Primavera Pesto Plate! GF, V, SCD, BED & Paleo!

Hey guys!

Happy Monday!

How's everyone doing?!

So I have a confession to make...I'm sitting here watching The Bachelorette!! :D Eek! It's my guilty pleasure. I know, it's such TV trash, but I just can't stay away!

Well. Tonight, I made a delicious, delicious meal! Today was sunny and 80 degrees -- a picture perfect spring day!

Sooo I decided to use that as inspiration for dinner! What did I make? A wonderful Primavera Pesto with Roasted Cauliflower and Zucchini Ribbons!

And it was soooo good:)

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

Here's what you need: (Serves 1 with leftovers)


Pesto:

3 Tbsp pine nuts
1 garlic clove
1 cup (packed) fresh basil
1 cup broccoli, steamed
1 Tbsp EVOO
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt

1/2 zucchini -- cut into ribbons (use a spiralizer, vegetable peeler, or knife)
1/3 head of cauliflower, broken into florets

chopped fresh basil (garnish)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

After you break your cauliflower into florets, place them in a single on a tin foil-lined, olive oil-sprayed cooking sheet. Spritz with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for 35 minutes, flipping once half way through.

Meanwhile, steam your broccoli. I used frozen broccoli and just microwaved it for 4 1/2 minutes, but you could also place it in a traditional steamer. Then, place everything into the food processor and blitz until you get a smooth and creamy sauce. You'll need to scrape the sides several times to help out the machine.

When your cauliflower comes out of the oven, immediately place it in a medium sized bowl, and toss your florets and zucchini ribbons with the pesto cream sauce. Serve with chopped basil as a garnish.

Goodness gracious! How delicious was this meal!

First of all, it just looked delicious. It was spring on a plate! Beautifully green and artfully messy! And the smell of the fresh basil perfuming the kitchen is just wonderful. It just fills the room and brings springtime right into the house!

The best part was the cauliflower. Cauliflower is another one of those veggies that gets a bad wrap, and that's because I don't think people have had it prepared properly. I mean, let's face it...when you boil the life out of something, it's not exactly the "belle of the ball." But when you roast it, let me tell you...magic happens in the oven! It becomes caramelized and crunchy, and golden brown and AMAZING! That, coated in the rich and creamy pesto sauce is just mouth watering-ly fabulous :)

And can we just talk about the pesto! It's so bright and fresh and VEGAN! Most pesto uses parmesan cheese, but this one doesn't! I bump up the pine nuts and use lemon to give it that *zing!* Pesto is one of my favorite things to make. Actually...it's a terrific thing to make for company because it is SO FREAKING EASY....I mean, if you can turn on the food processor, you can make pesto!  And your guests will think you're the gourmet hostess with the mostess:) haha

And a wonderful thing happens with the zucchini ribbons. I'll be honest...cold, raw zucchini ribbons can be a bit lackluster. But when the heat from the cauliflower florets mixes with the ribbons, they soften and become "twirly" and slurpy - almost like pasta!

Alright...now back to the Bachelorette:) What's your favorite TV show?

Until next time!

Crimson Matchstick Mashup! GF, V, SCD, & Paleo!

Hey guys!

October?!! Ok, seriously? This is getting ridiculous. Time is absolutely FLYING!!

And it doesn't help that things have been C.R.AAA.Z.Y around here lately. But in a good way!

Actually, I have some very exciting things to share with you!

First, one of my recipes was featured in the magazine, Paleo Living! Yep! My Purple People Pleaser Salad was spotlighted in their latest issue! Paleo Living is an awesome magazine and resource for all things Paleo (and by its nature, SCD!) And best of all, the owner has given my readers a special offer for a free three month trial! Just use this link: http://paleomagazine.com/glutenfreehappytummy

Next order of business: I booked an exciting gig! I'm a new lead singer of a cover band!! We play pop/Latin fusion in NY, NJ, DC, and Boston! Crazy exciting, huh!?

So between that, school, and my mother visiting this weekend (!!!), I've been running around like a wild woman!

So anywho, onto the food!

I love beets. Seriously one of my favorite foods. Well, this dish highlights then beautifully. What is it?

I call it my Crimson Matchstick Mashup:)

Roasted red pepper and beet matchsticks topped with a luxurious broccoli pesto cream! Delicious!

And it's gluten free, vegan, Specific Carb Diet friendly, and Paleo!

Here's what you need (serves 1)

1 large beet, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
1 bell pepper (I used yellow), cut into thirds
1/2 avocado, diced

Pesto cream:
1 cup frozen broccoli
3/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup pine nuts
3/4 cup fresh basil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 garlic clove
1 Tbsp EVOO
Salt and pepper

Baby spinach

Garnish:
Basil
Pine nuts

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. On a tin-foil-lined, olive-oil-sprayed baking sheet, place your beet rounds and pepper thirds in a single layer. Spritz with olive oil and bake for about 30-35 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Hit with salt and pepper when they come out of the oven.

Meanwhile, steam your broccoli and peas by either steaming them in a steamer basket, or nuking them in the microwave for about 3 minutes. Combine your steamed broccoli and peas with the rest of the pesto ingredients in your food processor. Process until smooth, scraping the sides several times.

When your beets and peppers come out of the oven, let them cool slightly, and then cut them into matchsticks - about 1/4 inch thick. Finally, dice your avocado.

To assemble, lay a bed of spinach on your plate. Top with the beet and pepper match sticks, and the diced avocado. Top that with your pesto cream. Garnish with fresh basil and toasted pine nuts.

My goodness, how delicious was this dish?!!

I made this on the evening that my family had our pictures taken, so Anna May, from Anna May Photography took some beautiful shots of the dish and some cooking action shots:) check them out below!

There's truly something magical about roasted beets. The sugars caramelize and become intensely sweet with a wonderful earthy tone. And same with the peppers. There's a smokey sweetness to them too. So that sweetness paired with the fresh basil and bright lemon was just perfect!

And then the pesto cream. Good golly was this wonderful! The texture was creamy and rich, yet surprisingly light and ethereal. It was the perfect textural compliment to the crunchy/chewy beets and crisp baby spinach. And oh boy, the avocado was so buttery and was the perfect creamy touch.

Finally, it was a stunning dish. The bright green pesto against the deep purple beets made the dish just jump off the plate.

A winner for sure!

And thanks Anna May Photography for the beautiful photos!! Be sure to check out her website! :)


Want more GFHT?  You can now get my e-cookbook, The Best of GlutenFreeHappyTummy for only $2.99 on Amazon!

Fennel & Pesto Pizza! GF, V, SCD, BED & Paleo!

Hey Happy Tummies!

Can we just hit the pause button real quick and talk about the fact that we're already halfway through September!? Umm...what?! Time is flying by at warp speed!! 

Well this is going to be a great week becaaaaaause....fall TV is starting!! DWTS is tonight, The Mindy Project premieres on Tuesday...who's excited!? :) I don't know how I feel about James Franco's appearance on the show though...

Any who! As I mentioned before, I was home this past weekend and I had a blast. Not only was I there for some birthday celebrations, (the monster cookies were a hit!) but we also got our family photos taken since we have a new addition! Anna from Anna May Photography is seriously amazing. Anna is a good friend of my brother and his wife. She has a beautifully artistic eye. I thought I'd share some favorites:)

OK, now on to some FOOD! For dinner one evening, I made a delicious cauliflower crust pizza!

One of the beauties about pizza is that you can make it ahead of time and have it all ready to go at the drop of a hat!

Soo, I made a Fennel and Pesto Pizza!!

And it's gluten free, Specific Carb Diet & Body Ecology Diet friendly, & Paleo w/ a Vegan Option!

Here's what you need: (serves 1)

Crust:
1 cup cauliflower, riced
2 egg whites (Vegan option: 1 flax/chia egg)
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 tsp salt

Pesto:
1 cup broccoli, steamed
3/4 cup green peas, steamed
1 cup fresh basil
2 Tbsp pine nuts
juice 1/2 lemon
1 garlic clove
1 Tbsp EVOO
healthy pinch of salt and pepper

1 tomato, sliced (BED omit)
4 mushrooms, sliced
1 bell pepper chopped (BED use red) 
1 bulb of fennel, shaved
1/4 tsp dried oregano and basil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put your raw cauliflower florets in the food processor and process until it resembles rice. Then, place the rice in a clean kitchen towel (or several paper towels) and wring out all the liquid. This is a really important step.  Combine it thoroughly with your almond flour, salt, and egg whites. Cut 2 sheets of parchment paper the size of a baking sheet. Put your batter onto one sheet of parchment, and place the other sheet on top. “Smoosh” it out fairly thin. Spritz the top with EVOO. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown.

Meanwhile, brown your mushrooms in a skillet with 1 tsp EVOO. Do this by placing them in a single layer and then don't touch them for about 3-4 minutes, so that they can brown. Then, flip, and let sit untouched for another 3 minutes. Add your bell peppers to the pan and let them cook for another 3 minutes. Sprinkle them with about 1/4 tsp dried basil and oregano.  Take off the stove and hit with salt and pepper. 

Next, carefully shave your fennel on a mandolin. (I've learned from experience that it is very important to use the safety hand guard!) Also, slice your tomato into about 1/4 inch slices.

Finally, make your pesto. First, steam your broccoli and peas either in the microwave or in a steamer basket. Then, place all your pesto ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth. You'll need to scrape the sides several times. 

To assemble, spread a thin layer of the pesto on your flatbread. Leave about a 1/2 inch boarder. Then, place your tomato slices on top. Top those with your peppers and mushrooms. Finally, sprinkle the top with the raw fennel.

Mmm mmmm mmmm this was so tasty!

Lets be honest: Fennel can be kind of an intimidating vegetable. It's this big white bulb that has these freakish and fuzzy stalks protruding up like Edward Scissor Hands.  (dramatic much??) BUT, it really is delicious. It adds a wonderfully delicate crunch to a dish and has an unmistakably lovely licorice flavor, unlike anything else. I had some extra fennel left over, and my family (who had never had it before) put it on their salads and LOVED it! #fennelconverts :)

I loved the addition of the juicy tomatoes to this dish too. They were sweet and fresh and complimented the bright pesto wonderfully.  Finally, the mushrooms were perfectly chewy and earthy.

Finally, it goes without saying, but I love my cauliflower crusts. They're one of my "staples." I always keep the ingredients on hand: frozen cauliflower and almond flour! It has this wonderfully nutty and delicate flavor. You honestly don't taste the cauliflower AT ALL! It's a miracle food, seriously!!

And you can pick it up like a piece of pizza. Sounds like a winner to me!

And lastly, this dish was absolutely beautiful too with all the colors. It just begs to be eaten and enjoyed. And that's just what I did!



What fall TV show are you looking forward to?



Want more GFHT?  You can now get my e-cookbook, The Best of GlutenFreeHappyTummy for only $2.99 on Amazon!

Broccoli Pesto Flatbread w/ Cauliflower Crust! GF, SCD & Paleo w/ BED & Vegan Opt'ns!

Hey Happy Tummies!

Pssst....I have a secret: Guess what........IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!!! 

Just a quick post tonight because I'm on my way out to meet some friends:)

So, just a little house keeping: I've been asked about whether I'm on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest, and the answer is a big whopping YES! You can find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/glutenfreehappytummy, on twitter @GFreeHappyTummy, and Pinterest at GFreeHappyTummy! Hope that helps!

So for my last meal in Cincinnati, I made one of my favorite staples: a CAULIFLOWER CRUST FLATBREAD!!!

And this beauty had a green pea and broccoli pesto cream sauce with sautéed peppers, zucchini, and tomatoes. It was fabulous.

There's something so satisfying about a flatbread. It's filling, and nice and "bready" -- without actually having bread!

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

Here's what you need:


Crust:
2 cups raw cauliflower
1/4 cup almond flour
2 egg whites (vegan option: 2 flax/chia eggs)
Pinch of salt and pepper

Cream sauce:
1 cup frozen broccoli
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup packed fresh basil (1 small package)
1 garlic clove
3 Tbsp pine nuts
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper

Toppings:
1/2 red pepper or yellow pepper ( or both!) -cut into note sized pieces
1/2 zucchini, cut into half moons
6 grape tomatoes, halved (BED omit)

Garnish
Fresh basil, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place raw cauliflower into your food processor. Process until it resembles rice. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel, or several paper towels. Then, wring out as much water as you can from the riced cauliflower. This is a really important step! Place your dry cauliflower rice into a small mixing bowl. Combine with the remaining crust ingredients.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place your batter (it will be rather wet) on the parchment. With another sheet of parchment, "smoosh" out the batter into a pizza shape. Don't make it too thin-about 10 inches in diameter. Bake for about 35 minutes, until the edges turn a dark golden brown.

Meanwhile steam your broccoli and peas either on the stove or in the microwave. I used the microwave.

In your food processor, place all the cream sauce ingredients and process until it is smooth and creamy. You'll need to scrape the sides several times.

Also, sauté your zucchini and peppers in 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, and a dash of dried oregano and basil.

To assemble: top your crust with 1/2 of the broccoli cream sauce. (The leftover cream sauce is a great dip or sandwich spread! I ate it with some of the extra peppers!) Arrange the peppers, zucchini, and tomatoes artfully on top. Garnish with fresh basil.

My goodness was this ever a treat! The first thing that you notice about this dish is how beautiful it is!! There are so many wonderful colors that just pop off the plate! Red, yellow, different shades of green -- truly stunning.



And then the flavor was so robust! The broccoli pesto cream was so luxurious and fresh from the basil! It was the most wonderful compliment to the juicy tomatoes and sweet peppers.

And the crust! Holy cow! It's so hard to believe that there's CAULIFLOWER in it!! You cannot taste it AT ALL! It's just chewy, crunchy on the edges, nutty, and the perfect vehicle for this tasty dish!

I've gotta say -- I passed around my plate so my family could all have a bite, and they were blown away! They loved it:)

Who says a gluten/grain free gal can't have pizza?!?

What's your favorite pizza/flatbread topping?


Want more GFHT?  You can now get my e-cookbook, The Best of GlutenFreeHappyTummy for only $2.99 on Amazon!