Cooking for Metabolic Health: Creamy Tuscan Chicken with Guest Chef Abby Cooper

meet Abby's beautiful family and try this cozy chicken dish!

Hi, I’m Abby Cooper, the writer/recipe developer behind At the Table here on Substack, as well as the food blog Stem and Spoon.

I first found Beth on Instagram and was so thrilled when I discovered her newsletter on Substack. Her approach to nutrition and wellness, along with creativity in the kitchen, is inspiring, and I’m honored to be a guest writer for her this week while she’s away. (Thank you, Beth!)

I’m a former journalist turned blogger and recipe creator, and I love that my online spaces allow me to combine my passion for writing and connection with my love for good food and creating healthy, nourishing recipes. I’m also a mom of three– ages 10, 8, and a nine-month-old – and I’m always looking for new ways to save time in the kitchen and work efficiently when it comes to how I feed my family. 

Like many of you, there is a very significant why behind the way I’ve chosen to feed myself and those I love. 

Up until about 7 years ago, I would say that food was always a big focus in my life, but nutrition played a very minimal role. Then, my husband Ian was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer at the age of 30. Our journey navigating his cancer treatment began with a very integrative approach early on, which included conventional therapies like chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation, but also metabolic therapies like a ketogenic diet, fasting, and supplements. Despite two years of conventional treatments, including a couple of recurrences, Ian has been NED – no evidence of disease– since 2019. 

There’s no greater motivator to re-think your lifestyle than a health crisis, and that’s exactly what Ian’s diagnosis led me to do for myself and my family.

Today, Ian follows a modified ketogenic diet while I mostly stick to low-carb eating for my own metabolic health. My blog, Stem and Spoon, offers a mix of low-carb and keto-friendly recipes, and I love nothing more than re-creating a favorite dish or treat that anyone can enjoy.

Last year, I decided to branch out with my newsletter At the Table, to help people like myself answer the always-looming question of “what’s for dinner?”. 

My newsletter focuses on 30-minute, low-carb and blood sugar friendly meals, with the occasional sweet treat. 

The recipe I’m sharing today is a quick, 30-minute Tuscan Chicken skillet meal. It’s quick, creamy, and flavorful– a blog favorite!

Beth: But first, a little Q and A to get to know Abby better!

How do you juggle running a business and living your life? Any favorite self-care rituals you swear by?

Running a business that is multi-faceted (I create recipes, I blog, and I also work as a freelance content strategist and food photographer), has forced me to create certain rhythms in my day and my week.

I like to use the word rhythms because it is less structured and is more forgiving. Anyone with a baby (or young kids) knows that plans can quickly change! I plan my tasks and I create lists for each day that include everything I would like to get done, and I really make use of the windows of time that I do have, (staying off social media is a gamechanger). Those windows are when Ian’s mom comes to watch Millie, our youngest (I wouldn’t be able to do this without family help!), or during her daily nap times. If I don’t get around to completing those tasks, I give myself grace and move it over to the next day (or sometimes, I’ll wait until after bedtime if I’m feeling productive). 

This is what I love about being self-employed– I can create my schedule, create my workflow, and I just have to keep in mind that it is going to look very different in different seasons of life. Right now, I want to enjoy being a mom to young kids and I work hard to find a balance that lets me be present for them. My output will never be the same as someone else's, especially someone who might be in a different season of life, and I simply try to focus on that and not get caught up in the comparison game. 

I’d say that in this season of motherhood, my self-care comes in the form of morning coffee with a book, or a morning walk or jog outside at a nearby lake. In the last year, my husband gave up coffee and became a big tea drinker so that has sort of been a new-ish routine of mine: I love an iced matcha in the afternoon, and my evening cup of Tulsi tea is something I look forward to.

Do you have a favorite go-to dinner recipe?

I do! Well, I have three favorites at the moment… my list is constantly changing depending on the season. 

In the last couple of months, this summery salad , with peaches and pickled red onions and a delicious basil dressing, has been on rotation for lunch and dinner. When I’m craving something heavier or more comforting, I love this quick chicken enchilada skillet (store-bought Siete red enchilada sauce! Shredded rotisserie chicken! So easy!) and when I want to make a hearty Sunday dinner, I turn to pot roast. Always. 

What would your perfect day look like?

My perfect day would be anywhere on the beach (any season) with family and good snacks. I grew up in Washington state and then spent 12 years living in Alaska. I love mountains and the ocean, but now we live in the Arizona desert so beach days are few and far between. ;) We love escaping to San Diego when we can, and fortunately, it’s not too far away!

What kind of legacy are you hoping to build with your business, and how do you want to influence the next generation?

My goal has always been to create recipes that are approachable, delicious, and will help you support your metabolic health. I’m not a nutritionist or dietician or a health expert. I’m just a busy mom who is mostly self-taught, who enjoys learning and discovering new methods, who loves food and being in the kitchen. When I’m creating recipes, I love thinking about the fact that this dish or treat could be made by someone- of any skill level- and support their health or nourish their family or add a little bit of joy to their day.

I hope to play a role in growing awareness around the idea of food as medicine and preventing chronic illness. It doesn’t have to be awareness on a great scale (although that would be cool) - if I simply leave that legacy to my kids, I would be happy.  

 When I talk to my own kids about the foods we eat, I try to focus on the idea that each food supports something special and specific in our bodies, and that our food choices can give us greater control over our health and longevity, and their kids’ health and longevity, etc. But I also want them to know that balance is key, and that sometimes, french fries are perfectly acceptable too. 

My hope is that my children– and their peers in the next generation– reject some of the food myths and beliefs we see mainstream, learn the importance of metabolic health and the power of real foods, and prevent an even greater increase in chronic illnesses. 

Creamy Tuscan Chicken 

by Abby Cooper

gluten-free, dairy-free option, low-carb

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, avocado oil or ghee

• 2 pounds boneless/skinless chicken thighs

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon pepper

• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• ¼ cup chicken broth 

• 4 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil

• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream (or sub canned coconut milk if dairy free)

• 1 heaping cup fresh baby spinach

• ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese (optional

• fresh basil or chopped flat-leaf parsley or red pepper flakes (optional garnishes)

Instructions

1. Rinse and pat dry the chicken thighs with paper towels. Place them on a plate. Combine the salt, pepper, paprika and garlic granules in a small dish. Sprinkle the seasonings liberally on both sides of the chicken.

2. Heat the oil/ghee in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs in the pan (you may need to fry them in two batches) and cook them for about 5 minutes on each side or until they're golden brown and cooked through.

3. Remove the chicken from the pan and place them on a plate. Set aside.

4. Deglaze the pan with the broth, scraping up all the browned bits on the bottom.

5. Reduce the heat to medium and add the minced garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds, then mix in the sun-dried tomatoes and Italian seasoning.

6. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer the sauce for 5 minutes.

7. Add the Parmesan cheese, if using. Mix in the fresh spinach, stirring the mixture until the spinach wilts.

8. Add the chicken back to the pan and spoon the sauce on top of the chicken pieces. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed.

9. Top the whole dish with chopped fresh parsley or basil and red pepper flakes (optional).

Notes

• For a dairy-free keto Tuscan chicken, swap in full-fat canned coconut milk for the heavy cream and omit the Parmesan cheese.

• When fully-cooked, the chicken should register an internal temperature of 165°F with a meat thermometer. The amount of time will vary based on the thickness of the chicken pieces and your skillet.

• If you want extra crispy chicken thighs, use ghee! It will give the chicken a beautiful, golden brown crust. The grease/oil might splash a bit so be careful.

• Store leftover keto Tuscan chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

• Parmesan cheese will slightly thicken the cream sauce as it melts. If it appears too thick, add a splash more of cream to thin the sauce. 

Creamy Tuscan Chicken

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From Abby: Five things I’m loving right now!

• My baking go-to, monk fruit sweetener with allulose. This is great if you’re not a fan of erythritol. The Golden variety has the best flavor, in my opinion! 

• This homemade pumpkin spice creamer. 

• This Tulsi tea, which I have sometimes found at the grocery store (I order it on Thrive Market).

• My immersion blender! I went for a long time without one, but I probably get the most use out of this little gadget. Not only is it great for soups, but I love blending up a salad dressing in a mason jar with this (it creates an emulsion and makes it extra thick and creamy). I also use it for mashes, like cauliflower mash, butternut squash mash, etc. 

• An easy and delicious peanut butter cookie recipe. 

Thank you🧡

I have been sharing blood sugar-friendly, whole-food recipes (gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and mostly dairy-free) on my blog and on Instagram for four years now, and I have met so many amazing people like Abby along the way. I am excited about being able to share even more on this platform, and I am so very grateful you have joined me here! Thank you, Abby, for filling in for me today!

P.S.

If you know anyone with pre-diabetes, diabetes, PCOS, metabolic syndrome, or anyone eating for blood sugar balance, low carb, keto, grain-free, gluten-free, or just eating for better health, will you forward my Substack to them? It would mean the world to me as I try to share the message of eating for good metabolic health.

🧡Beth

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