Lettuce Wrap Salad with Three Sauces

I love these because they’re so satisfying and quick to make. Recipe contributed by Mimi Kirk, from Live Raw: Raw Food Recipes for Good Health and Timeless Beauty (Skyhorse Publishing, 2011). Photo by Mike Mendell.

Serves: 2 to 3

• 1 1/2 cups jícama, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 cup bean sprouts, finely chopped
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup Chinese pea pods (snow peas), finely sliced
• 3 tablespoons tamari
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 head butter lettuce leaves
• 1/2 cup mint leaves
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, with stems

Wash lettuce leaves and wrap in paper or kitchen towels. Place in refrigerator to chill and crisp.

Marinate chopped vegetables except lettuce, mint, and cilantro, in oil and tamari for 10 minutes.

To serve:
Place filling on plate and serve lettuce leaves, cilantro, and mint on a separate plate. Make wrap by placing filling on a butter lettuce leaf, along with a piece of mint, cilantro leaves, and a drizzle each of the peanut, cilantro, and tamari sauces.

Filling can be served warm or cold. I like it warm especially with crisp chilled lettuce leaves.

Tip: Place ingredients in dehydrator at 110 degrees for 1 hour to warm and slightly soften vegetables.

Sauces

Make 3 dipping sauces, which can be used for any wrap.

Peanut sauce

• 1/4 cup raw peanut butter or raw almond butter
• 1 garlic clove, minced or crushed
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 t ablespoons agave nectar
• 3 tablespoons tamari or nama shoyu
• 3 tablespoons water or as needed to desired texture
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger or pinch of powdered ginger
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes to taste; or for a
  spicier version, add finely chopped serrano chili

In a mixing bowl, whisk together nut butter, garlic, lime juice, agave nectar, tamari, water, ginger, red pepper flakes. Mix until smooth, adding water as needed to reach pourable consistency.

Cilantro sauce

• 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• 1 tablespoon of water
• Dash of sweetener of choice

Stir until smooth.

Coconut aminos or tamari

• 2 tablespoons coconut aminos or tamari
• 2 tablespoons water

Stir together.

Mimi Kirk is the author of  Live Raw. Visit her on the web at youngonrawfood.com.