Middle Eastern Tempeh Lettuce Wraps

 

Middle Eastern Tempeh Lettuce Wraps

Try this tasty variation on the traditional lettuce wrap.

This was a meal hubby and I really enjoyed. First, for you newbies, here’s a brief explanation of the ingredients.

Tempeh is a delicious little patty made from cooked, lightly fermented soybeans. You can use it as a substitute for ground meats in recipes. If you’re gluten free like me, watch out for brands with added glutinous grains. Stick with the plain stuff and add your own seasonings. I like Westsoy. Not a tofu fan? Fear not! Tempeh tastes nothing like tofu and its high in protein, calcium and beneficial isoflavones.

Ajvar is a puree of red bell peppers, eggplant, garlic and chili pepper. I usually find it in ethnic, especially Middle Eastern food stores. It hails from Serbia and ads a flavorful kick to this recipe – think Middle Eastern Salsa. I’ve tried a couple brands and both were delicious. I found my most recent jar at World Market. Someday I might try to make a batch, but the stuff in the jar is pretty good and for the sake of time in this busy working woman’s life, I’ll use the store bought stuff. I like to use it along side hummus for added flavor and color.

Hummus, one of my favorite treats, is made with garbanzo beans, (aka chickpeas) tahini (sesame paste – looks and spreads like nut butter), garlic, lemon juice and a little salt.

You can also buy good hummus at many stores, but remember to read labels for simple ingredients and watch out for hidden gluten.  I’ll be posting my recipe soon.

Let’s get wrapping! Prepare your hummus, ajvar and washed romaine lettuce ahead of time and store in refrigerator until time to serve.

Tempeh Mixture Ingredients:

1 Tbs coconut oil

¼ cup chopped green onions

½ cup shredded carrots

1 Tsp crushed garlic

1 Tbs vegetable bullion (more or less to taste)

1 Tsp ground coriander

1 Tsp pepper

1 tempeh patty

Add a tablespoon of coconut oil to a heated pan. Melt on high heat. Add onions, celery and garlic and cook until lightly brown. Crumble (don’t chop) your tempeh and add to the mix. Stir and begin to brown. Add all spices. Continue to stir until tempeh reaches the desired brownness.

Take a piece of romaine lettuce; fill the hollow with a generous spoonful of temeph mixture, some hummus and a dollop of ajvar. Mmmmm!

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