#69 Lettuce Wraps with Chinese Ground Chicken

After the overindulgence of the holidays, I want to feel like I am eating something healthy so I make a batch of  Chinese style ground chicken in Lettuce wraps.  Eating healthy is harder than I thought, but if you are counting calories, portion control is the only way to manage cravings. I look at lettuce wraps as being healthier compared to what I have been eating these days, but I realized that they have some horrendous calorie counts. If you are a devoted health 'nut', then watch out!! With 77 g of carbs, the calories will add up if these are eaten as an appetizer, in addition to a main dish. I am no dietician, so let’s just say that it is less harmful than some deep fried foods. As far as I have generous portions of meat piled high onto the crispy freshness of the lettuce and drizzle with zesty sauce, I make it a meal and it should be OK…Mmmm!!

Ingredients for chicken mix

3 tablespoons oil

2 Lbs ground chicken

1 can water chestnut

2/3 cup mushroom

½ cup chopped onions

3 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1/4 cup Cilantro and mint

4 -5 leaves iceberg lettuce

Special Sauce

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon hot mustard

2 teaspoons water

1 -2 teaspoon garlic and red chile paste

Stir Fry Sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

2 Tblspn Hoisin Sauce

1 tspn Ginger grated

2 Red chillies crushed

Method:

1 Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl.

2. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil.

3 Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve.

4 Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well and add to the sauce.

6 Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan.

7.Saute chicken for 10 minutes and add onions, cilantro, mint, ginger, garlic, minced water chestnuts and mushrooms until the chicken is cooked well.

8. Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl. Add rest of ingredients for sauce.

9. Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple of mins then serve in the lettuce cups.