lettuce wrap tacos

Mike and I leave for Hawaii in a week--eek! His first time, and my first time on Kauai, and we are so excited.

It is a much needed vacation after a crazy year and we are also celebrating his 28th birthday so I know it will be even more special.

After we booked the trip, I tried to focus on some healthier, lighter meals (#hawaiidiet on my food posts on Instagram) in between the spring oreos, ben and jerrys cores and crockpot ribs........

So lettuce wrap tacos was one of my better ideas--they were so good and I truly did not miss the tortilla. The key is to pack them with so much other flavor that your taste buds are so psyched for the filling, the tortilla is forgotten. So here's what I did.

lettuce wrap tacos
1 head of butter lettuce, rinsed and dried
2 chicken breasts, seasoned with salt, pepper, cumin and cayenne
1 yellow and 1 orange pepper, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
1 cup of shredded mexican blend cheese
3 tablespoons salsa
1 can black beans
1 garlic clove, minced
1 box rice pilaf mix (or any rice you like!)
3 tablespoons of butter
your favorite hot sauce (optional)
salt, pepper, cayenne and cumin for seasoning

• preheat oven to 350
• start your rice, according to package directions as that typically takes the longest to cook
• melt one tablespoon of butter in small saucepan; add minced garlic on low heat. once the garlic is lightly cooked, add beans (do not drain.)
• season beans with salt, pepper and a little bit of hot sauce (optional.) cook, covered, on medium heat until it comes to a boil, switch to low heat and let simmer
• melt the remaining butter, split between two pans
• place the chicken in one pan on medium heat and let it brown on both sides and place in the oven for 5-7 more minutes to finish cooking
• place the peppers in another on medium high heat, seasoning with salt, pepper, cayenne and cumin. let them get a bit charred, tossing occasionally in the pan
• once chicken is cooked, slice it up and assemble your tacos with your desired toppings. I used the avocado, hot sauce, salsa, cheese and peppers, but get creative. onions would be great here, but Mike hates them.
• serve with rice and beans on the side