KetoFLEX 12/3 Kitchen: Home-Style Cajun Cuisine

To keep the Mardi Gras spirit alive, we’re celebrating home-style Cajun cuisine, a beloved French-American classic, with jambalaya – that’s pure Louisiana! Legend has it that the recipe originated from the need to feed a weary traveler. At a loss for what to serve his guest, the host turned to his chef, Jean, and asked him to “balayez” something, meaning “blend some good things together.” Delighted with Jean’s results, the guest suggested that the dish be called “Jean, balayez,” which eventually became Jambalaya. See our Jazzy Jambalaya recipe below, honoring the Cajun legacy of gracious hospitality and adding a healthy twist with our light, KetoFLEX 12/3 version accompanied by refreshing sides. The recipes for Steamed Artichoke with Dipping Sauce and Blackberry Lime Spritzer are available to our PreCODE and ReCODE members.

Jazzy Jambalaya

This is an old family favorite made keto. Whenever my family would gather for a special occasion, I would get a request for my Cajun home-style jambalaya that was mainly rice. When we changed to a ketogenic lifestyle, I knew I had to find a way to make this family favorite work. By switching the rice for detoxifying cauliflower, we’re punching up the nutrient density and keeping blood glucose steady.

The secret to Jambalaya’s wonderful flavor is a symphony of peppers, garlic, green onions, cayenne and lots of herbs and spices. This one-pan recipe is super easy to make and easily adaptable for other proteins (including tofu), seasonings, and herbs. Let your imagination go wild!

Yield: Serves 7

● You will simply pan sauté your ingredients separately as directed, then place them in a staging bowl. Do not clean the pan between ingredients to allow the flavors to build as you add new ingredients. Once everything is cooked add the contents of the staging bowl back to the pan, mix and top with your grill shrimp for a beautiful presentation.

● If you are using frozen shrimp, be sure to remove them from the freezer a couple of hours before preparing the Jambalaya. Once they have thawed you will want to place them in a colander to drain the liquid. Additionally, I use paper towels to dry my shrimp as much as possible before adding seasoning.

● If you are ricing the cauliflower, wash it and cut into approximately 2-inch pieces so they fit easily into your food processor. Process the cauliflower with the S blade until it looks like large rice. You don’t want the cauliflower to be too small. Although fresh cauliflower is much better in this dish you can use frozen riced cauliflower. You will want to place the riced cauliflower in a colander to thaw. Once it has thawed press it to drain as much water as you can from the rice. You can also use paper towels to absorb the remaining water. Too much water in the cauliflower can make the Jambalaya mushy.

● For a one-two antioxidant punch, you will need to cut your kale and rice your cauliflower in advance. It’s important to wait 10-45 minutes after chopping cruciferous vegetables before cooking to allow for a chemical reaction that increases the amount of an anti-inflammatory compound sulforaphane that your body uses to make your master antioxidant, glutathione. See below on how to rice cauliflower.

● You may want to use an oven-safe bowl/dish as your staging bowl so you can place it in your oven at 200F to keep the contents warm while you prepare the remaining ingredients. This avoids a long reheating time when all the ingredients are mixed back together.

Ingredients:

● 2/3 cup high polyphenol extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided

● 1 bunch scallions, chopped

● 1 organic yellow pepper, peeled & chopped, USDA organic

● 1 organic red pepper, peeled & chopped, USDA organic

● 6 cloves organic garlic, minced

● 1 small bunch flat leaf kale, destem and thinly slice, USDA organic

● 1 medium-large cauliflower, riced (See tip above.)

● 3 tbs parsley, chopped

● 2 tbs cilantro, chopped

● 1 tbs fresh thyme, pull leaves from stem and mince

● 1 tbs fresh rosemary, minced

● 6 ounces sausage, sliced thin (chorizo, andouille, or kielbasa from 100% pastured pork )

● 2 lb. wild-caught shrimp (100% pastured chicken makes a great substitute)

● 1-2 Tsp adobo seasoning (Frontier Co-op Brand Adobo seasoning is Bredesen compliant)

● 1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning for shrimp (Frontier Co-op Brand Cajun Seasoning is Bredesen compliant)

● EVOO for finishing as desired.


Directions:

1. Heat approximately 3 tbs of EVOO over medium heat in a large skillet.

2. Add chopped scallions and peppers. Sauté to desired tenderness then add minced garlic and sauté for another minute. Remove onion/pepper mix from pan and set aside in a large staging bowl.

3. Add 2 tbs of EVOO to pan, lower the heat slightly to preserve nutrients in the kale. Add washed destemmed kale and gently sauté until just tender it will still be bright green. Remove kale from pan and add to staging bowl.

4. Add 1 tbs EVOO to pan and return to medium heat before adding the sliced sausage and cook until just browned on both sides. Remove the sausage from the pan and add to the staging bowl.

5. Place your shrimp on a flat surface and season both sides of the shrimp with Cajun seasoning or seasoning of your choice.

6. Add 1 tbs EVOO to the pan. When the oil is hot, place your shrimp in the pan and grill for approximately 2 minutes on each side. You don’t want to overcook the shrimp, or they will be tough. Place grilled shrimp in a separate bowl or plate.

7. Add another 3 tbs of EVOO to the pan and add the riced cauliflower and the 1- 2 tsp of adobo seasoning. Sauté until tender then add and the herbs and content of the staging bowl.

8. Mix your ingredients well and add any extra seasonings to your taste. Place shrimp on top of the Jambalaya and reheat all ingredients.

9. Generously drizzle with EVOO and enjoy!


Nutritional Information Per Serving:

● Calories 470.4

● Total Fat: 29.3 g

● Saturated Fat: 6.6 g

● Total Carbohydrates: 16.5 g

● Fiber: 4.6 g

● Net Carbohydrates: 11.9 g

● Total Protein: 37.2 g

● Animal Protein: 33.4 g

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