This summer we had a fantastic opportunity to travel to the amazing national parks in Alberta, Canada with my husband’s entire family. It’s a fun, loud, and boisterous crew, of six individual families. This was the first time we were brave enough to head somewhere outside of the country with our pack! We came in from both coasts, to have an adventure in the Canadian Rockies. We hiked, we swam, and we even found ourselves out in the middle of Moraine Lake in a canoe. It was heaven on earth to be paddling through those turquoise waters and towering mountains!
Part of my role was assembling dinner reservations for the whole troop. That’s reservations for 23 people – 11 of whom were children. Daunting for sure, but we found some outstanding local restaurants. We ate. We ate WELL. Alberta is known for it’s cattle ranches, and beef is a stable. I’m not always one for red meat, but the steaks were delicious, and found on every menu. One evening we even managed to escape the kiddos (they were babysat by their saintly grandparents), and our group tucked into a restaurant featuring some delicious tapas and cocktails.
A dish that blew me away in its simplicity was a superb grilled strip steak paired with an herby green chimichurri sauce. It was beefy and rich – filled with umami flavors, but chimichurri cuts right through the fattiness with a vinegary zing that perfectly balanced the meat. It was amazing.
Once home, this was the dish my husband and I wanted to recreate. We brought the flavors of Argentina by way of Alberta, home with us! It’s incredible that green herbs, Serrano peppers, olive oil, and red wine vinegar can be blended together with such fantastic results. Served on steak (or your favorite grilled fish), this sauce is a gorgeous way to use those end-of-summer herbs from the garden!
Fresh Chimichurri Sauce
Makes 1 1/2 cups
2 large shallots, peeled & sliced thinly
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, washed & dried
1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, washed & dried
1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves (about 6 sprigs) washed & dried
6 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled & smashed
2 Fresno chili peppers, washed & seeded
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
After preparing your green herbs, peppers, garlic, and shallot, add to the bowl of a large food processor.

Combine the red wine vinegar with the vegetables and pulse a few times to just break down the ingredients.
Next, add the olive oil and blitz the sauce until thoroughly chopped. You’ll know when you’re at the right consistency when the mixture looks like a finely chopped salsa.
Taste, and season with salt & pepper.
Transfer the sauce to a large glass bowl and allow it to sit at room temperature for 30 mins before serving. This resting time allows the flavors to meld.
Refrigerate any remaining sauce and use with in 3-5 days.
Fresh Chimichurri Sauce (Keto & Whole30 Diet Friendly)
Ingredients
- 2 large shallots peeled & sliced thinly
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves washed & dried
- 1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves washed & dried
- 1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves about 6 sprigs washed & dried
- 6 cloves of fresh garlic peeled & smashed
- 2 Fresno chili peppers washed & seeded
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- After preparing your green herbs, peppers, garlic, and shallot, add to the bowl of a large food processor.
- Combine the red wine vinegar with the vegetables and pulse a few times to just break down the ingredients.
- Next, add the olive oil and blitz the sauce until thoroughly chopped. You’ll know when you’re at the right consistency when the mixture looks like a finely chopped salsa.
- Taste, and season with salt & pepper.
- Transfer the sauce to a large glass bowl and allow it to sit at room temperature for 30 mins before serving. This resting time allows the flavors to meld.
- Refrigerate any remaining sauce and use with in 3-5 days.
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