Lightened-Up Gyros

Disclaimer: please excuse the poor photography in this post. I realize the lighting is bad, the steak looks black, and one wrap is half-eaten... I wasn't sure they would be post worthy, but I was pleasantly surprised and decided that I had to share! 

I made these for lunch today by mistake, and it was the best mistake I've made in a while! I had some leftover steak bits and wasn't sure about exactly what I wanted to do with them, I just knew I wanted some sort of lettuce wraps... Several ideas crossed my mind (teriyaki-style, fajita-style, black and blue...all of these will be attempted soon), but I decided to go with a Greek gyro theme.

I started by adding the steak bits and a pat of butter to the pan over medium heat. I then added several drops of sirracha sauce, a little garlic salt and some Greek seasoning. I played around with it until I found the right amount, so this can be completely tailored to your taste. Just remember, you can always add more, so start small! 

After swirling the steak around and warming it with the seasonings, I prepared my lettuce wraps. I began by spreading about 1/2- 1tbsp of hummus on the inside of the washed romaine leaves. Next, I divided the steak bits and spread them over the hummus. I then crumbles a little goat cheese on top and added an extra line or two of sirracha (I love the heat with the cool goat cheese)! 

You could always add more veggies, like cucumber, peppers, tomatoes, etc. I just used what I had handy and it did not disappoint! This recipe would also work well with chicken.

This is a low-carb, gluten-free, lighter way to enjoy the great tastes of gyros! 

Enjoy, 

XO

-K

Baked Mozzarella Sticks

Following along with today's Italian-themed posts, here's a recipe I have been wanting to try for a while. I have seen many cheese stick recipes using egg roll wrappers instead of the traditional breading, but most of them were still fried (yuck!)... Then I had a thought: Why not bake them instead? So, I did, and it was a wonderful idea. Is there really anything better than melty, hot cheese and marinara sauce? The answer is no. No, there is not.

It is only fair that I admit my mistakes before I pass this recipe along... I did not properly seal my egg roll wrappers with water before baking them. Two of them ended up oozing out and making a yummy, yet disastrous mess on the baking pan. Good news is, cheese is still tasty, even when it isn't pretty! :)

Ingredients:

4 mozzarella string cheese sticks
4 egg roll wrappers
Olive oil spray
Marinara sauce for dipping


Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a baking pan with olive oil. Place an egg roll wrapper at a diagonal, place one cheese stick at the top corner, and begin rolling it downward. Once you have rolled it half-way, tuck in the outer edges to keep the cheese from escaping... cheese is sneaky like that. Continue rolling the cheese stick inside of the egg roll wrapper and seal the last corner with water. Use small amounts of water to rub ALL of the edges and seal them very well (BIG step... do not take it lightly... lesson learned). Spritz the rolled cheese sticks lightly with olive oil spray - this will ensure they brown and crisp nicely. Bake for 12-15 minutes, turning halfway through baking. Serve with marinara. Enjoy!

Island Wraps

Being a resident of the MS Gulf Coast, I frequent the islands with friends and family when the weather is nice. Growing up, we always stopped by the grocery store deli and got fried chicken and potato logs to take with us to the islands. Don't get me wrong, I love these delicious, southern delights... I just can't indulge too frequently, especially during swim suit season. Last summer, I decided to pack light wraps for my island lunch and they have become a staple. These are wonderful to have handy poolside, on the beach, or in your everyday lunch. I wanted to keep the wraps simple, so there are just a few fresh ingredients involved in this delicious lunch recipe. These are also vegetarian!

Recipe:

Red bell pepper strips (4)
Spinach (1/4 cup)
Avocado (2 slices)
Goat cheese (2 tbsp)
Hummus (2 tbsp - any flavor)
1 wrap of your choice

This recipe is all about preference and can be adjusted to your taste. First, spread the hummus onto the wrap, leaving a little space around the edges for folding. Next, place the spinach leaves down the center and top them with the red bell pepper strips, avocado, and goat cheese. Make a wrap fold (see diagram below) and slice the wrap in half. I wrapped it in aluminum foil and placed it in a ziplock bag. The foil does a great job of keeping the wraps in shape and secure in the cooler. Enjoy!