Vegan MoFo Day 5: Quinoa and Portobello Lettuce Wraps

I have been reading this new book by Peggy Kotsopoulos called "It must have been something I ate". It is full of great information. "Must Have Been Something I Ate spins salads into PMS cures, turns oatmeal into a sleep aid and transforms kelp into a weight loss wonder. This go-to-guide is your personalized resource for discovering the connection between the food you eat and how you look and feel. Whether you’re feeling blue or bloated, bitchy or blemished, this one-of-a-kind companion will become your solution-finding BFF."

There is so much good info in there that its hard to tell you just one thing. I've already mentioned some of it, about sugar and such. But today I'm eating leftover lettuce wraps from last night done with romaine lettuce so I would like to talk about romaine. It is high in a mineral called Chromium.

Chromium is an essential mineral that is used by the body to balance blood sugar levels and support cholesterol. It is also used in the metabolism and storage of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates by the body. It can also regulate hunger and control cravings. So you can see it would be a great weight loss AID. Its not magic but increasing your consumption of chromium can help you in that process. 

If you have high blood pressure, high blood sugar or high cholesterol then increasing your consumption would benefit you immensely.  Foods that are high in chromium are:

- romaine lettuce

- onions

- whole grains

- potatoes

So, when you make your salads quit using regular ole lettuce. Use romaine. It tastes better and actually has some nutrients for you hot body. 

With that in mind, I decided to make some lettuce wraps to take advantage of this new factoid I learned. Learning is fun right?

Quinoa and Portobello Lettuce Wraps:

2 cups dry quinoa

2 portobello mushrooms

2 baby bok choy, chopped

2 carrots

2 celery, chopped

1/2 onion, diced

2 kale stalks, leaves removed

2 garlic cloves

2 tbsp hoisin sauce

3 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp agave nectar

Sriracha

2 green onions, chopped

Directions:

1. Cook quinoa according to package

2. Put carrots, kale and garlic in a food processor and process till small (or chop if you'd prefer)

3. Heat olive oil in a large pan, add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. 

4. Add the processed carrots, kale and garlic and about a 1/4 cup water. Just enough to steam the veggies. Cook for 3 minutes.

5. Add remaining veggies. Cook for 5 minutes.

6. Add the hoisin, soy, sesame oil and agave nectar. Add the sriracha to your own taste.

7. Stir in the quinoa and add more sauce if you need. Fill the lettuce with the filling and enjoy. Makes great leftovers too!

I sometimes get tired with the constant chopping. I know I know. I'm vegan so get used to it right. But sometimes I tire and using the processor helps me out a lot. 

Drool

Yummy

Delish

Totally delish and totally nutrish. Yup, I just said that. Quinoa is full of protein, omega's and fiber. There's protein in the bok choy and kale. Plus all the vit's and min's in the other veggies. Good dins. Good lunch. Another easy one to modify if you don't have some of the ingredients. I find sugar (agave in this case) is found in a lot of Asian cooking so add a tiny bit for that sweetness. Even if you think you don't need it, it works. And a little goes a long way.

Happy Eating!

Peace

xoxo

K