Lettuce Wraps

Cooking is one of my favorite hobbies whether it's for a group of people or myself. Every night (ok, maybe not EVERY night) I try to make a healthy dinner. I thought tonights dinner was worth sharing. It's a fun and healthy dinner that adults and kids love. If you have ever been to PF Changs I'm sure you have tried their lettuce wrap appetizer. When I first had them I instantly fell in love and thought, why in the world hadn't I thought of this?! So, tonight I channeled my inner PF Chang and recreated the ever so tasty lettuce wrap. Pair with your choice of vegetable (I chose broccoli). Added bonus: only takes about 15 minutes. 


I used a Rachel Ray recipe however, the grocery store didn't have plum sauce so I had to leave it out and I forgot to get the shredded cabbage mix. Once I get some plum sauce, I'd love to try the recipe again-I bet the flavor goes to a whole new level. 


Thai Glazed Chicken Lettuce Wraps: makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound thin cut chicken breast meat, available packaged in meat case of market
• Grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Seasoning by McCormick)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 turns of the pan
• 2 tablespoons minced ginger root
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and very thinly sliced
• 1 cup packaged shredded cabbage and carrot mix
• 3 scallions, chopped on an angle
• 1/2 cup plum sauce
• 2 cups basil leaves, loosely packed
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (BEWARE of the smell, it may stink but adds great flavor!)
• 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, cut into half again
• 1/2 seedless cucumber, chopped

(Since I didn't have plum sauce I added a little soy sauce to help glaze the chicken)

Directions

Thinly slice the chicken into strips and sprinkle with grill seasoning.

Heat a large skillet to screaming hot. Add vegetable oil, then chicken. Cook chicken 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the ginger, garlic, peppers, cabbage and carrot mix and scallions and stir-fry another 2 minutes. Add plum sauce to glaze the mixture, toss 1 minute, then add basil and wilt leaves. Add fish sauce and turn to coat. Transfer cooked chicken and vegetables to a bowl. Place spoonfuls of chicken into a piece of lettuce with cucumber and fold lettuce over to eat, like small tacos.

Updates

At the half way point! only 5 more weeks in acute care. We are Now doing 25% of patients on our own. Staffing experience will be here before I know it.

The next 2 weeks of rotations: oncology (cancer)

Projects: lunch & learn (Still debating between 2 topics!), case study, and the once a month nutrition topic for the cafeteria: SUPER FOODS. 

Next Tuesday: cancer care smoothie day