Coconut, Cashew, Chicken Cabbage Salad

Ben and I have been married for 26 years and we've certainly had our share of disagreements - usually over something extremely important like the proper way to cut a bell pepper.  I actually think that the root of most of our conflicts can be traced back to the food that we eat and how it's prepared.  😂

Our food preferences couldn't be any more different.  While I crave fresh fish and vegetables from the garden - the love of my life prefers red meat and carbohydrates.  Our diverse tastes aren't really an issue when we go out to eat because we're both pretty adventurous eaters and we can find something to eat on almost any restaurant menu but preparing meals at home is a whole different story.  

How do you prepare 1 meal for a meat and potato loving carnivore and a healthy, calorie conscious, non-red meat eater?  I've tried serving different grilled chicken recipes for weeks at a time but it didn't take long for my beloved to catch on to my chicken games.  Despite by best intentions, he was not thrilled about eating smoked chicken, chicken tacos, chicken soup, chicken salad and shredded chicken sandwiches all in the same week.  🍗 I don't know why?  Who wouldn't love 6 straight chicken meals in a row?  😂

I can't guarantee that my sweet husband and I will ever agree about how to properly julienne a carrot but I over the past 26 years, I have been able to prepare more meals at home that we both enjoy.  The trick is to fix meals loaded with vegetables AND lean proteins.  We both agree that this Coconut, Cashew, Chicken and Cabbage Salad is the perfect combination of healthy, filling and delicious.  It's a meal for me and a perfect compliment to a thick, juicy steak for him.  

Coconut, Cashew, Chicken Cabbage Salad
1/3 cup flake coconut
1 jalapeno
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup lime juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 cups napa cabbage, shredded
1/2 cup chopped cashews
2 cups fresh basil
2 cups cilantro

Toast the coconut in skillet until lightly browned.  

Process jalapeno, garlic, lime juice, soy and sugar until smooth.  

Transfer mixture to a bowl and add shallots and chicken. Let sit 10 minutes. 

Add cabbage and toss with hands.  

Add cashews and coconut and toss.

Add basil and cilantro and toss again.

The jalapeno, garlic, lime and soy dressing on this salad is AMAZING.  You will want to eat it on all of your cabbage salads from now on.  Take my word for it - you'll want to make extra.  

​Ciao!

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