Tag Archives: vegetarian lettuce wraps

Tofu Sofritas Lettuce Wraps

 

For those of you who don’t know, or don’t eat at Chipotle, the fast-casual Mexican chain, they have a new vegetarian/vegan option: the sofritas.

This option is shredded pressed tofu, marinaded in sofrito sauce and braised on the grill like their meats. There is debate as to whether it is worth the added cost (if you put guac on it too) over a plain no-meat burrito or bowl, but that choice is yours to make.

Sofrito, or refogado, is traditionally a sauce made from aromatics like garlic, onion, peppers, tomato, and paprika cooked in olive oil. Used in Brazilian, Spanish, and Portuguese cooking, the preparation varies as each cook makes theirs unique based on seasonal cuisine and local taste preferences.

Rather than shell out $8.50 + tax (or whatever a burrito runs in your neck of the woods) how about you make your very own at home for a larger batch at a much lower price? It’s super easy, even if you’ve never cooked tofu before. You don’t even have to press it first, as you usually do with tofu, because you will shred and fry it.

The other ingredients are the things I like in my bowl/taco. Feel free to improvise with whatever toppings you like and have. Try: coleslaw, salsa, tomatillos, hot sauce, jalapenos, beans of all kinds, onions, cilantro, sour cream, avocado, shredded cheese…

Ingredients:

Wrap Toppings:

  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • 1 cup cooked pinto beans
  • 2 tbsp hummus
  • Fresh diced tomato
  • 1 fresh avocado
  • 1 head romaine, outer leaves removed
  • Optional: use tortillas (or make your own)

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Step 1: Drain the tofu, and heat the oil in a pan. Using a fork or your hands, smash the tofu into crumbles.

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Step 2: Dice or crush the garlic, add to the oil until fragrant, then add the tofu. Pour on your hot sauce and spices.

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Because the meat-eater was joining me, I mixed tofu and ground turkey together. Keep it veg/vegan by not adding turkey, or slowly introduce tofu to someone this way.

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Step 3: Keep mixing until tofu develops a nice deep red/brown color, about 10-12 minutes.

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Step 4: Sprinkle the yeast into the tofu, and squeeze the lime juice over top. Take a large romaine leaf, and top with a heaping tbsp or two of sofritas.

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Add the other toppings you like, and wrap it all up.

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This makes a hearty and filling wrap, you can eat two or three and still have a very low total calorie count. If opposed to the lettuce, feel free to make it a bowl or use tortillas.

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Vegan Tofu-Sauerkraut Lettuce Wraps

 

As I’ve been diving into the world of vegan food options, it has made me more creative with my meals, how they are cooked, what is in them, and what I can mix together.

One meal option I have fallen in love with is lettuce wraps. It is just like a taco, only completely gluten-free (depending on what you put inside), no added carbs, and very healthy. You get a dose of greens de facto because of the lettuce leaves, and skip the extra calories and added who-knows-what in the typical tortilla (refined & bleached white flour, leaveners, softeners, added sugar, GMOs, etc etc).

And, like a regular taco, you can put just about anything inside! Wraps are a great catch-all for veggies you need to use up, leftover half-batches of grains, and anything else you can think of. Here I use some of my homemade sauerkraut (which is so mind-blowingly easy to make, and delicious!), fried tofu, and mushrooms as my umami base, then load on top of it cooked rice & black beans, diced avocado & fresh salsa. Ah-maz-ing.

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And the best part is, you can’t really over-eat these! There is so much veggie goodness and nutrition packed into every wrap, you can have three or four, no problem. This recipe makes enough for 4 large wraps.

Ingredients:

  • 4 large outer leaves of romaine (plus more shredded)
  • 1/2 block firm tofu, drained
  • 4 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 cup sauerkraut or raw cabbage
  • 1/2 cup cooked rice
  • 1/2 cup black beans
  • 1 large avocado
  • 4 tbsp salsa of choice

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Step 1: I made my black beans from dried (much cheaper than canned!) by taking 1 cup of beans per 2 cups water and putting them in a slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours. This makes the beans nice and tender and ready to eat. Cook the rice according to package directions.

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Step 2: Drain and press the tofu by placing it on a folded paper towel with another on top. Press firmly, or place a heavy object on top, for a few minutes. Then add the tofu, mushrooms, and sauerkraut to a medium-hot frying pan, and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are moist and browned. Add a tbsp of water or vegetable stock if it dries out at any time.

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Step 3: Assemble the lettuce wraps. Take a large leaf of Romaine or other head lettuce and hold it in the palm of one hand. Add a tbsp or two of rice and cooked beans, then a heap of the cooked tofu-mushroom-sauerkraut mixture.

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Step 4: Add optional toppings like the diced avocado and salsa, or try sliced olives, juilenned carrot, zucchini, or radish, or shredded cheese. You could add nutritional yeast, soy sauce, sriracha, refried beans, or any other taco topping your heart desires.

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Above all, make it your own and enjoy!

 

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