Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps

These tasty and healthy wraps are great for a quick and easy meal, or as an impressive appetizer when you are entertaining. The majority of the recipe can be made ahead of time and frozen, so you can enjoy this easy and scrumptious meal whenever you feel like it! Many of the ingredients are easy to find, especially if you shop at an Asian supermarket. Recipe makes: 20 half cup servings   Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of canola oil (or olive oil if you want a healthier option) 3 pounds ground turkey breast 1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled (about 1 tablespoon minced) 3 cloves of garlic (1 tablespoon minced) 4 carrots 10 green onions 1 can of water chestnuts, sliced 1 can of bamboo shoots 1 cup of hoisin sauce 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/3 cup dry sherry (optional) 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 tablespoon Sriracha or any other hot chili paste Cup-shaped lettuce leaves (about 3-4 per person) Brown rice, cooked (optional)   Toppings: Chopped peanuts Cilantro Chili sauce   Begin by mincing the vegetables, either chopping them by hand or throwing them in the food processor. First, mince the garlic and ginger together. Then, mince the carrots as finely as possible (this is much easier in the food processor). Remove the garlic, ginger and carrot mixture into a separate bowl. Then, separately chop up the green onions as well as the chestnuts and bamboo shoots. Make sure that all of the ingredients are minced and chopped as finely as possible. To cook, add the canola or olive oil to a skillet heated to medium-high heat. Add in the ground turkey breast and cook until all of the meat is browned and no pink remains. Use a spatula or a wooden spoon to break apart the chunks. Then add all of the minced vegetables and cook together for 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are tender. In a separate bowl on the side, mix together the sauces (hoisin, soy, sherry, sesame oil, and chili sauce), then add the mixture to the cooked turkey. Stir the mixture together well, for about 5 minutes, and then remove it from the heat. At this point you should cook the rice. Whether you are using brown or white rice, cook according to the instructions (for brown rice, the water-rice ratio is usually 2 3/4 cups: 1 cup of rice, and for white rice it is usually 2 cups: 1 cup of rice). Cook the rice until it is fluffy and set aside. If you are looking for a lo-carb option, leave out the rice completely - the recipe still tastes great! To serve, spoon the rice and turkey mixture into the lettuce leaves. Add desired toppings (watch out for the chili paste), roll up the lettuce leaf, and dig in! If you want to freeze the turkey mixture, add it to large ziploc freezer-safe bags and seal it air tight. In the freezer, keep the bag flat. The mixture stays good in the freezer for several months and can be easily reheated in a microwave or on the stove top.