Recipe: Spring Lettuce ~ a Gluten-free Healthy Addition to Lunch, from Tiffany Hinton

By now, garden lettuce is plentiful and we may actually have an abundance ready to be picked as we move through the warming month of May. Fresh lettuce in many varieties is also available at the local farmers market this month.

Lettuce is one of the easiest and fastest garden vegetables to grow and can easily be ready to pick from seed in as little as three weeks. Lettuce can be grown in one square foot of space in only about six-inch-deep soil.

Lettuce loves to be watered in the morning, and grows very well before the temperatures reach 80 degrees during summer days. Remember to pick back the flower heads to extend the life of the lettuce plants.

WebMD lists many nutritional benefits of lettuce, including increased bone strength, hydration, improved vision and improved sleep. Lettuce is high in vitamin A, vitamin K and water. Here is an easy and tasty recipe to enjoy the fresh, crisp lettuce of the season.

Mediterranean Lettuce Wraps

Yield: 2, ½-cup servings

1 cup chick peas, rinsed and drained,
     blotted dry

¼ red onion, chopped

½ cup cucumber, chopped

½ cup tomatoes, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

½ tsp dried oregano

1 lemon (optional)

2 Tbsp Greek yogurt (optional)

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Lettuce leaves for serving

Preheat oven to 375° F. Toss chick peas with olive oil, garlic, oregano and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Roast for 10-15 minutes until slightly browned.

Fill each lettuce wrap with roasted chick peas, chopped veggies (cukes, tomatoes, and onion), a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and Greek yogurt, if desired.

Recipe courtesy of Tiffany Hinton, GF Mom Certified. Connect online at @gfmomcertified and listen to Tiffany’s podcast, Cultivating Guts, on Spotify or iTunes.