Walking in my garden early in the morning before the day’s chaos begins is in a way my form of meditation. It grounds me, helps me focus and center in on what I want to accomplish in my day. I plant rainbow chard every year, there is something about these grand dark green leaves with the bright colour contrast that just makes them in my opinion one of nature’s work of art. I just had to snap some pictures this morning while I was walking through my garden to share.
Not only is rainbow chard beautiful but also it is one of the most nutrient dense vegetables. This would be a very long post if I attempted to name them all but a few benefits include vitamins E, C, and A (in it’s beta-carotene form), minerals such as zinc and manganese. It boosts an array of phytonutrient antioxidants and can support bone health through its good supply of calcium, Vitamin K, and magnesium.
In addition to its beauty and rich nutrient profile, despite thoughts of it being bitter, rainbow chard is tender and mild and the leaves create a perfect canvas for a fresh veggie wrap. The leaves also do not get wilted or soft quickly, so you can load the wrap up in the morning and it still holds its shape by lunchtime.
Rainbow Chard Wrap with a Smoky Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus
Ingredients
Wrap
- 4-6 large rainbow chard leaves
- 1 orange bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1 english cucumber cut into slices
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1.5 cup sugar pea or radish shoots
- 2-3 tbsp hummus per wrap
Smoky Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus
- 15 ounce can good quality chickpeas or ¾ cup dried chickpeas cooked
- 1/2 tsp. course sea salt
- 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
- 5 slices sundried tomatoes
- 1-2 cloves garlic (adjust based on your garlic preference)
- 2 tbsp tahini paste
- 1 lemon Juice of one lemon
- 2 tbsp. avocado oil
- 1/4 cup filtered water
Instructions
- Add all hummus ingredients into a food processor or high-powered blender and process until smooth and creamy. If you find the hummus is too thick for your preference, add a tablespoon of filtered water at a time and process until you have reached you desired consistency. I prefer this hummus a little thicker in the chard wraps as it holds everything together.
- Gently rinse your chard leaves and pat dry with a clean towel, lay the chard leave flat so the stem is parallel with your counter (this helps with rolling after) and cut off the stems. Don’t discard your stems! Read my benefits of beet greens post for great tips on how you can use those nutritional stems.
- Spread 2-3 tablespoons of the hummus onto the leaf. Add your veggies ending with the shoots last.
- Firmly begin to roll the chard leave up from the bottom to encase all your veggie goodness inside. Place a toothpick in either end and then cut the chard leave in half. Pack in your lunch kit for later or serve on a plate and enjoy.
