Green Glaze Collard Green Wraps with Shrimp, Coconut-Curry Rice & Kimchi

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I have been growing a particular variety of collards in my garden called Green Glaze Collard Greens. I acquired the seedling from a fantastic local edible gardener, Loretta Allison. Unlike the collards we are used to, this plant produces tender leaves that are a perfect round shape for making collard green wraps or rolling up any number of ingredients. They have a delicate, well balanced, slightly sweet flavor that complements their filling without overwhelming the dish.

I have also been on a fermented food kick lately, and I had some kimchi calling out to me from the refrigerator. This got me thinking of Korean bbq and how good it would be to use those collards to hug some Asian-ispired flavors and textures. And this is what I ended up with…

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Maca Cacao Sprouted Brown Rice Pudding

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Yesterday I attended a seminar given by Australian herbalist Lee Carroll on the subject of integrative herbal and whole food nutrition. If you are thinking that I walked away with a recipe for sprouted brown rice pudding, you are oddly correct. At one point, while discussing Dysbiosis  and how to support healthy microbiota, he shared cacao’s benefits, then proceeded to rattle off a rice pudding recipe that he sometimes shares with his patients in Australia. It sounded so intriguing I jotted down the rough concept, and decided to give it or something similar a try. The key ingredients that caught my attention were brown rice, tahini, cacao, and Manuka honey.

This recipe uses a cacao-maca powder blend, but you can use all cacao powder if you want. Manuka honey is considered to have all sorts of nutritional benefits. But getting pure, unadulterated Manuka honey can be a bit pricey. Having said that, a little bit goes a long way. So if you want this pudding to be packed with more nutrition, try to keep it pure. The tahini provides the fat component that gives this pudding a creamier consistency, along with the way the rice is cooked. Altogether, this pudding packs some substantial nutrition for a sweet treat. I can see this as a dessert, evening chocolate craving fix (that is gradiently healthier than many alternatives), or even a quick breakfast.

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