to the ice bath. When cool, transfer the leaves to paper towels and pat dry.

Working with one collard leaf at a time, spread the leaf on a cutting board. Trim away any thick stems, but leave the leaf intact. Add a small amount of the tomatoes, carrot, bell pepper, cucumber, brown rice, chickpeas, and feta in a line down the center of the wrap. Add a few sprigs of fresh mint, if you like. Leave enough room on the sides so you’ll be able to fold the collard leaf like a burrito.

In a small bowl, whisk together the 3 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Drizzle the mixture on top of the filling before folding. Fold in the sides of the leaf and tightly roll up the wrap. Lay it on a cutting board seam down. Repeat, filling and folding the remaining wraps.

Cut the rainbow wraps in half and serve with lemon-tahini sauce for dipping.

Makes 6 servings

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories 252
Protein 8 g
Total fat 17 g
Saturated fat 4 g
Carbs 20 g
Fiber 5 g
Total sugars 4 g
Added sugars 0 g
Sodium 701 mg