I have devoured movies over the holidays. With all the TV shows on hiatus after their fall or winter finales (what is that about by the way???), there was nothing on TV.
While maybe I should have filled that time doing more productive things, I watched movies. Lots of them. Sure I read more than normal, played some games on my phone to keep the brain in tip top shape, and wrote. Lots and lots of writing. But I’m finding myself more movie obsessed than ever.
I have always loved movies from the VHS tapes I reportedly watched over and over again as a kid to the movies that now seemingly appear magically on the TV after pressing a few buttons.
We have all the movie channels, use OnDemand so frequently it’s scary, and have Netflix and Amazon Video ready and waiting at all times. With Oscar season ramping up, I’m waiting for the movies to slowly pop up, begging me to watch them.
The problem is we watch a lot of bad movies. More than we should. More than should be made. When I’m struggling to get anyone to give a damn about my scripts, it’s frustrating to find tons of crappy movies. We try to watch clips, which sometimes are so laughably bad we stop, promising to never watch that movie. Others lure us in just enough and then demonstrate that the best scenes were in said clip.
During this TV show hiatus, I was on the hunt for great or at least good movies to watch. Oscar winners and nominees. Blockbusters that topped the box office. Little indies that might have not hit my radar.
And we watched pretty many good movies. There were some odd ones (I’m looking at you Mulholland Drive) and some that could have been better (hi Sully) but some were downright good movies that I would watch again (hey Pete’s Dragon and Southpaw).
I’m about out of ideas now. So before we get to the recipe, I want to know: what are your favorite movies? My remote is ready and waiting!
Now, onto these Spicy Beef Lettuce Wraps. This is how I eat most nights. Lots of vegetables and lean protein, maybe some fruit thrown in for balance and a bit of oil and vinegar. It’s healthy and gluten free and flavorful and satisfying.
Lettuce wraps have become one of my go to meals because they are so versatile. The lettuce is a must, but from there I add whatever fruits and vegetables sound good and I have on hand. The protein is also super flexible; I’ve used everything from ground beef to salmon to steak to eggs.
Life is better with great movies and lettuce wraps!
PrintSpicy Beef Lettuce Wraps #SundaySupper
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1/3 cup olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 1 head Bibb lettuce
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 4 stalks celery, sliced
- 3 clementines, segmented
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. When hot add about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil followed by the meat. Cook, stirring frequently, until fully cooked and browned.
- In a small bowl, mix the cumin, chili powder, coriander, turmeric, red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon of the black pepper. Add to the meat and stir to combine. Cook about 2 more minutes until incorporated.
- Combine the remaining oil and pepper with the vinegar in a small bowl for a dipping sauce.
- Serve immediately with lettuce, onion, fennel, celery, and clementines.
- Leftover beef may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for about 1 minute until hot.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
Thanks to Sarah from Chef Next Door for hosting this week’s event! Don’t forget to check out all the other Sunday Supper dishes!
APPETIZERS, SOUPS, AND SALADS
- Baked Kibbeh with Yogurt Sauce by Food Lust People Love
- Italian Wedding Soup by Hardly A Goddess
- Lighter Tex-Mex Albondigas Soup by The Weekend Gourmet
- Spaghetti and Meatball Soup by Cricket’s Confections
- Steak Taco Salad Wonton Cups by Caroline’s Cooking
- Thai Steak Salad with Noodles by Positively Stacey
- Warm Steak Salad by Food Done Light
LEAN GROUND BEEF RECIPES
- Cheeseburger Stew by Our Good Life
- Cheesesteak Bruschetta by The Food Hunter’s Guide to Cuisine
- Clean Eating Sloppy Joes by A Mind “Full” Mom
- Old Fashioned Porcupine Meatballs by Turnips 2 Tangerines
- Shepherd’s Pie by Simple and Savory
- Smothered Hamburger Steaks by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
- Spaghetti Squash with Chili by Recipes Food and Cooking
MAINS
- BBQ Filet Beef Tips by The Freshman Cook
- Beef Broccoli Pasta by Wholistic Woman
- Beef Ddukboki (Non-Spicy Sautéed Korean Rice Cakes) by kimchi MOM
- Beef Steak Fajitas by Asian In America
- Beef Vegetable Stir-Fry by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Black Pepper Beef with Broccoli and Noodles by Sunday Supper Movement
- Easy Sriracha Beef Cauliflower Rice Bowls by Family Foodie
- Skinny Beef Enchiladas with Creamy Avocado Sauce by Mindy’s Cooking Obsession
SANDWICHES AND WRAPS
- Asian Steak Lettuce Wraps by The Chef Next Door
- My Big Lean Greek Beef Wrap by Go Epicurista
- Slow Cooker Tuscan French Dips by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Spicy Beef Lettuce Wraps by Pies and Plots
- Spicy Beef Tacos by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Steak and Eggs Wraps by Eat, Drink and be Tracy
STEAKS
- Baked Chicken Fried Steak by Dizzy Busy and Hungry
- Chile Lime Flank Steak Tacos by The Redhead Baker
- Filet Mignon with Roasted Vegetable Salad by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Flank Steak Roulades by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Flank Steak with Chimichurri by Monica’s Table
- Roasted Garlic Sirloin Steak with Rosemary by Cooking Chat
- Swiss Steak by Palatable Pastime
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Love Actually is a favorite and I love all the Jane Austen movies….Pride and Prejudice (both the Keira Knightly movie and the BBC six hour version), Sense and Sensibility (Emma Thompson won Best Actress Oscar) Emma with Gwyneth Paltrow but for a more recent movie, I like Girl on the Train.
Your lettuce wraps look great. I will try these….
I love really old movies—Hitchcock films are right at the top. I also love lettuce wraps and need to make them more often. Yours look wonderful—I’ve never thought of adding fruit! Brilliant!
I don’t know if I have ever seen a Hitchcock movie – adding it to the list!
Wow Laura, this looks really amazing. Easy to make and spicy, and I love the clementines twist. I will definitely try it out!
The lettuce wraps look and sound delicious with lots of flavor from the spices you used.
We love lettuce wraps, but we almost always use chicken or shrimp. I love your recipe with spicy beef… will have to try these for a change of pace! I agree about some movies showing all the best scenes in the trailers and that’s always so disappointing. I thought Disney’s new version of the Jungle Book was a beautiful film, way better than I anticipated. Can’t wait for Beauty and the Beast!! 🙂
I loved the new Jungle Book too! Thanks, Marcelle!
These wraps look so so good! I love that you put in clementines. :] I need to go get some lettuce! <3
I love the spices you chose. I’m sure these were wonderful.