Name: Thai Crunch Salad with Peanut Dressing
Yield: serves 2
Ingredients: 3 cups coleslaw mix (green cabbage, red cabbage, carrot mix); 1/2 red pepper, sliced into thin matchsticks; 1 chicken breast, cooked then shredded; 2 green onions, chopped; 3 Tablespoons peanuts, finely chopped; 3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro; 4 Tablespoons smooth peanut butter (I used Smucker’s Natural); 2 Tablespoons honey; 2 Tablespoons warm water; 1-1/2 Tablespoons gluten-free Tamari or soy sauce (dish will not be GF if using traditional soy sauce); 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar; juice of 1/2 large lime (slice remaining 1/2 lime into wedges); 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds; 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil; heaping 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger; 1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, pressed or minced; salt and pepper

Raise your hand if you’re craving something fresh, healthy, and NOT made entirely from butter and/or sugar?

Man I love the holidays but over the past few weeks I have eaten crazy amounts of sugar cookies, plenty of Puppy Chow and boatloads of bark. It’s been fun for sure but right now all I want to do is eat a MASSIVE salad. The little boys and I were at my parent’s house yesterday where I made Lincoln a healthy snack of sliced apples and peanut butter…then sat down and chowed down on Lay’s potato chips. #WHY My point is, unhealthy habits beget unhealthy habits and this freight train needs to be stopped.

Thai Crunch Salad with Peanut Dressing is just the thing to do it!

Crispy coleslaw mix is combined with green onions, red bell pepper, cilantro, peanuts, and chicken then tossed with an easy Thai Peanut Dressing that I had to double the amounts for in the final recipe because I spoon drank too much and didn’t have enough left to dress the salad with. What can I say, self control is not one of my strengths!

This healthy salad recipe is super crunchy and filling, plus if you’re a fan of mason jar salads – these work beautifully! Scoop several Tablespoons of the dressing into the bottom of a 16oz mason jar then layer in coleslaw > red pepper > chicken > green onions > peanuts > cilantro. Pour onto a plate at lunchtime, and you’re set. Let’s do this!

How to Make Thai Crunch Salad

Start by adding bagged coleslaw mix (green cabbage, red cabbage, and carrots,) chopped cilantro, peanuts, and green onions, plus red bell pepper cut into matchsticks, and shredded chicken breast into a large bowl. I poached my chicken breast for about 10 minutes before shredding, but you can cook it any way you like and/or use rotisserie chicken.

How to Make Peanut Dressing

To a mason jar or small bowl add peanut butter, honey, warm water, gluten-free Tamari, rice vinegar, lime juice, toasted sesame seeds, sesame oil, ground ginger, fresh garlic, salt, and pepper, (and a partridge in a pear tree) then shake or whisk to combine. Whew! Sounds like a lot of ingredients but I always have everything in the house.

Drizzle the dressing on top then toss well and scoop into two bowls with extra lime wedges for drizzling.

I hope you love this fresh and healthy, yet fun and filling salad. One more week of holiday baking madness you guys – enjoy it, then enjoy THIS!

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