There are times with our family that dinner is a well planned out meal while other nights its a clean out the refrigerator type of night. We typically scrounge around and come up with a recipe which at times is what I do best and other nights I resort to pancakes and bacon for dinner. The kids also love a good grilled cheese sandwich paired with chips, which makes them happy because they feel like they decided on what was for dinner that night. Little do they know that it was a last resort because mom and dad couldn’t decide what to make for them.
A couple of nights ago I rummaged through the fridge and found a couple of the main ingredients for these 20 Minute Pork Lettuce Wraps. Simple, flavorful and healthy is what I call a dinner win. Lately, I’ve been putting my beloved bread to the side at lunchtime to make a lettuce wrap as a healthy alternative to a traditional sandwich. It’s something that I’ve enjoyed for years but I hardly deviate from the this traditional approach for other alternatives with the lettuce wrap. I must say I absolutely love this recipe for Asian Chicken Lettuce.
The kids were a little confused at first with putting something inside lettuce and rolling it up, but they eventually caught on. If your kids don’t like lettuce try putting this mixture on some chips for a quick fix with some melted cheese. The best part about these pork lettuce wraps is how fast you can throw it together, and it’s a healthy alternative that everyone can enjoy.
Don’t worry too much about the heat in this dish from the serrano pepper and chili powder. You can always cut the two ingredients in half and taste test as you go if there’s any concern.
ENJOY ~ Meagan
20 Minute Pork Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 serrano pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- juice from 1/2 lime
- 12+ lettuce leaves
Instructions
Add oil to medium size skillet over low/medium heat. Add the serrano, bell pepper and garlic and saute for 4 minutes. Remove the peppers from the pan and set aside.
Add pork, garlic salt, cumin, chili powder, cilantro and juice from lime to the pan. Cook 8-10 minutes or until meat is cooked through. Use a spatula to break it up into pieces. Add the peppers back to the pan and cook an additional 2 minutes.
Season with salt and place a spoonful into a lettuce leaf.
Optional: Top with peanuts and extra cilantro
