Fast, Easy, Fresh: BLT Lettuce Wraps Recipe

BLT Lettuce Wraps. This may be the perfect summer lunch. Easy, light, refreshing goodness. I made these with Lillian a few weeks ago and now we’re both obsessed. She calls them “leaf tacos” because she is a tiny marketing genius.

We’ve been doing a lot of leaf taco “experiments’, wrapping lettuce around meatballs, tofu, asian style-chicken and cauliflower, taco meat, grilled shrimp, but our BLT version is my favorite. Whenever we make weekend bacon I’m sure to reserve a few slices for lunchtime. It only takes a few minutes to toss it with grape tomatoes, diced cucumbers, avocado and some toasted bread cubes. We make a little dressing with mayo, lime juice and fresh herbs and start wrapping. They’re also easy to pack for picnics and sack lunches — just put the bacon mixture in one container and the lettuce in another for DIY wrapping.

I packed these for a pool picnic over Memorial Day weekend and the whole family devoured them. Lillian wants me to pack them in her lunches when she goes to day camp. I’ll be happy to oblige.

Speaking of packed lunches, I’m already starting to freak out that she’s starting kindergarten in the fall. She had her Pre-K graduation last week and I wept like a baby (very uncharacteristic) at the realization that things are going to change so much after this summer. At least I’m getting a head start figuring out some healthy non-peanut butter lunch items that she’ll enjoy.

Is it weird that packed lunches are one of the things we’re both most excited about when we talk kindergarten? We talk about lunch boxes and different foods we might pack each day. I guess she’s a little foodie just like her momma. The subject has been top-of-mind lately because I just wrote a summer lunchbox story for theInspiredHome.com. The entire dining room is overtaken with freezeable lunch bags, bento-style lunch containers and thermal water bottles. It’s been fun testing everthing out and brainstorming with Lillian on how to fill them.

Of course, we can’t live on lettuce wraps alone. I’m sure I’ll also be sending lots of jar salads and sandwich rollups, but I’m always looking for new ideas. What are your favorite creative and kid-friendly lunches? Please share your ideas!

DIY BLT Lettuce Wraps
Serves 1

Ingredients
2 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and diced
1/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved
2 Tbs. diced cucumber
1/2 small avocado, diced
1 slice Sprouted 7-grain bread, toasted and diced (optional)
4 or 5 small inner leaves of romaine or butter lettuce, washed and dried

2 Tbs. mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
juice from 1/2 of a lime
1 tsp. fresh basil or cilantro, chopped
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Combine bacon, tomatoes, cucumber, avocado and bread cubes in a small bowl and toss until evenly combined. Set aside.
2. In another small bowl, combine mayonnaise or yogurt, lime juice, herbs, salt and pepper and whisk until blended.
3. To serve, spoon a small amount of bacon mixture into the center of a lettuce leaf, top with dressing and enjoy.