Raise your hand if you used to get Chinese take out growing up. Ok sure, I won’t actually see you raising your hand, but I am guessing that most of you reading this raised your hand. As children of the 90s with parents who worked, or equally exhausted stay at home parents, it is likely that they succumbed to pizza or Chinese take out every once in a while. Or late night in college, as I did many times.

My favorite dish was always the kung pao chicken. Perfectly spiced and sticky. I always went for the white rice and scooped up extra sauce for each bite.

I wanted to recreate this childhood and college favorite of mine, but without the food hangover. Enter my healthy kung pao chicken dish! It is so freaking good. I couldn’t be happier with how this turned out!

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound chicken breast (cut into 1-inch pieces)

2 cups chopped broccoli 

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

2 tbsp. tamari, soy sauce or coconut aminos

3 tbsp. rice vinegar 

2 tbsp. coconut sugar 

4 tsp. arrowroot powder

1 tbsp. sriracha 

3 cloves garlic, chopped 

2 tsp. grated fresh ginger 

METHOD:

Heat a bit of oil in a nonstick pan on medium-high and add the chicken with a bit of salt and pepper and cook for 4-5 minutes until done. Set aside. In the same pan, cook broccoli on medium heat with the garlic, ginger and a bit of oil and a few splashed of soy/tamari/coconut aminos and cook until tender (you can steam the broccoli for a few minutes before to cook faster in the pan). 

While you cook the broccoli and the chicken, combine the tamari, rice vinegar, coconut sugar, arrowroot powder and sriracha to a bowl and stir to combine. 

When the broccoli is done, add the chicken back to the pan on low heat and stir in the sauce until it thickens. Serve with the peanuts over a bed of white rice.

ENJOY!

These salmon tacos have become one of my favorite dishes to make for my 10-day detox, The 10-day balanced gut reset. I even had two friends who bought my reset kick it off by making these tacos for a reset party! These tacos (and a few variations) are a part of my gut reset recipe packet but I thought I would share with you so you can join in on the fun too. 

The best thing about these tacos is that they cook up in 10-15 minutes depending on how thick your fish is.  Great option for a quick lunch, or a dinner when you come home from work hangry and want something delicious and healthy.

Detox Salmon Tacos
(Serves 2-3)

Ingredients:
-       One packet Siete Foods Tortillas (any flavor, or corn tortillas if not on my gut reset)
-       1 lime
-       2 tbsp. coconut or avocado oil
-       1 avocado
-       1 pound wild or sustainably farmed salmon*
-       Salt + Pepper

* You can also use cod, red snapper or halibut. 
If you are a vegetarian or want to mix it up, use these ingredients instead of fish:
-       1 can garbanzo beans
-       1 head cauliflower
-       1/2 tsp. turmeric
-       1 tsp. cumin
-       1/4 tsp. chili powder
-       1 lime
-       2 tbsp. olive oil or avocado oil

Cole Slaw:
-       1/2 cup dairy free plain, unsweetened yogurt
-       juice of one lemon or lime
-       handful chopped parsley or cilantro (ok to omit if you don't have)
-       1/2 head of green or purple cabbage
-       salt and pepper

Thinly slice cabbage into ribbons and combine in large bowl with remaining ingredients.  Leftovers will keep in an airtight container for 2 days.

Method:
For fish: Add a generous amount of salt and pepper to fish of choice.  Cook in a cast iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of avocado or coconut oil with skin on flipping once after 4-6 minutes. If your fish is a thicker piece, finish in the over at 350 degrees for 3-5 minutes until cooked through. Or if you are like me, I like my salmon a little pink in the middle. Squeeze with half of lime when done cooking and use the other half for garnish. 
For veggie: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine chickpeas, chopped cauliflower, spices and a glug of oil in a bowl and stir to combine. Pour onto baking sheet into one layer. Roast 20 minutes and flip/stir halfway through with squeeze of half of lime.  Squeeze other half of lime when done roasting.

Serve with Cole Slaw and sliced avocado on tortillas of choice. Happy eating!!

HOW TO EAT FISH RESPONSIBLY
The salmon I used for this recipe is sustainably farmed. As our population grows and salmon becomes a more popular source of Omega 3's, we can't all possibly eat only wild fish or else we would eventually deplete our resources. Contrary to popular belief, you CAN eat farmed fish that is sustainable, safe and good for you!

Be careful when shopping for salmon that has had "color added."  A lot of health food stores, including Whole Foods, don't always carry naturally farmed fish and often add dyes and colors. 

Here are some resources that have helped me when choosing salmon and other fish:
https://www.seafoodwatch.org/seafood-recommendations/groups/salmon
http://www.seafoodwatch.org/
https://sustainablefoodtrust.org/articles/eating-values-five-questions-ask-fishmonger/

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