Keto-friendly Vietnamese Banh Mi Lettuce Cups

In need of some easy Wednesday night meals that take less than an hour to prepare? Me too. 

This recipe has got you covered. It's easy, doesn't require exotic ingredients or fancy kitchen gadgets and is no-fuss for your family. 

The traditional Banh Mi sandwich is made with pork and comes on a French loaf. That's a recipe for a long, sluggish day. So we made a few swaps that make this a clean eat!

You will still taste the authentic Vietnamese flavors that are carried through in the sauce. We will use lean ground turkey to make these crisp and fresh lettuce cups. An added bonus, get the great health benefits of ginger in this quick and simple dressing. Ginger is a magical superfood with properties that include lowering blood sugar  and lowering inflammation in the body, among many other health benefits. The more ways we can incorporate ginger into our diet the better!  

The best part about this recipe is that you can meal prep. Make a bit more cooked turkey and save it for other recipes during the week. We recommend you make this recipe on a Sunday, and reserve the extra cooked ground turkey for the rest of the week.

There are many options, but our preferred recipes are Stuffed Sweet Potato Boats on Tues/Wed and Zucchini Noodles with Bolognese Sauce on Thr/Fri. Both use ground turkey as a base, so you will be cutting your prep time in half making a bigger batch of cooked turkey on Sunday.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. lean ground turkey (use 1/3 for this recipe)
• 6-10 lettuce cups
• 1 cup carrots, shredded
• 1 cup daikon, shredded
• 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
• 2 tsp. sesame seeds (for garnish)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Ginger-soy dressing:

• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. water
• 2 tbsp. fresh ginger, chopped or 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. sweetener
• 2 tsp. vegetable oil

1. First, make the ginger soy dressing by combing all ingredients in a bowl. Whisk and set aside.

2. In a large skillet, cook all the ground turkey, breaking it apart with a spoon. Season with a little salt and pepper. Cook until turkey is no longer pink, and juices run clear. Let some of the liquid evaporate. Let cool, then reserve 2/3 of the cooked turkey for the rest of the week.

4. With the 1/3 turkey left in the pan, mix in 1/2 of the ginger-soy dressing and cook 2 minutes longer.

5. Make your lettuce cups by scooping 1-2 tbsp. ground turkey into lettuce and top with carrots and daikon. Drizzle with remaining ginger-soy dressing and garnish with cilantro and sesame seeds. Enjoy immediately!

For more Wednesday night meals:

• Chicken Piccata

• Salmon Bowl

• Steak with Chiles