Smashed Chickpea & Avocado Lettuce Wraps
Ready in just 10 minutes, these vegetarian wraps are packed with fiber-rich chickpeas, fresh Boston lettuce and creamy avocado. Opting for meatless meals a few times a week is one way to eat more plant foods and cut down on processed meat — both excellent ways to lower your risk for cancer. These wraps are so versatile that once you get the hang of them, you can try them with chopped peppers, jalapenos or any fresh ingredients you have on hand.
Smashed Chickpea & Avocado Lettuce Wraps
Makes 4 servings. Per Serving: 200 calories, 10 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 24 g carbohydrate, 8 g protein, 9 g dietary fiber, 218 mg sodium.
- 1 15.5 oz can reduced sodium garbanzo beans
- 1 medium ripe avocado
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro (finely chopped)
- 2 Tbsp red onion (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 celery stalk (finely chopped)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 4 Boston lettuce leaves
- 1 medium tomato (sliced)
- 2 Tbsp feta cheese
Drain garbanzo beans and add to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mash to a smoother consistency (more or less depending on how chunky you’d like it). Add the avocado and lemon juice and continue mashing until well mixed. Stir in cilantro, red onion, celery, cumin, salt and pepper. Top lettuce cups with sliced tomatoes (and any other toppings, e.g. cucumbers, bell pepper, jalapenos or sprouts). Divide chickpea mixture into 4-5 portions and spoon onto lettuce cups*. Top with a sprinkle of feta cheese.
*For a heartier version, serve on whole wheat bread instead of lettuce cups.
Grocery List • Avocado • Reduced-sodium garbanzo beans • Lemon juice • Cilantro • Red onion • Cumin • Celery stalk • Salt and pepper • Boston lettuce leaves • Tomato • Feta cheese
The Author
Sonja Goedkoop, MSPH, RD, is a registered dietitian at Zesty, Inc. She is passionate about helping others improve their health through diet and physical activity and believes eating nutritious food should be easy and taste great.
