Anytime you start a new diet, it’s critical to research what you’re getting yourself into.
I made sure to read up on what all I can and cannot eat on the keto diet before I started it for the first time. It’s amazing how many carb are in certain vegetables, and the fruits I can no longer eat. It’s also good to know what kind of sugar substitute you can use when the need arises.
That’s invaluable information that is critical to how I meal prep. I make a lot of Asian-inspired dishes, and a lot of the times the dressings, marinades, or sauces contain sugar to make it slightly sweet. When you cut out sugar completely, it’s hard to find a good substitute in the meantime.
Out of all the sugar substitutes I’ve tried, Erythritol is my favorite. It doesn’t have a funky aftertaste like the others. It’s sweet kick is rather short lived, though, so you have to increase the amount you use in recipes.
I like Truvia, too. It does have that funky aftertaste, so you have to be careful how much you use. I like to use just a pinch when I’m making a sauce or dressing; it sweetens it up just enough to know that it’s there.
All of that random sweetener knowledge came in handy for this recipe. I’ve had this recipe saved in my notes for about a year. Everytime I went to go make it, I thought of something else to make. It kept moving toward the back burner until now. I’m glad I finally set out to make it, though.
This is my take on a “larb” salad. Larb is a Laotian dish but it is also commonly found in Thailand. The main crux of the dish is the mince meat mixture: typically made with ground pork, mint, and chili. I wanted something more lean so I changed out the pork for ground turkey.
The salad ended uo being a refreshing take on the traditional larb. I topped it with some of my Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad and a handful of peanuts. Serve this salad on a bed of chopped romaine hearts and enjoy.
Thai Turkey Salad
A tangy, refreshing Larb-style salad served with turkey, peanuts, and fresh herbs.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large shallots, minced
- 1 jalapeno, minced
- 1 tsp. red chili flakes
- 1 TBS. olive oil
- 1 TBS. sesame oil
- 1/4 cup fresh, chopped cilantro + more for serving
- 1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
- 4-6 cups chopped romaine hearts
- Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad, for topping
For the dressing:
- Juice of 2 limes
- 2 TBS. fish sauce
- 2 tsp. sweetener (sugar, ertyritol, etc.)
- 2 tsp. Sriracha
Directions
- Heat sesame and olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add turkey, garlic, shallots and jalapeno. Cook until turkey is browned, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes and cilantro.
- In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, sweetener and Sriracha. Pour half of the dressing mixture of the cooked turkey and stir until well coats. Save the rest to top the salad.
- Make the salad: start with a bed of romaine and top with turkey, peanuts, cucumbers and extra cilantro. Drizzle dressing over the top.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Heat sesame and olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add turkey, garlic, shallots and jalapeno. Cook until turkey is browned, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes and cilantro.
In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, sweetener and Sriracha. Pour half of the dressing mixture of the cooked turkey and stir until well coats. Save the rest to top the salad.
Make the salad: start with a bed of romaine and top with turkey, peanuts, and extra cilantro. Drizzle dressing over the top.
