Lunch in a Box: Asian Black Bean Burger Lettuce Wraps

Today's lunch is nothing short of healthy, tasty perfection! I came across the recipe for Asian Black Bean Burgers on the Lean Green Bean blog, and knew I would have to make them. Healthy protein with a punch of flavor- sounded like a winner to me. After getting a little off track with eating last week, I wanted to pack a lunch that I was excited about, but wouldn't feel guilty eating. So the Asian Black Bean Burger Wrap was born!

I pretty much followed the recipe to a T, minus the Sriracha, and was able to make 6 good sized patties out of the mixture. I left out the Sriracha because I used Thai Chili Garlic sauce, which has a pretty good kick to it. I also wanted to make a little sauce to pour over my wraps, so I saved that ingredient for later. Per my loose calculations, each burger has the following nutritional info:

168 calories
3.8g fat
59.5mg sodium
25.3g carbs
6.6g fiber
.9g sugar
8.3g protein


For my lunch, I kept the burger separate, and heated it up before assembling. I divided the burger in half, and then wrapped it in iceberg lettuce leaves, and topped it with julienned red bell pepper and fresh cilantro. Then I poured my sauce on top- which truly made the whole dish! Recipe below:

Asian "dipping" sauce (adapted from PF Changs)

2 T low-sodium soy sauce
1ish tsp Sriracha (depends on how spicy you like it)
1 tsp Dijon mustard (that's what I had on hand- plain or hot mustard would do, too)
1 T rice wine vinegar

Mix all ingredients in bowl, and adjust taste to your liking. I probably used slightly different measurements than above as I added...but that should be pretty close. It also made enough to use for a total of 4 wraps.

I served the wraps with a side of slaw that I had made for dinner (more on that in an upcoming post), and a clementine cutie for dessert. I loved the vibrant colors of the overall dish, and was very satisfied after my lunch. Will definitely be making this one again (and again, and again!) Other than the prep work on Sunday, this is an easy dish to put together the remainder of the week.

Do you have any "go-to" lunches that are quick to prepare, but more exciting than a sandwich and an apple?