Tag Archives: Thai

Thai Lettuce Wraps

I recently had some friends ask me to make some Paleo recipes. This is a great idea for me, since I am into crossfit and that’s the diet many crossfitters try to follow. So I had to do some research on what the heck the Paleo diet was and what they ate.

I came up with lettuce wraps! Quick, easy, and can be made with just about any meat and veggie combo you like. Or they could just be easily made vegetarian… mushrooms instead of meat. Works great as both an appetizer or a meal.

thai lettuce wraps

Sauce Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons oil of choice, I used sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons raw honey
  • 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 2 tablespoons tamari for gluten free, or soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon of garlic chili sauce, or more if you like spicy
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground chicken, turkey, or pork 
  • 1 small zucchini, shredded
  • 1 medium carrot, shredded
  • 1/2 small cabbage head, shredded, or half a bag coleslaw mix to save time
  • 1/3 cup green onion, chopped
  • 1 handful of chopped cilantro for topping, if desired
  • 1 head of lettuce to use for wrap, I used Boston bib, but I think romaine would work great too

Directions

  1. Mix all ingredients for the sauce in a medium bowl and set aside.
  2. Cook ground chicken until no longer pink. Add veggies and sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  3. Add mixture to lettuce leaves, roll up and serve. They are a little messy to eat, but they are so good!

Enjoy!

Thai Peanut Chicken Pasta with Vegetables

So you’re probably thinking…Peanut butter and pasta, really? Don’t be fooled, it really is a great combination!  In fact, this is one of the most requested meals by my husband. It’s not very spicy and the peanut butter sauce adds a nice sweetness to the dish so if you’ve never had Thai food before, this is a great recipe to start with.

peanut chicken pasta

tips&tricks

Ginger root is typically large and most recipes call for only a few teaspoons. Don’t let that ginger go to waste. Freeze it. When you need to use it again no need to defrost, it actually is easier to grate while frozen. Just simply peel away the skin and grate. Ginger root will last about 6 months in the freezer. Click here for more information about ginger root.

peanut chicken pasta 02

Ingredients

  • 2 carrots, peeled
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided (you can use olive oil if you don’t have sesame)
  • 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup of peanut butter (creamy or chunky, whatever you have)
  • 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar (white vinegar will also work)
  • 1 teaspoon of chili garlic sauce or sriracha (you can find this in the Asian section of the grocery store)
  • 1 cup canned lite coconut milk (found in the baking isle or Asian section)
  • 1 lb chicken breasts cut into strips
  • 1 large red pepper cut into thin strips
  • 1 pound green beans or snow peas
  • 1 box of whole wheat spaghetti or linguine, cooked
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 cup peanuts for topping (optional)

Directions

  1. Shave carrots with a vegetable peeler and set aside in a bowl.
  2. Heat a sauce pan over medium heat and 1 teaspoon of the oil. Add ginger and garlic, saute for about 30 seconds. Add broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, and chili sauce. Stir together until peanut butter is smooth. About 5 minutes. Add coconut milk and stir until heated. Remove sauce from heat and keep warm with a lid on top of pan.
  3. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add peppers and green beans or snow peas, saute for about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.
  4. Add chicken strips. Cook chicken strips until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.  Turn off heat.
  5. Add the carrots, sauted vegetables, pasta, and peanut sauce to the cooked chicken in the skillet. Toss well so everything is covered with the sauce. I found that using tongs worked best.
  6. Top with fresh cilantro and peanuts.

nutrional facts - thai peanut pasta

Enjoy!

“Lights Out” Thai Shrimp Bisque

Even when the power’s out, it’s still possible to cook a warm healthy meal using the grill.  Thai Shrimp Bisque…Yummy!


Ingredients (adapted from a cooking light recipe)

Marinade

  • 1 1/2 pounds uncooked shrimp peeled (reserve shells)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp grated lime rind
  • 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 1/2 ground coriander
  • 1 tbsp fresh cilantro
  • 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
  • 1 1/2 tsp sugar
  • pinch of pepper
  • 2 crushed garlic cloves

Shrimp Stock

  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste

Soup

  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1 14oz can light coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 cup milk of choice (I used almond)

Directions (cooked on a gas grill burner)

  1. Marinade shrimp with the first 8 ingredients.
  2. For the stock, combine reserved shrimp shells, veggie broth, wine and one tablespoon of tomato paste in large pot. Bring mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is reduced to one cup. (about 10 minutes)  Drain mixture over a bowl and discard the shells.
  3. For the soup, using the same pot, heat oil and add onion and celery and saute.  Add shrimp stock, coconut milk, one more tablespoon of tomato paste and bring mixture to a boil.  Combine flour and milk with a whisk and add to the pot.  Reduce heat and simmer until thick (about 5 minutes).  Add the shrimp and marinade and cook for about 5 minutes.

Enjoy.