Shrimp Quinoa Lettuce Wraps

Summer time means light and refreshing meals. That is why Lettuce Wraps are a perfect dinner for those long hot summer nights.  To make this recipe even better, you can prep in advance and cook them up in a matter of minutes. 

I don’t know about you, but I wish there was a few more hours in each day.  My husband and I work outside the home, therefore, we don’t get to spend as much time as we would like with J.  She is at school most of the day and by the time we all get home there is only a few hours (if we are lucky) for family time, and play time. Not to mention we still have homework, speech therapy, bath, story time and dinner time. My solution is to do as much meal prep during the weekend as I can.   

 First thing is first I get to chopping all the yummy veggies.  If you are prepping in advance you can place them all together in a container or a zip lock baggy and place it in your fridge.  I typically don’t chop the shrimp up until the day I make the wraps. Seafood is one of those food groups that goes bad and starts forming bacteria rather fast, therefore I don’t even take the shrimp out of my freezer until the day I decide to cook it, and yes I buy pre cleaned and shelled shrimp. 

Quinoa is one of my favorite grains.  It is a super food, not only does it fill you up but it is also loaded with protein.  So if you have a picky eater, especially one that doesn’t eat a lot of protein rich food, I would give quinoa a try.  I like the multicolor because it just looks fun and pretty.  To cook it really depends on the brand and type you buy.  If you bought a box follow the directions on the back of the box.  If you bought it in bulk, it’s just like cooking rice 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water, broth, or stock.   Cover and simmer until most liquid is absorbed/cooked off about 15 to 20 minutes.  If making in advance allow to chill and place in storage container.

 Now, for the sauce, it’s really simple, add soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and salt and pepper to a mason jar place lid on and shake, or place all in a bowl and whisk.  I like the Mason jars because I make it in advance so it is a shake and store, plus it saves some clean up.

 The day you are ready to serve place a little olive oil in a pan cook down veggies for about 2 minutes.  While the veggies are cooking chop up your shrimp. Place sauce and shrimp in pan with veggies allow to cook for 2 minutes, stir occasionally.  Add quinoa and cook until warmed through. 

 Take your bib lettuce, the lettuce leafs look like little cups when you separate them from the head, and fill the cups with your shrimp goodness.  Now you and your friends are ready to enjoy a healthy light meal. 

Shrimp Quinoa Lettuce Wraps

Leah Ashley

Summer time in means light and refreshing meals. That is why Lettuce Wraps are a perfect dinner for those long hot summer nights. To make this recipe even better, you can prep in advance and cook them up in a matter of minutes.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 35 mins

Course Dinner, lunch

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 244 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup cooked multi-color quinoa
• ½ lb shrimp peeled deveined, and chopped
• 1 small onion chopped
• ½ zucchini chopped
• ½ yellow squash chopped
• ½ red bell pepper chopped
• ½ orange bell pepper chopped
• 2 oz of shitake mushrooms
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• A pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• ½ tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 thumb size fresh ginger peeled and finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• ½ teaspoon rice wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• 12 leafs Bib lettuce

Instructions

 

• Prep all ingredient, this recipe is fast add, prep before so you will not over cook any ingredients.
• Tear Bib lettuce leafs off of head, wash and dry.
• Cook quinoa if you bought in a box follow directions on box. If you bought bulk add one cup quinoa to two cups water, stock, or broth. Cover and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed/cooked out, 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to rest.
• Mix sauce together: in a bowl or Mason jar combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper.
• Over medium heat sauté onion, zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper, orange bell pepper, and shitake with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt for about 2 minutes.
• Add chopped up shrimp and sauce to veggies allow to cook for 2 minutes. Add in quinoa cook another 2 minutes until everything is cooked through.
• Take the bib lettuce leafs (they look like little bowls or cups) and fill them with the shrimp quinoa filling.
• Enjoy!!