Vegan Lettuce Wraps

Alright, let’s talk tasty. I think we can all remember the days where we went out to a nice relaxing dinner but those days are gone so here we are, learning how to cook! One of the meals I always really liked, way back when, were lettuce wraps, especially PF Chang’s version. I have not had them in years but I always remember that savory yet sweet flavor and satisfying crunch of the lettuce. It just felt like a complete and satisfying meal, however, we have since become more strict Organic, GF & Plant-based which means no more PF Changs! To ensure our fellow foodies aren’t missing out, we are sharing our remake recipe below!

First, the filling here is everything you could ever want, the mushrooms give you that “meaty” texture and taste the carnivore in your life is craving but all of the other vegetables add additional great taste, texture, and health benefits! I do cook things in different batches and methods so give this a scan beforehand to ensure you stay on track! Of course, choose Organic as much as you can.

Total cook time – About 1 hour

Ingredients-

Teriyaki Sauce-

• 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic
• 1/2-1 full Tbsp of fresh chopped ginger
• 3/4 cup of low sodium tamari 
• 1/4 cup of liquid coconut aminos
• 1/3 cup of dark brown sugar
• 1.5 Tbsp of seasoned rice vinegar
• 1.0 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1.0 Tbsp of maple syrup
• 1 Tsp of red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup of chilled water
• 1 tbsp of cornstarch- completely optional thickening agent

Veggie Filling-

• 1 pack of butter lettuce or romaine spear
• 1 medium white onion
• 1 small red cabbage
• 1 pound of fresh green beans
• 10-12 small padron peppers may sub anaheim or jalapeno
• 2 small carrots finely shredded
• 1 small zucchini finely shredded
• 1 small yellow squash finely shredded
• 1-2 packs of velvet pioppini mushroom or white button mushrooms
• 1 cup of white rice
• Coconut oil

How to Make Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

The first thing to make is the Teriyaki sauce. I like this sauce because it’s not overly sweet and it has more of a savory undertone to it. This sauce is a very important aspect of the recipe so if you don’t follow the steps correctly the sauce will come out a little thin. For a more thick, sticky sauce, you can add the corn starch.

1. Measure out 1/4 cup of water and place it in the fridge so it can cool if you are adding in the cornstarch. 
2. Chop garlic and ginger. I tend to go a little heavy on the garlic and ginger not just because of the taste profiles but also because of the added health benefits so adjust according to your own taste.
3. Once chopped, add the garlic and ginger to a pot with all of the other sauce list items and stir well.
4. Use medium-high heat and bring to a boil and stir it occasionally.
5. To thicken, take the 1/4 cup of chilled water and mix it with the 1 Tbsp of cornstarch.
6. Once the sauce is at a boil, pour in the cornstarch mix and stir. Reduce heat and continue to stir.
7. Keep the mixture boiling as you stir and once you like the thickness of the sauce pour it into a glass, you’re done!

How to Make the Filling

Right now, Amanda and I are eating only organic white rice because it’s much easier to digest but you can use brown rice as well. For all of the veggies, they are very finely shredded using our food processor.

1. Make 1 cup of rice.
2. Finely shred zucchini, squash, and carrots.
3. Bake green beans. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Get out a baking tray and parchment paper, drizzle some olive oil on top and make sure the green beans are coated nicely.
4. Sprinkle some salt on and pop in the oven for 30-35 minutes.
5. Take cast iron skillet and add about 3/4 Tbsp of coconut oil with your chopped white onion and peppers. Sautee for 5-7  minutes on medium-high heat. The goal here is to get the onions and peppers slightly crispy.
6. As those are about 3/4 of the way done, add in your mushrooms and cook for about 5-8 minutes stirring occasionally. At this point, it’s also important to make sure there is enough coconut oil in the pan. You don’t want this drying out. After you are happy with how it’s looking, transfer the onions and mushrooms to a big bowl.    
7. Next step, the red cabbage. Do the same as you did with the onions, put another scoop of coconut oil in the pan, and let it get hot. Add in the cabbage, stir it around, and then don’t touch it until you are happy with how the bottom looks! When cooked, add to bowl.
8. Next, pour in your shredded carrot, zucchini, and squash and cook this down for a few minutes. I would say about 5-7 minutes. Add to bowl and mix.
9. Grab finished rice and add a little bit of coconut oil, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. After, add a few scoops of rice to the veggies bowl and stir.
10. Remove baked green beans and take the veggie bowl, green beans, and sauce and re-heat in the skillet. YOU WILL have leftover sauce so definitely DO NOT pour in all of the sauce into the skillet! Basically mix it all together, heat for 5 min and then, you’re done!

You could also simplify the above to save time and not bake/cook things separate but this is how I do it. Once done, serve with crisp butter lettuce! We sure hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Health Benefits-

• Butter Lettuce-  Packed full of vitamin A, K, and phosphorus which are great for skin and eye health and building strong bone density.
• White Onion- Onions, in general, are amazing nutrient-dense foods and aid in fighting inflammation in the body due to their high amounts of antioxidants and amino acid compounds. 
• Red Cabbage- Packed full of vitamin C, folate and potassium. All needed for proper immune system function, red blood cell production, and having a healthy heart.
• Green Beans- Contains essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber to keep you feeling a little more full.
• Spicy Peppers- Have been said to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol. 
• Carrots- Packed with vitamins, fiber, beta-carotene, potassium, and more antioxidants. 
• Zucchini- Helps with digestion and high in antioxidants and may reduce blood sugar levels.
• Yellow Squash- Many great vitamins including B6, and C but also adding benefits of manganese which has been said to help bone strength and fat/carbohydrate processing in the body. 
• Velvet Piopinni Mushrooms- Packed with fiber, vitamins, potassium, biotin, folate, iron, and have been said to have anti-fungal and antibiotic properties.
• Garlic- Contains potent medicinal properties, may reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) numbers which then may reduce risks associated with heart disease.
• Ginger- Has anti-inflammatory properties and supports cardiovascular health.
• Coconut Oil- Contains healthy fatty acids, may aide in heart health, and your body’s own ability to use fat as energy and also has antimicrobial effects.