I like me some lettuce. I tend to wrap my burgers, tacos and plenty of other yummies in lettuce. Even when my family prefers a bun (hamburger) or shell (taco), I usually prefer the texture of a big, fresh lettuce leaf. Of course, I also enjoy sitting comfortably & smugly, pants still fitting, while hubby is suffering from post-burger bloat after dinner.

And now that I am pregnant, I like saving my evening carbs for a huge bowl of ice cream some nutritious and refreshing fruit before bed.

This is a delicious asian-style meat filling inspired by one of my fave recipe sites: Nom Nom Paleo. This dish cooks in one pan in just 10-15 minutes, using pantry ingredients you probably have on hand.

If you don’t have them on hand, you should. You can create endless stir fries, wraps and dressings containing these 3 amazing staples. Dying of suspense? Skim ahead to the recipe.

Since it’s still that New Year’s Resolution time of year, this is a great recipe for mamas with weight loss goals as it is sugar free, gluten free and low-carb. Add some steamed rice to your wraps if you prefer a starch, or serve fruit and/or starchy veggies on the side for another healthy carbohydrate source.

And sriracha. Everything is better with sriracha.

Will your kids eat them? Yes! While my kids would never turn down a taco shell, they also love wrapping in lettuce. Little dishes of sprinkle-friendly garnishes make our lettuce wrap meals fun & interactive, and win the littles over. In this case: fresh, ripe mango sliced thinly and chopped scallions. For the grownups: sriracha. Obviously.

15-MINUTE ASIAN LETTUCE WRAPS

inspired by: nom nom paleo

serves 4

• 1.5 lb extra-lean ground beef
• 1 large head green or red leaf lettuce (or 1-2 heads boston lettuce)
• 2 cups broccoli slaw
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 small zucchini, grated
• 1 small onion, grated
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 2-3 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
• 2-3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• salt & pepper

1. Heat coconut oil in large skillet over medium heat; add onion & zucchini and saute until liquid has evaporated and volume reduced. 2. Add garlic and chili flakes (if using); saute 1 minute until fragrant. 3. Add beef; cook until no longer pink, breaking up chunks. 4. Combine soy sauce, vinegar & fish sauce and add to meat mixture. 5. Add broccoli slaw & carrot; saute 2-3 minutes more until softened (but not mushy). 6. Season if needed – the condiments may provide enough salt – and add lots of freshly cracked black pepper. 7. Serve in lettuce boats with your favourite toppings, or au naturel. It tastes great with nothing at all!