Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps Recipe
PIN IT!Oh do I have a deeeeeelicous recipe for your faces today! Made with crisp lettuce leaves and a to-die-for vegetarian filling, this meal was GOBBLED up in less than 5 minutes last night. Friends? Meet vegetarian lettuce wraps. I think you two will be very good friends.
This dish is almost perfect. The only negative thing? I grabbed the wrong lettuce, doi. Instead of Romaine hearts, which i’d prefer, I accidentally grabbed…gasp…iceberg! Even though the lettuce wasn’t my choice, the crisp crunch of it was the perfect complement to the softer texture of the filling.
So, you’re probably wondering what that meat looking stuff inside the lettuce is. Fair question. The meat impersonator is actually an amazing vegetable based sausage I picked up!
Made with 100% vegetable protein, this stuff is legit. I’m always a little skeptical with these items because they are sometimes a big flop (and taste like dirt and/or weird flower stems). This? Tasted just like sausage. You know you aren’t eating sausage, but the hearty, spicy flavor you get from the meat sausage is there.
Paired with some onions, garlic and peppers and you have a very hearty vegetarian dinner. I’m seriously obsessed with this recipe. This is one I’m going to make probably once a week for the rest of my life.
The delicious looking drizzle adorning the wraps is a bourbon marinade I had in my fridge.Nothin’ fancy. You could top these with anything and they’d still be amazing. You could eat them by themselves too! Or in a car, by a bar, or with a cat, wearing a hat!
I need more coffee.
Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps Recipe
CLICK HERE FOR THE PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE!
Serves about 3 (2 lettuce wraps each).
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 7 ounces veggie sausage
- I medium red pepper, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup chopped mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons crushed red pepper
- Liberal dashes of salt and pepper
- Lettuce leaves
- Your favorite sauce for garnish
Directions:
- Heat olive oil in a 3 quart pan over medium high heat. Add onions and cook until just softened, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, another 2 minutes. Add pepper and mushrooms and cook about 2 minutes, or until just beginning to soften.
- Add veggie sausage and break up using a spatula until crumbly. Cook about 3 – 4 more minutes, or until sausage is hot and vegetables are soft. Mix in red pepper. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
- Scoop about 2 heaping spoonfuls of the filling into your lettuce leaf. Drizzle with your favorite sauce and wrap the leaf around the filling like an egg-roll. Then enjoy!
Nutritional information per serving (2 lettuce leaves w/ filling):
Calories: 157
Fat: 4.6 grams
Carbohydrates: 17.2 grams
Fiber: 3.4 grams
Protein: 9.6 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 4
Roasted Cherry and Grilled Goat Cheese Sandwich
Oh yes friends. Today’s special? Goat cheese. with roasted cherries. and honey. GRILLED TO GOOEY PERFECTION.
Holy sweet baby. I’m like salivating at the screen. And you know what? I’M EATING THIS. RIGHT NOW. And I’m still drooling. Is that normal?
If you ever need a way to use up cherries (which why would you, they are so darn delicious) roast them.
Pour those bad boys into a greased baking pan, sprinkle with sugar and roast them until they are oozing with luscious cherry juices.
Then, once the gooey cherries have cooled, you put them on top of a generous heaping of this stuff.
Then top the cherry, goat cheese masterpiece with honey and bread and ta-da! You’re done.
This isn’t the most low-fat sandwich I’ve ever made, but before you write it off, hear me out mmk? Goat cheese has about 20 fewer calories per ounce than cows milk cheese. Plus, goat cheese is high in vitamin A (47% higher than in cow’s milk cheese) and has 25% more vitamin B-6 than cows milk too. OH. That’s not all. It’s also really high in potassium, which, as you know, helps prevent high blood pressure.
So in retrospect, this sandwich is actually full of disease fighting vitamins and antioxidants! OH! And each sandwich has 16 grams of protein. That is one lunch or dinner that will certainly keep you full until your next meal. *High kick!* Now go make it! For your health. Of course.
Roasted Cherry and Grilled Goat Cheese Sandwich
CLICK HERE FOR THE PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE.
Serves 2.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 pieces of light wheat bread
- 4 ounces of soft goat cheese
- 1 cup of cherries pits removed
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Honey
- Dash of salt
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour cherries into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of salt. Roast for about 10 minutes. Using a spatula, carefully move the cherries and sugar around (to prevent burning) and roast another 8 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let cool. Once cooled slightly, slice cherries in half.
- Meanwhile, spread butter onto each side of the bread. Then, carefully slather 2 ounces of goat cheese onto the un-buttered side of the bread. Top the goat cheese with about 1/4 – 1/3 cup cherry slices (as many as you’d like, really). Drizzle the cherry slices with honey and place the second piece of bread over it.
- Heat a non-stick pan over medium high heat. Place the sandwiches down, butter side down. Cook until golden brown on each side and cheese is melted and gooey, about 3 – 4 minutes on each side.
- Remove from heat, drizzle with additional honey and enjoy!
Nutritional information per sandwich:
Calories: 357
Fat: 16. 5 grams
Carbohydrates: 35.5 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Protein: 16 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 9
Lessons From My First Audition
Happy Monday Friends! Hope y’all had a fabulous weekend. As most of you know since it’s really all I could talk about, I went to my first cooking show audition this past weekend in the big apple.
I have never been more nervous for any one event in my entire life. Not my first day of college, not my wedding day, not my first day at my post-college job. Not when I board a plane. Every day last week was filled with complete and utter anxiety over what was going to happen on Saturday. I think my nerves stemmed from the fact I had NO idea what to expect.
This was my first audition for anything. Ever. Let’s just say I’ve never been one to seek out the spotlight. This chance was something I just COULDN’T turn down. I pre-applied once I found out about the show. Of course, I checked the “sending in a home video” box since the idea of traveling for an audition seemed insane. Literally 2 minutes after my application was sent, I got a call from ABC. They did a pre-interview, asking me about some of my answers on the application and inquiring about my cooking dreams and goals. Then, she personally asked me to come out to NYC for the casting call. I decided then and there I would go. I hadn’t been to NYC since I was 13 and who am I to say no to an ABC executive?
Last week I was a huge ball of nerves leading up to it. On Friday, I was so nervous I forgot half of my things (like PJ’s, a Tupperware for my soup, phone charger). But once we arrived into the city, my nerves kind of dissipated and I was in awe of the city.
Saturday morning was filled with excitement, nervousness and quite a few “holy shit” moments. I woke up early, made my soup and before I knew it, it was time to go.
We got there about 15 minutes before the start time and the line was already pretty long.
The line was filled with people from all walks of life. There were people dressed in their chef jackets, people wearing jeans and t-shirts, rompers, dresses. You name it, someone had it on. I was so lucky to be surrounded by two really great people, one who was on their second cooking show audition. The line took a while, like 3 hours, but I was happy my friend waited with me and I had two other nervous and excited cooks to go through it with. It really helped me get ready for the audition because I had a chance to open up.
Once we got into the actual audition room (they did 12 of us at once), I felt nothing but excitement. As the food expert and casting director walked by to each of the contestants, I felt more and more ready to do it. Ready to talk about why I love food and let my personality shine. I think I did great. I felt comfortable, funny, in my element. I was proud of my soup and I hoped it was enough to get me a chance to talk more.
Well, sadly, it wasn’t. And you know what? I was bummed. I’ll be honest. I felt disappointed. But it wasn’t a normal disappointment when things like this happen. I didn’t rack my brain going “why didn’t they pick me?” or “I knew I should have done more, made more.” Instead, I left inspired. I’m not lying when I say I was in a room with some of the most talented people I’ve ever met. Trained chefs, cookbook authors, naturally talented home cooks. I mean, one of the guys made Colombian tamales with a plantain crust. Another made a delicious ceviche. Another created the most delicious pie out of almonds, apples and cappuccino whipped cream. Being in a room with such talented inspired me more than I can tell you. As I walked from the hotel to Central Park, I was feeling more motivated than ever before.
This experience taught me SO much about myself and my dreams. For one, it taught me that I need to stop playing it so safe with my food. I’ll be honest, I tend to flock to dishes that seem comfortable, that seem to only slightly challenge me. I don’t try ingredients that sound too exotic or dishes that seem to hard. I play it on the safe side when it comes to my cooking and I need to shake that. I need to challenge myself every single time I’m in the kitchen. I need to use things I’ve never used, make something I’ve never made, try foods I never thought I would. Playing it safe never got anyone anywhere, and I’m ready to GO SOMEWHERE.
It also just solidified the fact that culinary school is where I’m supposed to go. This year, I’ve been seriously thinking of it. I’d say I was 92% sure culinary school was where I was headed before I entered this audition. Leaving it? I was 1000% sure it was where I’m meant to go. Food is my life. Not just the preparation of it, the eating or photographing of it either. EVERYTHING. I’m fascinated by flavors, by origins, by sizes, textures and colors. Every single thing about food excites me. As I was talking with a few recent culinary grads, their advice to me was the same.
“GO!! If you love food, go. It will change your life.”
So I’m going to get over my fear of failure, my fear of rejection and apply. I’m going to follow my dreams wherever they take me, whether that means to Paris or Hyde Park, NY or Italy. I’m going to follow every instinct I have. Because if I don’t, who will?
It also taught me something else. That I’m pretty good at this whole trying out for TV thing. That I’m good enough to be on a show. I’m not going to give up and I’m going to keep trying out for these shows b/c I think I have something completely different to bring to the table. I think I have a great personality and a fun demeanor. I think I could do great things. Food Network Star? I’m looking at you :).
I’m going to take this life of mine by the balls and continue to better myself. Isn’t that what this crazy thing called life is about anyway?
Claire
Tags:abc, abc cooking show, audition, cooking show, new york city audition, NYC, The Taste
Light Ginger Carrot Soup Recipe
No small talk today. I have, quite possibly, the most important dish of my life to share with you today. A dish that uses these gorgeous carrots I picked up a few days ago.
The all-encompassing, ever important dish? This luscious, creamy, insanely delicious ginger carrot soup.
It’s just soup, how on earth could this dish be of monumental importance? How could this simple soup define who I am and who I’m going to be? Simply. I’m going to NYC tonight for a cooking show audition tomorrow morning. And this soup?
Is what I’m bringing for the judges to taste. This simple bowl of fresh carrot soup is what will either get me past the first round of casting calls or send me home with my head between my legs, beaten and bruised. That’s a lot of pressure for a soup, don’t you think?
I have been racking my brains for almost 2 weeks trying to find the perfect dish to bring to these television executives. Should I bring something fancy, like rosemary braised beef short ribs, or something I’m known for, like this skillet lasagna. What about something vegan, like this vegan chili? I went back and forth with about 20 different dishes, driving myself and anyone else who would talk to me insane. So finally, after debating about this for days, I decided to make soup.
What brought me to this healthy, beautiful dish lied in what it stands for. This soup isn’t pretentious, snooty, fancy or refined. No ma’am, this soup is simple, farm-fresh, easy and delicate. It’s packed with flavor without the use of expensive ingredients. This soup embodies who I am as a cook. My favorite dishes are the ones that have like 5 ingredients. The ones that are easy to make on a busy weeknight. The ones that are healthy, but unique, festive and light. The producers want us to bring something that says something about us and this soup says everything I want them to know.
That I’m just a home cook from Virginia who may not have the five-star training of some CIA trained chef (yet) or expat from Paris, but who loves food and making simple, healthy, delicious meals with what I can knowing what I know. That I believe with all of my heart the best dishes in the world aren’t the most expensive or the most expansive, but the ones you put your entire heart into. The ones that with each warm, comforting bite (or spoon-full), you’re transported to a place where the only thing that matters is what you’re eating and who you are with. That my favorite foods are the ones that warm your soul.
That may not win me any prizes or even a spot on this show, but hey. It’s what I believe in. And that’s exactly what they asked for.
Light Carrot Ginger Soup
CLICK HERE FOR THE PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE.
Serves about 2. Recipe adapted from Cooking Light.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pound organic carrots, diced
- 3 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 medium shallot, diced
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root
- Liberal dashes of salt and pepper
- Crème fraiche or Greek yogurt as garnish
- Mint leaves
Directions:
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add shallots and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add in carrots and cook until carrots are soft, about 5 more minutes. Pour broth over carrots and bring mixture to a boil. Add salt and pepper. Then, reduce heat and simmer mixture for about 15 – 20 minutes.
- Remove mixture from the pot and place in a food processor. Add ginger and pulse on low until mixture is smooth. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour mixture into soup bowls and garnish with crème fraiche or Greek yogurt and mint leaves. Serve warm and enjoy!
Nutritional information per serving (about 1 cup):
Calories: 128
Fat: 4 grams
Carbohydrates: 18.5 grams
Fiber: 1.2 grams
Protein: 5.5 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 3
Lighter Avocado Ice Cream Recipe
Yes sireee folks, that sure does say avocado ice cream. Your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you nor are you in desperate need of more coffee. This? This soft, creamy, delicious ball of light green wonder before your very own eyes is, in fact, avocado ice cream.
Light avocado ice cream, that is. Now, avocados are wonderful. Super good for you, full of healthy fats, antioxidants and oils that help prevent things like breast cancer and strokes and work to help improve your dental, eye and heart health. That’s a lot of power for a tiny soft fruit.
Now, you know I love the avocado. I mean, I did an interview with someone on them and hosted a giveaway with them. Clearly, me and this sly green guy are buds. So, when I stumbled upon a recipe for avocado ice cream on the Food Network by my favorite chef, Alton Brown, well, I just knew it had to happen.
This isn’t the lightest ice cream you will ever eat. In fact, it’s probably got more fat that some kinds you buy in the tub at the store. But, let met remind you again, most of it is good fat. Healthy fats that fight away even LDL cholesterol (or the bad stuff). So don’t start sweating when you see the fat content, mmk?
Because avocados are higher in fat, I decided to dramatically lighten up the rest of the ice cream by swapping in light cream, non-fat and 2% Chobani. I also reduced the amount of sugar. And it was still out of this world amazing. Creamy, a little tangy and so smooth. You get the delicious taste of the avocado but in a whole new way since it’s paired with the sweetness of the sugar.
I just can not get enough of this. I can’t. Good thing I’m going to the gym in an hour. Primarily so I can sweat my face off then regain all those calories in more of this. It’s just that good.
Lighter avocado ice cream
CLICK HERE FOR THE PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE.
Yields about 8 1/2 cup servings. Recipe adapted from Food Network.
Ingredients:
- 3 medium avocados, pitted
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup light cream
- 1/2 cup 2% Chobani
- 1/2 cup non-fat Chobani
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- Dash of salt
- Dash of lemon juice
Directions:
- Remove pits from avocados and scoop out the flesh. Place in a food processor. Add cream, yogurts, vanilla, lemon juice and sugar. Blend until smooth. Add salt to taste.
- Pour mixture into the freezer base of an ice cream maker. Turn on and let stir and thicken for about 20 minutes. Serve immediately. Freeze remaining ice cream in a Tupperware with a lid.
Nutritional information per serving:
Calories: 221
Fat: 12 grams
Carbohydrates: 22.5 grams
Fiber: 1.9 grams
Protein: 4.85
Weight Watchers Points: 6
