Date: February 20, 2019 | Story: Tiffany Adams | Photography: Rett Peek | Styling: Lauren Cerrato |
Anna Coon of The Culinary Coon shares her recipes for a day of healthy eating—breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Little Rock native Anna Coon has cooking in her blood. “My mom and her mother are amazing cooks,” she says. However, it wasn’t until she married her husband, Tim, three years ago and they began the journey to parenthood that Anna truly began to put her culinary talents into practice. She focused on being more mindful about nutrition, and in turn began to learn about food’s overall role in her health and wellbeing.
As the pair went through the struggle to conceive, Anna realized she didn’t want to “waste the wait” for a baby. She began passionately pursuing other interests, including joining a Bible study, helping with a prison ministry, and cooking with fresh, simple ingredients. “When I would post my dinner on Instagram, people would comment and say, I want that recipe! So, I started sharing recipes on my blog, The Culinary Coon.”
In 2017, the couple began the process of adoption and in June 2018 welcomed their son, Colin, to the family. “Now that we have a son, I want to be the best version of myself for him, and eating properly can help me to do that,” Anna says. “I was sick a lot when I was in my early 20s, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence I haven’t been sick—at least not to that extent—since I started eating this way,” she adds. “I want Colin to grow up eating this same healthy, good food, and knowing its benefits, too.”
Anna says the majority of her recipes adhere to Paleo and Whole 30 guidelines and can be altered for personal preferences, noting that she never skimps on flavor. “I am not going to live a life without flavor,” she says. Additionally, many of the recipes can be prepped ahead of time, so meals are never an after-thought at the end of a long day. “Now that I know so much about nutrition, I want people to experience eating whole, delicious, healthy food, and I want to give them the tools they need to fuel their body and find what works for them.”
Sweet Potato & Apple Hash with Lemon Sage Aioli
“My son loves sweet potatoes and apples, so this grown-up version of the pairing was inspired by him,” Anna says.
SHOP
Hash
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 pound sunrise medley or other mini
potato medley, halved
1 pound breakfast sausage
2 Honeycrisp or Fuji apples,
cored and diced
1 bunch Lacinato or dinosaur kale,
stems removed and chopped
juice of half a lemon
4 pastured eggs
½ stick of butter
Spice Mix
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground sage
Aioli
(optional, for extra flavor)
½ cup mayo
juice of one lemon
4 fresh sage leaves,
very finely minced
¹/8 teaspoon ground sage
¹/8 teaspoon salt
PREPARE
(Serves 4)
Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large mixing bowl, stir together ingredients for the spice mix. Place sweet potatoes in a bowl and cover with spice mix. Spray a sheet pan with cooking spray and arrange the coated sweet potatoes in one even layer. Cook for 10 minutes. While cooking, coat mini potatoes in spice mix. Add mini potatoes to sweet potatoes on sheet pan and roast for an additional 20-30 minutes or until crisp.
In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the sausage. Add apples and cook until soft. Add kale and lemon juice. Cook until wilted.
Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet on medium heat. Fry eggs and baste with butter just until the yolk is set.
Put all aioli ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until blended. To build the hash, layer potatoes, meat mixture, and fried egg; top with aioli.
California Chopped Salad
“I have this for lunch often because it keeps my blood sugar from crashing in the afternoons, and I can put it together while I’m holding the baby,” Anna says. “It’s also great for an office lunch because you can keep all the components in containers and throw it together quickly.”
SHOP
Salad
3 cups baby arugula
1 cup strawberries, sliced
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1 orange bell pepper, diced
4 soft-boiled eggs
1 avocado, optional
¼ cup quinoa, optional
Vinaigrette
½ cup olive oil
juice of half a lemon
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
PREPARE
(Serves 2)
To soft boil eggs, bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, gently drop eggs into the pot, and lower the heat to a gentle boil or simmer. Boil for exactly 7 minutes. Remove and place in an ice water bath immediately. Peel.
Mix all ingredients (except eggs, which can be served on the side) in a large bowl (or serve deconstructed as shown above). Add avocado and quinoa for a heartier serving. Top with vinaigrette.
Prosciutto, Pear, & Parmesan Salad with Cranberry Pear Vinaigrette
“This is the perfect sweet and salty combo, and it makes a great dish for a dinner party,” Anna says.
SHOP
Salad
2 pears, peeled and sliced
5 ounces butter lettuce
3 ounces prosciutto
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, shaved
Vinaigrette
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon cranberry pear vinegar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
PREPARE
(Serves 2)
Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl and mix together. Top with vinaigrette.
Anna shares what’s on her plate on Instagram (@theculinarycoon) and her blog (theculinarycoon.com). Contact her about classes and workshops to make healthy eating a part of your lifestyle.
