Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps and the Technicolor Plate

January 8th, 2011

This dish was inspired by Mary of One Perfect Bite.  Mary consistently turns out one beautiful dish after another on a daily basis on her food blog.  Everything she posts is worthy of consideration and her photography is stunning.  She recently posted a recipe for minced chicken with oyster sauce that was served on a bed of rice.  I loved the presentation and the flecks of red and green peppers which studded the meat.  She mentioned using the meat mixture in lettuce wraps and I knew I had to try it.  Although I love white rice, for the foreseeable future, we are avoiding white rice, white bread, white potatoes etc.  My guiding principle in serving food is COLOR.  Bright orange, bright red, bright green, dark leafy vegetables and vibrant red strawberries, blueberries and navy blue blackberries are all in my current lexicon.

I decided to use a package of organic ground beef that I had just purchased to make Mary’s recipe.  The only other change I made was adding water chestnuts to it for added crunch.  We loved it and there was even enough left over for a whole wheat tortilla wrap the next day.  I will be making this often.  With it I served roasted butternut squash which I seasoned with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and ground cumin.

GROUND BEEF LETTUCE WRAPS

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 pound of lean ground beef
6 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/4 cup diced water chestnuts

Leaves from one head of Bibb lettuce, washed and spun dry.

Heat a wok or large fryig pan over medium high heat.  Add oil and heat until it shimmers.  Add onion and garlic and saute briefly being careful not to burn the garlic, about 2 minutes.  Lower the heat to medium and add the ground beef.  Cook, breaking up pieces until it is no longer pink.  Drain off fat.  Stir in oyster sauce, soy sauce and pepper.  Dissolve conrstarch in chicken broth.  Add to pan and cook and stir until thickened.  Stir in diced peppers and water chestnuts.  Serve in lettuce cups.

Speaking of colorful food, what do you think of pink?  Pink grapefruit that is.

This is our neighbor Bill’s tree.  Here is the sign that he posted by his mailbox.

How lucky we are to have such a great neighbor.  His pink grapefruits are delicious.  And guess what?  Mary of One Perfect Bite even has a recipe for Pink Grapefruit Salad Dressing on her blog today.  Think I will give it a try.  Thanks Mary.

Printable recipe Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps

10 responses to “Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps and the Technicolor Plate”

  1. I love PF Chang’s chicken lettuce wraps, but I know the way they make them are soooo full of fat and calories. This sounds like a great substitute!

    Free grapefruit next door sounds wonderful today. It is snowing like crazy here!
    Hugs,
    Penny

  2. Rita says:

    What a beautiful plate. I love this stuff; haven’t made it in years. This is going on my menu for this week; thank you for inspiring me.
    Rita

  3. I love Mary’s blog…I always come away with interesting ideas and have made a few of her recipes. This sounds delicious. I am with you also on staying away from starches and most things ‘white’.

    Hope you are having a wonderful New Year, Penny!

    XO,
    Jane

  4. Pondside says:

    I love Mary’s blog too!
    Today two bloggers that I follow have featured lettuce wraps, so I think I’ll have to have one for supper – it’s a sign!
    I love pink grapefruit and remember how amazed I was to see it on a tree the first time I visited Florida years ago. Neither The Great Dane nor I can eat it though, as we are on statin medication. I miss it!

  5. Big Dude says:

    New Years resolutions are popping up all over – two lettuce wrap posts in my to-be-read pile – I need to consider them.

  6. Donnie says:

    They sounded really good. We’re trying to eat less carbs too or at least more nutritious ones. That’s lovely about the grapefruit trees but hubby’s heart medicine won’t let him enjoy that treat anymore. Take care.

  7. Haden News says:

    I love lettuce wraps!! Your recipe sounds great, looking forward to trying it.

  8. Barbara says:

    Mary’s blog is wonderful, isn’t it? I saw this recipe and thought it was terrific. You did a marvelous job interpreting it, Penny. I’ve always loved lettuce wraps!

  9. I love Mary’s blog too. The water chestnuts sound like a great addition. Free grapefruit huh….great neighbor.
    Sam

  10. Robin Sue says:

    I have always been wanting to try lettuce wraps but can never narrow done a good recipe. I like your addition of the waterchestnuts for crunch. I will have to give this one a go. Oh and I wish to have access to a tree like that. Lucky you!

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