Chili Vinaigrette Salad with Creamy Walnut Sauce

The inspiration for this recipe comes from one of my favorite places to eat here in Portland- Prasad.  It is a gluten-free, vegan, organic cafe located in the Pearl district.  Although many of their recipes contain beans, quinoa, lentils, or other high thiol or high FODMAP foods, their El Dorado Salad can be made mostly low FODMAP, low thiol by removing the cilantro, green onion, and avocado.  But that’s no fun!  I can usually (now that my symptoms are minor) handle the salad without having to make any changes.  My love for this salad inspired me to make a flavor-packed SIBO-friendly version.  Enjoy!

• Servings: 3
• Time: 30 mins
• Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients:

Salad:

• 3 handfuls mixed greens (or your favorite greens)
• 3 medium carrots, ends trimmed
• 1 English cucumber, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, finely chopped – optional
• 3/4 lb steak or chicken (I prefer steak for this recipe)- optional
• 1 t avocado oil for grilling steak or chicken- optional
• salt & pepper for steak or chicken– optional
• 1 avocado – HIGH FODMAP- optional

Creamy Walnut Sauce:

• 1 cup walnuts
• 2 T fresh lemon juice
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 jalapeno, halved & seeds removed
• 1/2 t ground cumin
• 1/2 t red chili powder (check ingredients to ensure no additives)
• dash of cayenne pepper
• 5 T water
• sea salt & black pepper to taste

Chili Vinaigrette:

• 6 T extra virgin olive oil
• 3 T red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder (check ingredients to ensure no additives)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions:

1. Season meat with avocado oil, salt, and pepper.  Grill steak or chicken as desired.
2. In a food processor, add carrots.  Pulse until carrot pieces are about the size of grains of rice.  Set aside in a bowl.
3. Prepare creamy walnut sauce by combining ingredients in food processor and pulsing until smooth.  Add more water (if necessary) for creamy texture.  Alternatively, you can try using a high-speed blender.
4. Combine chili vinaigrette ingredients in a jar and stir.
5. Assemble salad by topping greens with carrot “rice”, sliced cucumber, sun dried tomatoes, grilled steak or chicken, avocado, creamy walnut sauce, and chili vinaigrette.  Enjoy!