A Dietitian's View

Pull leaves off lettuce and use a cup or round cookie cutter to trim down into round lettuce cups. Cut beef into long pieces about 1 inch thick; season with salt and sear in a hot pan with about 3 tablespoons oil. Cook on all sides for about 2 minutes, until golden brown. (The meat will be medium rare after cooking for 2 minutes on all sides; 3 minutes on each side will be medium; 5 minutes on each side will be well done.) Let the meat rest for about 4 minutes before slicing into cubes—this helps keep the juices from running all over the place. Spread peanut sauce onto each lettuce cup and top with a cube of beef. Garnish with more peanut sauce and cashews. Sprinkle with crispy rice cereal for added texture.

Peanut Sauce
1/2 cup peanut butter
4 packets soy sauce (about 6 tablespoons)
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon chili oil or Tabasco sauce
Water, as needed

Combine peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar and chili oil in the blender and pulse till smooth. If you need to add water so the sauce will blend more easily, do so a tablespoon at a time.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

1 tablespoon oil
4 chicken breasts
3 green onions
1/4 cup minced water chestnut
1/4 cup sliced almonds
4-6 lettuce leaves

Stir Fry Sauce

1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon chili oil
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger

1. Stirfry sauce: combine water and cornstarch and stir until cornstarch is dissolved.
2. Add this to the other stir fry sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat.
3. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer till thick.
4. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
5. Cook chicken breasts until done, turning every couple of minutes Remove to a cutting board and slice it into strips with a sharp knife.
6. Put chicken back in the same pan over medium/high heat, and add water chestnuts. Heat for 1 minute.
7. Add 5 Tbsp of stir fry sauce to the chicken and heat for 2 minutes, stirring often. The sauce should be bubbly.
8. Add the sliced green onions and stir

Makes 4-5 wraps

Radicchio Cups with Pork and Seasoned Rice

8 radicchio leaves
1 cup quick-cooking rice
1 teaspoon garlic and herb seasoning
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/4 cup pre-shredded carrots
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1 pound shredded cooked pork loin
2 tablespoons soy sauce, plus extra for dipping

Soak the radicchio leaves in ice water to crisp up.

Cook the rice with the garlic and herb seasoning according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots and scallions and saute 2 minutes. Add the pork, cooked rice, and 2 tablespoons soy sauce and cook 2 more minutes to heat through.

Spoon the pork mixture into the radicchio leaves. Serve with additional soy sauce for dipping, if desired.