...and On to the 20

The idea behind clean eating, or the 80-20 approach as it is so lovingly referred to in my home, is that you aren't going to always be able to eat perfectly clean. Sometimes you have to splurge a bit, at least in the off-season. If you aren't training for something in particular you have a bit more freedom to splurge, and that is just the case with me.

4 Rivers Smokehouse is a place in town here in the Orlando area that serves the best barbecue ever. And I'm not just saying that. It always reminds me of the type of place Guy Fieri would shine a spotlight on for his show, "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives."

 The line is always insane, and this was a good day...not too too bad.

Anyway, once we got in, the trouble began--I never know what to choose! You would think that my long wait in line would help, but it didn't...I decided on the pulled chicken sliders (I always get an extra roll or two because they load up more meat than they give me bread for). I got a side of grilled corn and some green beans. Yum!

This is where a picture of my food would normally go, but no...I'm a pig and I took it down the first chance I got. Here's a photo of someone else's lovely plate, though. If you love brisket, this is the place for you!

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...and last but CERTAINLY not least...the World Famous 4 Rivers Smokehouse BBQ sauce, available in a hot and mild variety. No meal is complete without it. It's a pretty penny for barbecue sauce if you buy it in the commercial bottle like this, so I usually get a lot of extra sauce when I go through the line.

**Disclaimer: This is not the healthiest meal you could have, but this was an off-day for us. There are ways you could make it healthier, though. 

For example, my sliders came on white bread rolls. You could take your meat home and put it on whole wheat bread or a whole wheat roll and your slider would be just as good. You could also go light on the barbecue sauce (or get it on the side) and opt for vegetables as your side options. 

In essence, the point of this post was that we're people too! Sometimes we splurge. This was worth every calorie. YUM! 

Does this look good to you? What are YOUR guilty pleasures on the days that you just can't resist?

Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Ground turkey lettuce wraps are a favorite of ours. They are quick to make, they sit lightly in the stomach, and they always taste delicious! They're so good that we often eat them two days in a row, or for both lunch and dinner. Paired with some black beans, ground turkey lettuce wraps are a tasty part of a clean, quick meal.

The original version of the recipe came from a friend who saw a recipe for turkey lettuce wraps on television. She made her own version one day when we visited, and I couldn't get enough. It was sooooo much better than I ever thought a LETTUCE wrap could be! Her version was modified a little bit through trial and error. The final product went something like this...

Shopping List:
Romaine hearts
1 lb. ground turkey
Crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese
Green onions
Cilantro
Cayenne Pepper
Black pepper
Sea Salt (and/or Adobo Seasoning)
Ground Ginger
Soy Sauce
Red peppers

How It's Done


Romaine hearts usually come in a package with three heads of lettuce. You can find it in the produce section with the packaged salads. It looks like this:

Tear a few of the large leaves off and wash them well, especially if they're organic. Organic veggies haven't had any pesticides applied to them, so you're more likely to find critters between the leaves. Just wash well to be certain.

Cook the ground turkey, seasoning to your taste along the way. If you want to do it the "clean" way, season lightly and use sea salt, like we did. The meat was also seasoned with plenty of black pepper, cayenne pepper and Adobo seasoning. Add a bit of ginger and soy sauce. Add green onions, diced red peppers and finish up the meat. If you're feeling brave, one version of this recipe calls for a couple of tablespoons of Sriacha hot sauce. It's not for the faint of heart (or tongue) as it's really spicy, but it adds a nice kick. It looks like this:

The rest was easy. I was practically eating out of the pot by the time the food was done! Take a piece of lettuce and fill it up with meat. Sprinkle some of the cheese on top. Roll it up and eat it like a taco. Yum!

They aren't pictured, but we paired our ground turkey lettuce wraps with a side of black beans with jalapenos in them. You can skip the jalapenos, but they're good for you and we eat them every chance we get. Personally, I love the spice :)

My plate didn't stand a chance. I was all over it in a matter of minutes!

The only thing about this is that it takes more than just those two for me to get full. I had to go back for seconds! That's why a side dish, like black beans, is a really good idea.

Does this look good to you? Do you ever pay attention to the recipes they put on those television shows? If so, which things have you tried?