Simple Food {for spring}: Giveaway and Recipe

You may recall a few months ago that we excitedly announced the publication of a seasonal cookbook full of nourishing recipes for wintertime. Well, I’m thrilled to announce that Shannon, of Nourishing Days, has released her latest seasonal cookbook, Simple Food {for Spring}!

I’ve had a chance to try out a few of the recipes so far and it’s already become a great resource for whipping up super-healthy, fresh spring meals. And I love that Shannon includes more than just recipes, but also essays and more resources for sustainable living and eating. Here’s a sneak peak at what’s inside:

80 pages.
28 (brand new!) grain-free recipes.
full-color photos with every recipe.
5 essays on encouraging sustainability and homegrown living with information about cleansing and wild edibles.

Today, not only am I going to give away three copies of Shannon’s newest cookbook, but I’m also going to share my favorite recipe from it that I’ve made so far.

Recipe: Thai-Inspired Spring Vegetable & Ground Beef Stir Fry

serves 8-10

2 lb. ground grass-fed beef

1 lb. spinach, cut into small strips

3/4 lb. sugar snap or snow peas

1 lb. asparagus, cut into 1/2″ pieces

4-6 small (or 2-3 lg.) spring onions, diced

1/4 cup fish sauce

juice of 2 limes

1 Tb. honey

1/8-1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste

1/4 cup packed minced cilantro + more for garnish

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Brown ground beef and set aside, leaving a few tablespoons of fat in the pan.

2. Return pan to medium heat (with beef fat). When hot, add asparagus and sauté for a few minutes. Add peas and stir fry an additional 5-10 minutes or until vegetables are beginning to carmelize and soften. Return beef to pan and add onions and spinach. Stir fry 2-3 more minutes.

3. Turn down heat to low. Add fish sauce, lime juice, honey, red pepper flakes, and cilantro. Cook 2-3 more minutes or until some moisture has evaporated and flavors have combined.

4. Remove from heat, taste and add salt as necessary. Serve garnished with additional chopped cilantro alongside a salad or over rice.

Nicole’s note: I made this with half the beef (it seemed like plenty for my taste) and also added some mushrooms. The fish sauce was salty enough to flavor the whole dish. It was delicious served with brown rice. My family and our friends loved it and I’ll definitely be making this again!