tempeh taco lettuce wraps

i was on the train home the other day trying to think of what to make for dinner. the first thing i thought was "tacos!" because i could eat them every day. but i knew that if i went home and kris asked what i want to make and i said "tacos!" he would say "of course you do..." and i don't want to be that predictable. so to keep some mystery about myself and also get my taco fix i went for a slight twist with taco lettuce wraps. in the past my lettuce wraps have consisted of mostly asian inspired innards so this was a nice twist on them too. you could make any taco-y fillings you like but i went with tempeh, potatoes, carmelized red onions and avocado. this was the first time in a long time that i made tacos and didn't end up feeling stuffed so hooray for lettuce! here's how it went (all seasonings are to taste).

tempeh taco lettuce wraps
for the potatoes:
cut potatoes into small, bite sized pieces. place in a baking dish and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and chili powder. cook at 375 until tender (20 minutes?). these were a success on their own because kris said they "look so professional! like diner potatoes!" and we all know that diner potatoes are among the best potatoes.

for the tempeh:
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 serrano chili, finely chopped
1 package tempeh
hot sauce
cumin
coriander
dried oregano
salt and pepper
olive oil

heat oil in a pan and add the chopped tomatoes (seeds, juice and all) and serrano. crumble the tempeh into the pan as well. add hot sauce and spices to taste and cook it all up until the tomatoes break down and the tempeh is heated through and coated with all the spices.

to assemble place a bit of tempeh and potatoes in a butter lettuce leaf, top with onions and chopped avocado. enjoy!

-d

teriyaki mushroom lettuce wraps

these were probably the messiest lettuce wraps we've ever made, but they were so delicious! i found a teriyaki recipe online to use as a guide and tweak to my liking. i didn't write down what i did but i think the recipe below comes pretty close. after cooking it i thought it was a little salty so i added another splash of juice and a splash of water, so taste and adjust to your liking...the recipe should get you pretty close to thick, sticky teriyaki yumminess. for our filling i sauteed:

2 mildly hot red chili peppers
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1.5 pounds mushrooms (mix of white button and shiitake)
1 zucchini

then added the sauce to the pan and cooked a minute more. i think this sauce would also make a great marinade.

teriyaki sauce
ingredients:
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons ginger, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons cornstarch

combine all ingredients except cornstarch in a bowl and whisk together. transfer to a small pot over medium heat. add the cornstarch and stir constantly until desired thickness is reached. if you thicken too much, just add a splash of water.

-d

tofu poke lettuce wraps

in celebration of obama's inauguration yesterday we decided to go with a hawaiian theme for dinner. after poking around for a poke recipe (sorry) on the internet we decided on a modifiable tuna poke recipe. though i'm still not entirely clear on what exactly poke is and what makes poke poke. does it have to be raw? or maybe just cold? is it in the sauce? beats me, but i'm calling this tofu poke and if it's not i apologize. the important part is that it was yummy!
ok so maybe it's not the most photogenic dish ever.

tofu poke lettuce wraps
(modified from Emeril's ahi tuna poke)

ingredients:
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter (or creamy with a handful of peanuts thrown in...)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon soy sauce, plus more for seasoning
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon sesame oil, plus more for seasoning
16 ounces extra firm tofu, pressed and drained
1/4 cup minced red onions
2-3 sheets nori, toasted and crumbled
5 teaspoons chopped roasted almonds
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 lime, juiced
pineapple (we used one can of pineapple rings, in juice, and chopped 'em up)
1 head butter lettuce (for wrapping)

in the bowl of a food processor, combine the peanut butter, coconut milk, soy sauce, lime juice, hot sauce, and sesame oil, and process on high speed.

after draining tofu cut into slabs (about 1/2 inch thick). heat a pan (don't oil it) to medium-high heat and cook the tofu for a couple minutes on each side until golden brown and bouncy to touch. let tofu cool a few minutes then cut it into cubes.

in the same pan, quickly toast the nori sheets (just a few seconds on each side).

place tofu in a large bowl. add the red onions, nori, almonds, cilantro, and lime juice.

pour the peanut butter mixture over the tofu mixture and combine. Season with sesame oil, soy sauce, and salt, to taste. to serve, place some pineapple on a lettuce leaf, top with tofu, wrap and enjoy!

-d