Spring has sprung…and another food babe! Not to be confused with THE Food Babe of course 
Hey everyone! Spring is full of beautiful surprises and I’m proud to be one them! This beautiful weather has made me crazy for collards, but before I get on to my recipe I suppose I should introduce myself…
My name is Mary Beth Arthur. I’m 22 years old and this year I will be starting school at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition so I can become a holistic health coach! Some of you may recognize me from Luna’s Living Kitchen since I had the AMAZING opportunity of working there for several months. Honestly, I could make a post all about that experience (hey! maybe I will) and how awesome it was to work in that kind of environment. If you haven’t been there yet – GO! Like right now!!! Aside from being around some of the most delicious vegan food on planet and working with some of the nicest people I’ve ever met in my whole life, I also had the chance to meet all kinds of awesome people that came in there to eat. Among those incredible people was Vani a.k.a. Food Babe! If there’s one thing we have in common, it is our love of food. And talking. And talking people’s ears off about food. 
Long story short, we were having lunch together about a month ago and she asked me to do a guest post… so here I am!
Spring is here!!!!! YAY! It is my favorite time of the whole year for a few reasons: fresh produce, sunshine, and my birthday! I love eating with the seasons and I love all the delicious fruits and vegetables that are in season this time of year. Another great thing about warm weather is that it’s so refreshing to eat your raw foods! I absolutely CRAVE them in this weather. One of my favorite ways to eat my raw foods is to make collard wraps. Raw collards are so amazing for your body and most people cook them to death! For the record, I do looove some good southern cooked greens. How could I not? I was raised on soul food! However, most of the collards (and other greens that I eat) I prefer to leave uncooked. Gotta stock up on enzymes so I have energy to go hiking, swimming, and biking in this beautiful weather! So anyway, I was messing around in the kitchen a few days ago and came up with this recipe. And it was GOOD. So good that I had to share!
- 1 tablespoon ginger chili sauce (I picked up the one made by The Ginger People, but I’m working on a homemade version)
- ¼ avocado
- ¼ cup peeled and grated carrots
- 4-5 fresh mint leaves
- 1 handful of fresh greens (I chose a spinach and romaine blend)
- 1 splash of nama shoyu (regular soy sauce would also be fine)
- Place all ingredients into the collard wrap, garnish with sesame seeds and roll it up
Hope you all enjoy this recipe and all bounty that Spring has to offer!
- Mary Beth
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Thank you Mary Beth for sharing this refreshing and delicious recipe with us. This is the perfect kind of recipe to make coming off a juice fast – These will be in my belly today and can’t wait!
What’s your favorite food in the Spring?
XOXO,
Food Babe
Love the recipe! Just in time for me to use the last of the collards from our garden!
Would also LOVE free ice cream. Do you know if they sell it at Fresh Market? I live in Savannah, GA and our grocery stores are rather limited :[
Abigail
Not sure – But if my memory serves me right, I think they do…
I hope you enjoy it! The mint is my favorite part, it’s so refreshing. I’ve been using it in salads lately, too!
My favorite food in the spring is fresh blueberries. We grow our own and half the fun is picking them.
Strawberries too!
Goat milk ice cream sounds delicious! I have never seen if before, but I’m always looking for dairy-free alternatives to ice cream!
I know my husband would love that ice cream… if only I’d let him eat it if I win
Sometimes it’s hard to share it with my boyfriend…
Those spring rolls look amazing. Thanks for all the pictures. I am a visual learner. Can’t wait to try them!
Glad I was able to provide all the pictures, my boyfriend took them all and I paid him in spring rolls
I hope you enjoy them, thank you for your feedback!
I would LOVE to try Laloos goat’s milk ice cream! I can enjoy a frozen treat with my dairy-consuming boyfriend on a beautiful Spring day.
Great post and so excited you are starting at IIN! My sister and I are IIN grads and health coaches in charliotte. You can find us at http://www.thewholetulip.com. We love to meet you guys! Adri
Hi Adri – Thanks for sharing. Excited I found you two… We should all get together one day for juice soon!
I want in! I’d love to meet up with you guys, too!
Great! Why don’t you guys email me and we can set up a time for the four of us to get together! adriwarrick@gmail.com.
It will have to be in late May… but will totally like to hook up then! Thanks for reading…
have sworn off dairy and would love to try some goats milk ice cream! working towards the juice fast!
Juice fasting is really not that hard… It’s amazing, you probably won’t be hungry at all if you are drinking enough fresh raw vegetable juice all day. Getting all those nutrients is really satisfying to your body
I swore off dairy for years until I realized that goat dairy products (especially the raw ones) digest beautifully! Laloo’s Vanilla Snowflake is absolutely the best freakin’ ice cream I’ve ever had! It even tops gelato in Italy… seriously!
My favorite food in the spring is strawberries! I’ve tried other goat’s milk products, but never ice cream. I’d love to try Laloos!
Goat’s milk ice cream sounds wonderful! There is a cafe in here in New York City that serves soft serve goat’s milk ice cream (Victory Garden). . . delicious!!!
Mmmm that sounds gooood.
I’ll have to check it out the next time I’m in the area! Thanks for sharing
WOOT WOOT! Thanks Vani!
No Thank You Mary! You are already inspirational… and you’re just getting started
That Spring Roll looks amazing! Thanks for hosting another giveaway. Would love to try that Goat Milk Ice Cream.
You are welcome! It’s my pleasure to share all the perks of having a blog with you… I just wish everyone could win all the time.
Those rolls look delicious, I’m always wanting to try new recipes to introduce more raw veggies in my diet instead of just cut up veggies & hummus. After seeing you eat raw collard wraps and now this post, it’s something new I’ll definitely have to try!
Oh and if you add chopped pickles it takes collard wraps to a whole another level!
Collard wraps are so versatile and SO delicious! I also love making them with tomatoes, avocado or raw cheddar-style goat cheese, Annie’s Dijon mustard, onion, and sprouts… you really can’t go wrong!
Lauren – You won!!! Congrats! Please send me your address – mail@foodbabe.com
hi food babe! need some restaurant recs for charlotte? bf wants to take me out for dinner — i was thinking maybe halcyon? i’m veg/seafood, but he likes his meat — so somewhere with both would be nice. thanks!!!! also, we are going to go hiking this weekend — what are some must-bring things? we are novices
Halcyon is an excellent choice – but I’d go for Good Food on Montford if you haven’t tried it… one of my favorite restaurants in town. Also – for hiking, check out my hiking snacks here – http://foodbabe.com/2011/09/29/boost-your-bite-during-your-hike
thanks! that post was helpful, i actually eat a lot of those items regularly, but do you bring a whole coconuts with you? i have a few young coconuts at home already, but they’re heavy to bring?
i looked up montford’s menu, it’s totally up my ally
are the plate small though? the prices are very inexpensive
Haha no – My coconut water of choice these days is Harmless Harvest – It’s raw and the best!
The plates are small but really flavorful and filling at Good Food. It’s Tapas style. You are going to love it there. Don’t forget dessert – the chocolate pot de creme is pure insanity. Let me know what you think!
hahaha…. I just remembered finding harmless harvest coconut water in my dreams last night. oh, foodie dreams…
You won!!!! Please send me your address!
My favorite food come spring is all kinds of salads, for ex:strawberry salad-wheat berries, mint, goat cheese, nuts and some greens with a nice orange vinagrette! I don’t crave salads in the winter so I always know when spring is here cuz I can eat salads everyday!
Hi Christine – I love strawberries in salads too.
P.S. My boyfriend doesn’t always take pictures of me to put on a blog for Food Babe, but when he does… he drinks Dos Equis. Thanks Lucas!
i have never had it before, i would love to try that ice cream! my favorite food in the spring is salad! any kind of salad!!!!
Me too! I love salads like no other.
i really feel like i can get super creative w/ a salad! and i always feel satisfied w/out that icky feeling that i ate too much (even though i did lol)!!!
I know what you mean!
Just subscribed to your blog (I found it via 100 Days of Real Food)! I can’t wait to learn more about real food nutrition from your perspective. And I am interested in becoming a holistic health coach as well as Mary Beth, so I’m checking out the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Also, I would LOVE some ice cream
Hi Tiffany… hope you find my ideas refreshing and helpful…check my “Top Posts” section for more insight to my philosophies on eating…
Tiffani – You won!!! Please send me your address! mail@foodbabe.com
Congrats Tiffany – on looking at IIN and the ice cream! I think I’ll be starting school in the next few months so if you ever want to get together and have lunch and be study buddies let me know!
Cheers to wellness and all the goodies that it brings!
would love to try it
Oooh would love to try that ice cream!
OMG, I would LOVE to try this ice cream! This would be a perfect indulgence on those days when I’m craving “junk” food…although this would secretly NOT be junk!
Those spring rolls look amazing! And I’d love to try the goat’s milk ice cream!
I love ice cream. This sounds like a healthier alternative, and I wouldn’t have any guilt after! Love it and Food Babe!
I’m new to you site and am so excited to have found it. I can’t wait to get up to speed on your posts.
Thanks Michelle – Happy to have you here
I’ll be announcing the winners tomorrow on Facebook – stay tuned!
Strawberries are my fav!
Without a doubt, strawberries. I look forward to them every year. It even influenced our upcoming trip to France; one of the reasons I chose to go in May was the hopes of trying some new-to-me varieties of strawberries while they are in season in France!
How awesome! Sounds like something I would do… travelling the world for the best food! I’m sure they know how to elevate those fresh strawberries to a whole new level in homemade crepes and pies and such! Gotta love french cooking.
Favorite Spring Food? Good ol’ Artichokes. Can’t beat them!
Wow – That’s a good one Holly! I don’t make those enough… but I should!
I would Love Love Love to try this ice cream!!! I crave ice cream BADLY in the spring/summer
I love ice cream! Another one of my spring favorites- freshly picked strawberries (it’s been so hot here in NC they are already ripe for picking in April!)
Thanks for the reminder…I need to go pick some so I can make some strawberry desserts
This ice cream looks delicious! My mom and I have just started making better food choices by cutting out all chemicals and food additives and are just eating ‘real’ food. Your blog has been very inspiring, and I love how well researched all your articles about dyes and MSG are. Thank you! And my favorite spring food would HAVE to be strawberries! Just got some from the farm down the road today!
I made the most delicious strawberry cupcakes a couple of days ago, because everyone was talking about them… Thanks for stopping by Stephanie! Good luck with your journey.
Thank you! Cupcakes are the best! I just dehydrated some strawberries for the first time. They’ll be a nice addition for my on-the-go trail mix!
This looks very delicious. Can’t wait to try it!
I love this blog! All of the recipes have been terrific!
Hi Mary Beth…Gosh, I’m so far down, I’ll probably NEVER get a coupon for the free Goat’s Milk Ice Cream…and my comment seems so silly…it isn’t even ABOUT your Spring Rolls, although they look absolutely DIVINE…(I hate to cook really…I do)…my Question is…honestly..WHAT IS all the HYPE about Coconut and Palm Oil? MAN! When I was seeing a Nutritionist years ago for my Diabetes, she told me to NEVER eat Coconut, and to NEVER use Coconut Oil OR Palm Oil because of their high FAT CONTENT, and it seems that every single recipe that I look at in this column is totally promoting their use. I just am very, very confused. Can you shed some light on this for me?
Hey Donna, I’m actually glad that you brought this up. For a long time coconuts were considered unhealthy because of their high fat content. However, people are now starting to understand that there is a huge difference between healthy fats and unhealthy fats. Coconut oil is fantastic for cooking, because it’s chemical structure does not change when it is heated unlike many other oils that we cook with. It is good for your heart, your brain, and has even been proven to not only prevent, but lessen the effects of degenerative diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s. However, in order to stay healthy we need to avoid consuming too much fat. Especially women (sorry ladies) because we aren’t as good at breaking it down as men. I think of fat the same way I think of sugar: in nature everything is balanced perfectly. The fiber in fruit that keeps you from consuming too much sugar acts the same way as the fiber in the avocado or the coconut that keeps your from consuming too much fat. It isn’t until we extract these substances and separate them from their fiber (in juices and oils) that we risk overdoing it. So just keep that in mind in terms of cooking. Even when I find recipes that call for coconut oil, which I love, I avoid the ones that call for ridiculous amounts. I hope this helps!!! En bonne santé! -MB
These spring rolls are very good! I love how much you can do with them. I couldn’t find chili paste with ginger so I used one with garlic. I also used bell pepper (red) and some green onion. I left out the carrot because I didn’t have any, substituting grated cucumber instead. So very good and so many possibilities. Thank you for sharing them.
Yay!!!! I’m so glad you liked them! They’re perfect for warm weather, no?
Made these spring rolls tonight and drizzled an organic peanut sauce inside of them , they were amazing!!!!! I’m in love with your blog!! Thank you for all of your tips and your time. My family is healthier , and I can’t tell u how grateful I am to have all this information!!