Slow Carb or Paleo Chimichurri Salad

Chimichurri is a flavor-packed sauce or marinade from Argentina.  Since I’m trying to eat more raw veggies, I decided to take a typical marinade and build a super healthy salad around it.

Don’t be intimidated by the large number of ingredients.  This is really easy.

Time Saving Tip: You can make extra chimichurri and freeze batches for later.

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Salad Ingredients

• 10-12 oz meat of your choice, cut into chunks or strips (chicken, beef or pork work well)
• 4 cups baby spinach
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• ½ red bell pepper cut into strips
• ½ avocado cut into cubes

Chimichurri Marinade Ingredients

• ½  cup cilantro leaves (coriander here in Australia)
• ¼  cup fresh mint leaves
• ¼  cup flat-leaf parsley
• 3 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped
• ¼  teaspoon hot pepper flakes
• ¼  cup of olive oil
• Splash of vinegar or lime juice
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Prepare the chimichurri marinade. Chop all the herbs.  Combine the herbs and garlic in a bowl.  Alternatively, you could use a food processor if you want a smoother marinade/dressing. Add the oil and a splash of vinegar or lime. Correct the seasoning, adding salt or vinegar, to taste. The chimichurri should be highly seasoned.
2. Pour a 1/2 of the chimichurri into a baking dish just large enough to hold the meat you want to marinade.  Add meat.  Cover and store in the fridge for a few hours (at least 30 minutes!)  Set the rest of the chimichurri aside.
3. Heat up a large skillet.   Cook meat until thoroughly cooked (3-5 minutes should do.)  If cooking steak, you can leave medium rare.
4. Combine veggies in a large salad bowl.  Toss with the chimichurri you set aside.  Add meat.  Serve and top with sprigs of cilantro.