Before crunching into Katie Crawford’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps, take a second to look at the colorful
creation and savor the saucy smell.
“The colors in it, the textures and there’s a little bit of kick, and a sweetness as well,” Crawford, of
Bowling Green, described her recipe.
The wraps were inspired by a similar dish that Crawford ordered at P.F. Chang’s restaurant.
“I went online and looked up all kinds of recipes,” she said. “I’ll go out to eat and if I like
something, I’ll think of how I can do it at home.”
Crawford looks online for recipes, but also thumbs through her grandmother’s classic red Betty Crocker
cookbook that sits atop her refrigerator.
“I appreciate tradition, but I like to explore.”
She’s been making the wraps for awhile now, but still tinkers with the recipe. She said she just recently
added peanuts to it.
“It’s healthy. There’s nothing bad in it.”
One nutritious substitution that she makes in the wraps is putting in Liquid Aminos instead of soy sauce.
Liquid Aminos, which has much less sodium than soy, can be found in the same grocery aisle, she said.

Crawford tends to make healthy replacements in many of her recipes, including using coconut oil instead
of other types of oils and Greek yogurt for sour cream.
Tips to making the wraps are to not overcook the vegetables — and the more vegetables, the merrier.
“Don’t be afraid to add more veggies. I often double the pepper and water chestnuts.”
Cooks can also serve the wraps as a salad by shredding the lettuce, Crawford said.
“It makes a lot of leftovers,” she added.
This recipe is also versatile.
Sunflower seeds could be a tasty addition. Skip the peanut butter, if you want. Add a scrambled egg for
some texture. Corn or chickpeas could be substitute ingredients. Stick steak in the wrap instead of
chicken.
Crawford said cooks can also can the chicken to make it vegetarian.
“I did that the other day for friends and it was just as good.”
At home, Crawford makes a lot of vegetarian dishes.
“I’ll eat meat, but I don’t buy it,” she said. ‘We don’t really cook with meat often.”
The newlywed prepares a lot of meals for herself and husband, Andrew, whom she married last fall. They
love to entertain in their cozy home, with a fabulous backyard, complete with a pool.
There’s a good chance that the wraps will be on the menu.
“I only have a few
go-tos and this is one of them.”
Other favorite meals are tacos, breakfast dishes, soups, pasta and paninis.
“I like to cook. I really do,” Crawford said, adding that she really didn’t get into the kitchen until
after college when “I just got the bug.”
She loves it so much, she sometimes wonder if she should have studied culinary arts.
“I love doing hair but if I could go back and be a chef in a big city …”
Crawford has been an independent stylist at Revolv Salon on South Main Street for three years.
“I like talking with people and making people feel good. I like the challenge, and that it’s flexible.”

Her career path at first was very different. She studied tourism and event planning at Bowling Green
State University for over two years. Then she visited a cosmetology school, and the rest is history.
She met Andrew while cutting his hair.
The Huron native loves life in Bowling Green; the couple especially enjoys the parks and the community
center. Crawford has also recently joined CrossFit, another Bowling Green gym.
They recently welcomed an addition to their family: Scarlet, a mutt rescue they adopted from the Wood
County Humane Society six weeks ago.