2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
6 celery ribs, diced
2 turnips, peeled and diced
2 carrots, diced
1 medium onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1 large bunch collard greens, stems and ribs removed, cut into 1/2 inch wide ribbons
2 1/2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
4 dashes hot sauce
2 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup whole wheat pasta bow ties
1/2 cup loosely packed hand-town flat-leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a large soup pot, heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Throw in the celery, turnips, carrots, onion, garlic, ginger, Old Bay seasoning, paprika, and cumin and cook, stirring constantly, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables have softened, about 3 minutes.

Add the bay leaves and collards and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, vinegar, hot sauce and chicken. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook fro 50 minutes.

Add the pasta and cook until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cranberry Piccata Sauce

1 medium fennel bulb (about 3/4 pound), stalks discarded, cored, and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1/2 bunch celery, thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/4 cup hand-torn flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon drained capers
1 to 2 tablespoons stevia extract
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pink peppercorns
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Turkey Paillards:

1/2 cup whole milk
2 cage-free organic eggs
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 thick slices (6 ounces each) fully cooked turkey breast
2 tablespoons canola oil

Directions

To make the sauce: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spread the fennel on a baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and bake until browned on the edges, about 6 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, and fennel seeds and cook until the onions and celery are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the white wine, cook for 2 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to deglaze it. Add the toasted fennel, cranberries, parsley, capers, sweetener, pink pepper, and butter and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to heat through. Remove the pan from the heat.

To cook the paillards: In a shallow bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs to make egg wash. In another shallow bowl, combine the panko, flour, and Parmesan. Dip each piece of turkey in the egg wash, coating both sides, then dip into the breading mixture. Shake off any excess breading.

In a large skillet, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and paillard topped with 1/4 cup of the cranberry piccata sauce. You will have leftovers for another meal.

Blackened Chicken:

1 3-pound free-range organic chicken
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup blackening seasoning
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon, halved
1/2 bunch fresh thyme
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Toasted Couscous:

1 1/2 cups almond milk
1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 cup Israeli couscous
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 2 lemons

Directions

To roast the chicken: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry. In a small bowl, toss together the garlic, blackening seasoning, oil, lemon halves, thyme sprigs, salt, and pepper. Remove the lemon and thyme from the seasoning mixture and stick them into the cavity of the chicken. Rub the seasoning mixture all over the chicken and transfer the bird to a roasting pan.

Roast the chicken until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees F, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven, take the lemon halves out of the cavity, and squeeze them over the chicken. Let the chicken cool for 10 minutes then pull the meat off in chunks.

Meanwhile, to make the couscous: In a medium saucepan, combine the almond milk and broth and bring to a rolling simmer over medium-high heat; keep on a back burner.

In another medium saucepan, heat the oil over the medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, pine nuts, cinnamon, and turmeric. Cook until the spices bloom and the aromatics take over the room, about 2 minute. Add the couscous to a large bowl and pur in the hot milk-broth mixture. Add the scallions. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and steam for at least 20 minutes.

Season the couscous liberally with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with the lemon juice. Stir in the pulled chicken shred to combine and serve warm.

1/2 cup gluten-free corn flakes cereal, lightly crumbled
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
4 tablespoons Chickpea Flour
2 1/2 cups unsweetened hemp, oat, almond or whole milk, warmed
3 1/2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese, cheddar or yogurt probiotic cheese (about 12 ounces)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 pound gluten-free pasta (artichoke and Quinoa based pastas are all good option), cooked according to package instructions and drain.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss the cereal in a bowl and set aside.

In a large saucepan or pot, heat the oil and butter over medium. Stir in chickpea flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk and cook, whisking constantly, turn to low and add the cheese. Cool for another 5 to 10 mins or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in mustard. Use hand blender or blender to blend until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Add pasta and stir to coat. Serve macaroni garnished with cereal mixture.

Serves 6
Prep time: 30 mins / Total Time: 3 hours

Ingredients

4 lbs Short Ribs
3 tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Agave
3 tsp Chile Paste or sauce
3 tbsp Sesame Oil
1/4 cup Rice Wine Vinegar
2 tbsp Rice Flour
2 small Yellow Onions (diced)
1/2 cup Ginger (minced)
6 cloves Garlic (smashed & chopped)
2 bunches Scallions (sliced)
3 cups Water

Directions

Step 1: Brown Short Ribs
Brown your short ribs on all four sides in a dutch oven or large pot so they have a beautiful crust.

Step 2: Make Sauce
Start with some low-sodium soy sauce, adding agave, chile paste, sesame oil and rice wine vinegar.

Step 3: Sauté Aromatics
Remove the short ribs from the dutch oven. Add a little bit of extra olive oil to the rendered fat in the pot and sauté diced yellow onions, minced ginger, two garlic chopped cloves and scallions, stir.

Step 4: Deglaze
Incorporate two tablespoons of rice flour. Add sauce to deglaze the pan. Turn the heat down a little bit.

Step 5: Cook Slow and Low
Add short ribs back in the sauce without overcrowding. Put the meat side down. Top with three cups of water. Cover and place in the oven at 325 degrees for 2-2.5 hours.

Step 6: Pack and Go
Pack up the short ribs with some of the sauce. Sam suggests eating them with lettuce cups, kimchi and/or rice vermicelli, which you can pack to go, too.

75 recipes and Sam’s life story can all be found in his current book, The Sweet Life: Diabetes without Boundaries, available here at Amazon.com or at any Barnes & Noble retail location!

MAKE a day earlier- soooooo much better next day! Serves 6-8

Braised Chicken

2 tablespoons avocado olive oil
6 whole chicken legs
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 pound thinly diced turkey bacon, finely dice
1 onion, julienne
3 parsnip, finely diced
2 turnips, finely diced
2 celery hearts, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup Crushed Tomatoes
2 cups Zucchini, sliced .25 thick rounds
2 tablespoon tomato paste
3/4  white wine
1/2 cup hazelnut milk
pinch thyme sprigs
pinch rosemary sprig
1/4 cup sliced pitted kalamata olives
1/2 cup  low-sodium broth
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a deep, 12-inch, deep sauté pan, heat the avocado oil.

Season the chicken with sea salt and pepper and cook over high heat turning once, until browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate or platter.

Add the turkey bacon to the sauté pan and cook over moderate heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, parsnip, turnips and zucchini  and cook over high heat, stirring, until the vegetables are beginning to caramelize, about 4 minutes or so.

Add the tomato paste and wine and cook until the wine is nearly evaporated. After the wine evaporates, add both the stock and hazelnut milk. Add the herb sprigs and olives and season with salt and pepper.

Place the chicken into the vegetables, add the stock and bring to a boil. Cover tightly with lid or tinfoil, transfer to the oven and braise until falling off the bone, about 1 hour 30 mins.

Discard the herbs and serve Carolina Brown Rice

Follow the instructions on the bag and add 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar a for every 2 cups of rice being made. Charred Kale chips from the book, pg 28.

Only there is one substitution in the recipe…Instead of the nori use 2 tablespoons of Lemon Zest and One additional  teaspoon of sea salt. Place the rice and flax in the bowl, place a big handful of the kale on the rice and the chicken right on top. Place the 2 tablespoons of flax seed for every 2 cups of rice being made.

I hope its winter and your holding someones hand when you eat this.

1 lb King Crab legs split in Half
1 ounce of Soy Vinaigrette
2 ounces of Butter
Pinch of Garlic Chips
Pinch of Toasted Black Sesame Seeds

For Soy Vinaigrette

1 yellow onion brunoise
4 cloves Garlic smashed and Chopped
1/2 cup of Mirin
1 piece of diced ginger
1 ounce of chopped lemon grass( very fine )
1/2 cup of Thick Soy Sauce
.25 cup of Honey
1/2 cup of lime juice
2 tablespoons sugar
.25 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup Roasted Garlic oil
1 serrano pepper seeded and Diced

Directions

1. Med High heat Saute the serrano, onion, garlic, lemon grass , and ginger in 3 tablespoons of the garlic oil. Cook until translucent should not be carmelized but heavily wilted. Set aside. Takeall remaning ingredients except the oil and place in blender. Turn on low setting and slowly stream the garlic oil into. Add a touch of water if to thick. Pour into large bowl and add the sauteed ingredients, season with Salt and Pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.
2. Season the legs with salt and cracked pepper.Place the split legs flesh side down in one ounce of butter on plancha. Once hot in final moments of cooking squeeze half of lemon onto flesh. Take off plancha and stack flesh facing up on plate. Melt remaining ounce of butter in a pan once melted add the vinaigrette and season. Pour over crab with chips and sesame.

This dish is available at Imperial No. 9 in NYC.

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half crosswise
1 lemon
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for frying
4 fresh thyme sprigs
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 pound mixed heirloom tomatoes
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh basil leaves

Directions

1. Put the chicken into a shallow dish. Grate the zest from the lemon over the chicken. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice over the chicken. Add 3 tablespoons of the oil along with the thyme and garlic. Mix everything together so the chicken is well coated with all the flavorings. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
2. While the chicken is marinating, prepare the tomato salad: Cut the tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces and put them into a bowl. Add the vinegar, and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper, tear in the basil leaves, and gently mix to combine.
3. When you are ready to cook, remove the chicken from the marinade, scrape off the herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and put a thin coating of olive oil into it. Cook the chicken, working in batches if necessary, until it is golden brown and cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes.
4. To serve, place 2 pieces of chicken onto a plate, and spoon 1/4 of the tomato salad over the chicken. Spoon on some of the tomato juices as well. Repeat with the remaining chicken and tomatoes and serve.

Ingredients

4 ounces of Tuna
blackening seasoning
2 tablespoons blended oil

Directions

To prepare Tuna. Heat the oil on high in pan. Season tuna heavily with blackening seasoning. Sear and slice very thin and arrange on plate with fried red onion puree

For Chimichurri

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 large garlic cloves, minced (2 1/2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons oregano leaves
1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley
.25 cup chiffonade basil
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice

Directions

In a food processor, combine the parsley, vinegar, garlic,basil,oregano and crushed red pepper. Process until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and pour the olive oil over the mixture. Let stand for at least 20 minutes.

For Fried Onions

1 red onion shaved on mandoline
1 egg
1 cup of milk
2 tablespoons tumeric
2 tablespoons cumin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
salt and pepper

Directions

Combine all ingredients except red onion. Mix well. Add the onion .

For Seasoned Flour

1 cup wondra flour
salt and pepper

Directions

Take a handful of onions and add to flour. Fry in batches at 350. Drain on paper towels once golden. Season again. Once done place fried onions in robo coupe and pulse until chopped.

Ingredients

4 8-ounce, aged filet Mignon
2 tablespoons ground espresso
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon orange blossom honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup olive oil
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
2 cups shelled English peas
3 to 4 varieties of summer fingerlings, thinly sliced
2 bunches pea tendrils
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 smashed garlic
1 diced shallot
1 tablespoons butter
Sea salt
Cracked pepper

Directions

1. Marinate all of the ingredients with the beef tenderloin until well coated. Add the two tablespoons of butter into a sauté pan at medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots and cook until translucent. Add the potatoes and cook until crispy and golden brown around the edges. Add the peas and the cumin and cook for about a minute or so, the peas should still have a bite. Add the tendrils and barely sauté, as you want them barely wilted.
2. Season with sea salt and pepper.
3. Preheat oven to 400
4. Add a tablespoon of canola oil to a sauté pan and let oil smoke. Add filets and sear hard on one side. Flip and put in the oven at 350 until medium rare, which should take about 4 minutes at 400 degrees, depending on the thickness of the steaks.
5. Once finished, let the meat rest for 3 to 4 minutes before slicing.
6. Take the peas and potatoes and place on the plate. Fan sliced steak over the peas and sprinkle with coarse fleur de sel.