In preparation for my surgery in a few weeks, I did a massive freezer clean out. Almost all my meals for the week were planned around things that I found in there – including a random salmon filet. What’s a girl to do with a piece of small fish like this? Aha! Jambalaya! I’m also in the middle of reintroducing nightshades and seeds, and I had a feeling this dish would be the perfect thing to test if I can really handle them now. This jambalaya is packed with things that I hadn’t been able to eat since July, like tomatoes, paprika, and red pepper. It was the perfect next step in my transition from AIP to Paleo.
Jambalaya is a solid choice for meal prepping for weeknights- I wrote this recipe so that you can literally chop all the vegetables and the sausage over the weekend and dump it in a pot with the rest of the items when you are ready to cook. It cuts off so much time to pre-chop stuff whenever you can. It’s also totally freezable, so go ahead and make a double batch if you want.
And let’s talk about salmon for a hot second. It is SO good for you. You should honestly be trying to eat it at least once a week, especially if you are the proud owner of a uterus. Women with a diet high in Omega-3 fatty acids (along with a number of other healthy choices) are less likely to develop endometriosis. If you are one of the lucky ladies that already has it (like me), it’s also anti-inflammatory which can help you with pain management. See why it’s so important? And it adds a much more robust flavor in this dish than shrimp ever could. I even included the skin, since it’s packed with healthy fats. I was going to maximize that fish’s health benefits as much as I could (plus it was wild caught and I’m stingy).
Servings: 6-8
Total Time: 20 minutes
Hands on Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1 large white onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 red bell pepper
1 carrot, chopped
1 T chopped garlic
1 T coconut oil
1 filet of salmon (or cod if you prefer), chopped
2 chicken breasts, chopped
1 pack Aidell’s Cajun Style Andouille Sausages, chopped
1 bag frozen cauliflower rice
1 t thyme
1 T parsley
1 T paprika
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1 C chicken broth or stock
1/2 t black pepper
1 t salt
1/4 C pumpkin puree (or a 6oz can tomato paste)
Directions:
- Microwave your cauliflower rice as directed.
- Heat coconut oil in large stock pot, then add garlic until it’s fragrant.
- Add all your chopped veggies and sausage; cook until vegetables have started to soften.
- Add chicken, stock, spices, pumpkin puree and cooked cauliflower rice; stirring to mix it all up thoroughly.
- Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cover, simmering for 10-15 minutes or until chicken and salmon are cooked through.
- If it’s not thick enough for you, feel free to add a little more pumpkin puree. You can also add some more cayenne if you want to spice it up a bit more.
- It’s delicious served like this, but if you have a little extra time, go ahead and let it simmer even longer to let the flavors meld. It won’t ruin it!
Living the High Life 