Raw Walnut Mushroom Taco Lettuce Wraps

I woke up yesterday, looked at my phone and with a gasp, realized it was June 1 st. How the heck did that happen? And why am I always a few months behind? Time seems to be moving at warp speed these days.

That said, apparently it is June, and June is a great time to roll out some refreshing summer recipes. These lettuce wraps are really delicious and fall beautifully into the refreshing category. They are delicious and satisfying and will be on my menu frequently this summer.

The “taco meat” is made from soaked walnuts, marinated mushrooms and cooked quinoa (optional). Make sure you allow time to soak your walnuts and marinate your mushrooms ahead of time. You can easily do this in the morning, put them in the refrigerator and have them ready a couple of hours later when you are ready to make the wraps.

Walnuts are a favorite of mine. They are a great source of omega 3’s, and antioxidants. They help fight cancer, support heart health* and actually can assist in weight loss! I have “lightened up” the walnut mixture with mushrooms and quinoa. Two more nutritional stars. I hope this vegan, raw food recipe will become a staple in your home.

Oh…one more thing. If you have a second, we love to hear from you! Leave a comment to let us know what you think! We want to make sure you are enjoying the recipes and they are relevant for you!

*You can find a great video on walnuts and heart health at NutritionFacts.Org, one of our favorite sites.

Raw Mushroom Walnut Taco Lettuce Wraps

Serves 4-6

*Make sure you marinate your mushrooms and soak your walnuts at least 3 hours before making the wraps

Marinated Mushrooms

• 3 cups roughly chopped mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon cold pressed olive oil (optional)

1. Place mushrooms in sealable container.

2. Mix together marinade ingredients and pour over mushrooms. Seal container and shake to coat mushrooms.

3. Let marinate for 2-3 hours (in the refrigerator), shaking occasionally to coat mushrooms.

Walnut Filling

• 2 cups walnuts, soaked for 2-3 hours, rinsed and drained
• Marinated mushrooms (from above recipe)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
• fresh parsley, one handful
• 1 cup cooked quinoa (optional)
• Himalayan salt and pepper to taste

1. Place walnuts in food processor. Pulse until chunky. Do not over process.

2. Add mushrooms and parsley. Pulse until combined and mushrooms and parsley are incorporated.

3. Stir in spices, quinoa and salt and pepper.

Note: These are spicy. You can cut the spices in half if you like things less spicy.

Assembly

• Walnut mixture
• 1 head butter lettuce
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 avocado
• Himalayan salt and pepper

1. Place walnut mixture in lettuce leaf.

2. Top with avocado and tomato.

3. Finish with a grind of salt and pepper.