Blog — The Culinary Coon

Chipotle Lime Chicken Salad

This chipotle lime chicken salad delicious! The best part? It’s completely dairy and mayo free! Chipotle is one of my favorite flavors and I’ve been using it a lot lately. I have made a few different versions of this and this one is my favorite! It makes the perfect lunch or snack and keeps in the fridge for about a week. Make it on Sunday and you’ve got lunch for the week!

You could certainly use a rotisserie chicken for this chicken salad. I used boneless skinless chicken breasts because it’s what I prefer. You could also use Primal Kitchen’s chipotle lime mayo if you have a nut allergy. I found Bitchin Sauce at Natural Grocers and it’s made out of almonds and it’s SO GOOD! You can find chipotles in adobo in the Mexican food area of your grocery store. They are super spicy so be careful! You can usually find jicama chopped into strips in the produce section of your grocery store.

LunchAnna CoonMay 1, 2018Comment

Groom's Cake Smoothie

I dream about this smoothie. I drink it for breakfast. I drink it for lunch. I drink it for a snack. I would drink it every day. It’s the perfect start to your day. It’s a great pre-workout snack. You can make it ahead of time and put it in the fridge and drink it on the go. Basically, it’s perfect!

I create all my smoothies using Kelly LeVeque’s formula of protein, fat, fiber, and greens. This is such a simple concept but truly so genius. I even look at my dinner plate often and see if I have those four elements. In this smoothie, the protein is protein powder, fat is MCT oil, fiber is ground flaxseeds, and greens are spinach.

BreakfastAnna CoonApril 17, 2018Comment

Meal Planning and Prepping 101

Meal prepping is one of those buzz words right now. Like kale, adaptogens, or super foods. Meal prepping or meal planning does not, I repeat, does NOT have to be a four-hour cooking extravaganza on Sundays. Because that’s just insane! If you precook all your food for the week one day of the week then I’m happy for you but I just don’t think that’s realistic for the rest of us.

Usually on Sunday afternoons or Monday mornings I take a look at my fridge and freezer and assess what I have. I get most of my meat from Ozark Pasture Beef in Fayetteville which delivers high quality, pasture raised, grass fed, and grass finished beef. Even the meat you buy from Whole Foods is oftentimes grass fed but NOT grass finished. They finish it with corn at the end of their lives because it makes the meat taste better to the conventional buyer. However, I do sometimes buy extra meat at Whole Foods or Natural Grocers based on what I need if I don’t have it. I buy my fish from Sizzle Fish and get it shipped to me. They sustainably and responsibly source their fish and they make high quality fish available to everyone, not just the restaurant industry. They also have information about farm raised versus wild caught fish. I continue to buy wild caught but I’m doing more research into farm raised.

BlogAnna CoonApril 16, 2018Comment

Pupkindoodles!

There are six VERY special little girls who live at my house. I love them more than anything on earth and they are my best buddies. They are my pets! We have four dogs and two cats. I have started making them treats at home occasionally and they love them! Actually, the dogs love them, and the cats are curious but suspicious. If I made them treats regularly I would have to make them just about every day!

People ask me all the time how we ended up with all these pets and why they are all girls. Truthfully, it just happened. I really just LOVE animals and my deepest desire is for all of them to have a warm, loving home. Here’s the breakdown of how all my girls came home…

BlogAnna CoonApril 8, 2018Comment

Copper Coons

My sweet husband and I recently went on a getaway to Copper Mountain, Colorado. I absolutely LOVE to travel! When we got married he promised me adventure, and boy has he delivered. We have traveled to some amazing places with the most important part: amazing food. I would love to share this trip’s food with you too!

Timmy had to work, so I got to explore, workout, and go to the spa! I had never been snow skiing before so we got to try that too! When I was working out on our first morning, I was panting like a dog- I couldn’t breathe! Well I didn’t know that is a side effect of the altitude. Copper Mountain is at almost 10,000 feet! Pretty crazy. No wonder I couldn’t breathe!

Blog, TravelAnna CoonMarch 20, 2018Copper MountainComment

Double Thyme Roasted Carrots!

This one goes out to all the vegetarians, vegans, and plant-based friends! I have recently become OBSESSED with rainbow carrots! They are so tasty, not to mention beautiful. I love colorful foods!

Carrots are a great example of a healthy, fresh food high (in relative terms) in sugar and carbs. I don’t have a problem eating foods like carrots and a variety of potatoes that are high in carbs but are SIMPLE carbs. My philosophy is: if it comes from the earth, it is good for ya.

These are SUPER easy to make and are so delicious! Make these for your mother-in-law, she will be mighty impressed.

Blog, SidesAnna CoonMarch 5, 2018 Comments

Low Carb Shrimp Risotto

Risotto is one of my FAVORITE things on earth and you can bet your bottom dollar if this is on a menu (especially seafood risotto) I’m going to order it. I miss it terribly when I’m eating low carb. This recipe was born when I didn’t have anything in the fridge except frozen shrimp, frozen cauliflower rice, and butter. BOOM! Instant deliciousness.

What is risotto? Risotto is rice cooked in a creamy, sultry sauce. YUM! It is traditionally from Italy. Sometimes I describe risotto as a mix between pasta and rice. Oftentimes risotto is made without cream but the starches in the rice make it creamy. It’s delicious and you should be able to enjoy its flavors even if you’re on a low carb diet (lifestyle).

Main Dishes, DinnerAnna CoonFebruary 28, 2018Comment

Secretly Sensational White Chicken Chili

This chili is secretly sensational because it looks like your plain old white chili, until you taste it. When my husband first tried it, he was amazed! He didn’t think a chili that looked like that could be so full of flavor! This chili is SO easy and it can be made so quickly. This is the perfect meal to take to a friend who has just had a baby or a friend in need. It’s easy and packs a punch! It is so filling and really just perfect for these cold winter months.

Main Dishes, Soups, Blog, DinnerAnna CoonFebruary 15, 2018Comment

Why I Went Paleo

When I first decided to take the Paleo diet for a spin, it was before my wedding. I wanted to lose some weight before my upcoming nuptials and it was suggested to me by a personal trainer and several friends. Looking back, I wasn’t doing it exactly the right way. I had great results but was probably too restrictive to sustain it. I hardly ever “cheated” and told myself, just get to the wedding and then you can eat whatever you want. That was a horrible way to think!

BlogAnna CoonJanuary 20, 2018 Comments

Vangie's Salsa

This is the recipe I ALWAYS make! Pot luck? This is what I’m bringing. Come to my house? This is what I’m making for an appetizer. I even used this recipe in my demonstrative speech in speech class. In 7th grade. That’s how long I’ve been making this salsa! CONFESSION! This isn’t actually my recipe. People have been calling this “my” salsa for years but I’m finally admitting the truth. I actually got this recipe from a PRECIOUS family friend who I have known literally my whole life. I haven’t seen the actual typed up recipe in years so I make it from memory.

Snacks, Main Dishes, SidesAnna CoonJanuary 20, 2018 Comments