Tonight's recipe was really intriguing to me when I came across it. I had never seen a taco style meal wrapped with lettuce leaves instead of the traditional tortilla or taco shell. And wouldn't you know, I've come across numerous lettuce-wrapped taco-type recipes ever since! I took this recipe from All You magazine's September 2009 edition. I tried to stay as close as possible to the original recipe with just a couple minor editions based on what we had on-hand.
Thai Wraps
Ingredients:
1 lb romaine or green-leaf lettuce, or fresh spinach, separated into individual leaves (I used iceberg lettuce)
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, shredded
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 rib celery, thinly sliced
1/2 cup minced fresh cucumber or tomato (omitted; I thought I'd have a ripe cuke or tomato from the garden but it didn't happen)
4 cups cooked lean ground beef (I used 1 lb ground beef)
1/4 cup fish sauce or soy sauce (used soy sauce)
1-2 cups leftover cooked rice, optional (I made rice but served it on the side)
salt and pepper
Directions:
Wash greens, shaking off water. Set aside in a colander. (Cut heavy stems from spinach.) Warm oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add vegetables and saute' until soft, 5-7 minutes. Add beef and fish sauce or soy sauce. Add rice, if desired. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for a few more minutes, stirring, until ingredients are well mixed. Wrap lettuce or spinach leaves around several tablespoons of meat mixture and serve.
If freezing: Cook vegetables and ground beef as directed above. Place in freezer bag; thaw 24 hours in fridge. Heat vegetable/ground beef mixture in microwave or saucepan then serve on lettuce leaves. I would suggest leaving the tomato and cucumber out until serving day. I had intended adding a little chopped tomato, but didn't have any that were ripe enough, and I'm not brave enough to try green tomatoes just yet (still learning to appreciate the red ones!). :)
So the verdict? Well....it was okay. A little bland. Okay, a lot bland. It smelled great, especially when this evening when I was heating it up. But the taste was lacking. I don't think that I'll be making it again, at least not this version. I'm a full-flavor kind of person, and I want flavors that will knock me upside the head, not make me come hunting for them. lol It was definitely a healthy meal. Hubs called this recipe Rabbit Tacos. I'll just have to find another version that will look a little more promising.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Previous Posts
-
▼
2009
(422)
-
▼
September
(46)
- Wok's For Dinner: Thai Wraps
- FDA Warning on Stolen Inhalers
- Menu Plan Monday: 9/28-10/4
- H1N1 Virus: Warning Signs & Symptoms
- Add Flavor, Not Calories: Ginger/Orange
- Coupon Giveaway Winner!
- The Goody Bag
- Wok's For Dinner: Chicken in Creamy Pan Sauce
- Wok's For Dinner: Baby Back Bash Ribs
- Summer Salads: Vegetable Ribbon Salad
- Cheap Family Fun: Free Museum Day on 9/26
- Add Flavor, Not Calories: Honey Mustard/Rosemary/C...
- Wok's For Dinner: Creamy Chicken Italiano
- Wok's For Dinner: Hamburger Steak W/Sweet Onion-Mu...
- Bargain Buy
- September Freezer Meals Recap
- Menu Plan Monday: 9/21-9/27
- Wok's For Dinner: Onion-Roasted Chicken and Vegeta...
- Cook a Month's Worth of Meals: Check!
- Coupon Giveaway At Balancing Act Basics!
- Did Someone Say Giveaway?
- Fall Garden
- Wok's For Dinner: Creamy Chicken & Chile Enchiladas
- Add Flavor, Not Calories
- Wok's For Dinner: Pork Satay
- A Parent's Guide to Kids' Vaccines
- Freezer Meals Tools of the Trade: Disposable Bakin...
- Wok's For Dinner: Rice Casserole
- Bargain Buy
- The Goody Bag
- Menu Plan Monday: 9/14-9/20
- Wok's For Dinner: Beef Stroganoff
- Wok's For Dinner: Poultry Seasoned Meatballs
- A Walk Through My Pantry
- Wok's For Dinner: Orange Stir-Fried Chicken
- Wok's For Dinner: Mexican Chicken
- September OAMM Menu
- Wok's For Dinner: Beef 'N Spice
- Menu Plan Monday: 9/7-9/13
- Bargain Buy
- Wok's For Dinner: Slow Cooker Pork Chops With Appl...
- Wok's For Dinner: Baked Pork Chops With Apple Slices
- Freezer Meals Tools of the Trade: Freezer Bags
- Wok's For Dinner: Pineapple Ginger Chicken
- Freezer Meals Tools of the Trade: Food Savers
- Wok's For Dinner: Taco Casserole
-
▼
September
(46)
This looks yummy! It's too bad that it didn't turn out the way you thought it would. I had this happen to me recently with some beef and broccoli I made. It had turned out fine the first time we made it, but the second time it was very bland. We ended up figuring out that the soy sauce was the culprit. I bought the store brand and it had no flavor :( I won't make that mistake again!
ReplyDelete