Lean ground chicken and matchstick-shaped carrots get combined with ginger and other seasonings for this family-pleasing recipe for Asian Lettuce Wraps. The chicken mixture gets wrapped in tender lettuce leaves, and it’s seriously too cute NOT to eat!
Any time I find a cookbook that helps families get a healthy meal on the table day after day, I add it to my collection. Cooking Light Dinnertime Survival Guide hits the spot when it comes to recipes kids love, nutrition advice parents appreciate, and mealtime tips that work. Fellow dietitian and mom of two, Sally Kuzemchak, teamed up with Cooking Light magazine to create the book.
The book is broken up into 10 common Dinnertime Dilemmas—everything from, I Can Barely Boil Water and I’m Not a Short-Order Cook to I Can’t Afford Healthy Food. You’ll find this recipe for Asian Lettuce Wraps in the first chapter on, I Have Zero Time: Speedy Recipes Save the Day.
- Serves: 4
- Serving size: 3 wraps
- Calories: 302
- Fat: 18.2g
- Saturated fat: 4.1g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Sodium: 497mg
- Fiber: 2.6g
- Protein: 26.3g
- 2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste)
- 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
- 1¼ pounds ground chicken
- 1 tablespoon refrigerated ginger paste (such as Gourmet Garden)
- ½ cup thinly sliced green onions
- ½ cup matchstick-cut carrots
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts
- 12 iceberg lettuce leaves (we used Bibb)
- Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside. (We didn't use the samba oelek.)
- Cook chicken and ginger paste in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 7 minutes or until chicken is done, stirring to crumble. Stir in onions, carrots, and cilantro; cook 1 minute. Stir in soy sauce mixture. Remove from heat.
- Spoon about ⅓ cup chicken mixture and 1 teaspoon peanuts into each lettuce leaf.
My biggest challenge is getting dinner on the table at a reasonable hour – not 8:00 or later. I’ve worked to solve this problem by doing as much meal prep as I can in the morning so that when dinner time rolls around I have little to do.
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My biggest dilemma is planning what to eat and when to eat it. To solve the problem I started having plan sessions. I set aside time on Saturday to plan my menu for the week. I also make a grocery list at the same time. Then I write the menu on a chalkboard in the kitchen to remind me what I need to take out of the freezer or what to prep early in the day.
Sally’s book looks so fantastic and this would have been one of the first recipes I tried! Love love love the asian flavors!
I follow MealMakeOverMoms and Sally on FB. It’s always great to see such support for fellow foodies. I’d like to be able to cook from scratch more without it taking us all afternoon, which can be fun on a quiet Sunday but doesn’t work so well during the weekday day hustle.
Getting home too late and tired and not wanting to make a meal of a big mess. I always want it to be an easy meal when I get home.
My biggest mealtime challenge is getting everyone to the table at the same time and enjoying the same foods.
My biggest issue is figuring out what everyone wants,they all want diff things.i usualy make a few different things
My biggest dilemma is time, time, time!! After fighting traffic for an hour, I notify my crew of 3 enroute to be changed, hydrated, and energized so that I can rush in the house, change into workout gear, then it’s off to the practice for whatever season it is. Usually we make it back home around 8, so I need something quick but not too heavy so that they can fall asleep without difficulty. What seems to work is cooking 3 “reheat able” meals on our 1 free day of the week, and reheating them throughout the week. Sandwich/salad/soup night is a common occurrence at our house as well.
Loved the podcast – would love to have these recipes and tips at hand!
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My dilemma is not having dinner ready by the time my husband comes home from work. I’m a new mom to a 7 month old baby and it can be challenging finishing up dinner, having it ready. I think easier meals with less ingredients would be a great solution! Thanks for the opportunity.
My biggest dinnertime dilemma is my 17 year old carnivore. He doesn’t eat many vegetables at all. The rest of my family is trying to eat more vegetables. One solution that has worked is to have make your own wraps and tacos.
My biggest challenge is that I don’t enjoy prepping and cooking (the slow cooker is my best friend). Planning ahead helps me a lot.
I follow on both FB (Nicole B.) and Twitter (@newlywed_nicole)
I really have a hard time preparing dinners when I get home from work. I am a mom of a 4 year old and an infant and let me tell you. … at the end of the day I am tuckered out! The things that have been most successful in helping me address this issue are #1 doing a lot of prep work on the weekend and #2 doubling recipes so I don’t have to assemble meals every night.
I follow youmon Pintrest and Twitter! My biggest challenge is definitely meal planning. I get overwhelmed on Sunday/Monday and the nightmare that is “what is for dinner” continues…..
Getting my kids to try new foods and meals. I let them each pick a meal each week and then I try a new one.
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Just getting dinner on at a decent hour without stress!
With a 4 and a 1 year old (early bedtimes!), my biggest challenge is finding healthy, yummy, quick recipes that I can either prep the night before or that come together quickly after work so we can all eat together befor starting bedtime routines.
With a 4 and a 1 year old (early bedtimes!), my biggest challenge is finding healthy, yummy, quick recipes that I can either prep the night before or that come together quickly after work so we can all eat together before starting bedtime routines.
My biggest challenge is probably finding time for making meals. My favorite solution is using the crockpot for meals, but I’m always in need of more ideas!
My biggest dinnertime dilemma is finding the time to make a healthy, nutritious meal for my family. With boys ages 13, 11 and 5, we are running around all day & I often find myself walking in the door at 5:00 with nothing planned for dinner.
My biggest dilemma is figuring out what to fix that is affordable. I try to pick a different protein every night but we get so tired of the same old thing. Food is getting so expensive and finding something affordable is so difficult. I usually end up fixing something that will last for 2 nights (but my husband hates that).
my problem is picky eaters and one member of the family works late.
My husband is anti vegetable and has passed this trait through to our boys. I have, after years of persistence, converted my elder son. My one and a half year old is still a tough sell. My girls are not picky eaters but we find ourselves running out of inspiration. We need new ideas that incorporate the vegetables and include seafood, chicken, meatless, anything!
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My biggest challenge is light summer meals for a large family and 2 kids with food allergies. I don’t want to cook 3 different dinners and I don’t want to foster resentment that we can’t have a dinner someone loves because a sibling is allergic to something in it. I’ve also fallen off the plan a week if dinners bandwagon-and I’m paying the price!
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I’d love to win because I love trying new recipes.
At least once a week- have a time limit of 15 minutes to get dinner on the table- from start to finish. My quick go-to is a French bread pizza. First, I preheat the oven to 350F. While coming to temp, I slather a loaf of french bread or some english muffins with jarred spaghetti sauce (I like the chunky veggie kinds). Then top with some shredded cheese and a variety of toppings (olives, diced peppers/onions/mushrooms), and pop it in a oven for 10 minutes.
While it bakes, i toss together a green salad and there I go- a quick, tasty meal without much fuss!
I follow you on Pinterest and Facebook. Slow cooker meals are the best because you don’t have to rush at the last minute.
My big challenge is getting dinner on the table around evening sports practices. To solve it, I prep in the morning–either a cold salad, a crockpot meal, or something else that can be served with very little time at 6.
I tweeted:
https://twitter.com/MoneywiseMoms/status/479956625499754496
I have many of the challenges listed already, but right now my biggest one is staying organized enough to create a meal plan at the beginning of the week. If weekends are busy, I find us at Monday with no plan and we end up eating out more. My solution is to start planning on Friday for the next week. Getting the CSA bag on Thursdays helps.
My biggest dilemma is finding something that everyone will eat. One doesnt like this, one doesnt like that and when its all said and done, I feel like a short order cook!
My biggest dinner time challenge is finding recipes that we all will eat so I am not making different things for kids and parents!
My biggest dinnertime struggle is kids’ wanting me while I’m preparing dinner. It could be easy prep or lengthy prep, it still is crazy right before dinner. Second difficulty, in the summer, is getting kids to come in from outside 🙂
My biggest challenge is scheduling and having the energy after a long workday to get a healthy meal on the table. My solutions include lots of crock-pot meals and making a meal plan.
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My biggest problem at dinner time is that everyone is hungry when they get home from school. Two get home at 3pm and one not until 4:45. The 2 early ones have snacked after school and only one wants to eat dinner at 4:45. So I feed my oldest a small “dinner” at 4:45 and then fix real dinner a bit later when my husband gets home from work. Easy meals would make the whole scenario so much easier!
My biggest problem is fixing something that is quick, healthy and not the same oh thing-my tried and true recipes. I want something that is new and that I can get on the table in reasonable time. I work full time and don’t want to have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen before I get supper on the table.
Hi thanks!
Nice content, good info….
Please visit my blog: http://grape-seedextract.blogspot.com/
I always run out of ingredients and have to run out to get more
I tweeted https://twitter.com/jessrwarfield/status/480047588721192960
I shared on facebook https://www.facebook.com/junk.graham/posts/495968833869805
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I Follow The Meal Makeover Moms on Facebook and Twitter (@MealMakeovrMoms)
My biggest issue is not wanting to cook when I get home. So I have to prep stuff ahead on the weekends.
I get your e-mails. My dilemma is I will now be living with my 80 year old parents and I have not been cooking for a long time(being living alone). I will be taking care of them. Sure need help. Have no ideas. That is why I need the give-away. Best of wishes to all!
Pam
My biggest dilemma is getting meals on the table the whole family will love. I think this cook book will help me with that.
My biggest dilemma is sports practices coming during meal times and kids needing to be fed at different times and getting to different places. In other words, time! I try to solve this problem by cooking ahead and then reheating meals as needed. We all eat the same meal just at different times.
I follow you on pinterest and facebook!
My biggest challenge is getting my six-year old son to eat meat/protein
I follow you and Sally on FB. We are on a budget and stretched for time. Loved the podcast.
The greatest mealtime challenge I face is getting my husband and toddler to sit down together for the same meal. As we are all often on different schedules, it is often easier to just fix a toddler-friendly meal and then enjoy a ‘real meal’ with hubs once he returns home. Love the reminders from Sally to cook once and enjoy it with all 🙂
And of course I follow all three of you lovely ladies! Thank you for the healthy mealtime inspiration 🙂
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Biggest dinner time dilemma: As a working mom, it is having diner ready on time (i.e. by 7pm) can be a challenge. Thus, I try always the same quick and easy recipes and I feel that my daughter gets bored with the recipes I cook… 🙁
My biggest challenge was running out of ingredients until I created a weekly themed dinner plan. Simple–ex pasta, fish, etc.
My biggest challenge is trying to fix dinner while holding my 18 month old son. (Who otherwise would be crying at my feet in the evenings)
Ladies, I love your podcast and blog! I always look forward to the new posts. Many of your recipes have become family favorites over the years.
My dilemma has always been my variable work schedule, sometimes day shift , sometimes evening shift. and making something that will get eaten .
My biggest dilemma I’m often faced with is the “what’s for dinner” at 5:00, then having to scrounge for something to make.. I’ve started making a weekly menu and I don’t know when the last time I had to rack my brain was on what’s for dinner…
Hey there! My biggest problem is trying to find something each day that appeals to more than one of our kids! I’m stuck in a rut, and each day I try to think “outside the box” but I am struggling … Would love to win this cookbook for some much needed inspiration and help! 🙂 Thanks !!
I follow on FB; I’m a new follower on Twitter & Pinterest. Shared!
My biggest dilemma is kids who claim they don’t like dinner, even though they have eaten the exact meal before! We got over it by simply not giving in. I know they get good, healthy food throught the day, so if they don’t want to eat dinner, or only want to eat the parts that appeal to them, fine. But, a little of everything goes on the plate and they are asked to try one bite and not say anything rude. It’s not always perfect, but there is less fighting and more eating of “new” foods.
I struggle with the different mealtimes and also that during the school year, my daughter is so hungry at 4, she sometimes eats the equivalent of a dinner in snacks before I can make dinner later when dad comes home. I have tried freezer meals, love using the Crock-Pot esp. on activity nights, and cook things like chicken ahead of time and freeze in meal-sized portions already cubed or sliced. Trying to stay flexible helps– if we have extra chicken or ground beef, add it to wraps or top a salad and the “picky” ones can just add the toppings and veggies that they want. Sometimes you just have to be open to what’s considered dinner–nothing wrong with a hearty salad or stuffed baked potato.
Hello!
My biggest challenge is getting dinner ready, period! Come 5pm, my three kids have each turned into hugglemonsters and getting anything done is next to impossible. To solve this problem, I prep everything while they have their afternoon nap. This way, I’m ready to start cooking when my husband gets home to entertain them. Dinner doesn’t take as long to get ready when all the prep has been done!
I’d love a copy of this book!
Fellow MA dweller. You’re all amazing!
Follow you on FB and Pinterest! My biggest dinner dilemma is picky eaters. I make sandwiches (or do drive through) way too often because I’m just OVER the fact that almost no one likes exactly the same combination of foods…:(
I’d like to read the “I’m not a short-order cook” section especially. I’ve got one picky eater, one with food allergies, and all four kids have various activities. I’d like to find either dishes that can be customized and/or that stay good even if you have to keep them warm for a while or reheat them. Thanks!
Oh, and I like you on Facebook, too!
My biggest challenge is when I’m working and not there for supper (3 days a week)… I still want my kids and hubby to eat healthy, so I need quick, easy, healthy recipes that they can prepare together… and ones that are yummy enough to keep them from grabbing a pizza instead!
always need new things to make! My boys are always wanting something different than what i make!
My biggest dinner time dilemma has to do with the kids activities. They both play team sports and have training/practices everyday. We don’t typically get home until 8:30 or so. I try to plan menus each weekend for the upcoming week and have ingredients prepped and ready the night before as much as possible. I also try to use the slow cooker whoever possible.
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I would love to win to solve the dilemma of getting food to the table for my family
I’m following you on Pinterest!
My biggest problem is trying to figure out what to have in the summer, without having salads everyday. To try to solve this I get ideas from pinterest and plan. 🙂
I’m a fan on facebook.
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I shared on Facebook.
My biggest dinner issue is getting healthy meals on the table that everyone agrees on. My son is picky and my husband now needs heart healthy meals. This book would allow me to cook meals that I think everyone would agree on.
My challenge is that my husband gets home late, so I need meals that can be prepared ahead of time, and taste good reheated.
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My biggest challenge is incorporating veggies into meals.
I would love to win this book to get some healthy meal ideas
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I follow The Meal Makeover Moms on Facebook and Twitter
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My biggest challenge is making a meal plan that is easy and quick!
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Time! I work full time with a 40 minute commute each way… I come home to a family that is hungry now! So the faster I can get something on the table, the better. I made the lettuce wraps last night, after listening to the podcast on my way home – yum! I added water chestnuts and just chopped some rotisserie chicken I had on hand. What a great, easy, quick recipe.