Sunny Anderson heads Chicago benefit, shares recipe

The Food Network’s Sunny Anderson makes a stop in Chicago next weekend when she’ll be the special guest at Cook for a Cure.

The Saturday, Aug. 29, event is a fundraiser sponsored by the Illinois chapter of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. It begins at 6 p.m. at the Chopping Block at the Merchandise Mart.

Anderson, co-host of “The Kitchen,” will do a demonstration of one of the recipes she created for Get Your Full Course. That’s an education campaign promoting the important roles nutrition and appropriate therapy play in the management of inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. She also will talk about how she has lived well with ulcerative colitis for the last 20 years.

Also at the event, the common misconceptions about IBD will be discussed by Dr. David Rubin, professor of medicine, chief section of gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at the University of Chicago Medicine.

The evening will include a silent auction, tastings and cocktails. Go here to purchase tickets.

Anderson knows that with the right ingredients one can continue to eat great food despite having IBD. Here is one of the recipes she developed for Get Your Full Course.

SUNNY’S PEANUT CHICKEN AND RICE

MAKES 2-4 SERVINGS

½ cup creamy peanut butter

¼ cup liquid aminos (or soy sauce)

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

⅔ cup warm water

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 scallions, roughly chopped (white and green parts)

2 carrots, peeled and julienned

1 cup frozen peas

A handful of cilantro, chopped

White rice, for serving

Peanuts, for garnish

In a small bowl, mix together peanut butter, liquid aminos (or soy sauce), rice vinegar and ginger.

Add in the hot water and mix with a fork until smooth.

Heat a large saute pan over high heat. Add oil. Once oil is hot, add in chicken, season it with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally. Once chicken is seared, about 5-6 minutes, add scallions, carrots and peas. Cook for another minute or two.

Pour the peanut sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Turn the heat to medium and let simmer for a few minutes until chicken is cooked and peanut sauce has thickened.

Remove from heat and add chopped cilantro. Serve over white rice and garnish with peanuts.

NOTE: This would serve 2 as a main course or 4 as a small plate entree.

From Sunny Anderson