CRUNCHY CHICKEN CUCUMBER BOATS
Lotus Roots can be found at any Asian supermarket, but they are optional and act simply as a “lid” to hold the mixture onto the hollowed out cucumbers. A thick lettuce leaf is a good substitute.
Peel Lotus Roots and slice them to ¼ inches. Fry the slices in Grape Seed oil until lightly browned then drain on paper towel. Lightly salt if desired. (Note: Grape Seed oil has a high smoke point, and it is light, and light-tasting so it is perfect for this purpose. This means it is less likely to turn into a “trans fat” at high sizzling heats).
Chop up 2 cups roasted chicken breast and combine with 1/8 cup finely chopped red onion, 1/4 cup of each: chopped bamboo shoots, celery, green peppers, broccoli. Mix all together and season very well with salt and pepper. Feel free to add any other veggie you feel like. Don’t forget, the crunchier, the better! The bamboo shoots make for a nice crunch.
Add 3 TBSP’s Grape Seed oil to the chicken and all the other ingredients and toss well to bind. Just add a little at a time, until the mixture seems moist enough to stay inside a hollowed-out cucumber. Then to the mixture add 1 large rice cake crumbled and 2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese, then toss all to combine well.
Peel the cucumbers: So cut them lengthwise, then using a spoon, remove all seeds to hollow it out completely. Fill the hollow “boats” with the chicken mixture. Don’t be afraid to use your hands for this part. Press that mixture evenly in the cucumbers.
Place the Lotus root slices on right across the top of the cucumbers, and press them down to hold it all together. Crunch away on this wonderfully crunchy breadless sandwich.
(NOTES: Lotus Roots are good source of Dietary Fiber, Thiamin, Vitamin B6, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper and Manganese, and a very good source of Vitamin C).
In a half a cup of lotus root, there is approximately 9.5 gms carbohydrate, 8gm of omega fats, 0.9 gms protein, and lots of vitamins and minerals.
OTHER USES: Lotus roots, prepared the same way, i.e. sliced thinly and then deep fried, make a great substitute for a potato chip. Dip them in guacamole or other dips. They are very filling, and the moistness of the lotus roots does not allow the fat to “seep into” the chip, so there is no heavy oily greasiness, as there can be with potato chips. Enjoy.
