FettuZINI Non-Fredo! GF, Vegan, SCD & Paleo!

Pssst......

Ok guys. I have a serious secret to share with you....I mean, serious.

That is the extraordinary awesomeness that is SOAKED CASHEWS.

OK, pause. Before you scratch your head in confusion, let me explain.

I love cashews. I really do. But I always just buy them raw, grind them up in my food processor and fuggeduhboutit. I mean, I had always seen the recipes that call for "soaked cashews," but I never had the time or patience to plan ahead, and figured...how much of a difference could it really make? I mean, come on?

The answer? A LOT.

Yesterday, I knew I was going to have some time on my hands today. I have a shoot on Friday and am going to Sundance this weekend, so I knew I was going to create a little somethin'somethin' for my fave Happy Tummies today. :) So I thought, lemme just give it a try.

You. Guys. What happened to these raw cashews was nothing short of amazing. I took a picture to show you.

I soaked them in water for 24 hours. The right cashew is what they started out as. And here they are on the left, TRIPLED IN SIZE!

I couldn't believe it. They absorbed the water and became creamy and soft - seriously like the consistency of cream cheese or butter.

I've seen the light. I'm converted. :P

Anywho, given this revelation of the soaked cashew glory, I decided that it was time to tackle one of my former all-time favorite foods: Fettuccine Alfredo. Only this version would be SCD Friendly and VEGAN.

To all you who are shakin your head, or "SMH" as the youths today so eloquently put it, just hear me out. This dish was incredible.

You saw in my last post the power of Cauliflower in its ability to become irresistible sandwich bread. Well, friends, cauliflower is at it again! This time, it's transforming into a creamy and rich ALFREDO SAUCE!!

Yep! This alfredo sauce is Gluten and Grain Free, Vegan, Specific Carb Diet friendly, Body Ecology Diet friendly, and Paleo!

So then...it must taste like sawdust or cardboard, right?! ----- WRONG!!! It was superb!!!

Don't believe me? -- I dare you to give it a try :D

Here's what you need: (Serves 2)

1/3 cup raw cashews, soaked in water overnight or for 24 hours
1 cup cauliflower roasted
1 cup cauliflower steamed
1/2 vidalia onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
salt and pepper

optional:unsweetened regular almond milk - room temperature
optional: 1 grate/pinch of fresh nutmeg

1 zucchini, made into noodles
basil, chopped -garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a tin foil-lined, olive oil-sprayed baking sheet, bake half (1 cup) of your cauliflower florets for 25 minutes, stirring once half-way through.

Meanwhile, steam the other cup of the cauliflower in a steamer basket, or in the microwave until very tender.

Also, saute your onions and garlic in 1-2 Tbsp EVOO, salt and pepper over medium heat until the onions are soft and beginning to caramelize. This will take about 8-10 minutes.

Put your soaked and drained cashews in the food processor and process them until they form a smooth paste. Add your roasted and steamed cauliflower, onions and garlic to the food processor, and process until smooth. It will be thick and creamy. You may need to scrape the sides. I find it best to do this when it is still hot, as the steam helps the sauce "come together." You may add 1-3 Tbsp almond milk if it is too thick. I did not. You may also add a grate of fresh nutmeg if desired.

Finally, with either a spiralizer, mandolin, or sharp knife, make your zucchini into noodles. You may also use any noodle of choice.

To plate, either top your noodles with the sauce and garnish with chopped fresh basil, or toss your noodles with the sauce, and plate.

My goodness, you guys. What a TREAT! Back in my gluten-consuming days, Fettuccine Alfredo was my favorite "special occasion" dinner. And this brought me right back to that "happy place!"

The sauce was so creamy and rich from the cashews. And the combination of the nuttiness from the roasted cauliflower with the onions and garlic made for just a remarkable flavor.

It's hard to believe that this dish is healthy because it tasted so darn decadent!

So, it may not be the belle of the ball as far as appearances go, but what it lacks in color, it definitely makes up for in flavor.

I will DEFINITELY be making this again!

What's your "happy place" food?

Spaghetti Squash Pomodoro! GF, V, SCD & Paleo!

Hey everyone!

Well the weekend is wrapping up. And boy, was today a jam packed day!

Did you guys watch any NFL football?! I did, although, my teams: (The Bengals & The Packers), were out of the playoff last weekend. Sooo, I don't really have a big stake in the games anymore. Oh well! I was really just watching the game to hang with friends! We watched at a little bar in the East Village.

This brings up a great point....when you're on the Specific Carb Diet, or simply Gluten Free, what do you guys like to drink? Beer is clearly a "no no" because of the gluten in it. And to be honest, gluten free beer leaves a lot to be desired. (Besides, it's not SCD-friendly.) I like to get either white wine (dry), vodka-soda with a twist of lemon and lime, or an Unsweetened Vodka Mojito! Those are the drinks that agree with me! What about you?

So tonight, I'm going to share with you a delicious delicious dish. Sometimes, you just feel like pasta! Don't you!

And with New Year's resolutions still in full swing (hopefully :)) sometimes, we actually CRAVE pasta!

Well, this recipe allows you to have that pasta without the carbs and calories! How?! SPAGHETTI SQUASH!

I *LOVE* spaghetti squash. It really does feel decadent, like I'm eating pasta! You can twirl it on your fork and slurp it up! Now in full disclosure, it doesn't taste exaaaactly like gluten-full semolina pasta, but for a gluten and grain free alternative, it is pretty darn good!!

But the real star of the show, is this sauce!!! Holy cow, you guys. If you've never had homemade pomodoro sauce before, you really owe it to yourself to give it a go! I like to keep a bunch of this stuff in the fridge/freezer and have it with cooked veggies, spaghetti squash, "zoodles," even eggs!

And my Spaghetti Squash Pomodoro is Gluten Free, Vegan, Specific Carb Diet Friendly, and Paleo!

Here's what you need: (Serves 2)

1 spaghetti squash

1 zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
10 button mushrooms, sliced
10 stalks of asparagus (I know they're not in season, but they were in the fridge)

Sauce:
2 tomatoes
1/2 red pepper
4 baby carrots
1/2 onion
3 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1 bunch fresh basil

garnish: fresh basil

Prick your spaghetti squash ALL OVER with a fork or *carefully* with a sharp knife. Prick it more than you think you need! Place it on a paper towel in the microwave, and nuke it for 4 minutes. Flip it (with an oven mitt), and microwave for another 5 minutes, until the outside "gives" a little. Carefully remove from the microwave with an oven mitt and allow to cool for at least 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, sauté your onions and carrots in about 2 tsp EVOO, salt and pepper for about 5 minutes. Then, add your red pepper, dried basil and oregano, and sauté for about 3 minutes. Next, add your garlic, and let it cook for about 2 minutes. Finally, add your tomatoes, and let them cook for about 5 minutes. Carefully transfer this mixture to the food processor. Add your fresh basil and process until smooth.

In a separate pan, brown your zucchini and mushrooms and asparagus (optional) in 2 tsp EVOO, salt and pepper. Once they brown, remove from heat and set aside.

When your spaghetti squash is cool enough to handle, carefully slice in in half, lengthwise. Remove the seeds. Then, with a fork, scrape the flesh towards the center, forming spaghetti-like strands. Place 1/2 squash-amount of "spaghetti" onto a plate, and top it with half of the sauce, and half of the zucchini and mushrooms. Garnish with fresh, chopped basil.

Wow, oh wow. This sauce is SO GOOD! It's wonderfully tomato-y, but not too acidic, and with just the right amount of sweetness. You see, the sweetness in this recipe comes naturally -- from CARROTS! So, you don't have to add brown sugar to the sauce like many sassy Italians :)

And the fresh basil in the sauce makes it just so fresh and aromatic. Italian comfort food at its best.

Finally, all the browned and caramelized veggies are the perfect compliment to the slurpy and chewy spaghetti squash.

It's hard to believe that this meal is healthy AND figure friendly! Sounds like a "resolution" approved meal to me!

Let's make it a great week!!


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Tangy Peanut Noodles! GF, V, SCD, BED & Paleo!

Helloooo Autumn!!

Gosh, I'm actually excited for the fall. It's going to be great. Leaves falling, cozy sweaters, pumpkin goodies, fall TV season premieres, Downton Abbey!!, and NFL football. Sounds like a good time to me!

You wouldn't guess it was September today in New York though! It was in the 90s with a heat index of 105! Yikes!

Well, this past weekend, I went home and spent time with my family. I loved hanging out with my niece -- how precious is she!?!

I was able to make some wonderful things when I went home, including this meal! What is it?? Zucchini Noodles with Tangy Peanut Sauce!

My goodness, this was outrageously delicious! A rich, creamy and tangy peanut sauce luxuriously coating crunchy veggies and slurpy zucchini noodles.

And it's Gluten Free, Vegan, Specific Carb Diet and Body Ecology Diet friendly, and Paleo!

Here's what you need: (serves 1)

1 zucchini, "noodlized"

1/2 red pepper, diced
1 carrot, sliced into matchsticks
5 mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 avocado, cubed
1/2 mango, cubed (BED, omit)
1/4 red onion, sliced thin
8 raw cashews, chopped
fresh cilantro, chopped

Sauce:

2 heaping Tbsp peanut butter
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
juice of 1 lime
8 drops pure liquid stevia
1-2 Tbsp water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. "Noodlize" your zucchini with either a spiralizer, mandolin, or a vegetable peeler. Place your zucchini noodles on a tin foil-lined, olive oil-sprayed baking sheet. Spread them out as evenly as possible. Spritz with olive oil. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, until soft and pliable.

Meanwhile, combine your sauce ingredients and set aside.

Next, prep all your veggies. Place your thinly sliced onions in a small bowl or glass of ice water. (This takes away the "onion-y" bite.) In a frying pan, brown your mushrooms by placing them in a single layer with 1 tsp EVOO. Let them sit for 3 minutes, untouched, and then flip and let the other side brown for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat, place them on a separate plate and set aside. Then, saute your red pepper and garlic in 1 tsp EVOO for about 3 minutes, until bright red, but still crunchy. Drain your onions after about 10 minutes.

To assemble, toss your zucchini noodles with the veggies, avocado, mango, and peanut sauce. Garnish with your chopped cashews and cilantro.

Wow. Wow. Wow. What a meal! This sauce was so magnificent, I could have bathed in it! Haha It was rich and creamy, peanuty, and slightly sweet and tangy. Combined with the fresh cilantro, chewy mushrooms and crunchy veggies, it was perfect!

And I don't know about you, but I love zucchini noodles. But there's a catch: I like them when they're cooked, and pliable. I'm not really a fan of cold, raw zucchini noodles. I find that when they're warm and "twirl-able," they really do take on a spaghetti feel and taste. 

They're perfect for people who can't have grains, are Lo-Carb, or just looking for a healthy alternative to spaghetti!

The avocado gave a beautiful buttery note to the dish, and the mango was the perfect burst of juicy sweetness! It went fabulously with the peanutty sauce and bright lime juice.

Finally, it was a truly beautiful dish. All the colors just jumped off the plate! 

What are you looking forward to this fall?

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featured on healthy vegan fridays

Pink Pesto Pasta! GF, V, SCD & Paleo!

Hey Hey Happy Tummies!

Can you believe that we're almost halfway through August?! I mean, seriously! Slow down, Summer!!

Ah well, we must enjoy these last several weeks while we can :)

So as I told you, I did some major cooking while I was home earlier this month.

My brother and his wife had a baby!! So I was home visiting them:)

One day, I decided to cook a meal for them! This is a really great meal for when you’re cooking for people that don’t have dietary restrictions. It’s absolutely DELICIOUS, and you don’t have to make a separate meal for yourself!

It’s called: Pink Pesto Pasta!

For myself (the SCD version), it was a beautiful plate of sautéed veggies with a creamy pesto sauce.

For the “normal eaters,” I took my share of the veggies w/ pesto out, and then tossed the remaining veggies with some gluten free (or regular) pasta!

And the beauty of this dish is that it can be pretty much made ahead of time! I had the pesto all made, and the veggies all chopped. So when I got to their house, all I needed to do was sauté the veggies and cook the pasta! Voila! Instant gourmet meal!

Pesto is one of THE EASIEST things you can make that gets you the biggest “bang” for your effort. It really is SO simple and fast, and is SO incredibly delicious. It instantly elevates a dish to "gourmet level" when you announce “homemade pesto!”

And my version was Gluten Free, Vegan, Specific Carb Diet friendly, and Paleo!

Here’s what you need: (Serves 5)

2 red peppers, diced into bite-sized pieces
2 zucchini, sliced into half moons
1 ½- 2 cups grape tomatoes
1 beet, small dice
1 container of mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves of garlic

Pesto:
1 ½ - 2 cups fresh basil
¼ cup + 1 Tbsp pine nuts
1 garlic clove
juice of 3/4 lemon
1-2 Tbsp EVOO
salt and pepper

Optional garnish for your dairy-eating guests: Feta, Goat or Parmesan cheese

Super simple pesto: Throw everything into the food processor and turn it on. DONE! Ok, you’ll need to scrape the sides several times, but come on, how incredible easy is that?!?! So then, I packaged that up in a Tupperware and threw it in the fridge.

To sauté your veggies, you’ll want to start out by browning your mushrooms, since you don’t want them becoming mushy and absorbing too much liquid. In the biggest frying pan you have, spritz it with olive oil. In a single layer, spread out your mushrooms. Do not sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let them sit, untouched for about 3 minutes over medium heat. Then, flip them, and let the other side caramelize for about 3 more minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

**At the same time, if you’re also making pasta for your guests, boil the water and cook the pasta.

In the same huge frying pan, add 1-2 tsp EVOO. Add your beets and let them cook for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.  Then, add your zucchini and peppers. Reseason with salt and pepper. Stir those around for about 4 more minutes. Stir in your garlic and let it cook for 2 minutes. Finally, stir in your tomatoes and let them cook for 1 minute before turning off the heat.

Now all you have left to do is toss this mixture with the pesto. Toss the veggies with the pasta right before you serve, and once the veggies cool a bit. If you add the pesto while it’s piping hot, it loses a lot of the basil flavor.

Once the veggies are tossed with the pesto, take out your share of the veggies (about 1/5 of the mixture.) Put them on your plate and top with 1/5 of the browned mushrooms.

Toss the pasta with the remaining pesto veggies until everything is coated. Garnish the top with the remaining browned mushrooms. This is the beautiful dish for your guests! **You can also top with Feta, Goat, or Parmesan cheese if your guests desire.**

My family absolutely RAVED about this dish. They seriously couldn’t have been more enthusiastic about how much they enjoyed it:) They couldn’t believe that I was able to make it in such a short amount of time. Seriously, by the time I had boiled the water for the pasta, it was ready to go!

And it was a really pretty dish. The pasta takes on this beautiful pink hue from the beets. It is absolutely stunning.

And my veggie dish was incredible too! I am such a fan of pesto, and in this dish, it really was the star of the show! The combination of beets and pesto is one of my favor flavor profiles! They compliment each other so well.

And I didn’t cook the life out of the veggies, so they still had a nice bite to them. It was just wonderful.

Cooking the mushrooms separate seems like a silly, trivial step, but it really makes a huge difference. Cooking such a large amount of veggies like that tends to steam them more than brown them. So by cooking the mushrooms separately allowed them to brown and remain nice and chewy.

Every bite with a mushroom was like a little surprise :) Simply Delicious.

Again, this was a great meal if you want to cook for your friends who don’t have any dietary restrictions. You both get an outrageously tasty, and healthy meal!

But be careful -- once you cook for them, they’re going to want you to do it again and again!! :D

On another note, while I was home, my mom had found a little goodie for me at the grocery store! She found these bars, Paleo Crunch by Steve's PaleoGoods! And my gosh, they were GOOD!

Unlike Larabars, they don’t have dates in them! They’re only sweetened with dried pineapple and coconut.

Check the ingredients! All organic, and super low in sugar.

I love Larabars, but dates don’t really agree with my tummy. They’re super high in sugar. Case in point: a Larabar has 18 grams of sugar. That’s A LOT! This Paleo Crunch bar only has 6 GRAMS!! Woo!

Check out the texture – it was chewy with a nice crunch. It had a very nutty flavor with a subtle hint of coconut. And not too sweet. Juuuust right:)

ipho

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SCD Eggplant "Non-Parmesan!" GF, V, SCD & Paleo w/ BED option!

Hey Everyone!

Well it's finally starting to feel like summer! Woo! Bring on the heat!

As a gal on the Specific Carb Diet, pasta is something that I will always long for. I find myself craving pesto, or a good tomato sauce. Well friends, this dish took me there! It HIT THE SPOT!!

With zucchini noodles, you get that slupry texture, carb-y bulk, and aesthetic appearance of noodles! It's a ten in my book!

So what did I make, exactly? SCD Eggplant "Non-Parmesan!"

It's gluten free, SCD, Paleo and Vegan w/ a BED option!

Here's what you need: (serves 1)

1/2 red pepper (SCD use 1 roasted red pepper)
1 medium carrot
1/4 onion
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup grape tomatoes - about 15 (or 2 roma tomatoes) (BED omit - use whole red pepper instead)
splash of white wine (about 3 Tbsp) (BED sub veg stock)
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper

3 slices eggplant, 1/4 inch thick
1/2 - 3/4 cup almond flour
salt and pepper and pinch oregano
1 egg white, beaten (Vegan option: plain almond milk)

1 zucchini, "noodlized"

4 olives, sliced
fresh basil, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice 1/4 inch rounds of your eggplant. Place your egg white, or almond milk, in a bowl. Place almond flour and seasoning in another bowl. Dip your eggplant slice in the egg white, and then coat it in the almond flour. Place on a tin-foil-lined, olive-oil-sprayed baking sheet. Spritz the slices with olive oil and then bake for 30 minutes, flipping once, halfway through.

When you flip the eggplant, add your "noodlized" zucchini to the tray, and bake it for the final 15 minutes, stirring once, halfway through.

Meanwhile, saute your carrots and onion in 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, and spices. Let it soften for about 4 minutes. Then, add your peppers. Let those soften for about 3 minutes. Then, add your garlic and tomatoes. Let those cook for about 3 minutes. Then, deglaze with the white wine. Let it cook for about 2 minutes. Transfer to your food processor, and blitz until smooth.

Toss your "zoodles" with the sauce, top with the eggplant rounds, and garnish with the black olives.

Wow. Where to begin on this one?! First of all, this sauce was TERRIFIC. It's so simple, but it's just bursting flavor! It's made with all fresh, whole, ingredients. It literally tastes like a stroll through the garden! And the olives give it a wonderfully salty punch. Just fabulous.

And the "zoodles" are slurpy and chewy! And by baking them briefly, they become pliable and warm. It's definitely not the stereotypical "raw" meal. I've been to raw restaurants, and I'm always disappointed because the meal's always cold!! I always think, "this would taste so good if they just nuked it for about 30 seconds!" haha...I know that defeats the "raw" purpose, but I'm old fashioned: I like a warm plate of spaghetti.

And the eggplant....SO GOOD!! The almond coating gives it this nutty richness. The outside is crisp, and then you get to the chewy, and earthy eggplant center. I may have re-fallen in love with eggplant again:)

What a delightful meal. I hope you all are having a wonderful week!

Need a spiralizer or food processor? Here are the ones I use and love!