Wanting to sneak in a little veg to your dinner? Try this.

Parents are always trying to find ways to get more vegetables into their children's bellies.  This recipe makes it easy.  The smaller you chop the veggies, the less likely your children will notice, or care, that they are in there.  It's tasty and makes a large amount so you can freeze half of it for an easy meal another day.  I usually can get everything I need from Lidl/Aldi and Food Lion combined. 

This recipe also comes from my mother's congregations cookbook Our Golden Plates by The Elizabethown Ward.  I don't know where the contributor originally got it.  Though I do tend to like cookbooks like that because everyone is putting their favorites in, so you are likely to find some awesome recipes.  Speaking of which, here it is.

Equipment: cutting board, chef knife, measuring spoons and cups, large sautee pan or skillet (or a large sauce pan), heat resistant mixing spoon, food processor (optional)

Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

3 garlic coves (1 Tbsp minced)

1 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled (1 Tbsp minced)

4 medium carrots

10 green onions white and green parts

1 (8 oz) can sliced water chestnuts

1 (8 oz) can bamboo shoots

1 Tbsp canola oil

3 lbs ground turkey breast

1 c hoisin sauce

1/2 c soy sauce 

1/3 c dry sherry

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp Sriracha or other hot chili sauce or paste

Boston Bibb/Romain lettuce (allow 3-4 leaves per person)

Brown rice, cooked (optional)

Suggested Toppings:

peanuts, chopped

cilantro

sriracha chili sauce

Asian peanut sauce

Asian spicy lime and ginger sauce

Process:  

1) Mince the vegetables.  This may all be minced by hand, however, it is easier to use a food processor if you have one.  Process in this order: Mince garlic and ginger together.  Chop the carrots into 1 inch chunks and add them to the food processor until minced.  Empty the contents of the processor into a bowl.  Chop green onions into 2 inch pieces and add with bamboo shoots and water chestnuts into the food processor until minced. 

2)  Add canola oil to skillet and heat on medium-high heat.  Add turkey, cook until browned, break apart chunks.  

3) Add all minced veggies and cook 5-10 minutes until tender.  

4) In a separate bowl, whisk together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sherry, sesame oil, and Sriracha; add to the turkey mixture.  stir and cook until heated through (approximately 5 minutes).  

5) To Serve: Spoon rice and turkey mixture onto a lettuce leaf.  Add toppings if desired.  Roll the lettuce leaf and eat.  

6) To Freeze: Add turkey mixture to freezer bag -- 2 cups to quart-size bag.  Flatten bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and seal.  Lay flat in freezer.  May be frozen for several months.  

Notes:

1) If you don't do alcohol in your foods, just leave out the sherry.  It still tastes wonderful.

2) If you want to have less meat, you can substitute some canned chickpeas drained and run through the food processor for 1-1 1/2 lbs of the meat.  I usually assume that 1 can of chickpeas is equivalent to about 1 lb of the meat when I do this.  You can substitute more or all of it, but then I start to notice a change in the flavor. 

3) You can substitute quinoa for the rice or another of your favorite grains.  

4) I have to do process my vegetables in smaller batches as I have a small food processor.  I also have been known to add a couple more carrots into the mix. 

4) If your child doesn't like lettuce, you can put the meat on a sandwich and have an Asian style sloppy joe. 

5) To Reheat - You can reheat this in the microwave or thaw first and then reheat in a pan.