Take-out bowls and wraps are the latest craze in healthy fast food. But why drive to pick up these tasty meals when you can make them in the comfort of your own kitchen?
Photo by Gwénaël Le Vot
BEEF TACO BOWL
SERVES 4
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 package taco seasoning
Tortilla bowls, bought or homemade (see recipe below)
Shredded lettuce
½ cup black beans
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Salsa
1 tomato, diced
Red onions, chopped
1 avocado, sliced
Sour cream, for garnish
Cilantro, for garnish
In a skillet over medium heat, crumble beef and cook in oil until all pink is gone. Drain off excess fat, if necessary. Stir taco seasoning into drained ground beef. Half-fill tortilla bowls with lettuce and add 2 tablespoons beans and cheese to each. Divide meat mixture between the tortilla bowls and add 1–2 tablespoons salsa. Arrange tomatoes, onion and avocado on top and garnish with sour cream and cilantro.
Homemade tortilla bowl recipe
8-inch flour tortillas
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray the inside of oven-safe bowls with cooking spray. Press one tortilla into each bowl, folding where needed to lay flat against the side of the bowl. Place bowls on a sheet pan and bake for about 15 minutes or until tortillas are a light to medium brown. Remove from oven and allow tortillas to cool in bowls for 5 minutes before removing.
Grilled Chicken Wraps
Photo by Iuliia Nedrygailova
MAKES 6 WRAPS
6 10-inch tortillas
Curly-leaf lettuce, torn into pieces
½ cup red cabbage, very thinly sliced
1 large avocado, sliced
1 large tomato, sliced
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
2 grilled boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
2/3 cups grated cheddar
Arrange the tortillas on a clean, dry surface. Down the middle of each tortilla, layer with lettuce, red cabbage, avocado, tomato, yogurt, chicken and cheese. Make sure to leave about 2 inches around the sides. Don’t overload wrap ingredients—it will be easier to fold.
To wrap, fold in each side, then fold up the bottom and finally fold down the top. Place seam-side down on parchment paper of large platter until ready to grill. The shape of each wrap should resemble a rectangle.
Preheat a skillet or grill pan on medium-high heat and spray lightly with cooking oil. Place wraps, seam-side down, in skillet and sear for 2–3 minutes until golden brown. Flip over and sear other side. Cut in half and serve while warm and cheese is melted. If transporting to a different location to serve, wrap serving sizes tightly in parchment paper.
Beef Lettuce Wraps
Photo by Karen Hermann
SERVES 4–6 AS AN APPETIZER
1 tablespoon sesame oil
½ onion, chopped
½ chopped red bell pepper
½ tablespoon minced garlic
1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
Pinch red pepper flakes
½ cup water chestnuts, chopped
¼ cup hoisin sauce
Bibb/butter lettuce, leaves separated into cups, washed and dried
Bean sprouts, optional for garnish
Fresh chopped scallions, for garnish
Fresh chopped mint leaves, for garnish
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
In a skillet over medium heat, add oil. Saute onion and bell pepper until translucent. Add garlic and saute an additional minute. Add ground beef, crumbling and breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook until all pink is gone. Add ginger, pepper flakes, chestnuts and hoisin sauce. Stir to thoroughly combine ingredients. Remove from heat and keep warm.
Arrange lettuce leaves/cups on a large platter or sheet pan. Divide beef mixture between lettuce cups. Garnish with bean sprouts, scallions, mint leaves and sesame seeds. Serve warm drizzled with additional hoisin sauce, if desired.
Buffalo Chicken Bowl
Photo by Gina Moore
SERVES 4
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1½-inch cubes
½ cup hot sauce, plus 2 tablespoons
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Canola oil, for frying
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Lettuce, chopped
Celery stalks, thinly sliced
Carrots, thinly sliced
Red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup bleu cheese crumbles
Chunky bleu cheese dressing, optional
Preheat oven to 400 F. Put chicken cubes in a medium bowl or zip-close bag and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons hot sauce. Mix to equally distribute. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Into a small saucepan, add remaining hot sauce, butter and lemon juice and heat over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat and keep warm.
In a large Dutch oven or frying pan over medium-high heat, add oil. In a medium bowl, combine flour, breadcrumbs, salt and cayenne pepper. Dredge chicken cubes in flour mixture and fry until lightly brown, 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer to a towel-lined platter. Repeat until all chicken is cooked. Toss the chicken in the hot sauce mixture and spread on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake, turning once, until they have absorbed most of the sauce, about 20 minutes.
Half-fill 4 bowls with lettuce and distribute chicken pieces between the bowls. Add celery, carrots, onion slices and bleu cheese crumbles. Serve with bleu cheese dressing, if desired.