Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps and Skinnytaste Cookbook Review

Hello, 2017!  What a year 2016 was and I know 2017 will be even better.  Thanks to all of you for coming back and reading this little blog of mine.

Of course we need to start the year off with a healthy recipe and this is an amazing healthy recipe that I know you will love.

I crave these lettuce wraps all the time.  They taste incredible and I really really like them.  Crisp lettuce leaves are filled with tender buffalo shredded chicken, crunchy carrots and celery and a creamy bleu cheese dressing.   

The chicken ingredients are so simple, but the flavor is so good.  The bleu-cheese dressing is delicious and I plan on using this for my new go-to bleu cheese dressing.

These lettuce wraps came from Skinnytaste Fast and Slow, by Gina Homolka.  This healthy cookbook will come in handy this time of year when I am trying to eat healthier.

This book is filled with 140 recipes that are divided into 11 sections from Healthy Mornings, Zoodles, Squashta, Pasta and Sauce, Meat Lover Mains, Meatless Mains, The Sweeter Side and more.  Each recipe includes nutritional information, so you know exactly what you are eating and each recipe has a "Recipe Key" which will let you know if it's quick, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, freezer-friendly and if it's made in a pressure cooker or a slow cooker.

The recipes are unique to me and most of which I have never seen in other healthy cookbooks, like Slow Cooker Goulash with Sauerkraut, Pizza-Stuffed Chicken Roll-Ups, Butternut Squash Noodles with Pancetta and Poached Egg and Slow Cooker Chocolate Swirl Banana Bread.  Most recipes are loaded with vegetables (which I love).  These recipes are all well-written, the layout of the book is easy to read and the photographs are beautiful (almost every recipe has a photo).

Some of the recipes I can't wait to try are: Cauliflower "Fried Rice",  Slow Cooker Indian Chicken and Peas, Santa Fe Turkey Egg Rolls with Avocado Ranch Sauce, Chicken and Zucchini Noodles with Black Bean Sauce, Slow Cooker Banh Mi Rice Bowls and Egg Rolls Bowls.

Overall, if you want to be introduced to some new healthy recipes, then you will probably like this cookbook.  

I received this book from Blogging for Books for the purpose of this review.  However, all opinions expressed herein are my own.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
adapted from: Skinnytaste
(Printable Recipe)

1 1/2 Lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 medium celery stalk
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove
2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 c. cayenne pepper sauce (such as Frank's RedHot Original)

Blue Cheese Dressing
6 Tbl. low-fat buttermilk
1/4 c. light mayonnaise
5 Tbl. crumbled blue cheese
2 Tbl. chopped scallion, white parts only
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/8 tsp. kosher salt, or to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For Serving
12 outer lettuce leaves, such as green leaf, red leaf or iceberg
3/4 c. shredded carrots
3/4 c. 2-inch long celery matchsticks (from 2 large stalks)

For the chicken:  Add the chicken, celery, onion and garlic to a slow cooker.  Pour in enough broth until it almost covers the chicken.  Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through.  Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and discard the liquid and vegetables.  Shred the chicken with 2 forks and return it to the slow cooker.  Add the hot sauce and cook on high for 30 minutes.

For the bleu cheese dressing:  Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir until well combined.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  

To serve: Put 2 lettuce leaves on each of 6 plates.  Place a generous 1/4 cup of chicken on each leaf, top with 1 Tablespoon shredded carrots, 1 Tablespoon celery and 1 Tablespoon of the dressing.  Serves: 6.

Per Serving: 2 wraps = 210 calories, 8.5 g. fat, 5 g. carbohydrate, 1.5 g. fiber, 27 g. protein

Jenn's Notes:  For the chicken, I used 2 celery stalks, garlic powder instead of 1 garlic clove and 1 (14.5 oz.) can of chicken broth instead of 2 cups.  I also added some of the cooking liquid back to the shredded to chicken so it was a little juicy.