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| Chicken Fajita Lettuce Wraps ~ Using lettuce leaves to wrap the fajitas in instead of tortillas saves so much in the carb department. |
I love Lettuce Wraps. I love how easy they are to make, how low carb they are & how easy they can be on the waistline. I have been eating them since the early 90's, long before the current Lettuce Wrap & Low Carb craze.
The first time I had a Lettuce Wrap was in a little Korean BBQ restaurant. It is not known as a Lettuce Wrap in Korean cuisine, it is called Ssam. The name of the restaurant is long forgotten, but it was in an area of downtown Los Angles known as Koreatown. A place filled with authentic Korean eateries & shops. Exotic sights & smells are everywhere. As I remember it, (mind you this was waaay back in 1991) it was a celebratory lunch with my boss & coworkers. After the first bite, I was forever smitten with the cuisine & cooking technique. Who wouldn't like to have a personal sized BBQ grill, smack-dab in the middle of your table? Or being able to play with fire, cooking an array of raw meat/veg, having bowls & bowls of unusual side dishes to taste ~ all while having a few beers & a good time with friends? It's like being at an exotic backyard BBQ, but inside & more intimate. Primal ~ yet refined ~ all at the same time. If you can, try it ~ you'll love it!
It has been a long time since I have had the pleasure of a Koreatown BBQ dining experience, but I have continued to enjoy making Lettuce Wraps at home. They are not just filled with traditional Korean fillings. I fill them with whatever type of food I am craving at the moment. Mexican, Greek, American, Vegetarian...you name it. Just about anything tastes great in a Lettuce Wrap.
I like to use Romaine lettuce, but lots of other types will do. Choose your favorite one & have at it. Here are a few of my many creations....
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| Greek Hamburger Lettuce Wraps - Using a Greek spice mix makes this so easy to make & cooking the hamburger is quick when I use my George Foreman Grill. I break up the cooked burger & top with cucumber, tomatoes, onion, olives & a feta cheese/yogurt dressing. Excellent! |
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| Walnut Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps ~ Grapes are
so nice added to the salad & canned chicken breast chunks (rinsed to
get some of the salt broth off) make it quick & easy. |
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| Vegetarian Philly Cheesesteak Lettuce Wrap ~ No need to miss out on the ever-so-popular Philly Cheesesteak if you have cut out meat. I just use the TVP Beef Chunks that I like. Just cook your onions (I also like mushrooms in mine), add the prepared/spiced 'beef chunks', top with melted cheese & serve in the lettuce wrap. A low carb, vegetarian treat of an American classic. |
After writing this post, I am dying to make a Lettuce Wrap. I just checked & the veggie bin is empty. :( So, off I go to the store to get some Romaine & other supplies. I recently found an interesting, low cal Korean recipe using frozen, thin sliced beef, from Trader Joe's. It would be perfect in a Lettuce Wrap. Guess I'll be stopping there, too. The things I will do to make my tummy happy... :)