Story, recipe, and photos by Chef Biju Thomas

During the colder months, this Mushroom Pecan Pate is one of my favorite, most versatile recipes.

You can make a vegetarian pate that can double as a stuffing; a quick salad dressing; a spread on sandwiches, toast or bagels; or as a topping for seafood, chicken, pork, and many other dishes.

I like to use potato peels to add some extra nutrients and flavor.

Here we go:

• 1 cup potato peels (sweet or regular potatoes), cooked until tender in salted water, drained
• 1 lbs sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup pecan pieces
• Half an onion, diced
• 5 or 6 oz baby spinach leaves
• 1 cup bread cut into cubes (gluten-free and seed breaks work great)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• At least 1 tablespoon herbs: fresh thyme, sage, or tarragon
• For pate: ¼ cup goat cheese or cream cheese

Seasonings to taste:

• celery salt
• ground pepper
• Old Bay seasoning
• nutmeg
• salt
• grated parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large saucepan, wok, or skillet medium-high heat. Do not add oil.
2. Add the mushrooms, pecans, onion. Saute until the mushroom edges begin to brown.
3. Add the spinach, potato skins, bread, olive oil, herbs. Saute thoroughly.
4. Add the seasonings to taste. At this point, you can use this as a stuffing. Continue to make it a pate, spread, or dressing.

To make pate, fold in the goat or cream cheese. Cook on low heat, stirring to incorporate. Add to a food processor and chop until creamy. Spread over toast, bread, or crackers.

Chef Biju Thomas is a professional chef known for light, simple dishes bursting with bold flavors. He has designed the menus of many successful restaurants in Denver and Boulder, Colorado. With Dr. Allen Lim, Biju is co-author of The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables.

In the Feed Zone, the menu has changed and no one can argue with the results: real food is better. Real food tastes better, digests quickly, and helps you perform at your best.

The Feed Zone Cookbook includes 150 everyday recipes for athletes. Each breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipe is simple, delicious, and easy to prepare.

Feed Zone Portables, offers portable performance snacks made of real food. Try out 75 all-new rice cakes, two-bite pies, waffles, and other tasty snacks.

Try these cookbooks today! Find The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables in your local bookstore; bike, tri, or running shop; or from these online retailers:

• SkratchLabs.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables
  
• Amazon.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables
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• Chapters/Indigo.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables
• VeloGear.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables
• TriSports.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook
• Your local independent bookseller: The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables
• E-book edition on Apple’s iBookstore for iPad: The Feed Zone Cookbook

The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables are published by VeloPress, the leading publisher of books on cycling, triathlon, and running. Please see more VeloPress nutrition books at velopress.com/category/nutrition-and-diet