Thai-Style Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Mikey and I have been on one of our fitness kicks lately which means we’ve been trying to eat healthier (which means you guys get a lot more healthy recipes than usual on here… like this one… and the last one). On top of all of our rock climbing, we ran a mud run last weekend. It was a 5k through 20+ different muddy obstacles. I chose to wear white so that the mud in our after photo would *really* show. Obviously, the mud showing up wasn’t an issue. This is the third mud run we’ve done, and it was by far the muddiest. It was also the most fun, though, and I think that those two factors are related :]

Alrighty, alright, let’s get to the food! Ground turkey tends to get a lot of hate by many individuals in the culinary world, but quite honestly, I can’t figure out why. It’s a lean, healthy protein that can be dressed up in a multitude of different manners. Of course overcooked ground turkey tastes like a dried-out hunk of rubber, but that’s true for any overcooked protein. The main complaint seems to be that it isn’t as flavorful as ground beef, which of course is true, but ground beef has quite a bit more fat in it, so what do you expect? There’s a time and a place for ground turkey, and I think that this recipe is exactly that. I actually believe that ground beef wouldn’t taste right in this recipe, and plus, with the turkey, this dish can fit seamlessly in to any low-fat, low-carb diet :] I also think that these would make a really fun appetizer for a party!

The base recipe that I altered here actually comes from fitness-junkie Drew Manning. If you haven’t heard about this guy’s story, please head on over to Fit2Fat2Fit and check him out. He’s a personal trainer who wanted to be able to empathize with his overweight clients, so, over the course of only ONE year, he gained and lost 70 pounds! Crazy stuff!

I love that this dish has so many flavors and textures going on. You get the soft, sweet peppers and onions, the creamy, vibrant sauce, and the cool crisp lettuce. While the dish has a touch of heat from the red pepper flakes, I tend to like things ultra spicy. A squirt or sriracha makes this dish totally perfect for me.

Thai-Style Turkey Lettuce Wraps

recipe adapted from here

ingredients:

• 2 tbsp peanut oil, separated
• 2 red bell pepper, quartered and sliced
• 1 sweet onion, quartered and sliced
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 lb ground turkey breast
• 1/2 lb ground turkey thigh
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3 tbsp natural-style peanut butter
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2-3 tbsp freshly-squeezed lime juice
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 2-3 romaine hearts, washed and leaves separated
• sriracha, to serve

1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil over medium-high heat. Add in the peppers, onion, garlic, ginger, and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring until soft (about 5 minutes). Remove from the pan and reserve in a bowl.
2. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the skillet over medium-high heat; add in the turkey meats and a large pinch of salt. Brown the meats up for a few minutes. Add in the red pepper flakes, and mix. Add the pepper and onion mixture back into the skillet and mix to heat through.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, honey, lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cilantro. Pour the mixture over the meat in the skillet and toss to coat.
4. Serve the ground meat mixture with the romaine lettuce leaves, and sriracha on the side.