A Healthy Start to a New Year

Eating healthier in the new year is a noteworthy goal especially after all the holiday consumption of high caloric foods. This week on Ever Ready each posting will feature healthy recipes to get you off to a good start in 2023 .

My definition of healthy means embracing whole foods like vegetables, fruits and whole grains, plus using foods that have healthy proteins and fats. It also means cutting back on refined grains, added sugars, salt and unhealthy fats. I use very little salt in my recipes instead depend on using a variety of spices to add flavor to the dish.

Thai Chicken Peanut Lettuce Tacos

Cook's Notes:These tacos are not your ordinary ones but made with with exotic and spicy flavors and a light peanut sauce. Tortillas would work but I choose butter lettuce to lower the calories count.  These lettuce tacos come in at 252 calories for 2. The recipe is adapted from skinnytaste.com and make enough for 8 tacos. Use smaller leaves to use this recipe as an appetizer.  

Cooking Tips:Lettuce Wraps 101
Lettuce wraps are low-carb, keto, gluten-free and low calorie, and don’t interfere with the flavors of the filling. A few tips when making lettuce wraps:Look for lettuce leaves that are large enough to hold the filling. Butter, Iceberg lettuce and Romaine lettuce work well. If you prefer, you can turn this into a big chopped salad by simply serving this over a bowl over chopped lettuce.

For the Peanut Sauce:

• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons PB2 (powdered peanut butter) , or 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1/2 tablespoon Sriracha chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce, use Tamari for gluten free
• 1/2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 clove garlic, crushed

For the Chicken:

• Cooking spray
• 1 lb. ground chicken
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha chili sauce, more or less to taste
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce, use Tamari for gluten free
• 3/4 cups shredded carrots
• 2/3 cup scallions, chopped
• 3/4 cup shredded red cabbage
• 4 tablespoons chopped peanuts
• cilantro leaves, for garnish
• 4 lime wedges
• 8 iceberg lettuce (outer leaves) or butter outer leaves

Directions:

• Make the peanut sauce; in a small saucepan combine chicken broth, peanut butter, 1/2 tablespoon sriracha, honey, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger, and 1 clove crushed garlic and simmer over medium-low heat stirring occasionally until sauce becomes smooth and thickens, about 6 to 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick skillet or wok over high medium until hot.
• When hot, spray with oil and sauté the chicken until cooked through and browned, breaking it up as it cooks; add the sriracha, remaining garlic and ginger and saute 1 minute. Add the tablespoon of soy sauce, cook 1 minute.
• Add the shredded carrots, and 1/2 cup of the scallions and sauté until tender crisp, about 1-2 minutes. Set aside.
• Divide the chicken equally between 8 lettuce leaves, top each with shredded cabbage, remaining scallions, drizzle with peanut sauce, chopped peanuts and cilantro, for garnish and serve with lime wedges.

Cheers to 2023