Showing posts with label lettuce. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lettuce. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Hoisin Pork Lettuce Wraps - Dunkelweizen

Hoisin Pork Lettuce Wraps
Weight watchers – 1 point/wrap
Servings – 12 lettuce wraps – 4 people – 3/person

1/3 c of hoisin sauce
1 T lime juice
1 T water
1 c shredded carrots
1 c shredded cabbage or lettuce
1 c shredded cucumber
1 c fresh cilantro or 1 T dried cilantro (I don’t always have fresh on hand)
12 ounce pork tenderloin cut into 24 thin strips
12 Boston or Bibb lettuce leaves

1.      Combine hoisin, lime juice and water
2.      Combine carrots, cabbage, cucumber and cilantro
3.      Cook pork on stove top about 3-4 minutes until browned
4.      Mix pork with sauce
5.      Top each lettuce leave with 2 slices of pork and handful of vegetable mixture

I got the idea for these wraps from weight watchers magazine and there is a similar recipe they go over.  By the way if you are on weight watchers I highly recommend the magazine for recipe ideas.

This will probably go into our regular rotation.  It is filling, but without any carbs it’s so low in calories and points.  This would also be great with chicken and equally as healthy.  If you want to add some carbs, some rice noodles or rice would be good in it as well.  The hoisin provides tons of flavor for minimal points and so easy to open a jar.

I paired this with a dunkelweizen which typically do well with substantial salads and pork.  Dunkelweizen is a southern German wheat beer.  Most of these beers are out of Germany but there are a few good American ones.  One of my favorites is a seasonal beer, so unfortunately is not available right now, but watch for it during Christmas time.  I am giving you a heads up to watch for it in the coming season.

It is Shiner’s holiday cheer.  I have talked about Shiner before and greatly appreciate it.  Even though I am not a native Texan, I have lived in the state for 8 years so while it’s not home like Chicago is, it is a close second.  When I tried this for the first time, I was shocked how good it was.  This is brewed with peaches and pecans and you can definitely taste them.  So it’s definitely fruity for a beer, but for a holiday beer, I like it.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Thai Basil Chicken Lettuce Wraps – Strong Ale

Thai Basil Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Weight watchers – 1/wrap
Serving size  - 8 wraps, 4 people, 2/person

Spray vegetable oil
2 T minced garlic
1 pound ground chicken breast
4 Serrano chilies finely minced
2 T soy sauce
2 T fish sauce
1 cup fresh basil leaves or 1 T dried basil
About 8 Lettuce Leaves

1.       Heat wok or large skillet.  Spray pan with oil, add garlic and heat for about 20 seconds.  Add ground chicken and cook through, about 2 mins.
2.       Stir in chilies, soy sauce and fish sauce.  Cook about 20 more seconds.
3.       Add basil, cook another 20 seconds.

This was delivious and so easy.  It does have a good kick, so adjust the amount of chilies to your spice level.  You can also add some rice or rice noodles to the lettuce wraps.  Adding a little bit will about about 1 point per wrap, but it will make it more substantial and well round.  I served with brown rice, but I do think it would be delicious with rice noodles.

To pair with this I would pick a strong ale.  I chose the Ubu Ale from Lake Placid Craft B.C. in New York.  Mike loved this beer.  He loves strong ales though but this one exceptional.  It has fruitiness on the front end and a chocolate nuttiness on the finish.  This pairs really well with the chicken due to the big intense flavor of both.  They can stand up to each other.