spicy cajun stew

I can’t think of anything I would rather eat on a hot day, but something spicy and delicious. This Spicy Cajun Stew hits all the spots and it is so easily adjustable to make the whole family happy. I called it Jambalaya at first, but when I swapped out the ingredients on the 6th- or 7th try of this recipe, I decided it needed to be called Spicy Cajun Stew because I wanted to switch it up almost everytime I made it!

When I first started limiting my carbs I had to come up with small tricks to nourish my body without feeling deprived. In a lot of healing diets, grains are eliminated because of their inflammatory properties. There are many differing opinions about carbs in general, but in my experience, when changing your eating habits, you need to listen to your body.

I spent 4 months on a strict Ketogenic diet where I eliminated grains, fruit, sugar, and processed foods and dramatically increased my healthy fat intake. This change made me feel stronger, controlled my pain and reversed many of my stomach issues. Over time my body called out for carbs, so I adjusted my carb ratio and my body was happy again. 

This is one of my favorite grainless Keto recipes. Spicy Cajun Stew is a favorite of my whole family and it just needs a few adjustments to meet everyone’s dietary needs. For my kids I make organic basmati rice and for myself, I serve it over cauliflower rice or japanese sweet potatoes. It is spicy, fresh and great to feed a big crowd. Traditionally, this Cajun Stew would probably use andouille sausage, but I prefer chorizo and I like to break the rules. Recipes are great to follow but always add or delete according to your taste.

Ingredients

• 3 large organic boneless skinless chicken breasts or seafood of choice ( I vote for wild shrimp)

• 1 package (5-6 links) of high quality chorizo or andouille sausage

• 2 organic red bell peppers (you can switch up the veggie here and add chopped broccoli)

• 1 Large onion

• 1-2 cups Homemade chicken stock

• Handful fresh Parsley

• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste

• 2 Tablespoons Cajun seasoning ( I use Frontier Organic seasoning) Seasonings can contain many GMO ingredients and chemical agents. This brand is high quality.

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 Tablespoons Olive oil

• Optional 2 cups Basmati rice or 1 head of cauliflower. Most grocery stores have cauliflower rice available, if not simply pulse cauliflower through a food processor to make your own

Directions

• In a large frying pan, saute chopped onion and bell peppers in olive oil

• Add 1 inch cubed chicken breasts and sliced chorizo sausage, brown ingredients, If you are adding shrimp, sauté in pan just before adding liquid.

• Add 2 Tablespoons cajun seasoning

• Add 2 Tablespoons tomato paste and salt, cook for a few minutes and pour chicken stock to deglaze pan

• Simmer all ingredients for 15-20 minutes, to let flavors incorporate

• If using cauliflower rice, saute in butter and serve with a big helping of Cajun Stew over the top.

• Finish with chopped parsley or cilantro

In a separte pan, make rice separately according to package directions.

When cooking rice, I measure rice to liquid 2:1 add salt to taste. Bring to boil, cover and simmer on low heat for 13-14 minutes. PERFECT RICE EVERYTIME!