Truth be told, I didn’t like Hawaii when we first moved here, in fact I really really didn’t like it.  Living on Oahu and vacationing in Hawaii are two very different things.  But now, I have learned to embrace this island and my heart has totally loved it…and one thing I love the most, besides swimming through turquoise blue water, is ahi tuna!

Have you all ever had a poke bowl? If you haven’t it is pure delight! It pretty much is raw fish with sauce and toppings, in a bowl—sounds weird yes, but it will change your life…in a good way!  I could eat them for any meal of the day and yes thats a lot coming from the girl who doesn’t really love fish that much! Fact, I ate leftovers of these tacos for breakfast the other day, proof they are fabulous!

The other day I drove down to the local fish market to grab some ahi for dinner.  My husband and I love cooking together and when we aren’t grilling up steak or smoking ribs, we love to do a simple seared ahi dish.  You basically can have dinner on the table in about 10 minutes, so it’s one of our favorites!

I was chatting with the local fisherman picking out my piece of fresh fish and just having a fun conversation.  Little did I know, he threw in an extra piece of sushi-grade ahi for me, which pretty much is like gold! Amazing what a simple smile and hello can do!  So I knew I had to make fish tacos the next day, and let’s just say these lettuce wrapped cajun seared ahi tacos are simply fabulous plus they will add some color to your spring dinner!

Cajun Seared Ahi Fish Tacos with Citrus Slaw {Grain-Free & Paleo}

Ingredients

• 2 sushi grade ahi filets (about 1 1/4 lbs)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp garlic granules
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayanne pepper
• 1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Citrus Slaw

• 1/2 head of a small purple cabbage, thinly sliced
• 5 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup good quality mayonnaise (I recommend Sir Kensingtons or Primal Kitchen from Thrive Market)
• 1 lime juiced
• zest of 1 orange
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Serve in baby lettuce cups or with your choice of tortilla

Directions

• First mix together all the ingredients for the citrus slaw in a large mixing bowl.  Cover and place in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to marinate.
• Warm a skillet to medium heat and drizzle the olive oil in the pan.  Sprinkle both sides of the fish with the salt, spices and pepper.
• Sear the ahi for 1 minute then flip to the other side and continue searing for an additional minute. You only want the outside to be cooked with a nice, crispy texture.
• Thinly slice the ahi, place in lettuce cups or tortillas and top with a spoonful of citrus slaw.