P.F. Chang's Copycat Lettuce Wraps (gluten free, AIP/paleo)
This recipe is hands down one of my BEST recipes! My Husband Glenn and I devoured these lettuce wraps and they reminded us of ordering off the gluten free menu at P.F. Changs (back in the day lol I think our last visit was for our birthdays back in October of 2017).
Not only is this recipe DELICIOUS, but it is PACKED with nutrition! There's one ingredient I'd like to spotlight, being as it is the most nutritionally dense ingredient in this recipe... Can you guess what it is??
Chicken livers. Yup. That's right. Chicken livers!
Let's take a moment to dive into the nutritional benefits of organ meats, one of THE MOST nutritionally dense foods on this planet! Organ meat contains abundant amounts of:
iron, which helps prevent anemia and improve oxygen storage.
retinol (pre-formed vitamin A), which aides in reduction of inflammation. It is also immune supportive, which is extremely helpful for those of use with autoimmune conditions!
folate, which promotes fertility and aides in a healthy pregnancy.
choline, which is vital for brain and liver health
B vitamin complex, which is cardioprotective/neuroprotective and lowers homocysteine levels.
Now, not only will you be able to satisfy your Chinese food craving, but you’ll do it in a healthy, gluten free, nutritionally dense, and amazingly delicious way!!
This recipe is nutrient dense, Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) friendly, paleo, primal, gluten free, grain free, nut free, egg free, dairy free, nightshade free, lower carb, & keto friendly!
What Makes this High-Vibing Food?
First and foremost, putting your own love, gratitude, time and energy into making foods at home will automatically raise the vibration of the foods/meal. This will also help to balance your sacral and heart chakras. Putting your love into the food you prepare will literally raise the vibrational frequency as love is the highest vibration out there!
You are what you eat and what your food eats. Using organic, GMO free, free/pasture raised, wild caught, minimally processed ingredients lead to an overall higher vibrational frequency. Basically, eating organic provides us extra energy currency!
This dish is rich in protein, which is grounding and protective. It also supports the root chakra.
Contains iron, which is supportive for your root chakra.
Contains zinc, which is needed for thousands of chemical reactions in your body involving protein, so it is also supportive to the root chakra.
Contains mushrooms, which are grounding and support the root chakra.
This recipe is full of healthy fats and/or oils, which supports the sacral chakra.
This recipe is higher in carbohydrates, providing the solar plexus chakra with both long-lasting sugar sources (like fiber) and quick acting sugars like glucose.
Contains yellow/tan/golden colored foods, which help raise the body’s frequency to that of the solar plexus, helping to balance it.
Contains leafy greens, which are especially supportive to the heart chakra as they contain life force, layers and depth.
Contains raw veggies, which are especially balancing to the heart chakra as they contain balancing cooling properties.
Contains green colored foods, which support and balance the heart chakra.
This has a sauce recipe, linking earth and water elements, while also connecting the other chakras together with the throat chakra.
A Short Note on Swaps or Ingredients:
*While I cannot guarantee that using these swaps will yield the same flavors I have create in this recipe, these swaps should generally work well! *
Coconut aminos is a soy/gluten free soy sauce alternative that is DELICIOUS! It has a slightly sweeter tasted the soy sauce but it still deep and rich in flavor. I think it is wayyyy tastier! If you cannot find thins in your local grocery store in the Asian section, you can easily buy it online!
Equipment Needed to Create this Recipe:
large wok or skille
t
food processor or high-powered blender
medium mixing bowl
a good knife
cutting board
small whisk (or you can always use a fork!)
measuring cups/spoons
P.F. Chang's Copycat Lettuce Wraps
(gluten free & AIP/paleo)
Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: about 30 minutes Yield: 6
Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, diced into tiny bits (or you could get dark meat ground chicken)
1 lb. organic chicken livers
½ lb. ground chicken breast
8 oz. mushrooms, minced
2 large carrots, shredded
1 can water chestnuts, minced
1 bunch of green onions, sliced
½ onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup coconut aminos
½ tbsp. honey
4 tsp. avocado oil
2 tsp. coconut vinegar (or ACV)
2 tsp. minced ginger
1 tsp. garlic granules
1 tsp. ginger powder
2 big splashes of gluten free fish sauce
¼ tsp. ground sweet basil
Iceberg lettuce cups (2-3 large heads)
Dipping Sauce:
½ cup coconut aminos
4 tsp. coconut vinegar (or ACV)
3 tsp. avocado oil
2 splashes of fish sauce
½ tsp. garlic granules
½ tsp. ginger powder
How to Create this Recipe:
Prep all your veggies.
Start by prepping your meats. If you can’t find dark ground chicken meat, you’ll need to cut the chicken thighs into tiny bits. This is easiest to do when the chicken is half frozen. Once cut, set aside for a moment. alternatively, you can speed this step up by putting the chicken thighs into a food processor and pulse/process until a almost ground like texture is accomplished. Remove from the processor, if used, and set to the side.
After you have prepped the chicken thighs, in a food processor or blender, blend the ground chicken breast and chicken livers until smooth and incorporated, then set that aside as well.
Next, in a very large skillet, add a bit of oil and then cook the onions on medium for a few minutes, until translucent. Then, add the minced mushrooms and cook for about 4 minutes, until the mushrooms have cooked down. Next, add the garlic. Cook for another minute.
Now add the meats and cook until the meat is cooked all the way through. This may take up to 15 minutes. Crumble the meat up as it cooks.
While the meat cooks, add the coconut aminos, avocado oil, honey, vinegar, fresh ginger, garlic, ground ginger, fish sauce and basil to a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
Once the meat is cooked, add the carrots and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Then, pour the sauce over the meat and veggie mixture, along with the minced water chestnuts. Stir until incorporated. Remove from heat.
In the same medium bowl that you made the sauce in, you will make the dipping sauce. Add all ingredients listed for the dipping sauce and then whisk until incorporated.
Serve this with lots of big lettuce cups (iceberg is best).
Enjoy!!
NUTRITION
Serving Size: 1 (based off of 6 servings total)
Calories: 460
Fat: 20 g
Carbs: 22 g
Protein: 44 g
*All nutritional information are estimations and will vary.