There’s nothing that says ‘comfort’ like a warm skillet and when it comes to flavor, color and texture, this hits on all cylinders.
My Chicken Sausage, Spelt and Pepper Skillet from my book, Eat Like You Give a Fork: The Real Dish on Eating to Thrive, combines protein (you can swap a plant-based sausage like LightLife or Beyond Meat, or do tempeh), slow burning superfoods grain and veggies to the table in a meal that satisfies and literally brings itself together in the oven. The grain cooks perfectly in the oven because there’s plenty of liquid to drink up. A great family meal when it gets coupled with a fresh salad and maybe an extra scoop of spelt.
PRO-TIP: If you can’t find spelt, long grain brown rice is a good swap.
WATCH HOW TO MAKE THE MEAT AND MEATLESS OPTIONS BELOW
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Starting NOW! We're making my Chicken sausage Skillet with Spelt and Peppers – and Rebecca's making the VEGAN version so make sure you tune in. We have EAT CLEANER PRIZES!!
Posted by Eat Cleaner with Chef Mareya on Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Chicken Sausage, Spelt and Pepper Skillet (with a vegan swap)
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons raw coconut oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium red onion, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 pounds raw chicken sausage, chopped into 1/2-inch chunks, casings removed
- 1 cup uncooked spelt
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 medium bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 cups sliced stemmed cremini (baby bella) mushrooms
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with their juices
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
Plant-Based Alternatives:
- 2 packs Lightlife Smart Dogs, chopped into 1/2-inch chunks
- 2 cups vegetable broth
Gluten-Free Alternative:
- 1 cup brown rice
INSTRUCTIONS
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Preheat oven to 400°.
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In a heavy cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet, melt coconut oil over medium heat. Add garlic, onion and chili powder, and cook until onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add chicken sausage or Lightlife Smart Dogs and cook 6 to 8 minutes, until browned.
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Add spelt* or brown rice and chicken or vegetable broth. Reduce heat to medium and cook about 5 minutes.
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Add bell pepper, mushrooms, tomatoes with their juices, and oregano. Transfer skillet to oven and bake for 1 hour, or until vegetables and spelt are tender and liquid is absorbed. Spoon skillet mixture into a bowl and taste the goodness.
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*Soak spelt overnight to reduce the lectins and allow for a faster cook time.
NOTES
Excerpted from Eat Like You Give a Fork: The Real Dish on Eating to Thrive. Copyright © 2019 by Mareya Ibrahim and reprinted with permission from St. Martin’s Griffin.