Healthy Eating Made Easy

Peter Castillo | posted June 16, 2009 |

Nothing says summer like a light, delicious meal. Asian Style Lettuce Wraps have it all: big, bold flavors, fresh, crunchy vegetables, cool and crispy lettuce and rejuvenating herbs combined for a delicious, nutritious meal. In addition, they are a healthy way of eating made easy! Recently, lettuce wraps have been turning up in restaurants across the country where they are most often offered as an appetizer. However, lettuce wraps also work great as a light summer meal. 

The secret to good wraps is bold spicing, along with good texture and crunch in the fillings. Lettuce wraps may be a healthy alternative to flour tortillas or pita bread, which often contain many refined carbohydrates.

Lettuce wraps are a great way to deliver a main dish meal. You can easily create lettuce wraps in an almost endless array of variations at home. Many meat, seafood, poultry, vegetable and cheese combinations are prime candidates for fillings. You can use the same ingredients you use in burritos, pita bread, spring rolls, or phyllo dough.
 

Asian Style Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
2 cups julienne grilled, roasted or steamed skinless chicken breast
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons light soy sauce
1 ½teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon chopped fine fresh ginger
1/3 cup julienne snow peas
¼ cup chopped green onions
¼ cup cellophane or fried rice sticks (crisp)
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon fish sauce
¼ cup coarse chopped cilantro
1 cup shredded or julienne carrots
1 cup shredded red and green cabbage
Four to six butter lettuce leaves
Peanut sauce (see recipe below)
Asian dipping sauce or Asian Chile sauce (Sambal olek)

Quick Tips:
1. Pick large, pliable leaves
2. Dry lettuce before serving
3. Vary textures, color and flavors in filling
4. Make fillings and sauces ahead of time
 

Directions
1. In a medium bowl combine all ingredients. Mix well and chill.
2. Prepare peanut sauce.
3. On platter, fill the lettuce leaves with the chicken mixture Add small 2oz. containers each of peanut sauce and Asian dipping sauce to platter. 4. Dip into peanut sauce and Asian dipping sauce as desired.

Serves 4

Note:
Add small amounts of different vegetables such as julienne celery, bok choy, mushrooms or zucchini or sliced blanched asparagus to chicken mixture if desired.
 
Lettuce wrap nutrition information per serving (no sauce):
Total Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 25mg
Sodium: 190mg
Carbohydrate: 18g
Dietary: Fiber 3g
Sugars: 7g
Protein: 18g

Peanut Sauce
1/3 cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons hot water
2 teaspoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 to 3 teaspoons bottled plum sauce

Directions:
Combine peanut butter and hot water; mix with fork until well blended. Blend in lime juice, cayenne and plum sauce until well blended.