Creamy, delicious, and comforting without being heavy, this dish is perfect for early spring when you want something fresh and light, yet still comforting and satisfying. The combination of sweet, brightly colored peas, flavorful, hearty mushrooms and onions with the tender, delicate, and distinctive forbidden rice and a hint of sweet coconut is a visually pleasing, heavenly smelling, delicious-tasting treat for all the senses!

Spring Wild Mushroom and Pea Ragout

Servings: 4–8
Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, thinly sliced and cut into 1-inch strips
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1–2 tablespoons Coconut Cream Concentrate
• 1–2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 ounces mixed wild mushrooms, sliced
• 4 ounces baby bello or white mushrooms, sliced or chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 3/4 cup milk, cream, or coconut milk*
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• sea salt and fresh-cracked pepper
• 1 cup forbidden or red heirloom rice, prepared to package directions

1/2 pound sautéed ground beef or bison may be added if desired to make this meal even more hearty and nourishing, although it is wonderful the way it is.

Directions:

In a preheated cast iron skillet, sauté onion with coconut oil and salt until softened and translucent. Add wine and stir until absorbed. Stir in Coconut Cream Concentrate. Add garlic and mushrooms, season with salt, pepper, and thyme, sautéing until mushrooms are mostly cooked through. Slowly add milk a bit at a time while stirring. Stir in peas, heat through, and season with salt and plenty of pepper to taste.

Serve over rice for a visually pleasing and satisfying main dish or combine with the rice for a wonderful side dish.

*Use 1 teaspoon of Coconut Cream Concentrate for every 6–8 ounces of water for coconut cream milk. Mix together and use as directed or make homemade coconut milk.

Recipe and photo submitted by Lydia, Salem, VA.

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Servings: 2–4
Preparation Time: 11 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2–3 cups fresh green beans, ends trimmed and cut in half if very long
• Virgin Coconut Oil
• 2/3 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and lemon pepper (or black pepper) to taste
• grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

Sauté the green beans in a few tablespoons of oil.

A few minutes or so before the desired degree of doneness, add more oil, if necessary, and the garlic and tomatoes. Sauté a few more minutes.

Remove pan from heat. Add salt and pepper and a good sprinkling of cheese, if desired. Serve warm or hot. (I haven’t tried them cold; they might also be good that way.)

This could probably work for other veggies such as broccoli.

Recipe submitted by Simi, Los Angeles, CA.

Recipe prepared by Sarah Shilhavy and photographed by Jeremiah Shilhavy.

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• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/8 cup coconut oil, liquefied
• 3/8 cup virgin olive oil
• 10 cups cabbage mix/coleslaw (You can shred whatever cabbages and carrots you feel like shredding.)
• 1/8 cup roasted, salted, shelled sunflower seeds

Directions:

Whisk vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper until salt dissolves.

Slowly add oils, whisking away.

Allow to stand 5 minutes, taste and adjust to your liking, and whisk again.

If you’re serving the whole thing, add the dressing to the cabbage mix and toss, then add the sunflower seeds; mix well. Otherwise, just put some of the vinaigrette on your cabbage mix and sprinkle with sunflower seeds.

Recipe and photo submitted by Ann, Omaha, NE.

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