Use up your leeks, carrots, and celery with this absolutely delicious chicken recipe. If you feel weird about the loose coriander seeds, you can use ground or put the seeds into your spice bag in with the other herbs. 

¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 thyme sprigs
1 rosemary sprig
1 whole clove
1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces, rinsed and patted dry
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
¼ cup (4 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil
4 large leeks, halved lengthwise, cleaned and thinly sliced crosswise
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 pound carrots, peeled, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
1 celery stick, diced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
1 cup dry white wine
 About 2 cups chicken stock
1 to 2 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or celery leaves, for garnish
 Buttered noodles, for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place flour in a shallow bowl. Tie thyme, rosemary and clove in a spice sachet or square of cheesecloth.
Season chicken pieces all over with salt and pepper. Coat each piece evenly with flour; tap off excess. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large oven-proof Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear in batches, until browned all over, 5 to 6 minutes a side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pot; reduce heat to medium. Add leeks and 2 tablespoons sage and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the carrots, celery, garlic, coriander, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until vegetables begin to color, about 5 minutes.
Add wine and increase heat to high; simmer, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Return rabbit to pot. Add stock (it should come almost halfway up the sides of chicken pieces) and herb sachet (or herbs and clove). Transfer pot to oven and cook, partially covered, until meat is fork tender, about 2 hours.
Transfer rabbit pieces to a serving platter. If the liquid seems too thin, place the pot over medium-high heat and simmer until it thickens slightly. Discard sachet. Stir in mustard, to taste. Spoon sauce and vegetables over chicken. Garnish with parsley and celery leaves and remaining 1 tablespoon chopped sage. Serve with noodles, if desired.

​1 head of celery, diced (if using store-bought, you may only need 4 stalks)
3-4 carrots, peeled and diced
1 onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
½ cup red wine
4 large tomatoes, diced
2 cups leftover shredded meat of choice
½ lb pasta (I love the wrinkly trumpets for holding the sauce)

Cook pasta according to the package and set aside. In a large pan, heat 4 TBSP olive oil over medium heat. Add celery, carrot, onion and cook until the onions start to look translucent, about ten minutes, then add garlic for another minute. Pour in red wine, and cook, stirring, until the wine has mostly absorbed into the veggies, and the smell of alcohol has disappeared. Add in chopped tomatoes, stir, and let simmer until most of the tomato water has evaporated and sauce has begun to thicken. Then add in your leftover meat (or meat substitute!) and cook until warmed through. At this point, add in your pasta, and toss with the sauce, until all the pasta is coated. Serve topped with parmesan cheese and fresh herbs!

​3 slices applewood-smoked bacon
1/2 cup onions, divided
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 pound yellow summer squash, chopped
½ pound potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 TBSP flour
1 pound frozen corn kernels, thawed and divided
1  cup whole milk, divided
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (for serving)
Green onions, chopped (for serving)

Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan. Crumble bacon and set aside. Add 1/2 cup onions, celery, potatoes and squash to drippings in pan; sauté 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with 3 TBSP flour and stir to coat all the veggies. Add salt, pepper, thyme, and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer while continuing to next step.

Set aside 1 cup of corn. Place the remaining corn and 1 cup milk in a blender; process until smooth. Add pureed mixture and reserved 1 cup corn to pan. Bring back to a simmer, and cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly. Ladle into bowls; top each serving with crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, and green onions. 

​Yield: 4-6 servings
Time: 20 minutes

1 bunch Tuscan kale, trimmed and finely shredded/sliced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 small-medium beets, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
1 bunch carrots, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
1 apple, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 small red onion, sliced into little slivers
salt and pepper

dressing ingredients:
1 clove of garlic, peeled
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp prepared mustard (Dijon, stoneground, etc)
1/3 cup tahini 
juice of 1 orange (a generous 1/4 cup)
honey to taste
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

In a large bowl, combine the sliced kale, celery, beets, carrot shreds, sliced apple and red onion slivers. Season all of that with some salt and pepper and toss. Set aside.

Make the dressing: combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender on high until you have a smooth dressing that will coat the back of a spoon, in a decidedly thin way (you might have to add splashes of water to get there). Check it for seasoning, adjust and set the dressing aside.

Pour the dressing onto the salad and toss it up. Garnish with parsley. 

​1 Tbsp (15 ml) coconut or olive oil
1/2 of 1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 pound carrots, scrubbed (or peeled) and chopped (~4 cups)
Healthy pinch each salt and pepper
2 cups (480 ml) veggie stock + 2 cups water (480 ml)
1/3 cup creamy or crunchy salted natural peanut butter (use less for a less intense PB flavor)
2 tsp chili garlic sauce (use less for less spice)
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS: Fresh basil, cilantro, or mint; coconut milk; brown sugar or agave nectar (sub honey if not vegan); Sriracha hot sauce
(NOT LISTED: Coconut or Olive Oil for sautéing)
​
Heat a large pot over medium heat.
Dice onion and garlic. Add to pot with 1 Tbsp coconut or olive oil (or nonstick spray). Add carrots and cook for 5 minutes.
Season with a healthy pinch each salt and pepper, then add veggie stock and 2 cups of water and stir.
Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until veggies are tender (test by cutting a larger piece of carrot in half – it should cut with ease).
Transfer to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and blend until smooth and creamy. (Cover with a towel in case your lid leaks any soup while blending.)
Add peanut butter and chili garlic sauce to the blender and blend to combine, using a ‘puree’ or ‘liquify’ setting if youhave it.
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. For a touch of added sweetness, add a Tbsp or so of brown sugar, maple syrup or agave nectar (or honey if not vegan). Add more chili garlic sauce for more heat.
Serve immediately with fresh basil or herbs of choice. A drizzle of coconut milk will add a creamy, sweet touch. Serve with sriracha for extra heat.

1 medium spring onion, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 1⁄2 lbs mini potatoes
1 tablespoon capers
1 teaspoon grainy mustard
1⁄3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1⁄2 cup cooked white beans (I like to use canned garbanzo beans)
1 stalk celery, fine dice
1⁄2 lb green beans, ends trimmed
4 radishes, thinly sliced
1⁄4 cup finely sliced chives or spring onion greens
1⁄4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley

​
Mince or finely slice the onion with a mandoline. Transfer onions to a large bowl and cover with the vinegar. Add some salt and pepper and stir. Make sure that the onions are covered in vinegar. Set aside to soften for at least 5 minutes.
Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover them with water. Place the saucepan on medium-high heat and bring the potatoes to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook potatoes until they are just tender, about 13-16 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked potatoes to a plate or bowl and allow them to cool slightly. Reserve the cooking water.
To the bowl with the shallots, stir in the capers and mustard. While whisking, slowly drizzle the olive oil into the bowl. Whisk until you have a unified dressing. Once you can handle the potatoes, cut them into quarters and place them in the bowl with the shallot dressing. Add the white beans and celery to the bowl as well. Stir to combine and set aside.
Bring the saucepan of water back up to a boil and add a pinch of salt. Cut the green beans into bite-sized pieces and add them to the saucepan. Boil vegetables until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Drain the vegetables and place them in an ice bath or run them under cold water to shock them and stop the cooking process.
Dry the green beans with a kitchen towel and add them to the bowl with the potatoes, white beans etc. Add the radishes, chives, and parsley as well, and toss everything to combine. Check the salad for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve immediately or store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.