Stir-Fry Beef Lettuce Wraps

So...it's the middle of the week, and I really need to get to the grocery store, but I'm too tired to get dressed and brave the cold weather. I started looking through the fridge to see what I could come up with for dinner. We make and freeze beans, so I had a large stash of black beans in the freezer as well as some stir-fry beef. We had left-over white rice from dinner the night before and some random veggies.  The first thing that came to mind was stir-fry, but I wanted to try something different. 

I had been browsing through Pinterest this past week and remembered seeing some recipes for lettuce wraps.  I decided that I would pull ideas from some of the more promising recipes and give these wraps a try.  I did some research and found that butter lettuce would be perfect for these wraps because it's a thicker lettuce that can hold food without becoming soggy, causing the lettuce to fall apart. Unfortunately, I didn't have any butter lettuce in the fridge so I batted my eyes, gave my hubby a kiss and a hug, and sweetly asked him if he could make a trip to the grocery store. It works every time. :-)

I don't have exact measurements of the ingredients used in this recipe because I pretty much winged it. Just use desired amounts of the ingredients listed or create your own wraps with items in your fridge. I added tzatziki sauce because I had made a batch for company and had some left over that I didn't want to waste. It ended up working out perfectly. It added some nice flavor, but I'm guessing sour cream would work just as well.  Lettuce wraps can be made with many different foods -- chicken, shrimp, tofu, and various veggies and sauces. Be creative! :-)

I would definitely make this again! It was delicious! I may even try a version with shrimp.

Stir-Fry Beef Lettuce Wraps 

Ingredients:

Butter Lettuce

White rice

Stir-fry beef

Olive oil

Mushrooms, chopped

Red bell pepper, chopped

Green pepper, chopped

Onion, chopped

Black beans

Orange peel

Salt & Pepper

Tzatziki sauce 

Directions:

1.) Cut off bottom of stems of lettuce, wash and pat dry. Set aside.

2.) Fry beef until cooked through. Set aside.

3.) In heated olive oil, sauté mushrooms, red bell pepper, green pepper, onion, and desired amounts of orange peel, salt, and pepper until soft.

4.) Add black beans to pan and cook until beans are warmed thoroughly.

5.) Add beef back into pan and mix well.

6.) Hold lettuce leaf in your hand in the shape of a taco shell. Add rice and fill with beef mixture. Top with tzatziki sauce and serve.

Quinoa & Black Beans

I had never heard of quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) until this past year, but I've really come to enjoy this wonderful grain. Quinoa is actually a seed that comes from a leafy plant similar to spinach, but it is commonly referred to as a grain. It's loaded with tons of protein so it's not necessary to serve quinoa with meat. This grain is also a great source of amino acids, iron, and fiber--it's full of healthy benefits. :-)

Quinoa has a subdued, nutty flavor. Cooking it in vegetable broth (or chicken broth) rather than water brings a lot of flavor to what can otherwise be a somewhat mild taste. Topping it with sliced avocado added wonderful texture and flavor that I wasn't expecting. You won't be disappointed in this dish. It's delicious!  

I made only a few, minor changes to the original recipe. I used olive oil instead of vegetable oil, and I added chopped tomatoes. I may add some olives and mushrooms the next I make this dish.  

Quinoa & Black Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 Tablespoon lime juice
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 (15 ounce) cans of black beans, drained and rinsed (we used homemade black beans but canned works well too.)
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 ripe avocado, diced (optional, but I highly recommend.)
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparing quinoa takes some time, but it's actually very simple. Most boxed/pre-packaged quinoa has already been pre-rinsed. If your quinoa has not been pre-rinsed, you will need to remove the saponins. Just soak the quinoa in water for a few hours, then rinse the quinoa for several minutes in a fine strainer.

Directions:

 1.) Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and cook for a couple of minutes or until onion is soft. 

 2.) Add the pre-soaked/drained quinoa and vegetable broth to the pan. Add the cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil and then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.

 3.) Stir in lime juice and frozen corn into the pan and simmer for 5 minutes or until corn is heated through. 

4.) Stir in the tomatoes, cilantro, and black beans. Simmer until beans are heated through.

 

5.) Put desired amount in bowl and top with diced avocado. Enjoy!

Recipe Source: Tablespoon

Asian Turkey Meatballs With Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce

A new love and extremely addicting pastime of mine -- Pinterest. I have discovered so many delicious recipes and amazing recipe blogs on this site! I've also found a ton of craft and design ideas, but that's for another blog that I may have to start. 

One of the amazing new recipes I found might seem a little strange to some -- Turkey Meatballs. I had never actually made turkey meatballs. In fact, I have typically only had turkey for the holidays -- at least until recently. My last recipe post, Turkey Chili, was fantastic! It was so delicious that I'm not sure I'll ever make a beef-based chili again. The same goes for meatballs. These meatballs were incredibly flavorful! They would also be great appetizers -- just make them half the size and stick toothpicks in them.  

                                   Meatballs served with brown rice and green beans.

Asian Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Panko crumbs

1-1/4 lbs (20 ounces) 93% lean ground turkey

1 egg

1 tablespoon ginger, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 scallions/green onions, chopped

1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

Lime Dipping Sauce 

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons water

1 chopped fresh scallion

Directions:

Preheat oven to 500°F.

Mix ground turkey, panko, egg, salt, scallions, ginger, cilantro, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 2 tsp oil and mix with your hands until combined well. Shape 1/4 cup meat mixture into a ball and transfer to a baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Repeat with remaining mixture. Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

For the dipping sauce mix together lime juice, water, soy sauce, and remaining 1 teaspoon of oil in a bowl. Add scallions.

Transfer meatballs to a serving dish. Stir sauce, then drizzle meatballs with 1 tablespoon sauce.

Serve meatballs with remaining sauce, about 1 tbsp per person.

Makes 12 meatballs.

Source: Skinny Taste

Slow-Cooked Pumpkin Turkey Chili

Yesterday was the first cold and rainy day of fall--a perfect day for being indoors and for curling up with a good book, an ornery two-year-old, and a warm bowl of chili. Pumpkin and turkey might sound like odd choices for chili, but believe me, they are the perfect counterpoint to a gray, autumn day. And the results were simply amazing!

Slow-Cooked Pumpkin Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes with liquid or 6 small to medium sized Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 lb. ground turkey

2 cups pumpkin purée (1 small baking pumpkin provides around 3 cups)

1 1/2 Tbsp. chili powder

1 to 1 1/2 cups water

Desired amounts of marjoram, oregano, sage, ground cumin, salt, and pepper (I used small amounts of the marjoram, oregano, and sage, and added more of the ground cumin.)

Desired amounts of shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream.

Method:

If using a real pumpkin instead of the canned pumpkin purée, cut the pumpkin in half and scrape out and discard the seeds and dark, orange-colored flesh. Scoop out the remaining pumpkin, and purée until you achieve the consistency of a soft, creamy paste.  (I found out later that it's easier if you cook the pumpkin halves first--for 20 minutes in a steamer or 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven--before pureeing.)  Set aside 2 cups of the pumpkin purée. The remaining 1 cup can be used to make mini pumpkin pie cups.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and sauté the onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, and garlic until tender. Stir in the turkey, and cook until evenly browned. Pour the meat mixture into a slow cooker. Mix in the tomatoes and the pumpkin purée. Add water, and season with chili powder and desired amounts of the remaining spices. Cover and set on low for 4 to 6 hours. If using fresh tomatoes and pumpkin that is not from a can, allow for the full 6 hours of cooking time.  

Ladle generous servings of chili into soup bowls, and top with cheddar cheese and sour cream. Serve with the bread or roll of your choice.

Serves 4 to 6.

        Two of the several pumpkins we got at Schaake's Pumpkin Patch in Lawrence.

                   
                     Topped with sour cream and cheddar cheese, and served with a ciabatta roll.

Fried Tofu with Asian Slaw

I've always liked the idea of tofu as a meat alternative. However, I often thought the taste could be rather bland. With a little work searching for good recipes as well as some practice cooking tofu, I've found that it can be really tasty! It absorbs flavors easliy, and serves as a great meat alternative in a variety of meals.

While I was searching for vegetarian recipes online, I came across the following recipe for fried tofu on the about.com website. I love this recipe! The tofu is so incredibly tasty! This would also be fantastic served as an appetizer. The original recipe called for nutritional yeast. I couldn't find it in the grocery store, so I used Parmesan cheese instead. Nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast with a nutty cheesy flavor. It's commonly used in vegan recipes to add flavor.

I found a recipe for a spicy cilantro sauce on the allrecipes.com website. I used it as a dipping sauce for the tofu. The sauce has great flavor and can also be used as a dip for raw veggies. I made a minor change to the recipe by adding a small amount of hot chili sauce. I also used Kraft Mayo with Olive Oil instead of Mayo alone. It turned out really tasty! 

The tofu and dipping sauce were served with a delicious side of Asian slaw topped with a peanut dressing. (See recipe below.) You could add rice as a side dish as well.

I've already made this meal quite a few times during the last month. It has become a favorite in our house. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Happy eating!


Fried Tofu

Ingredients:

• 1 block firm or extra firm tofu
• 3 tbsp finely shredded Parmesan cheese*
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil

* If you are a vegan, use 3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast instead of cheese.


Method:
Slice the tofu into 1/2 inch cubes.*

In a small bowl, combine the tofu with the remaining ingredients, except the oil, and toss gently to coat the tofu well. Or, place all ingredients in a zip-lock bag or covered container and shake well. 

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and add the tofu. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and lightly crispy. 

*If the tofu is packed in water, drain the water and place the tofu on a cutting board or cookie sheet. Place paper towels on the tofu and lay a flat weight on top to get as much of the liquid out as possible. After 20-30 minutes, cut the tofu into pieces.
  
Spicy Cilantro Dipping Sauce
Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce (Use more if you like it hot) 
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 whole green onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup mayonnaise (I used the Mayo with Olive Oil)
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Place lime juice, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Sriracha sauce, cilantro, green onions, and jalapeño peppers together in a blender or food processor. Process until well blended and smooth. Add sour cream and mayonnaise. Process again until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the container as necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. 

                                                                Ingredients

                                                            Frying the tofu.

Asian Slaw 

Ingredients:

• 5 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
• 2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
• 2 cups shredded napa cabbage
• 2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, julienned
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

*NOTE:

Instead of slicing the cabbages and carrots you could use a precut bag of red cabbage, broccoli, and carrots. This works just as well. :-)  

Method:

In a large bowl, mix the green cabbage, red cabbage, napa cabbage, red bell peppers, carrots, green onions, and cilantro.


                                               The slaw is ready for the dressing.

Peanut Dressing

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 5 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic

Method:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, oil, peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic.  Pour over slaw when plated.


                                                           Dinner is ready!
                                     Fried Tofu with a Spicy Cilantro Dipping Sauce 
                                       & Asian Slaw topped with a Peanut Dressing

Delicious Yet Simple Filipino Treat Part 2

Well, I finally found some time to let everyone know how the Turon turned out.  First, these are very easy to make.  Second, I can't wait to make them again!  I added a little chocolate syrup on top for extra sweetness.  I'm not sure that I needed the additional sugar, but I was extremely satisfied with the taste.

                                              Dip bananas in water before placing on wrapper.

                                          



                                   Sprinkled with a mixture of brown and white sugar.

                                                    



                                            Rolled and tucked under the bananas.

                                                           



                                                 Ready to close this wrapper up.

                                                



                                        And done! Seal the edges with a little water.

                                                    All ready for the frying pan.

 

                                                         



                                                The finished product. Delicious!

Delicious Yet Simple Filipino Treat

My latest project, Turon, is a sweet and delicious Filipino treat.  Traditionally, Turon is made with lumpia wrappers (spring roll wrappers), but I plan to try using egg roll wrappers too.  I've had them both ways, and they are equally tasty.  

There are many different ways to make this Filipino snack.  Some variations include bananas with langka slices (jackfruit) or bananas with cheese.  I'm not too sure about the combination of bananas and cheese.  But hey, I love bananas, and I love cheese so I'm going to give it a try!  As a little experiment, I may also try bananas with some chocolate and/or peanut butter and maybe some with bananas and honey.  If you have suggestions, please feel free to comment below.  

Turon 

Ingredients:
Bananas, ripe (saba bananas or plantains)
Spring Roll Wrappers
Brown Sugar
White Sugar
Vegetable Oil
Water
*Optional: Jackfruit (Should be able to find this canned in syrup in most Asian markets.)

Directions: 
1.) Quarter long bananas by first cutting them in half and then lengthwise. 
2.) Dip each slice of banana in water. 
3.) Mix golden brown sugar and white sugar together and sprinkle over the top of the wet banana slices.
4.) Wrap in spring roll wrappers. (one slice of banana per spring roll should work well.) Add the jackfruit slices or other ingredient of choice.
5.) Add a touch of water on the spring rolls and sprinkle sugar mixture over top. 
6.) Deep fry until golden brown and transfer to a paper towel on a plate to absorb the oil.

I've eaten these many times but have never made them.  I'll be back to let you know how they turn out.