Thai Lettuce Wraps

Thai lettuce wraps are on my list of go-to delivery dishes when I don't have the time (or energy! I'll keep it honest here!) to prepare a meal at home. As it turns out, they're simple to make and  the Tone It Up camp recently offered a healthy twist on the savory dish:


Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground turkey (97% lean)
• 1 Tbs grapeseed oil
• Vegetarian option: 1 lb Tempeh in place of turkey meat
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• iceberg lettuce, washed & laid flat to dry
• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce if you are gluten-free, use GF Tamari)
• 1/3 cup hoisin sauce (if you are gluten-free, use GF hoisin sauce)
• sea salt, ground black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder to taste

Directions

Heat oil over low-to-medium heat, add diced onion and peppers; cook for 2-4 minutes (or until onions are translucent). Add lean ground turkey, season to taste, and cook until turkey and juices are well browned. Turn off stove top, and set mixture aside to cool slightly (about 5 minutes). Meanwhile, line a tray with flat, washed pieces of iceberg lettuce. Wraps can be small or large, depending on the size of your lettuce leaves. Each “portion” should contain about 4 ounces of ground turkey. This dish pairs well with dark leafy green veggies like bok choy, kale, broccoli and spinach!

Chopping the veggies absorbed the lion's share of the prep-time. I had some extra celery in my veggie drawer, which I decided to modify the recipe for a little extra crunch.

The results are so yummy! The robust flavors from the Paprika, luscious peppers and soy sauce satisfy your hunger, without making you succumb to a food coma. I love the idea of serving these in smaller portions as appetizers (perhaps substitute smaller Spinach leaves) to your party guests.