Meatless & Tasty Lettuce Wraps

Meatless Fridays continue with lettuce wraps! If you haven’t seen the last 2 weeks recipes click on these links for the Mushroom Risotto Feast and Thai Yellow Vegetable Curry. YUM & YUM! Ever since my first trip to P.F. Chang’s (a million years ago) I’ve been lettuce wrap obsessed. They are famous for their Chicken Lettuce Wraps and customized dipping sauces (Also, right now, still have deals for Chinese New Year). Since giving up breads, pastas, flour, etc for Lent (NEVER again) I’ve had to get really creative with my dinners. I’m trying to balance the Wedding Diet with my love for food and flavor. Lettuce wraps have no breads and these ones will have no meat. These can be made as an appetizer or entrée. Mushrooms naturally have the most “meat-like texture” for a vegetable, so they are a great alternative. The mushroom mixture saves great so make extra and use as an easy grab-and-go lunch for a couple of days.

INGREDIENTS

• Rice Noodles (I made the entire 6 Oz. Bag, you don’t need half of that if just making wraps)
• 2 TBSP Sesame Seed Oil
• 1/2 Cup Diced Yellow Onion
• 4 Cloves Minced Garlic
• 2 TBSP Rice Vinegar
• 8 Oz Portobello Mushrooms
• 16 Oz White Mushrooms
• 1 tsp Cracked Pepper
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/3 Cup Finely Chopped Ginger
• 8 Oz Can Bamboo Shoots Chopped Coarsely
• 5 Oz Water Chestnuts Chopped Coarsely
• 1 Cup Chopped Green Onions (Plus more for Garnishing if you like)
• Lettuce of your choice
• Toasted Sesame Seeds (Garnish if you like)

The rice noodles are cheap and easy to cook with. This 6 ounce bag cost $0.99… DEAL! Even better that they’re so easy to make. They will take on a flavor you addd. For the G-Frees out there’s, use these noodles as a pasta substitute as well! 🙂

Any Rice Noodles will do (I went for the cheapest I could find). In a bowl filled with water add your Noodles and let sit for 20 Minutes.

Drain Noodles. In a Medium Pot, add Noodles to boiling water. Boil Noodles for 15 Minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a Medium sized pot, over Medium heat add Sesame Oil, Onion and Garlic.

Stir until Onion is translucent, about 7 Minutes.

Add Portobello and White Mushrooms. Mix well and add Rice Vinegar, Cracked Pepper and Kosher Salt. Stir over Medium Heat for 10-15 Minutes.

While that cooks… In a small bowl, Mix Ginger, Bamboo Shoots and Water Chestnuts.

Stir Mixture into the Pot after the Mushrooms have Sautéed.

If you’d like a little extra spice add a few of these Dried Chilies (most grocery stores will carry them).

Reduce Heat to low and cook for 10 Minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and stir in Green Onions.

Take your lettuce, clean and cut off the stem. Separate leaves and put on a plate to serve

Take one Leaf at a time and put in Rice Noodles.

Add Mushroom Mix, top with Sesame Seeds and Green Onion to your preference.

Then add whatever Sauces you prefer. These are some of my favorite… House of Tsang Peanut Sauce, Sambal Oelek Chili Paste, Kikkoman Soy Sauce (Low Sodium), Sriracha (Rooster Sauce) or ANY OTHER SAUCE! Spicy Mustard is great too!

Then, ENJOY!!!

Thank you for stopping by Mrs. Training! Have a great weekend & let me know of any Meatless recipes you’d like me to try or Post!

TGIF!!!

-GMP

Easy Thai Yellow Vegetable Curry

As promised the Meatless Friday Dinner Recipes continue during Lent. Last week I made Mushroom Risotto in case you missed it check it out, very yummy. This one you are going to LOVE! Especially since I’ve made it VERY easy. I make this same recipe with thinly slice Chicken Brest also, it’s very versatile. I change which vegetables I am using depending on what is in season or on sale, DUH 🙂 I’m a BIG fan of Trader Joe’s… They have many of their own version with the different ethnic foods they carry. I know I’m a picky eater, so I’m very extreme with my likes and dislikes… SORRY I’M NOT SORRY. They either nail it… Or they do whatever it is that they did with their “version” of Pirate’s Booty… Which in itself is a travesty… If you can’t get knock off Pirate’s Booty correct, then don’t do it, it’s just not right. Back to the subject, with this Yellow Curry, Trader Joe’s or TJ’s as I like to call it, NAILED IT! Their Red Curry is equally perfected I’m just a bigger fan of Yellow Curry in general.

THAI YELLOW CURRY RECIPE

• 2 TBSN Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Yellow Onion Thinly Sliced
• 1 Cup Russet Potato Peeled & Cubed
• 1 Medium Carrot Peeled & Thinly Sliced
• 1 Red Bell Pepper Thinly Sliced
• 8 Oz White Mushrooms Quartered
• 2 Bottles Trader Joe’s Yellow Curry
• 1 1/2 Cups Broccoli Steamed
• 1/2 Can Corn Kernels
• 1 Can Low Fat Coconut Milk
• 1 Cup French Green Beans Steamed
• 2 Inch Piece of Ginger Finely Chopped (Optional)
• Fresh Chopped Basil (Optional)
• Jasmine Rice or Brown Rice

In a Medium or Large Pot over Medium heat add Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Add Onion and Potato, cook for 2-3 Minutes. Add Carrot and cook another 5 Minutes.

Add Red Bell Pepper, stir for 2 Minutes, add Mushrooms and cook for 5 Minutes.

This is what the bottles look like from Trader Joe’s, their Coconut Milk is a good price as well.

Add Yellow Curry Sauce and a half Bottle of Water to each Jar used. Mix in Broccoli.

Add Corn Kernels and desired amount of Coconut Milk. This all depends on the amount of spice you like. Just add a little at a time until it is exactly to your liking. Cook for 5 Minutes.

Add Green Beans ( I like to cut them into smaller pieces so they are easily spooned when eating). Bring to a light Boil, cover with your lid and simmer for 20 Minutes.

If you like a little extra flavor/spice (Not for the kiddos) add Chopped Ginger before you bring to a Boil. This is one of my Italian Measurements… 🙂 I added “this much”… 🙂

And Drummmm Rolllll…. Add your fresh Basil now if you’d like….

Then you serve over Rice, Bread whatever you’d like. This Jasmine Rice is Pre-Cooked and just has to be Microwaved for 3 Minutes (Great for Work Lunches). You can also use Brown Rice which is the Mister’s preference.

My other favorite (I gave up wheat/flour for Lent so this is me day dreaming) thing to serve Curry over is Naan. Trader Joe’s has a great fresh Naan for $3.69.

There you go my Trainers! Thank you for stopping by Mrs. Training, as always, please help spread the word to your friends.  If you have any questions, please ask.

TGIF!!!!

-Mrs. Training

Mushroom Risotto Feast

It’s that time of year… Lent… Where every Friday, Italian families everywhere are all trying to figure out… HOW do you feed a family for an entire day WITHOUT… Meat?! Well, here we go my friends, I have given up bread, wheat, bread-ish anything for Lent, not because I’m very religious anymore, but because the Catholic fear from my childhood still is alive inside me 🙂 I will have a different Meatless Dinner for you every Friday during Lent. Risotto can be, really fattening. Many recipes call for Creams and up to 2 Sticks of Butter! Ahhhhh! That sounds amazing, but doesn’t work with the Wedding Diet 😦 … This is a recipe that not only tastes AMAZING… It’s Gluten Free, Low Fat, Low Cal… You can replace the 4 TBSP of Butter with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and make it Vegan 🙂

Antipasti/o/a (I guess Italian’s couldn’t decide if it was masculine/feminine/neither)

This is just some simple Giardinera Mix (Pickled Vegetables) Mezzetta is my favorite with Trader Joe’s Artichoke Hearts, Black Olives, Cornichon Pickles and Marinated Mushrooms mixed together, served with Cheddar Cheese. I will do a legitimate Antipasto plate post at some point. It will be after Lent so I can enjoy the breads that go with it 🙂

Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients

• 4 TBSP Unsalted Butter
• 1 Yellow Onion Diced
• 2 Cloves Garlic Minced
• 8 Oz Brown Baby Bella Crimini Mushrooms
• 8 Oz White Mushrooms
• 16 Oz Arborio Rice
• 1 Cup Dry White Wine ($2 Charles Shaw is my fav)
• 8 Cups Vegetable Stock (You can also use Chicken or Beef Broth)
• Kosher Salt & Cracked Pepper to your liking
• Grated Parmesan/Romano Cheese
• Freshly Chopped Basil

In a saucepan heat your Stock on low-medium heat. Slice all your mushrooms thin. Dice your onion with food chopper if you like, this is my favorite from Pampered Chef for $32. Warm your butter over Medium heat in a large skillet pan.

Add half of your diced Onions and Minced Garlic, stir for a minute. Add Crimini Mushrooms, then your White Mushrooms.

Stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Once, the mushrooms/onion mix is sautéed, turn off heat. In a large sauce pot over Medium heat, add Extra Virgin Olive Oil, add remaining Diced Onions.

Once Onions are translucent, add your Arborio Rice to the pot. Add your White Wine and stir until it is evaporated, about 3 Minutes.

Then, using a Big ladle, transfer warm Stock into Rice 1/2 Cup at a time. Once it has been absorbed, add another 1/2 cup. Repeat until all Stock is absorbed. Yes, this takes awhile… Then add your Sautéed Mushroom mix, Salt & Pepper to your liking and stir thoroughly.

Then serve on a Large plate or low rimmed bowl…

Garnish with Freshly Grated Parmesan Romano Cheese and Thinly Sliced Basil

Simple Salad

• Package of Butter Lettuce
• 1/4 Cup Thinly Sliced Red Onion
• 1 Avocado Sliced
• Croutons (If you didn’t give them up for Lent… :()

Mustard Dressing

• 4 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 TBSP Red Wine Vinegar
• 2 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 TBSP Water
• 4 TSBP Dijon Mustard
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1 tsp Ground Pepper
• 1 tsp Dried Oregano

Put everything into a Ramekin I love these ones from World Market and then whisk.

Using your tongs, mix together… And…

Simple French Green Beans

I found these French Cut Green Beans at my local Safeway for $2.49 the price is what determines my side dishes 🙂

• 8 Oz of French Green Beans
• 1 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 TBSP Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
• Pinch Kosher Salt/Ground Pepper

Whisk together and pour over steamed Green Beans

Whisk together and pour over steamed Green Beans

Wine

For my birthday, last December we did the Sonoma Wine Trolley. We visited Buena Vista in Sonoma Valley, which is the first Premium winery ever in California. This 2009 Chardonnay from their Carneros Vineyards was only the second White Wine I’ve ever heard him say he liked. We had to get some. I’m going to go out and say it is THE BEST Chardonnay I’ve ever had. Hands down, and I’m not even sure what comes second after it. It’s not sweet, but you taste all the fruit elements. If ever in Sonoma, I highly suggest the Wine Trolley, it was a lot of fun, we didn’t have to worry about driving 🙂 You MUST go to Buena Vista the caves are open for tours, the buildings make you feel like you’re in Europe in 1900. It’s wine country perfection.

There you have it. Whether it be your Valentine’s Day dinner or a Meatless Friday Night Lent Dinner. You will be full, satisfied and not broke 🙂

What is your favorite Meatless Dinner? Let me know!

Magia!

-Mrs. Training