Last week, someone asked me what I predicted the big food trends of 2016 will be. I thought that was a really fun question! I usually see a ton of articles about it this time of year, but I haven’t seen many at all this time around.

My predictions for the top food trends of 2016 – based solely on my current cravings and the ingredients that have been inspiring me lately – are: 1) meatballs; 2) Thai flavors; 3) whole grains used in interesting ways; and 4) Nordic-inspired cuisine.

I’m drooling just thinking about it – I have a feeling that 2016 is going to be a very delicious year.

I’ve been making these Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps a lot lately. They’re super easy, versatile, and jam-packed with flavor. They started as something that I just threw together on a busy weeknight, but I eventually realized I should probably photograph them and share them here. I know you’ll love them just as much as I do!

The first time I made these Thai lettuce wraps I used ground pork. The flavor was incredible, but they were a little greasy. Since then I’ve found that I prefer to use turkey which, to my surprise, has just as much flavor. I season them with Thai seasoning, fish sauce, and a little chili paste, then top them with cashews, scallions, and lime juice. If you like a little extra crunch, you can also add some chopped water chestnuts into the turkey.

This recipe comes together in practically no time, so it’s perfect for weeknights. If you’re looking to make things even easier on yourself, you can also prepare the filling on Sunday and then reheat it later in the week. It also freezes well for a convenient make-ahead meal (if you don’t have fresh lettuce, the filling is also delicious over rice.)

For more lettuce wrap ideas, try: Chipotle Chicken Lettuce Wraps // Ground Chicken and Eggplant Lettuce Wraps // Avocado Tuna Lettuce Wraps // Duck and Shiitake Lettuce Wraps

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Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Lauren Keating

Equipment

• Thai Stir-In Seasoning

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ onion chopped (about 1 cup)
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 4 ounces crimini mushrooms chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 cups cole slaw mix
• ½ bell pepper diced (about 1/2 cup)
• 4 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons Thai seasoning paste
• 1 tablespoons chili sauce optional
• ¼ cup water chestnuts optional
• 1 lime juiced
• Green leaf lettuce chopped cashews, and scallions for serving

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a large pan set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
• Add the ground turkey and cook until browned, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Add the mushrooms, cole slaw mix, bell pepper, fish sauce, Thai seasoning, chili sauce (if using) and water chestnuts (if using). Stir until combined. Cook 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked through. Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice.
• Serve the turkey filling in lettuce leaves. Top with cashews and scallions, as desired.

Notes

Click here for nutrition information

I’ve mentioned before that I attended an amazing photography workshop this summer. We stayed together in a gorgeous lake house (in Sweden…no big deal) and basically just ate and took photos for four days straight. What I haven’t mentioned – and what I didn’t know until I got there – was that the workshop was entirely vegetarian.

One afternoon we came in from a walk around the lake and were greeted by the mouthwatering smell of bacon. Of course, it wasn’t bacon – it was smoked tofu, and I became an immediate fan. The rich, smoky flavor is a great way to infuse a recipe with tons of flavor. I’ve been keeping an eye out for smoked tofu ever since, and was ecstatic to find it at Whole Foods a few weeks ago. I bought a few packages and couldn’t wait to start cooking.

These quinoa stuffed peppers might not look like much, but you’ll be blown away by how much flavor they have – from the smoky tofu to spicy serrano peppers and aromatic garlic, ginger, and scallions. Finishing the stuffed peppers under the broiler keeps the cooking time down (you don’t even need to fuss with a water bath) and allows the vegetables to char slightly, adding another flavor dimension.

If your peppers are on the smaller side, you might have some filling left over. Don’t throw it away – it’s delicious for lunch the next day.

Looking for more stuffed pepper recipes? Try these, these, or these.

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Quinoa Stuffed Peppers with Smoked Tofu

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups water
• ¾ cup quinoa
• 2 large red bell peppers halved and seeded
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 4 ounces smoked tofu diced
• 2 carrots shredded
• ¼ cup cilantro chopped
• 1 ½ tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 3 scallions chopped
• 1 serrano pepper minced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 450ºF. Arrange the bell peppers cut-side up in a broiler-safe pan. Bake until slightly softened, 6 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Turn broiler to high.
• Combine water and quinoa in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the sesame oil in a sauté pan set over high heat. Add the tofu and cook 2-3 minutes per side, or until deeply browned. Stir in the cooked quinoa and the remaining ingredients.
• Spoon 1/2 cup of filling into each pepper half. Broil until warmed through and starting the brown, about 5 minutes.