Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I’ve been MIA, in my own private Idaho, head down, nose to the grindstone. Have you ever been in your car headed toward a destination only to find you arrived but have no recollection of how you got there? That’s basically what my past six weeks have been like. I picked my head up the other day and barely remember the journey that got me to today.

It’s nothing life threatening…it’s just life. Just a lot of life packed into a month or so. That’s all. But, enough of it to make me miss out on get-togethers with friends, skip over online chats with pals, and pass on a virtual baby shower.  Enough to take me away from my blog and make me fall asleep on the couch in front of the TV some evenings. Enough to make me forget earlier this year I pledged to savor the moments.

I did have a few cool moments though…some really cool ones. A girls’ weekend away. A few posts on Martha Stewart’s wholeliving.com G-Free Fridays. Some time with the kid over spring break. Walks with the little dogs to clear my head and regular yoga to help ease the stress.

OK, now it’s time to clear the chalkboard and start over again. Yep. That’s what I’m telling myself. ;D

Anyhoo, during the weekend I was away I had the chance to eat at PF Changs and enjoy several of their wonderful gluten-free menu items. My friends and I ordered the Chicken Lettuce Wraps, some Singapore Street Noodles, Garlic Snap Peas and Mongolian Beef. Yes, we were hungry and it was so good.

These Chicken Lettuce Wraps are inspired by that meal. A few online recipes helped me figure out how to make a unique sauce for the chicken. This recipe is not a copycat of the one at PF Chang’s but it’s delicious and suits my hubs and me just fine.

The inspiration recipes:

Gluten Free Cooking School’s Singapore Street Noodles

The Culinary Life’s Lettuce Wraps

Some other recipes to check out:

Chef Jeena’s curry powder recipe…if you’re so inclined.

Elana’s Pantry Thai Chicken Wraps

Life As A Plate Thai Beef Lettuce Wraps

Book of Yum’s Jicama Tofu Lettuce Wraps

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Make the sauce by mixing the following ingredients together, then set aside:

4 tablespoons SanJ organic gluten-free tamari (soy) sauce
3 tablespoons ketchup or tomato sauce
2 teaspoons Sriracha hot sauce (optional)*
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
pinch turmeric
2 teaspoons organic natural peanut butter
½ teaspoon gluten-free Thai Kitchen fish sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar (optional)

Heat in a wok over medium high heat:

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 teaspoon sesame or avocado oil

Add, stirring for 5 minutes, until fully cooked:

1 pound ground organic chicken or turkey

Add in and stir until just wilted:

¾ cup carrots, shredded
1½ cups savoy cabbage, shredded then chopped
1 cup shitake mushrooms, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup water chestnuts, chopped
¼ cup snow peas, chopped

Mix in the sauce you prepared earlier and heat through.

Serve with freshly washed organic Boston lettuce leaves.

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Notes: *Please use Sriracha sauce only if you determine, based on the ingredients list, that it’s a safe gluten-free product. I couldn’t find a definitive claim this sauce is gluten-free. Sriracha sauce is a hot chile sauce so if you do not like spicy foods omit it from the recipe. If you are not confident it’s gluten-free you can substitute another gluten-free hot sauce in it’s place—add to your own tastes.

Tuna Noodle Casserole (gluten-free)

I’m a comfort food kind of woman. Although complex flavors are appealing I’ll cave every time to something as simple and ordinary as Tuna Noodle Casserole.

This dish is not a regular visitor to our table. I’ll let you in on a little secret—my guys are not actually in love with it.

Once in a blue moon they’ll indulge my craving and with half hearted smiles come to the table to stare at it’s creamy goodness. (Yes, they eat it. Without too much whining I might add.) Personally, I don’t get why it’s not a favorite. I think it’s sinfully divine.

It could be I enjoy it not only for it’s taste but because tuna casserole and I have a bit of history together. We met when I was in high school, introduced by a high school beau who would whip it up for lunch, dinner, or just a midnight snack. Needless to say during that period of my life I ate a lot of tuna casserole and, well, it just kind of stuck with me.

Sometimes the foods we grew up with and that still remain in our recipe boxes are a nice bit of comfort to ease life in a fast paced world.

Tuna Noodle Casserole (gluten-free)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add and cook until just al dente (about 2/3 the time recommended on the package):

8 ounces gluten-free fusilli pasta (I used Bionaturae)

Drain the pasta, rinse in cold water, and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking heat over a medium flame in a heavy skillet:

2 tablespoons olive oil

Add in:

1 ½ cups fresh mushrooms, sliced and coarse diced
1 small sweet onion, diced
3 celery stalks, sliced

Sauté until the vegetables are wilted and the liquid subsides…about 10 minutes.

Sprinkle over top and mix in with the vegetables:

¾ teaspoon celery seeds
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
4 teaspoons sorghum flour

Add, a quarter cup at a time, mixing in and letting it simmer to allow the liquid to begin to thicken:

1 cup chicken broth mixed with
½ cup hemp milk

Take the skillet off the heat when the liquid is thickened and reduced to about three quarters.

Add and mix through:

1 ½ cups shredded manchego or cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
2 cans of solid white albacore tuna, drained

Gently mix in the cooked fusilli.

If the mixture is too thick you can add a tablespoon or two more of broth or water to loosen it.

Spoon everything into an ovenproof casserole dish and sprinkle the mixture with:

1/3 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
1/4 cup shredded manchego or cheddar cheese

Bake about 20-25 minutes until the casserole is bubbling and beginning to brown on top.

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