Vietnamese Lemongrass Basil Chopped Chicken Salad

This is my final entry for the Kevin’s Natural Foods “Eat Clean. Live Happy. Blogger Recipe Challenge.”. My Vietnamese Lemongrass Basil Chopped Chicken Salad is Paleo, Keto, Gluten, Soy and Dairy Free and is the perfect thing to balance out all those Christmas cookies you might be baking! 

Kevin's Natural Foods is hosting a recipe contest using their clean ingredient sauces and they were kind enough to send me samples to work with. I have to be honest, I was a little skeptical and didn't know what to expect once I knew that all of the sauces are Paleo, Keto, gluten, soy and dairy free, non-GMO and has no preservatives. Can you even believe that list?! I'm happy to tell you, I was blown away by the flavor of these sauces! 

Vietnamese Lemongrass Basil Chopped Chicken Salad

 1 (7 ounce) packet Kevin's Natural Foods Lemongrass Basil Sauce

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 ½ Tablespoons lime juice

1 Tablespoon coconut aminos

1 teaspoon coconut sugar

1-pound chicken tenders

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups finely shredded cabbage

½ cup matchstick carrots

½ cup seedless cucumber, cut into half moons

¼ cup torn mint leaves

¼ cup torn cilantro leaves

3 green onions, thinly sliced

2 Tablespoons roughly chopped roasted salted peanuts

Place 1 Tablespoon of the Lemongrass Basil Sauce in a small mason jar with a lid. Add the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, coconut aminos and coconut sugar to the jar, cover tightly and shake until the dressing is thoroughly mixed. Place in the fridge to chill.

Pour the remining Lemongrass Basil Sauce in a medium mixing bowl and add the chicken and salt, tossing to coat. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.

Pre-heat a grill or grill pan to high heat and oil the grates. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the grill. Cook, covered, for 4 minutes per side.  Remove from the grill when the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165. Cover and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken into bite sized pieces.

Place the cabbage, carrots, cucumber, mint, cilantro and green onion in a large mixing bowl and drizzle with the dressing. Toss until all the vegetables are evenly coated. Add the shredded chicken, toss until evenly combined and place on serving plates. Sprinkle with peanuts and serve immediately.

Serves 2.

 #eatcleanlivehappy #kevinsnaturalfoods #kevinsrecipechallenge

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Tomatillo Fajita Shrimp & Cauliflower “Grits”

Kevin's Natural Foods is hosting a recipe contest using their clean ingredient sauces and they were kind enough to send me samples to work with. I have to be honest, I was a little skeptical and didn't know what to expect once I knew that all of the sauces are Paleo, Keto, gluten, soy and dairy free, non-GMO and has no preservatives. Can you even believe that list?! I'm happy to tell you, I was blown away by the flavor of these sauces! 

Today I am sharing a mash up of some of my favorite things. Tex-Mex flavors and shrimp and grits. One of the things I miss the most from my pre-covid life is going out to dinner, ordering margaritas while digging into bottomless chips and salsa and waiting on a huge platter of fajitas. There's just something irresistible about that sizzling hissing plate and you know everyone is looking at it being carried through the restaurant. 

The trick to re-creating those perfectly seared marks on your fajitas while at home is to get a large, dry cast iron skillet screaming hot before adding any of your meat or veggies. As soon as you dump your veggies into the blazing hot pan don't touch them. Leave them alone. Back away. They need time to make those gorgeous char marks which equal smoky delicious flavor. Super simple, but super delicious.

Do I get bonus points for this dish being Keto, Paleo, gluten,  grain and dairy free? I think I should!

Tomatillo Fajita Shrimp & Cauliflower “Grits”

2 Tablespoons coconut oil

28 ounces fresh riced cauliflower (not frozen)

1 ½ cups coconut milk

1 teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ cup sliced red onion

½ cup sliced poblano peppers

½ cup sliced yellow bell pepper

12 ounces medium-large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and patted dry

¼ teaspoon salt 

1 (7 ounce) Kevin’s Natural Foods Tomatillo Taco Sauce packet

2 Tablespoons mild pickled jalapenos

Melt 1 Tablespoon of the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the riced cauliflower and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, garlic powder, turmeric, salt and pepper. Lower the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree about half of the cauliflower mixture until you reach the texture of grits (smooth yet still grainy). You do not want the mixture to be completely smooth.

Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat for 4 minutes (you want to be able to hold your palm over the pan and make sure it’s hot before adding the vegetables). Add the onion, poblano and bell pepper slices and allow them to sear and blacken for 5 minutes before stirring. Stir the vegetables and continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Add the shrimp and salt and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Stir in the sauce packet and cook until the shrimp are fully pink, and the peppers are evenly coated.

To serve, spoon the cauliflower grits into 4 serving bowls, top with the shrimp sauce mixture and pickled jalapenos. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

 #eatcleanlivehappy #kevinsnaturalfoods #kevinsrecipechallenge

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Meaty Mushroom Teriyaki Tostadas with Orange Jalapeno Crunchy Slaw

Kevin's Natural Foods is hosting a recipe contest using their clean ingredient sauces and they were kind enough to send me samples to work with. I have to be honest, I was a little skeptical and didn't know what to expect once I knew that all of the sauces are Paleo, Keto, gluten, soy and dairy free, non-GMO and has no preservatives. Can you even believe that list?!

I'm happy to tell you, I was blown away by the flavor of these sauces!

These tostadas are loaded with flavor and are completely guilt free. They're also Paleo, Keto, Gluten, Soy and Dairy Free so no matter who is at your table, everyone will be satisfied. I took a mixture of sautéed mushrooms and lean ground beef and simmered that in Teriyaki sauce, loaded it onto grain free crunchy tostada shells and then topped them off with a veggie slaw that's sweet and spicy thanks to orange zest and jalapeno. It's an amazing new take on taco night!

Meaty Mushroom Teriyaki Tostadas with Orange Jalapeno Crunchy Slaw

3 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon olive oil

¾ teaspoon orange zest

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup matchstick carrots

½ cup julienned cucumber

¼ cup julienned radish 

2 Tablespoons chopped jalapeno

2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 green onions, sliced

6 Cassava & Coconut Grain Free Tortillas (or other grain free tortilla of your choice)

1 ½ teaspoon olive oil

8 ounces chopped crimini mushrooms

1-pound lean ground beef

1 (7 ounce package) Kevin’s Natural Foods Teriyaki Sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the rice wine vinegar, olive oil, orange zest and salt. Gently toss in the carrots, cucumber, radish, jalapeno, cilantro and green onions in the bowl until everything is evenly coated. Set in the fridge to chill.

Lay the tortillas flat on 2 large cookie sheets and spray both sides evenly with avocado oil cooking spray. Bake for 7 minutes, flip over and bake 7 more minutes, or until crisp. 

Add the oil and mushrooms to a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook for 10-12 minutes, or until all the moisture has cooked out. Add the meat, breaking it up as you brown it, and continue to cook for 10-12 minutes. If there is any excess grease, strain it out. Add Kevin’s Natural Foods Teriyaki Sauce packet and reduce the heat to low. Allow the mixture to simmer until ready to serve.

To assemble, top each crispy tostada shell with an equal amount of meat and then top with the crunchy slaw. 

Serve immediately.

#eatcleanlivehappy #kevinsnaturalfoods #kevinsrecipechallenge

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