Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold Cookbook: A Love Story Told Through 150 Recipes(5)

3. Place a handful of spinach on each serving plate. Divide chicken among the plates; drizzle with sauce.

TIP: Tender baby spinach is best for this recipe. Regular large-leaf spinach leaves are just too tough.

SPRING

Thai Peanut Chicken

Write this recipe down on a card and stick it to your fridge—it’s easy, tasty and endlessly adaptable.

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound chicken tenders or thinly sliced chicken br**sts

4 cups mixed fresh vegetables (broccoli, snow peas, carrots, bell peppers), chopped

½ cup peanuts (preferably unsalted), chopped

1 small clove garlic, minced

½ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons peanut butter

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Pinch of cayenne pepper, if desired

2 scallions, thinly sliced

4 cups cooked rice

1. Warm oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add chicken; stir-fry 2 minutes, until browned but not cooked through. Add vegetables; stir-fry 3 minutes, until crisp-tender. Reduce heat to medium. Add peanuts and garlic; stir-fry 30 seconds. Stir in soy sauce.

2. Place broth in a small bowl; microwave until just warm. Add peanut butter and cornstarch to warm broth; whisk until blended. Slowly stir warm peanut butter mixture into pan, still over medium

heat, stirring to coat vegetables with sauce. Add cayenne pepper, if you’re using it. Garnish with scallions and serve over rice.

TIP: Want a vegetarian version? Omit the chicken, up the veggies and swap out vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

SPRING

Easy Sesame Peanut Noodles

Serve this better-than-takeout noodle dish warm or cold.

Serves 4

12 ounces thin spaghetti

¾ cup peanut butter

½ cup bottled Asian sesame dressing

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 cup carrots, shredded

1 cup cucumber (from about ½ cucumber), finely chopped or shredded

2 scallions, thinly sliced

½ cup peanuts, chopped

½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Scoop out about ½ cup cooking water just before pasta is cooked through.

2. While pasta cooks, combine peanut butter, sesame dressing and coconut oil in a large serving bowl. Add pasta cooking water to thin the peanut butter and blend the mixture. Drain pasta; rinse in cold water. Add spaghetti to peanut sauce; toss to blend. Refrigerate 1 hour until cool, if desired. Toss with remaining ingredients before serving.

TIP: Commercial peanut butter makes a creamier sauce than natural varieties.

SPRING

Fettuccine with Citrus-Parsley Pesto

Pesto sauce takes on an unexpected flavor twist with the addition of orange juice.

Serves 4–6

12 ounces fettuccine

1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

¼ cup pine nuts, plus extra for garnish

⅓ cup orange juice

¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, if desired

Salt and black pepper

1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined (thawed, if frozen)

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine parsley, oil, cheese, pine nuts, both juices and red pepper flakes; pulse until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

3. In a large skillet set over medium heat, bring citrus sauce to a simmer. Add shrimp; cook 5 minutes, until shrimp are cooked through and no longer translucent.

4. Drain pasta; toss with citrus sauce to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish servings with pine nuts.

TIP: Frozen shrimp is a great time saving ingredient, since it’s already shelled and deveined.

SPRING

Roasted Salmon with Sweet Pepper and Kale Stir-fry

Coating salmon with sesame seeds adds a nutty flavor and crunch to this dish. If you don’t have any, skip the egg white coating and cook as directed.

Serves 4

Salmon

1 egg white

2 tablespoons cornstarch

4 salmon fillets (6 ounces each)

¼ cup sesame seeds

2 teaspoons olive oil

Stir-fry

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 red pepper, sliced

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1 small bunch (about 8 ounces) kale, trimmed and chopped

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil

Salt and black pepper

For salmon:

1. In a small bowl, whisk egg white and cornstarch. Brush the egg white mixture on the skinless side of the salmon; sprinkle with sesame seeds, pressing the seeds to help them adhere.

2. Warm 2 teaspoons oil in a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add salmon fillets; cook 4 minutes per side, until they reach desired doneness.

For stir-fry:

1. Warm 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pepper slices and ginger and stir-fry 3 minutes, until softened. Add kale; stir-fry 10 minutes, or until wilted and no longer chewy. Remove from heat; stir in soy sauce and sesame oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

TIP: Trim off the tough ends and woody center ribs of the kale before chopping.