Asian Southern Fusion Meal

Macros / Serving Size

Protein 44 g | Fat 33 g | Carbs 51 g

% Calories of Macros / Serving Size

Calories 671 | Protein 26 % | Fat 44 % | Carbs 30 %

Nutrients / Serving Size

Fiber 5 g | Sodium 785 mg | Sat. Fat 11 g

Ingredients (serves 4)

• ½ cup uncooked instant brown rice
• 2 peaches
• 12 leaves of Bibb lettuce
• 3 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 lb. of ground beef
• 4 tbsp. of hoisin sauce
• 2 tsp. of soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 tsp. garlic powder)
• ½ cup of shredded carrots 
• 8 oz. of sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
• ⅓ cup smooth peanut butter
• 2 oz. crumbled blue cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Cook the rice according to package directions.
3. While the rice is cooking, wash and gently pat dry the fresh produce. Set lettuce leaves aside. Slice the peaches in half and remove the pit.
4. Place the peach halves in a baking dish with the flesh side facing up. Slide the dish in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes until the peaches are soft.
5. Once the rice has finished cooking, spread it evenly on a flat cookie sheet and place the rice in the refrigerator to chill.
6. While the rice is chilling and the peaches are baking, prepare the meat mixture by heating the sesame oil in a pan over medium heat and then adding the ground beef, 1 tbsp. of hoisin sauce, the soy sauce and 1 minced garlic clove (or ½ tsp. garlic powder). Mix the ingredients well and then cook over medium-high heat.
7. Once the meat begins to brown and just a little pink remains, add the shredded carrots and water chestnuts; continue cooking until no pink remains in the meat and the carrots are crisp tender.
8. While the meat is finishing cooking, quickly make the sauce by whisking together the peanut butter with 1 minced garlic clove (or ½ tsp. garlic powder), 3 tbsp. of hoisin sauce, and about ¼ cup of water.
9. Remove peaches from the oven and then sprinkle a total of 2 oz. of crumbled blue cheese over the peaches (each peach should just have a dusting of blue cheese - about ½ oz.).
10. Serve each plate with 3 lettuce wraps and ½ of a baked peach. To assemble the lettuce wraps, place 1/12 of the rice topped with 1/12 of the meat mixture on each lettuce leaf and then lightly drizzle with the sauce.

Notes

• For a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce and/or cook with the ground beef.
• If you aren’t sure about how the sauce will taste, don’t drizzle it on the wraps but serve it on the side, for dipping.
• Sprinkle some green onion and/or lime zest and juice on the wraps for a little more zip.
• This recipe tastes great with ground chicken or ground turkey.
• Nutrition analysis is based on the use of 90 % lean ground beef and regular soy sauce.  Fat and calories can be decreased by using a leaner level of ground beef.  Sodium can be reduced by using a low sodium choice.