Surf'n'Turf Lettuce Wraps with Raw Cauliflower "Couscous"

Here's a very customizable meal that can cater to a variety of tastes and diets. Being the omnivores that the spawn and I are, we went for surf'n'turf. This works as a raw omnivore diet if you

leave out the steak, or vegan raw if you omit the "food with a face" altogether. If you omit the steak, then you don't even have to heat up the kitchen--great for a humid summer day!

Steak, Shrimp, and Cauli Couscous Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

Steak:

1 tbs brown sugar

2 tbs tamari

2 tbs lime juice

1 small red chili, thinly sliced

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tbs peanut oil

1 lb steak

Shrimp:

1 clove garlic, minced

juice of 2 limes

juice of 1 lemon

1/4 tsp salt

1 lb raw shrimp

1 stalk green onion, finely chopped

Salsa:

1/2 zucchini, diced

6 cherry tomatoes, quartered

2 stalks green onion, thinly sliced

1/4 c red onion, diced

1 serrano pepper, finely diced (optional)

juice of 1 lime

1/4 tsp salt

cauliflower couscous (recipe below)

1 avocado, diced

1 head green lettuce, leaves separated

1 tbs fresh basil, finely chopped

1 tbs cilantro, finely chopped

lime wedges, if desired

Directions:

Steak:

Whisk together sugar, tamari, lime juice, chili, salt and pepper. Marinate steak in mixture 30 minutes, turning after 15 minutes.

Heat grill pan to medium-high. Add oil to pan, then grill steak to desired amount of doneness (about 3 minutes each side for medium-rare). Remove steak from heat and allow to rest 5 minutes. Slice into thin strips.

Shrimp:

Combine garlic, citrus juices, and salt. Marinate shrimp and onion in the citrus juice 4 hours.

Salsa:

Combine all ingredients, adjusting salt to taste.

Lettuce Wraps:

Arrange ingredients as desired in the center of a lettuce leaf, topping with herbs and additional lime juice. Wrap lettuce leaf around filling and enjoy.

Raw Cauliflower "Couscous"

Ingredients:

florets from 1 head of cauliflower

juice of 1 lime

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 c red onion, diced

1/2 tbs fresh ginger, grated

2 tbs cilantro, finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Pulse cauliflower in the food processor until pieces are the size of couscous. Add remaining ingredients and refrigerate 1-4 hours before serving. Makes 3-4 cups of couscous, depending on the size of the head of cauliflower.

Steak Tacos with Mexican not-Rice

What a busy month it has been! I've been absent from the cooking scene thanks to a variety of reasons (end of the school year, family vacation, work-work-work). This week I will be doing plenty of cooking, though, since I am on a daywalker's schedule for a change. It'll be interesting to see how the other half lives....

Tonight we had steak tacos. This is a simple enough meal with a ton of flavor. Because I'm a fan of irony and new ventures in cuisine, I stole my friend Amber's recipe for a vegan, raw, substitute for the traditional Mexican rice (which of course I added my own touches to). She illustrates beautifully on her page the preparation of this squash-based side dish. Meanwhile, I was lucky to get a photo of my own finished product. Seriously, you try fighting off two hungry spawn who could easily toss you over the balcony if you stood between them and dinner....

Not that I blame them. I mean, us girls gotta eat!

Steak Tacos

Ingredients:

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 c dark Mexican beer (I used Negro Modelo)

1/4 c tamari

juice of one lime

1/2 tsp each fresh cracked pepper and salt

2 tbs oil (chili oil for a little heat)

1.5 pounds flat iron steaks

8 tortillas

Directions:

In a resealable plastic bag, combine all ingredients except tortillas. Marinate steaks at room temperature for at least an hour (if marinating longer than 2 hours, refrigerate).

Heat grill pan over medium-high heat. Add steaks and grill to desired doneness (3 min each side for med-rare). Remove from pan and allow to rest 10 minutes.

Warm the tortillas according to your favorite method (I like to warm them one at a time in a skillet over medium heat, about a minute each side). Slice the steak into thin strips and divide among warmed tortillas. Add your favorite taco fillings and serve.

[In the photo we have sour cream, avocado, pico de gallo, cilantro, and a little shredded cheese in addition to the steak.]

Squashed Mexican "Rice"

Ingredients:

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed (about 2 cups)

1/2 c tomatoes, diced

1 tbs green chilis, diced

1/4 c red onion, diced

1/8 c chopped cilantro

1/8 c arugula, chopped

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp sea salt

pinch garlic powder

juice of 1/2 lime

Directions:

Place the squash cubes in the bowl of a food processor and pulse into small, rice-sized pieces.

Transfer to mixing bowl and add all other ingredients. Mix well and serve.

[I used half cilantro and half arugula instead of all cilantro, because my oldest offspring is not a big fan of cilantro. Were she not a factor, I'd have used all cilantro as Amber does in her recipe; the arugula did add a nice peppery touch, however!]