Fewer calories, carbs: That’s a wrap

Last week I was invited to present a cooking demo on the afternoon television program “DelmarvaLife.” In between segments, the hosts, Lisa Bryant and Jimmy Hoppa, carry on a lighthearted banter that is always amusing. It felt like we were given a sneak peak behind the scenes as we listened to the interviews with other guests. We shared the hour with segments on Toys for Tots, Clear Space Theatre, adoptable animals and a musical performance, just to name a few.

For the demo, I needed to make something simple and quick, so the timing would work within the one-hour format of the show. From past experience, I knew Jimmy and Lisa would volunteer to assist with the preparations, so I also had to make sure there were tasks I could assign them. Sesame chicken lettuce wraps fit the bill perfectly.

By way of explanation, a lettuce wrap is a dish that uses lettuce leaves to replace bread, buns, taco shells or a tortilla shell wrap. The filling can be virtually anything you might serve between slices of bread or ladled over a mound of rice. You can find recipes for all sorts of salads served in lettuce wraps, as well highly seasoned, meat-centric dishes.

To start the demo, I asked Lisa to cook the ground chicken into crumbles and Jimmy to slice scallions. Although he actually knows his way around a kitchen, he cracked wise about needing detailed instructions on how much of the scallion to use and how thin to make the slices. While Lisa cooked the chicken, I started tossing in other ingredients.

A combination of pressed garlic and diced onions went in first, followed by grated ginger, soy source, hoisin sauce and rice wine vinegar – all of which combined to make the studio smell like a Chinese restaurant (that’s a good thing, in my book). We remarked how different the Zoom versions of the demos had been, especially without the scents and flavors of the dish.

We discussed the best type of lettuce to use for the wraps. I extolled the virtues of soft, ruffled leaf lettuce like Bibb or Boston, while Jimmy tried to defend iceberg. Lisa explained that it was much too watery, and I mentioned that most other lettuce varieties offer a better micronutrient content. By then, we were filling the lettuce leaves, and Jimmy had to start garnishing them with his perfectly sliced scallions.

I added a sprinkle of white and black sesame seeds, and we were ready to taste. Unfortunately, I neglected to warn Lisa and Jimmy how messy it can be to eat a lettuce wrap, especially juicy ones that drip sauce down your arm. It didn’t seem to be too much of a problem, as they both went back for a second one.

I’ve included the quick and easy recipe for the wraps seen in the photo. Although it may seem keto-friendly because of the lack of obvious carbs, watch out for the sugar in the hoisin sauce. The next recipe features Tex-Mex flavors and can be made with rotisserie chicken. Another tasty recipe uses chopped shrimp as the star, mixing it with a spicy peanut sauce.

The next time you want to save a few calories and add some crunch to your lunch, consider transforming your sandwich into a lettuce wrap – it works for almost everything you could fit between two slices of bread.

Sesame Chicken Lettuce Wraps

1 T toasted sesame oil

1 lb ground chicken

2 pressed garlic cloves

1 diced onion

1/4 C hoisin sauce

2 T soy sauce

1 T rice wine vinegar

1 T grated ginger

2 sliced green onions

sesame seeds

lettuce leaves

Heat oil in a skillet over medium. Add ground chicken and sauté, breaking it into crumbles. Add garlic, onion, hoisin, soy, vinegar and ginger; cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Spoon chicken mixture into lettuce leaves. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Yield: approximately 10 wraps.

Tex-Mex Lettuce Wraps

3 C cooked shredded chicken

1 15-oz can black beans

1 10-oz can Rotel tomatoes

1 C corn kernels

1/2 C minced red onion

1 T lime juice

1 t cumin

1 t chili powder

salt, to taste

1 chopped avocado

2/3 C sour cream

lettuce leaves

Combine everything but the avocado, sour cream and lettuce in a large bowl; stir together. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes. To serve, spoon mixture onto lettuce leaves and garnish with avocado and sour cream. Yield: approximately 12 wraps.

Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

2/3 C coconut milk

1/2 C peanut butter

juice & zest of 1 lime

1 T Sriracha sauce

1 T soy sauce

1 pound cooked shrimp

2 T rice wine vinegar

1 C shredded cabbage

salt, to taste

lettuce leaves

Whisk together coconut milk, peanut butter, lime juice, Sriracha and soy sauce; set aside. If shrimp are large, cut into bite-size pieces; set aside. Whisk together vinegar and lime zest in a small bowl; add cabbage and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt. Spoon cabbage and shrimp onto lettuce leaves and drizzle with peanut sauce. Yield: 8 wraps.