Here’s a fantastic recipe for a Vietnamese Chicken Salad from yet another paleo blog titled The Clothes Make the Girl. It’s by Melissa Joulwan — if you’d like to learn more about her, check out her blog — it’s a very entertaining read. I found it utterly fascinating that she used to be a roller derby girl, I had no idea they were still around.
She’s also the author of ‘Well Fed: Paleo Recipes For People Who Love To Eat‘ which from the looks of it is right up my alley. I love the fact that it’s full of recipes made with zero grains, legumes, soy, sugar, or dairy — not only is it great for those following a paleo diet, but equally as great for a celiac following a gluten-free diet and looking to improve their overall health in the process. Speaking from my own personal experience and observing many others at the same time, most people that are diagnosed with celiac disease and then embark on a gluten-free diet end up in pretty bad shape in just a couple of years. The over processed and sugar-filled food that makes up the commercial gluten-free market is a recipe for disaster. People with celiac disease (or anyone for that matter) do far better following a paleo/primal diet than what is often available at the supermarket. It’s so nice to see more and more people getting this and it’s even more exciting to see the paleo/primal movement growing at such a rapid pace. How can you go wrong when one of the main focuses of your diet is food quality?
Anyhow, that’s enough ranting for today, enjoy Melissa’s recipe.
These guys are awesome summer food: cool, crisp, flavorful, light, and easy to make. You could make them half the size and serve them at a party, even! The jicamada bed is a sweet, crunchy balance to the peppery bite of the relish, and the little bit of mayo adds a creamy kiss that gets close to recreating the magic of a bahn mi sandwich. You can play around with the ingredients: cucumbers would be a good addition or substitution in the relish, and you can swap in cilantro for the basil…
