400 calorie: Teriyaki Ginger Lettuce Wraps

The health and fitness scene is all a buzz about this EATING CLEAN thing.  "Eat Clean? Like, take a shower before I eat? What does that even mean?"

First off, eating clean isn't a diet plan. It isn't really a new concept. It's a lifestyle commitment that is completely in your hands.  It's reaching for a handful of almonds in lieu of M&M's. It's chopping vegetables and adding them to your skillet in lieu of opening a pre-made frozen dinner. Eating clean means eliminating the processed, preservative rich food that makes us unhealthy and overweight. Eating clean is easier (and cheaper) than you think. It just takes some preparation. This recipe uses some simple, fresh ingredients that you can use on a M-Friday lunch schedule or cooking for a large crew? A serving size is 3 wraps (1 lettuce leaf with two heaping tablespoons of chicken mixture, each). I was full after just two. And just think, three of these bad boys are only around 400 calories.  Enjoy! 

This recipe is brought to you in collaboration with Absolute Fitness Academy's GYM KITCHEN

Ginger Soy Chicken Lettuce Wraps 

1 big ziplock bag 

1 head of Romaine Lettuce or pkg of  R.L.Hearts- washed and separated

1 pkg (2.5lbs) of Chicken Tenderloins- diced 

1 cup of steamed brown rice (check out my fool proof rice trick) 

1 can of water chestnuts, diced. 

Celery, minced 

4 Scallions, sliced reserve ½ 

bell peppers

2 Tbsp Teriyaki sauce (low sodium) 

1 Tbsp Oyster sauce

1 tsp ginger, grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pkg broccoli slaw

1 cucumber, thinly sliced

¼ cup Seasoned rice wine vinegar

1) Prepare your rice per package directions. Check out my fool proof, measuring cup free technique for steaming rice. 

2) In a large ziplock bag, add your raw bite-sized pieces of chicken, the other half of the scallions, ginger, garlic, teriyaki and oyster sauce. Seal and refrigerate for a few minutes 15-30 minutes.

3) In a bowl, mix ½ of the broccoli slaw bag with sliced cucumbers. If you like heat, add some red chili flakes or actual chili pods. Add your rice wine vinegar and ½ scallions. Cover and set aside in the fridge. 

4) Heat up your wok to medium high heat. Add some olive oil when your pan is HOT and brown your chicken pieces. Once browned, add the water chestnuts, peppers and celery and saute for another few minutes. Next, turn down your heat to low and add the brown rice. 

5) When you are ready to eat, add two tablespoons of mixture in each Romaine leaf. Pull the cucumber broccoli slaw from the fridge and add that to the top of your mixture. Grab a napkin, because this can get a little messy... but it's worth it! YUM! 

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FYI: The über athletes take it a step further by restricting all gluten with a stone-aged inspired PALEO diet. So, if you are going PALEO, just add the real ingredients and eliminate the rice and sauces. But because our cave dwelling ancestors life expectancy plateaued at the ripe old age of 38, I'm going to suggest preparing this recipe the "clean" way. I'll bet Fred and Wilma would have eaten these wraps my way, anyway.