Healthy Lettuce Wraps

mains recipes Jul 26, 2021

Growing up, it was “cool” to walk around this shopping area in Kansas City (my hometown) called the Plaza. Naturally, there was a P.F. Changs restaurant there that we frequently stopped into for orange chicken, kung pao chicken and lettuce wraps, of course.

It’s been years since I’ve been back to a P.F. Changs, but just thinking about the food still makes my mouth water a bit. I now know that the menu perhaps isn’t the most nutritious, but DANG is it good. Who’s with me?

For those new to my site, you’ll soon find that much of my inspiration comes from favorite meals and childhood nostalgia. I love putting a “Goodness With G” spin on these longtime favs, meaning they still have all of the deliciousness without any of the added ingredients you don’t want.

These Healthy Asian Lettuce Wraps are the perfect example of how amazing a meal made from simple, real ingredients can be! You’ll only need a handful of staples for this recipe that makes a great appetizer to serve to guests or whip up for a fun lunch or dinner to enjoy yourself.

Plus, if you’re looking for more “take out” inspired meals, I have you covered with my “Takeout” Tempeh & Broccoli, Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken, Asian Veggie Noodle Bowl with Ginger Tahini Sauce and Sticky Orange Tofu.

First, the meat mixture is the star of the show. You can opt for whatever ground meat you prefer or have on hand. I got a little creative with my version and used ground pork, and the result was amazing! This was definitely a fun and tasty way to mix things up from the usual ground turkey or beef I often cook with.

But what really gives these wraps their “wow” factor is the flavorful sauce made from a few staples I always have on hand such as coconut aminos, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sriracha, garlic and ginger. So tasty and couldn’t be easier!

For a little added crunch, I likewise added water chestnuts, which are one of my favorite additions to Asian dishes. Plus, water chestnuts are high in fiber, low in calories and provide disease-fighting antioxidants.

You’ll just serve up this mixture on leaves of butter lettuce and top off with some green onion, cilantro and cashews for a little more flavor, freshness and crunch.

I hope you enjoy this fun, nutritious spin on a classic!

Ingredients

1 lb ground pork
1 tbsp sesame oil
6 oz shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped
½ cup water chestnuts, drained & roughly chopped
1 large head of butter lettuce or romaine
green onion, cilantro, diced avocado, and chopped cashews (or peanuts) for topping
optional - cooked rice for serving on the side or on the wraps as well

Sauce

3 tbsp coconut aminos
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sriracha
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp corn starch or arrowroot starch

Peanut Sauce

¼ cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons coconut aminos
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sriracha
2 tablespoons water

Directions

1. Add sesame oil and mushrooms to a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes until mushrooms begin to soften.

2. Add ground pork, breaking into small pieces with a spatula.

3. While meat is cooking, prepare your sauce by whisking together all of the ingredients. When the meat is almost cooked through, add sauce and water chestnuts to the pan.

4. Stir, and allow the sauce to simmer and cook down for an additional few minutes.

5. Once the sauce is thickened, remove from the heat.

6. To make the peanut sauce, add all of the ingredients to a small bowl, and whisk to combine. Adjust to taste.

7. Rinse and dry lettuce. Top leaves with your meat mixture and cooked rice (if desired), and finish with peanut sauce, green onion, cilantro, avocado, and cashews. Enjoy!