Chinese 5 Spice Lettuce Wraps

This is what we had for dinner this evening =D Starting today until my birthday on June 2nd I am going to be making meals that are going to help speed metabolism and help lose the pounds...going to lose 15 pounds...are you with me? =D

These wraps were a HIT with my little boys ages 5 and 3...they actually ate seconds

From EatingWell:  June/July 2006
Based on a popular Chinese dish, these fun wraps also make appealing appetizers for entertaining. Make it a meal: Serve with chile-garlic sauce and rice vinegar for extra zip; toss diced mango and strawberries with lime juice for a quick dessert.
4 servings, 1 1/4 cups filling each | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup instant brown rice
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 large red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, rinsed and chopped
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, (see Note)
• 1 teaspoon five-spice powder, (see Note)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 heads Boston lettuce, leaves separated
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as cilantro, basil, mint and/or chives
• 1 large carrot, shredded

Preparation

1. Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add rice; reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add turkey and ginger; cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice, bell pepper, water chestnuts, broth, hoisin sauce, five-spice powder and salt; cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
3. To serve, spoon portions of the turkey mixture into lettuce leaves, top with herbs and carrot and roll into wraps.

Nutrition

Per serving : 285 Calories; 11 g Fat; 3 g Sat; 1 g Mono; 66 mg Cholesterol; 24 g Carbohydrates; 26 g Protein; 5 g Fiber; 543 mg Sodium; 390 mg Potassium
1 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 2 vegetable, 3 lean meat

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare the filling (through Step 2), cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Serve cold or reheat in the microwave.

• Notes: Hoisin sauce is a spicy, sweet sauce made from soybeans, chiles, garlic and spices. It will keep in the refrigerator for at least a year.
• Often a blend of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns, five-spice powder was originally considered a cure-all miracle blend encompassing the five elements (sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, salty). Look for it in the supermarket spice section.

Changs Lettuce Wraps Recipe

P.F. Changs Lettuce Wraps Recipe

8 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 Teaspoon cornstarch
2 Teaspoon dry sherry
2 Teaspoon water
salt and pepper
1−1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken
5 Tablespoon oil
1 Teaspoon fresh minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, minced
2 small dried chilis, (optional)
8 Ounce can bamboo shoots, minced
8 Ounce can water chestnuts, minced
1 package cellophane Chinese rice noodles, prepared according to package
Cooking Sauce:
1 Tablespoon Hoisin sauce
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon dry sherry
2 Tablespoon oyster sauce
2 Tablespoon water
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
Iceburg lettuce "cups"
Cover mushrooms with boiling water, let stand 30 minutes then drain. Cut and
discard woody stems. Minces mushrooms. Set aside. Mix all ingredients for
cooking sauce in bowl, and set aside. In medium bowl, combine cornstarch,
sherry water, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and chicken. Stir to coat chicken
thoroughly. Stir in 1 tsp. oil and let sit 15 minutes to marinate. Heat wok
or large skillet over medium high heat. Add 3 TBSP oil, then add chicken and
stir fry for about 3−4 minutes. Set aside. Add 2 TBSP oil to pan. Add
ginger, garlic, chilies(if desired), and onion; stir fry about a minute or
so. Add mushrooms, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts; stir fry an additional
2 minutes. Return chicken to pan. Add mixed cooking sauce to pan. Cook until
thickened and hot. Break cooked cellophane noodles into small pieces, and
cover bottom of serving dish with them. Then pour chicken mixture on top of
noodles. Spoon into lettuce leaf and roll.

Artichoke Stuffed Chicken Breasts With Tomato Salad

Time 6 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 6.5-ounce jar artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and pepper

2 beefsteak tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces

1 shallot, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

8 baguette slices, toasted (optional)

 

Mix the artichokes, parmesan, and 1 tablespoon of the thyme in a small bowl. Cut a 2-inch pocket in the thickest part of each chicken breast. Stuff a quarter of the artichoke mixture into each pocket. Rub the chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon of the oil and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium. Grill the chicken, turning once, until cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes per side. Mix the tomatoes, shallot, vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the remaining oil and thyme in a large bowl. Slice the chicken, if desired, and serve with the tomato salad and baguette slices, if using. Substitution: If you don't care for artichokes, try stuffing the chicken breasts with one of the following: olive tapenade; Feta and pine nuts; or roasted red peppers and Parmesan.