We used to think we were pros in the post-holiday feast department. From soul-warming soups to cranberry-spice smoothies, our leftover game seemed pretty strong season to season. That is until we met Jeanne Cheng, the holistic mastermind behind the brand new Kye’s in Santa Monica. Kye’s opened with the goal of serving just about everyone: there are vegan, paleo, gluten-free and ‘all-American’ options on the menu – truly something for everyone. If you’re a health nut with non-health nut friends – or a vegan married to a paleo, an all-American with a gluten-free child – you know how important this is. Kye’s menu is super-flexible, but most importantly to us, centers around their signature collard green or nori sheet wraps. Genius! Kye’s wraps everything from veggies to grass-red burgers, macrobiotic combos to breakfast ingredients, in their healthful leafy green wraps and we’re in love. Match that with black bean brownies, healing herbal teas, and raw shakes to die for and you’ve basically got our ideal lunch spot. For the post-Christmas crowd, Kye’s has collard wraps made entirely of holiday leftovers.
Made with turkey, cranberries, cornbread, kabocha squash, and a host of other seasonal treats wrapped up tight in a collard leaf, this “Kye-rito” is pretty much the quintessential “day-after” lunch – fitting in all the holiday feast essentials while still sticking to a healthy, clean diet. And let’s get real – this collard wrap is so delicious and crazy-simple to make, we’ll be whipping it up whether we’ve got a fridge filled with food scraps or not. Here’s how to create this new version of the burrito that’s blowing our minds…
Kye’s Holiday Collard Wrap
Ingredients
1 large collard green leaf
3 oz cornbread stuffing*
2 ½ oz roasted turkey
2 Tbsp spiced cranberry sauce
1 ½ Tbsp gravy
½ Tbsp toasted pecans
For the cornbread stuffing:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 quart celery, small chop
1 quart yellow onion, finely chopped
1 ½ quart Swiss chard, chopped
½ quart kabocha squash, steamed
a pinch of salt, to taste
1 tsp fresh sage, minced
2 quarts cornbread, medium cubes
water, as needed
For the cranberry sauce:
24 oz fresh cranberries
1 quart water
1 ¼ cups sucanat
6 cinnamon sticks
8 star anise
1 tsp cloves, ground
8 cardamom, whole
For the gravy:
2 quarts chicken or turkey stock
3 Tbsp cornstarch
3 rosemary sprigs
2 thyme sprigs
*Or substitute the cornbread stuffing with a mixture of quinoa and your favorite seasonal herbs and veggies. (We recommend kabocha squash, Swiss chard, onions, celery, and sage.)
Directions
For the cornbread stuffing:
Sauté all the veggies together with olive oil until translucent. Add the salt, sage, and cornbread cubes. Gradually add water to the mix and stir on medium heat until just absorbed. Turn off the heat and place a lid over the pan, until all stuffing is soaked.
For the cranberry sauce:
Place half of the cranberries, water, sucanat and spices into a medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil until the cranberries begin to pop and the sauce thickens. Add the remaining cranberries and cook down until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, but some cranberries are still whole. Allow to cool before using.
For the gravy:
Bring stock and herbs to a simmer. Gradually add the broth and cornstarch until thickened. Let herbs steep for at least 15 minutes and remove after transferring to a new container.
To assemble:
Place the collard leaf on a flat surface. Place the stuffing down first, spreading evenly down the center of the leaf’s spine, making sure to leave about an inch free at the top and bottom. Add the turkey, cranberry sauce and gravy, and finish with toasted pecans. Fold one of the long sides inward, roll into a tight wrap, and enjoy!
