Hello friends! We can all continue to use some positive vibes during these trying times, and personally my favorite way to spread out the good energy is always with vibrant, wholesome food. Some people eat their feelings (guilty), but why not eat to feel good instead? Sometimes just the simplest plate of food prepared in a loving and careful manner can change the course of your whole day. That’s part of why I post so much about food—not just to make someone else smile, but because looking back at my own posts boosts my mood, as well.
Today I had a particular dear friend in mind, though, as I know she is one who had her whole plans for the year ripped away after spending months, or perhaps years, planning her adventure. We’ve all lost and mourned the season being taken from us, some definitely suffering much more than others but I don’t think it is fair to judge anyone for their personal trials, no matter how big or small it would appear to you. Some of the beauty coming out of this, as we’ve seen so often before, is the individual beautiful human beings reaching out all over the world to lift up our fellow humans. Sometimes just a few words are enough to help pull someone out of their own darkness. I have no doubt that offering a meal, albeit virtually, to this friend far across the globe will put a smile on her face. Plus, there’s no trace of potatoes in this dish...
Of course, I hope this delicious plate of food makes lots of people smile. It was darn delicious, so I will surely enjoy making a similar incarnation of it again soon. I’m not always a fan of lettuce wraps because sometimes they just seem too paltry and not very filling, but I think the trick is eating as many as you want when you stuff them full of the healthiest ingredients! One of my farmers has some of the most stunning red Bibb lettuce, which was just begging to be used in a manner fitting for such an agricultural prize.
One of the other items featured in this meal was my first batch of sprouted mung beans for the year. I often forget about how easy it is to sprout beans and other items over the winter since I opt for warmer meals, but in the spring and summer I love having a batch ready to enjoy in dishes with a higher percentage of raw components. Eating seasonally is such a wonderful practice. You find your body functions well when you adapt to what’s fresh and appropriate to the weather, and it keeps cooking (or not cooking) fun and exciting as you shift what you are putting on your plate throughout the year! I’ll definitely keep more of these little nuggets sprouting, as well as many other items now that the weather is starting to warm up consistently here in Atlanta.
Another item in this that I particularly enjoyed was the slightly under-ripe mango. Of course a sweet, juicy ripe one would be an excellent addition, as well, but I got too excited this week after getting some mangoes at the store and cut into mine too early. However, not wanting to waste the fruit, I thought it would make a fine pairing with my crisp kohlrabi and carrots as all three had a similar texture. Now I know if I ever make that same mistake again I can use it similarly!
Though my original thought was to do the wraps, the lazy side of my meal prepping mind also realized it would be plenty fine in a bowl as a salad for those not inclined to take the trouble to make a wrap. I prepared it both ways for my photos just in case. You can sneak in more of that beautiful lettuce that way. I do have to say the wraps make a more visually attractive platter, but the salad was plenty lovely (and tasty) for those who prefer a fork over their hands as an eating utensil. The mint and lemon balm from the garden were a subtle finisher to make all the flavors pop, on top of the rich almond butter dressing to add just the right amount of fat to an otherwise very light meal.
Alright, enough talking, time to eat! The “recipe” couldn’t be much easier. It just takes a few days to sprout the mung beans ahead of time, but you could easily substitute cooked beans if you didn’t sprout the beans in time. Beans and legumes are quite easy to sprout. For these I soaked about a quarter of a cup of dried mung beans in a quart mason jar in fresh water overnight. Drain and rinse, angling the jar down to let the water completely drain out. I have lids for my jars that are specifically made for sprouting, so I can easily rinse and drain them a few times a day until they are sprouted and ready to eat. The ones for this meal I started on a Saturday and they were ready by Tuesday!
Sprouted Mung Bean Lettuce Wraps
- sprouted mung beans
- 1 cup dry quinoa, cooked according to package directions (I put a sprinkle of ground ginger in my pot)
- 4 small kohlrabi bulbs, peeled and sliced
- 2 carrots, trimmed and sliced
- 1 mango, peeled and sliced
- 1 heaping tablespoon fresh minced ginger, split in half
- 1 small lime
- 3 tablespoons plain almond butter (no salt or sugar added)
- 2 tablespoons mango balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon liquid aminos or low sodium tamari
- 1 fresh head Bibb lettuce
- fresh mint and/or lemon balm for serving
Cook your quinoa on the stovetop, then set aside to cool while you prepare your vegetables and dressing.
Place your kohlrabi, carrots, mango and half of the fresh ginger in a large bowl. Mix in the cooled quinoa and squeeze in some fresh lime juice.
For the dressing, whisk together the other half of the minced ginger with the almond butter, balsamic, aminos and a tablespoon of water if needed to thin out the dressing to your liking.
To assemble, pull off whole leaves of lettuce and place them on your plate. Fill with the quinoa and vegetable mixture, sprinkle on the sprouted mung beans, and then drizzle with the dressing. Finally top it off with some freshly chopped mint and lemon balm for a most amazing spring meal!
You can sub out whatever fresh, crisp vegetables you have on hand if you don’t have access to kohlrabi. Radishes or jicama would be equally yummy! Cooking is best when you use what is fresh and local, so make any adjustments based on what you have in season or in your pantry. Rice wine vinegar would make an easy substitution if you don't have the fruity balsamic like I do from Oli + Ve.
I wish I could share these in person with my pal 
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