C is a lawyer and I am an engineer. C drinks beer and I drink wine. C likes boring podcasts and I like bumpin music. C watches Game of Thrones and I watch Friends. C’s team Jacob and I’m team Edward.
There just isn’t a lot that we agree on.
However, like most good relationships, there are a few key areas in which our preferences overlap. Like the good engineer that I am, I have plotted this overlap on the diagram below.
Yes, we love bears. And we both live and die for a good Italian club.
Let me tell you a story to illustrate our dedication to this sandwich.
Last August, C and I took an AMAZING road trip through Northern California. We left from Long Beach, hit the Channel Islands, shot straight up to the Redwoods and meandered our way back south over the course of about two weeks. We had no real plan, but at some point, we decided to end our trip with a day in Santa Barbara, one of our happy places.
I’m going to level with you here and confess that we go to Santa Barbara A LOT. And when we do, we tend to be creatures of habit. We know the hikes we like, we know the ice cream we like, we know the shops we like, and we know the food we like. We REALLY know the food we like.
And that food, my friends, is South Coast Deli’s Italian 3-Way Sandwich.
IT IS SO GOOD I’m salivating just thinking about it. It’s layered #THICK with roasted turkey breast, followed by capicola and salami, topped with lettuce, onion, and pepperoncini, and just OOZING with their house made basil mayo. It’s stacked a solid 6-inches high with not one, not two, but THREE layers of chewy and fresh sourdough bread.
Excuse me please, I need a minute.
Okay *wipes sweat from brow*, back to the road trip story.
After a week and a half of a truly amazing and awakening trip, C and I decided to spread our wings and commit to trying something new in Santa Barbara. We yelped. We ate at a restaurant with a penny floor. We stopped at a brewery constructed of reclaimed wood. We ate sustainably sourced ice cream. We sat on the beach and wept because our stomachs were so full.
And yet, we felt empty. Because no amount of avocado toast, industrial-chic interiors, different types of exotic hops, or farmers’ faces could possibly fill the void that the Italian 3-Way Sandwich left behind. So C and I somehow managed to make our way to South Coast Deli (I think we laid on our sides and rolled?) and ordered ourselves the sandwich that we love so very much. There’s always space in our hearts and our stomachs for a good Italian Club.
And from this love, the paleo, low-carb, high protein, keto-friendly, grain-free Italian Club Super-Food Bowl was born.
I love this recipe for a few reasons. 1. It’s super easy and quick to make. 2. It’s high volume, scalable and customizable (C <3s carbs. I don’t eat so many. We are both happy when it comes to this dish.) And 3. It’s all of the amazing flavors of the Italian club without the grains and questionable ingredients.
I’ll stop teasing now and get right into it.
Italian Club Super-food Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 box Banza pasta (or pasta of choice)
- 6-8 cups leafy greens of choice (i.e. spinach, arugula, mixed greens, romaine)
- 1 red onion
- 2 red pepper
- 2 avocado
- 1/2 cup pepperoncini
- 4 oz salami
- 2-3 organic baked chicken breast (about 12 oz prepared)
- 6-8 tbsp Primal Kitchen Dreamy Italian (or dressing of choice)
- 1/2 cup pasta sauce of choice (optional)
- 1/4 cup chia seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Boil water and add Banza pasta. Cook per instructions on box.
- While the pasta is cooking, thinly slice the red onion, chop the red pepper, and peel and slice the avocado.
- Add leafy greens as base to bowl. Add red onion, red pepper, avocado, and pepperoncini.
- Slice the chicken breast and salami to desired width. Add desired amount to your bowl.
- When the pasta is done cooking, drain, and toss in pasta sauce if desired. Add desired amount of dressed or plain pasta to bowl. (I only add a small handful, for C its the majority of his bowl.)
- Top with dressing and chia seeds (optional), toss, and enjoy.