Me again, emerging from the heat wave that took over NYC last week and feeling motivated to spend time over a hot stove/in a hot little kitchen. After the most amazing day exploring Brighton Beach & Coney Island yesterday, all I wanted to do was bring back that fresh, summer feeling back into my meals.
I took to Instagram to see what you wanted to see & eat—I offered one vegan option and one not-vegan option, and while the non-vegan option won, I'm still going to provide both recipes!
I'm not vegan—I've found that eating some quality meat & fish is best for my body & for feeling my best—but I do try to eat lots of plant-based meals during the week. But, not this week ;)
*Update July 2020: In an effort to use more inclusive language, I have removed some elements of this recipe including specifying the ingredient “grass-fed and finished beef.” This beef option may not be accessible for everyone, nor is it necessary to cook and enjoy this dish. I aim to have my recipes be accessible for everyone, no matter their access or lack thereof to certain ingredients. I also want to share that many of my recipes are inspired by Asian cuisines. I use many spices that originate in Asian cuisines - namely ginger, chilis, turmeric, coriander - and I am in awe of their versatility in so many different types of dishes. For this recipe in particular, I acknowledge that lettuce wraps are a common dish found in Chinese and Thai cuisines in particular, and my recipe is inspired by the many lettuce wraps I’ve eaten over the years. I will continue to review the recipes on this blog to make sure I am using inclusive language, both as it relates to the ingredients and how I was inspired to create the recipe.
Here's what you'll need to make these beef lettuce wraps with sweet & spicy slaw:
[makes 3-4 servings, if you're measuring about 1/2 cup beef per person, or ~4oz]
Beef Filling:
1 lb ground beef
4-5 green onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 TBS coconut oil
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp Sriracha [or more to taste]
Salt & pepper to taste
Sweet & Spicy Slaw Topping:
1 cup shredded carrots [I bought pre-shredded, it's so much easier]
1/2 cup thinly sliced jicama
1-2 large radishes, thinly sliced
Juice of 1 small lime
1 TBS tamari [or soy sauce]
1 tsp Sriracha
1 tsp maple syrup
Lettuce Wraps:
Romaine hearts or butterhead lettuce - these provide the “wrap” or “cup” to hold all the filling!
Method:
In a large sauté pan or skillet over low-medium heat, sauté green onions and garlic until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add in ground beef, and break it up with your cooking spoon [I like to use wooden spoons] so that it can cook evenly in the pan.
Add in spices, Sriracha, and salt/pepper to taste, mixing it in with the beef to make sure it's thoroughly combined. Continue to break up the meat as it cooks. It will take about 10-15 minutes, depending on your stove top, to get the meat completely browned & cooked through.
While the beef cooks, you can prepare the slaw ingredients. In a small mixing bowl, add in all slaw ingredients and toss with tongs or a spoon to coat evenly. Make sure you taste it—you can add more Sriracha or more maple syrup, depending on how spicy or sweet you like it!
When the beef is done cooking, turn off the stove and take the pan off the heat to let the mixture cool a bit [you can simply move the pan to another burner]. Rinse your lettuce and pat dry with a paper towel [no one likes a soggy wrap].
Lay down a couple of pieces of lettuce on your plate, fill with beef & top with slaw, and garnish with black sesame seeds or any other topping—you can try avocado, chopped cashews, or more Sriracha and tamari!
Hungry yet? Raise your hand if you can't wait for dinner tomorrow!
