Well it's been quite the crazy week out here in my life. I was pumped for a new recipe (which in execution totally flopped - but they can't all be winners right?), I ate nachos topped with onion rings - yes you read that correctly - and my husband and I were graced with a beautiful little niece! Needless to say there have been exciting happenings in the life of me!
All of this accounts for the lack of follow-through with my recent post about something tasty and exciting coming your way but in no way means its any less important to talk about.
I used to think how amazing all of these food bloggers were creating their recipes without fail and turning out flawlessly every time. Thankfully these same beautiful humans have begun to share with us all that it doesn't always turn out how they'd like, or the presentation isn't as on point as their vision was. Nobody is perfect. We've been told this our entire lives and yet it can somehow get caught in our minds that all the people behind these lovely photos don't end up with recipes they don't post. It happens - and that's okay - and I'm incredibly grateful to those lovely food bloggers who are saying just that.
I originally had this vision of a beautiful, creamy squash sauce coupled somehow with savory caraway over rice noodles and spiralized veggies. I made a coconut/sunflower seed milk and had grown a bunch of fresh sprouts - the stage was set! And then I cut open the squash and there was virtually no squash to speak of! All rind! Long story short, it was just a complete mess. BUT! A flop doesn't mean a set-back, just another stepping stone to the next recipe - which is where we are now.
I had been working at the local Farmers' Market last summer where there was a Syrian family who was preparing and selling traditional Syrian food while being sponsored by a local family. Every week they sold out before the market closed up around noon. Every week they brought more food, and more people would line up and they would sell out again and again. I always got my food before the crowds rolled in and once my season working there was done, my husband and I would meet my Dad at the market where we would inevitably stock up and get our Syrian meal fix. Sometimes we would even sit on a nearby bench with our warm food, hot locally roasted coffee and chat in the cool early mornings before the world got moving.
One of my favourite dishes was the warm freekeh which was fully loaded with golden raisins, nuts, carrots and a complete medley that I have yet to perfect. Since then I have always kept an eye out for this mysterious young grain - and the other day I found it. I was ecstatic! I scooped it out of the bulk bin and couldn't have been more excited to get home and get it cooking.
The great thing about freekeh is that it's crazy high in protein and fibre, low in fat, contains probiotics, and is high in iron and zinc among many other great nutrients. Basically it rocks on all accounts, even if I am a little bias being that all my freekeh is now gone...
All of this accounts for the lack of follow-through with my recent post about something tasty and exciting coming your way but in no way means its any less important to talk about.
I used to think how amazing all of these food bloggers were creating their recipes without fail and turning out flawlessly every time. Thankfully these same beautiful humans have begun to share with us all that it doesn't always turn out how they'd like, or the presentation isn't as on point as their vision was. Nobody is perfect. We've been told this our entire lives and yet it can somehow get caught in our minds that all the people behind these lovely photos don't end up with recipes they don't post. It happens - and that's okay - and I'm incredibly grateful to those lovely food bloggers who are saying just that.
I originally had this vision of a beautiful, creamy squash sauce coupled somehow with savory caraway over rice noodles and spiralized veggies. I made a coconut/sunflower seed milk and had grown a bunch of fresh sprouts - the stage was set! And then I cut open the squash and there was virtually no squash to speak of! All rind! Long story short, it was just a complete mess. BUT! A flop doesn't mean a set-back, just another stepping stone to the next recipe - which is where we are now.
I had been working at the local Farmers' Market last summer where there was a Syrian family who was preparing and selling traditional Syrian food while being sponsored by a local family. Every week they sold out before the market closed up around noon. Every week they brought more food, and more people would line up and they would sell out again and again. I always got my food before the crowds rolled in and once my season working there was done, my husband and I would meet my Dad at the market where we would inevitably stock up and get our Syrian meal fix. Sometimes we would even sit on a nearby bench with our warm food, hot locally roasted coffee and chat in the cool early mornings before the world got moving.
One of my favourite dishes was the warm freekeh which was fully loaded with golden raisins, nuts, carrots and a complete medley that I have yet to perfect. Since then I have always kept an eye out for this mysterious young grain - and the other day I found it. I was ecstatic! I scooped it out of the bulk bin and couldn't have been more excited to get home and get it cooking.
The great thing about freekeh is that it's crazy high in protein and fibre, low in fat, contains probiotics, and is high in iron and zinc among many other great nutrients. Basically it rocks on all accounts, even if I am a little bias being that all my freekeh is now gone...
The recipe below contains so many of my favourite ingredients, it's impossible not to love. For the record, my husband tried this when I made them and afterwards walked into the kitchen with a slow clap, asking if there were any more. I hope you all enjoy them as much as we did!
Collard Wrapped Freekeh with Creamy Chipotle Veggies
Ingredients
3 large collard leaves
1 cup freekeh
2 1/2 cups water
4 garlic cloves, grated
2 tbsp. organic tamari
1 medium-sized carrot, spiralized
1 zucchini, spiralized
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped
2 tbsp. tahini
1 tbsp. organic flax oil
1 tsp raw apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
2 dates, roughly minced
1. Add water, freekeh and garlic to a pot to boil, and then turning down to medium heat until cooked.
2. Trim the spine of the collards until flesh with the leaves.
3. Add the chipotle, tahini, flax oil, raw apple cider vinegar, dates and salt and pepper to a bowl and mix until smooth. Add a little bit of water 1 tbsp. at a time to get a good, loose consistency. Add the spiralized veggies to the sauce and combine well. Set aside.
4. Once the freekeh is soft and fluffy (approximately 15-20 minutes) add the tamari and stir well.
5. Add the freekeh to the collard greens, topped with the veggie mixture and roll like a burrito. Cut in half and you're done!
This recipe is so simple but so incredibly full of flavours and contrasts that it makes for the perfect meal. This recipe made three collard wraps with some cooked freekeh left over.
Hope you all enjoy and always eat with joy!