“Healthy & satisfies your taste buds”

Ingredients:
Romaine Lettuce/Iceberg Lettuce/Cabbage leaves – 2 heads
Extra firm Tofu cubes – 1 cup
Colored Bell peppers/capsicums thinly sliced – 1 cup
Broccoli slaw – 1 cup
Shredded spinach leaves – 1 cup
Black beans/Kidney beans/canned beans – 1 cup
Chopped onions for the beans – ½ cup
Homemade red chili garlic sauce/chutney – as per taste
Nutritional Yeast / shredded cheese –  as per taste (I prefer nutritional yeast since it taste like cheese and its very less in calories and more in protein)
Roasted cumin (jeera) & coriander (dhania) powder – 1 tbsp for the beans
Salt – as per taste
Pepper – as per taste (for tofu)
Minced garlic for the beans– 1 tsp
Red chili / paprika powder for the beans – as per taste
Olive oil for the beans – 2 tsp ( for beans) 1 tsp (for tofu)
Water – 2 cups (depending on how dry or gravy you like)

Method:
To cook the beans:
Soak the beans overnight in enough water or minimum 4 hours in hot water. If using canned cooked beans no need to soak you can straight away use them after draining the water. After soaking the beans drain off the excess water and in a pressure cooker add the oil and when the oil is hot add the onions, minced garlic and saute / stir in for 2-3 mins till the onions become soft. Now, add in the beans (I used black beans), cumin-coriander powder, salt, chili powder, 2 cups water and pressure cook for 2 whistle and then reduce the heat to the lowest and cook for 25 mins. After the pressure is completely released, you can open the cooker and adjust the water and spices if needed.

To make stir fry tofu:

Drain of the water from the tofu and pat dry the tofu with a kitchen tissue. Cut the tofu in cubes and coat the pepper and salt well on it. Keep aside for 10 mins till the tofu soaks in all the flavors.
In a pan stir fry the tofu till brown on all the sides.

To make the Red chili Garlic sauce/chutney:
Ingredients:
Seeded Red chili – 10
Garlic cloves – 10
Roasted Cumin (jeera) powder – 1 tsp
Salt – as per taste
Fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
Method:
Soak the red chili, garlic in 1 cup of water for 30 mins. Drain the water. Now, in a mixer/blender/spice grinder add the red chilies, garlic, cumin powder, salt, lemon juice and grind to a fine paste. Add water if needed to adjust the consistency. Use as required.

Method to serve the veggie lettuce boats:

Separate the leaves from the lettuce, place them in a platter and place the shredded spinach, broccoli slaw, bell peppers/capsicums, cheese, tofu cubes, cooked beans in individual bowls.
Allow the family to make their own lettuce boats. I usually make my boat with spinach then beans, tofu and top it up with broccoli slaw, bell peppers and finally sprinkle some nutritional yeast.
These make healthy appetizers for parties but at times when I want to go light at night, I have them for dinner.

Note:
Broccoli slaw can be store bought or you can make you own slaw by thinly shredding the stems of the broccoli.
You can add any vegetables of your choice. Go creative.