Who says healthy has to be boring! These jam packed with flavor lettuce cups are loaded with all sorts of nutrients that our bodies crave. With only 10 minutes to prep. and another to cook, these are a home winner and a staple in our home for a number of reasons:
#1 They taste amazing
#2 Everyone likes them- fun to eat
#3 Easy and fast to prepare
#4 Super healthy
#5 Naturally Gluten free!
Ground turkey is a new discovery for me. I was always hesitant to purchase it for fear it would be tasteless and dry, and no one would end up eating it. I knew it was much healthier than ground beef or pork but it was an unknown area for me. One day I decided to go out on a limb and try it. I never told ‘Riggins’ it was ground turkey to steer clear of any pre-judgement. He downed it, loved it, went for seconds, thirds and then fourths! Bingo, we have a winner- ground turkey has been welcomed into our home.
I think the trick to eating healthy is making sure your food tastes really good. Using a variety of spices and herbs on good produce and products is a sure shot way of achieving this.
These Green Chill Turkey Lettuce Cups with the Avocado Lime Topping is great in pitas, tortillas, on rice, mixed into quinoa, salads, or made into a soup (which I will be featuring in days to come). So versatile-it makes it impossible not to keep around!
Enjoy, and if you have favorite ground turkey recipes, we would love to feature them!
- For Ground Turkey Filling
- 1 T olive oil
- ⅛ cup water
- 1½ tsp. minced garlic
- 4 oz jar diced green chilies
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- ¼ tsp. cayenne (add extra of you like spice)
- 1½ lbs. ground turkey
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. Montreal Steak Seasoning (optional)
- ½ cup chopped green onions (discard the dark green ends before chopping)
- 1 large bunch of cilantro, finely chopped Set aside ¼ cup for avocado lime topping.
- 2 T lemon or lime juice (fresh if you can)
- 2 large heads butter lettuce (or romaine, iceberg, or boston lettuce)
- Avocado Lime Topping
- 2 medium avocados, diced (see instructions for dicing an avocado if needs be).
- 1½ cups finely chopped tomatoes (I used cherry).
- ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
- 2 T fresh lime juice
- 2 T olive oil (optional)
- salt to taste
- Montreal Steak Seasoning to taste (optional)
- Splash of your favorite hot sauce (optional)
- Heat olive oil in frying pan and add minced garlic and diced green chilies- sauté about 1 minute.
- Add ground turkey, cumin, and cayenne (or chipotle or chili flakes) and salt and cook over medium-high heat, breaking apart the turkey as you cook with a wooden spoon. Cook about 5-10 minutes, or until all the pink is gone.
- With one minute left to cook, add the thinly sliced green onions. Turn off the stove and add chopped cilantro and the lemon or lime juice, and set aside while you make the avocado topping.
- To make Avocado Topping
- Put lime juice and olive oil (optional) in a bowl. Toss diced avocado, tomatoes and chopped cilantro. (It is important to get the avocado tossed in the lemon juice to prevent the avocado from browning).
- Season to taste with Salt, Montreal Steak Seasoning, and hot sauce).
- Wash lettuce and pick out some pieces that will work well to hold the filling.
- To assemble lettuce cups: Spoon turkey mixture into each piece of lettuce. Top with avocado topping.
- You could also eat this mixture inside pitas, tortillas, on top a salad, mixed into quinoa, or make it into a soup- still top with avocado lime topping-mmm!
I made this for dinner last night! It was tasty AND pretty to look at (and super easy to make, which I always like). I used the leftovers to put on my nachos today and it was divine. I think I just might throw in some black beans next time
SO yummy!
You are the best! that is awesome to hear! Pretty food is always more inviting isn’t it? Beets on nachos?? That I have not tried but it sounds cool!! Thanks for sharing Kara!!
Beets on nachos WOULD be interesting. I put the cilantro lime turkey on them
Haha, I noticed that confusion there… maybe now we need to do a beet/nacho experiment. Blegh. That turkey cups dish is a goodie huh!
Oh wonderful Kara! Thank you for reporting back, it’s rewarding to hear how the recipes work for others too! Your support has been priceless and it means the world to us, Love you Kara xoxoxoxo