Tweaked from one of my bestie’s (Monika) recipe collection
Like favourite books, my favourite kind of recipe is one that’s been recommended by someone I love. If you recommend it, I will try it. Every time.
Whether a link emailed by a girlfriend, magazine cut-out delivered by my mom, or a type-written recipe sent by snail mail from my grandma (seriously, on a typewriter sent in the mail) – they’re always the best.
The second thing that makes recipes the best is when they are totally customizable depending on your mood, the season, or for whatever you need to get rid of from the fridge.
This recipe is both: from a friend and 100% customizable.
The tweak: the main adjustment we made from the traditional lettuce wrap was using collard greens instead of iceberg lettuce.
Ingredients
1 yellow onion chopped fine
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 carrot chopped fine
2 stalks celery chopped fine
mushrooms chopped fine
1 red pepper chopped fine
1 small zucchini chopped fine
any veggies will do!
1 can water chestnuts chopped
green onion chopped
hoisin sauce (OR a combination of miso, sesame oil, tamari and hot sauce)
cilantro and/ parsley chopped (optional)
beans/sprouts (optional)
Method
1. Heat a little dollop of coconut oil in a large sauté pan. Once warm, add the onion and cook until starting to get translucent. (If you’re going meat version – add the meat next). If you’re going veggie – add the minced garlic and the ginger.
2. Next, toss all of the chopped veggies into the pan and continue to stir, cooking veggies evenly until softened. Add the chopped tempeh when the veggies are about halfway cooked. Gauge cooking time with the carrots – they’re likely hardest. Note: cook the veggies separate if you’re using meat.
3. Once the veggies are nicely cooked, add the water chestnuts, green onion and hoisin (or the optional sauce combination). Stir to combine and remove from heat.
4. Serve well washed and dried collard green leaves alongside a dish of the veggie mixture (and maybe a little extra sauce) for a social appy!
