Sunday, December 6, 2009

Shrimp roll-ups in collard leaves

Six months have passed since I first began the anti-candida diet (ACD). My blog has morphed from lots of gluten-free deserts and breads to recipes featuring mostly veggies and low-fat protein. I wonder if I will ever get back to being able to eat chocolate (without cheating).

I think I have to admit that all my years of antibiotics, sugar-free sweeteners, diet pop and coffee addiction have made me an extreme candida case. I believe I am stuck with the ACD way of eating for the long haul.

Many of my symptoms have completely disappeared or at least abated since I began the candida diet. I am able to eat soy and many more vegetables than I could before. However, some things remain the same. My stomach continues to be a mystery with flare-ups for no apparent reasons. (Okay, I confess; mostly because of eating too many fats.) I still avoid gluten, eggs, nuts and dairy. I still have animals in my kitchen; my orange Dennis the Menace, Pumpkin, and Kona, my canine floor rug. Yes, she is always in the way, sprawled out on the floor, in the doorways, wherever I am.

Winter is the most challenging time for me as I crave carbs more than ever. That's right. I still crave carbs/sugar, even after all this time. I doubt if that will ever change. I'm just hardwired for sugar. I've tried to satisfy my cravings with fats, like pumpkin butter, sunbutter, soybutter, tahini, coconut butter and black tahini, but it's just not the same. Some people are fat-aholics and I'm a self-confessed carb-aholic. The only thing I've gotten from the fats is digestive troubles.

This coming week I'm going to once again reintroduce some whole grains into my diet. I'm really looking forward to a hot steaming bowl of gluten-free oatmeal. I've also discovered that collard leaves make great replacements for tortillas or pita breads for wraps. Until I made this discovery, I used to buy collard and the poor collard would end up pining away in the fridge. I'd look at the stuff and say, "What am I supposed to do with it?" Now, I know: make collard leaf shrimp roll-ups.

Shrimp Roll-ups in Collard Leaves
(Makes 3-4)

Ingredients:
Large collard leaves with stems removed
1 tsp. grapeola or canola oil
Medium peeled shrimp, halved (about 10-12) Note: I get the precooked kind.
1 small carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 zucchini, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 small green cabbage, shredded
2 garlic cloves
1 inch ginger root, peeled and minced
2 green onions, chopped
1 tsp. Bragg's amino acids

Directions:

Chop and shred the veggies and set aside. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until soft. Add the veggies and saute until tender crisp. Add the shrimp and cook until heated. Toss in the chopped green onions. Drizzle with Bragg's amino acids.

To make the roll-ups, trim the collard leaves off their stems. Scoot the shrimp-veggie mixture off to one side in the skillet. Drop in a few collard leaves and heat slightly. Place the appropriate amount of shrimp-veggie mixture on each one and roll them up. Serve with a salad for lunch or dinner.

Note: Collard leaves also can be used to make great hummus roll-ups. Do you have some other ideas? Please post a comment and share.

4 comments:

Merryheart said...

Sounds like a great idea! I, too, never knew what to do with collard leaves. I heard a lot about how healthy they are. If I see them in the store, I'll try them!

Sheree Welshimer said...

I bought some more collard leaves today. I think I'll try them next for tacos. I'll let you know how they come out.

Janet said...

This is a great recipe! I love collards. I use them the same way I use kale -- I chop up (1/4 inch strips and then a couple of crosscuts)...and then I steam them. (I steam them well, so they are more digestible).

Add a little oil (or none at all) and some lemon, salt and any other herbs you might like. The lemon contrasts with the bitterness of the vegetable. You can also add sauteed garlic or onions (I don't eat either onions or garlic)It's a tasty dish on it's own, or sometimes I mix in some brown rice and tofu.

I like it a lot!

Sheree Welshimer said...

That sounds delicious, Janet. I'll have to give it a try. Thanks for sharing your recipe.