Cooking simple, whole foods isn’t actually all that time consuming—it can take less than an hour a day. And it’s not that expensive, either. Studies show that it costs about a dollar more per day to eat real, whole foods. And when you count the price society pays for processed food – the harm it brings to our health, economy, climate, and environment – it is clear that real, whole foods are the far less expensive choice, both for our wallets and our bodies. — Mark Hyman, M.D., author, Food: What the Heck Should I Cook?
When I started my personal weight transformation a year ago, I considered all the diets I had ever tried, and decided not to follow one, but to follow many. My daughter Holly had gifted me a copy of Dr. Mark Hyman’s cookbook, and she was prodding me to listen to a few of his podcasts, which I did. I pulled the cookbook off the shelf and started reading it.
Dr. Hyman is a medical doctor who practices functional medicine. He also describes his diet as Pegan – a cross between Paleo and Vegan. It’s started out as a bit of a joke in response to the “diet wars.” One of his colleagues was touting a vegan diet and the other followed a Paleo diet, and an argument ensued between the two doctors. When they turned to ask Dr. Hyman what he was, he coined the term Pegan on the spot, combining both colleagues’ diet theories into his own. Read more about his diet philosophy and cook book here:
Food: What the Heck Should I Cook by Dr. Mark Hyman – everywomanover29 blog
One of the recipes I prepared in the first month of my exploration of Dr. Hyman’s Pegan diet was Almond Chicken Skewers with Green Beans, found on page 166 in his book.
I made this again today for lunch. I didn’t have curry powder on hand, so I made my own using a spice grinder and following this Do-It-Yourself curry powder recipe: Curry Powder Recipe | Minimalist Baker Recipes
I make two product substitutions – instead of gluten-free tamari, I used Thrive Market coconut aminos or Coconut Secret, which have fewer carbohydrates. For light unsweetened coconut milk, I use Native Forest Unsweetened Organic Coconut Milk – SIMPLE—No Guar (see the can in the photo). The coconut milk has thick coconut cream on top, which I spoon out and refrigerate for future use.
The recipe itself takes 15 minutes to prep, plus 30 minutes to marinate the chicken. The cook time is 25 minutes. I put the skewers in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes and then finish them on the grill pan, but you can bake them completely or grill them completely. Here’s the recipe:
Chicken and Marinade
- ½ cup light unsweetened coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 and 1/2 pounds pasture-raised boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
1. For the chicken and marinade: Mix the coconut milk, lime juice, curry powder, garlic powder, and sea salt in a shallow dish. Add the chicken and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes. At the same time, soak 8 bamboo skewers in water.
Green Beans
- 1 pound green beans
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- ¼ cup finely chopped shallots
- 1 tablespoon filtered water
2. For the green beans: Cut the hard ends off the beans. (I blanch my beans in boiling water for 5-6 minutes, then drain and cool with running water to stop cooking.) Heat the avocado oil in a pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallots and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat to medium and add the green beans and a tablespoon of water and stir well. Cook until the beans are tender, about 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.
Almond Sauce
- ½ cup almond butter (choose a brand with no sugar or salt added such as Good & Gather Creamy Almond Butter)
- ½ cup light unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons tightly packed minced fresh organic cilantro
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free coconut aminos or tamari
- 2 teaspoons pressed garlic
- 1 teaspoon curry poder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
3. For the almond sauce: Blend the almond butter, coconut milk, cilantro, lime juice, coconut aminos or tamari, garlic, curry powder and cayenne in a high speed blender or mini food processor until creamy.
Garnish
- ¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh organic cilantro
4. To toast the almonds: Cook in a dry medium saute pan over medium high heat, stirring frequently until fragrant and toasted, about 5 minutes.
5. To Cook the Chicken: Thread the chicken onto the skewers. Grill about 4 minutes per side or until completely cooked through (internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit or bake in 375 degree Fahrenheit oven for 25 minutes.
6. To serve: divide the green beans among 4 plates and top with the chicken skewers. Drizzle generously with almond sauce and garnish with cilantro and toasted almonds.
If you don’t eat chicken, you could try this recipe with shrimp or tofu. Let me know if you try this – and send me your food foto!
ENJOY!
♥ Susan L. Ward
Integrative Nutrition Health Coach