Experiments In Pegan Cooking

Romaine Salad

This is one of those salads that really makes you love romaine lettuce. It’s crispy and refreshing and perfectly balances the garlicky roast chicken, the sweetness of the tomatoes and the creaminess of the tahini dressing.

INGREDIENTS

2 chicken breasts, baked with coconut oil, garlic, salt and pepper
1 head romaine lettuce, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces
15-20 cherry tomatoes, halved

DRESSING INGREDIENTS

Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lime
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 tablespoons tahini
1 garlic clove, crushed
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of ground kelp [optional, this is the brand I use]

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare the chicken first (it can even be done the night before – a lot of times I’ll use whatever leftover chicken I have for this recipe). Lightly coat chicken with coconut oil and several cloves of crushed garlic – the amount can vary depending on how much garlic you like. Add salt and pepper to taste, and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.

Combine romaine with halved cherry tomatoes and chicken cut into bite sized pieces. For the dressing, stir together lemon and lime juice, olive oil, tahini, and crushed garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with ground kelp if you’re using it. The kelp isn’t necessary but it’s super nutritious so I try to sneak it in whenever I can. Toss together and serve.

Serves 2

Swiss Chard Chips

These are a kickass alternative to the more traditional kale chips – the absolute best when you want to snack on something crunchy.

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch swiss chard
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Wash chard and tear into bite sized pieces. Lightly coat with coconut oil (you can do this with a spoon or your hands), and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then bake for 15-20 minutes. When fully cooked, the swiss chard chips will be crispy. Enjoy them on their own or with your favorite chip dip.

Spiced Roasted Peaches

This is one of my go-to simple summer desserts. Roasting the peaches with coconut oil makes them sweet and syrupy without needing any added sugar. Enjoy the roasted peaches on their own or serve with toasted nuts for some crunch. This recipe works really well with other stone fruit as well (particularly apricots) or with mixed berries. It also makes a great ice cream topping!

INGREDIENTS

4 peaches, chopped
3-4 tablespoons coconut oil
A dash of ground vanilla
A dash of cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine peaches, coconut oil and spices in a Pyrex pan. Bake at 400 degrees for about an hour, stirring occasionally. It’s that easy!

Serves 2

Balsamic Vinegar Chicken

This is one of my all-time favorite chicken recipes. It’s simple, delicious, and pairs well with a variety of sides.

INGREDIENTS

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, split
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
8 oz mushrooms, sliced (I usually use white mushrooms, but any type will work)
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Olive oil for sauteing
Salt & pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large frying pan, saute the chicken in olive oil until both sides are lightly browned, adding salt and pepper to taste. Then add the garlic cloves, mushrooms, balsamic vinegar and thyme, and cover, stirring periodically until the garlic is soft and the mushrooms are fully cooked, about 30 minutes.

Serves 2

*All kinds of sides work well with this dish – the ones in the photo are roasted carrots (I use coconut oil or ghee plus a dash of cinnamon, cloves, and ginger) and kale sauteed in coconut oil.

Community Supported Agriculture

Here’s a useful article about how to get the most out of your summer vegetables: http://qz.com/435502/the-complete-guide-to-keeping-up-with-your-csa/

Zucchini with Pesto Deconstructed

I came up with this recipe as a way to use extra zucchini, tomatoes and basil from the farmer’s market. Great side to make if you’re short on time.

INGREDIENTS

4 medium zucchini, cut into slices
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
A large handful toasted pumpkin seeds
10-20 basil leaves, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Olive oil for cooking
Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Saute the zucchini in olive oil. Place halved tomatoes in a bowl along with basil, crushed garlic and toasted pumpkin seeds. Once the zucchini begins to brown, add it to the bowl along with oil from the pan. Toss the ingredients together, adding additional olive oil if necessary. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Orange Avocado Salad with Kalamata Olives and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

This is a fantastic simple summer salad – the tangy sweetness of the oranges blends perfectly with the richness of the avocados and the saltiness of the olives. Refreshing and delicious!

INGREDIENTS

2 avocados, chopped
2 oranges, chopped
a large handful of kalamata olives, pitted
a large handful of toasted pumpkin seeds
drizzle of olive oil
salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Simply combine all the ingredients and serve. Add chicken to make this a main dish!

Serves 2

Spicy Black Beans & Quinoa

INGREDIENTS

4 limes
2 cans black beans (I like Eden Organics because the cans are BPA-free)
4-5 tablespoons olive oil (enough to generously coat the bottom of the pot)
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 jar tomato paste
1 heaping half-teaspoon ground chipotle pepper (depending on the desired spice level, this can be adjusted)
Salt to taste
1 cup quinoa
1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
1 handful fresh cilantro [optional]
1 avocado per person [optional]

INSTRUCTIONS

Juice 4 limes and set aside.

Thoroughly rinse two cans of black beans and set aside.

Saute chopped onion in olive oil in a medium pot over low heat until translucent. Add garlic and continue stirring for another minute.

Stir in the cumin, coating the onions until fragrant.

Add the tomato paste, lime juice, and black beans.

Add 1 heaping half-teaspoon of ground chipotle pepper – this is moderately spicy. If desired add more, but err on the side of caution because a little chipotle pepper goes a long way.

Salt to taste, cover and simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally.

In a separate pot, combine 2 cups water, 1 cup well-rinsed quinoa, and one tablespoon of coconut oil. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until water is absorbed, stirring occasionally.

After ~20 minutes both the quinoa and the black beans should be cooked.

Combine well and top with fresh cilantro and avocado. I like to serve this with whatever greens are in my fridge – sauteed kale is especially good but most veggies will pair nicely.

Serves 4-6.

Leftovers excellent.

Roasted Veggies With Lemon Tahini Sauce

This is one of my favorite recipes – it literally could not be simpler or more versatile. You can use any veggie combo you like – look at the one below as a template, but definitely don’t hesitate to experiment with substitutions.

For the Roasted Veggies:

INGREDIENTS
1 cauliflower, chopped
2 heads of broccoli, chopped
1 bunch of carrots, chopped (I particularly like the multicolored ones when I can get them)
2-3 heaped spoons of coconut oil (don’t be shy with this, it’s really healthy – add as much as you need to coat all the veggies)

INSTRUCTIONS
Combine all the chopped vegetables with the coconut oil in a large rectangular pyrex pan and bake at 350 for about 45-50 minutes. Give them a stir every 15-20 minutes so the vegetables will cook evenly. I like to leave them in until the edges start to get slightly browned and crispy.

This recipe is particularly great for pairing root vegetables like carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, parsnips, rutabaga, celeriac, radishes, or turnips with cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli or baby broccoli, brussels sprouts or kohlrabi. You could even throw in some kale, collard greens, or bok choi 10-15 minutes before it’s finished cooking, if desired.

For the Lemon Tahini Sauce:

INGREDIENTS
Juice of 2 lemons
2-3 tablespoons of tahini (you can always add more if you want the sauce to be thicker)
4 tablespoons of olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS
Simply combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl and stir until it becomes smooth and well-combined. The ratio for this sauce is flexible – these are the rough amounts that I like, but if you prefer it more or less lemony, thicker or thinner, etc, absolutely experiment with changing them up!

Fried Eggs With Rice, Garlicky Spinach and Pickled Planet ‘Beat Kraut’

This is a great energizing breakfast – most important meal of the day!

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2-3 large handfuls of spinach
1 teaspoon tamari
Virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup brown rice (quinoa, buckwheat, or even riced cauliflower can be substituted here)
Salt & pepper
2-3 tablespoons Pickled Planet ‘Beat Kraut’ (any other kraut can be substituted here – I also really love Ozuke’s Citrus & Ginger Kraut)

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook the rice in a saucepan with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. When ready, set aside. Fry two eggs in coconut oil. Spoon the rice onto a plate and place the eggs on top of it. Using the same pan, saute the garlic until browned, adding more coconut oil if necessary (this should only take a minute or two since the pan is already hot). Add the spinach and tamari. Cook until the spinach wilts, then spoon it on top of the eggs and rice. Sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste and serve with a side of Pickled Planet ‘Beat Kraut’.

Serves 1

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