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?

Pina Colada Cookies! GF, V, SCD, Paleo & Raw!

COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS: 12 DAYS!!!!

Wait a minute!! Rewind! Hold the phone!!  LESS than 2 weeks?!! Yikes!! Xmas is sneaking up on us, folks!

Aaaanywhoo... one of my favorite things to do during the holidays is to listen to Christmas music. I turn on Pandora and let Bing Crosby and Mariah Carey serenade me as I walk the streets of NYC - or more accurately, dodge shoppers and tourists/brave inclement weather/avoid sludge puddles/attempt not to get frostbite or get trampled by protesters....you get the picture ;)

Well, I was strolling away today, when one of my favorite --albeit "out there"-- Christmas tunes came on: Mele Kalikimaka! Maybe it was my fascination with Hawaii growing up, or my slight obsession with the Disney movie, Rip Girls, but I have always found that luau-tastic, tropical Christmas tune to be a welcomed delight!

So, with that tune stuck in my head, and envisioning Santa donning a Hawaiian shirt and board shorts, I came up with today's recipe.

You can call it a Hawaiian Christmas Cookie :)

Because you see, once I started to think about Santa on the beach...my mind only took me to one place.....................PINA COLADAS!! :D

Introducing, my Pina Colada Cookies!

Raw, Gluten and Grain Free, Vegan, Paleo, and Specific Carb Diet friendly....these babies are, in a word, DELICIOUS!!

Tropical little healthy cookie bites that take your taste buds to Hawaii:)  ((Sorry...I'm a little cheesy today)) lol

Here's what you need! (Makes 10 cookies) -- enough for 3-4 people ;)

5 dates, pitted
4 dried pineapple rings
12 almonds
12 cashews
1/4 cup shredded coconut
2 Tbsp coconut butter (NOT oil)

Optional: melted dark chocolate (not SCD)

Put everything in the food processor and process for about a minute until everything is roughly the same size. (Like the size of peppercorns). Then, roll 1 Tbsp of dough into balls. Chill for at least 20 minutes, and enjoy.

(Tip: the dough may feel a bit wet when you roll it into balls initially, but that's just the heat from the food processor melting the oils in the coconut butter. This will go away and "firm up" after 20 minutes in the fridge.)

Optional: Melt about 1/4 cup dark chocolate in the microwave (do 30 second increments, stirring in between) or double boiler, and dip half of the cookie. (Do this after they've firmed in the refrigerator for 20 minutes).

Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way.....oh sorry guys, you caught me day dreaming about my toes in the sand while chewing on these AMAZING COOKIES!!

They're so tropical -- it's seriously the cookie form of a Pina Colada! You've got the pineapple, you've got the coconut, you've got the sweetness from the dates....now all you need is rum!

But seriously, these are delicious. They're sticky and chewy, and the dark chocolate just takes them over the top.

Not to mention they look super elegant and "dressed up!"

I can't wait to share these at the next Christmas party!

And you don't have to tell anyone that they're secretly healthy!! :D

So Cheers to you, Old Saint Nick!

I'll take a Pina Colada over Eggnog any day! ;)

What's your favorite holiday tune?

See you soon!

Tangy Ginger Lime Apple Ribbon Salad! GF, V, SCD & Paleo!

Hey Happy Tummies!

I hope everyone is staying warm with these plummeting temps around the country!!

I have to admit: I love getting all snuggled up and watching a movie, knowing that it's blustery and freezing outside:)

Speaking of movies, I cannot WAIT for the new Hunger Games movie to come out on Friday!

I'm going to see it with my fam when I go home next week for Thanksgiving.

I can't wait to see my little niece!! Isn't she just the cutest ever?!

And I guessss I'm excited to see this little princess too :) haha

SO tonight, I made a particularly delicious and colorful meal.

I used my fave gadget...the spiralizer! (You can make this without a spiralizer, just chop the veggies into small pieces and it'll be a chopped salad!)

I call this colorful pile of deliciousness the Tangy Ginger Lime Apple Ribbon Salad!

Now friends, don't take the word "salad" lightly --- this dish PACKS. A. PUNCH!

"Noodles" of carrots, beets, zucchini, and cucumber smothered in a nutty ginger lime sauce, and kissed with cilantro and honey crisp apples!

Now, if you've been following my blog, you'll know the special place honey crisp apples have in my heart:) I mean, I love them, like woah.

I even made an entire post about them a while back :) haha

And let me tell you, those sweet little nuggets of honey crisp glory really shine in this dish.

And it's gluten and Grain Free, Vegan, Specific Carb Diet friendly, and Paleo!

Here's what you need: (Serves 1 as a main, 2 as a side)

1/2 zucchini, made into noodles
1/2 cucumber, made into noodles
1 carrot, made into noodles
1/2 beet, made into noodles
1/2 honey crisp apple, diced
1/2 red onion, sliced paper thin
1/4 cup cashews, chopped
2 Tbsp cilantro, minced

Sauce:
1/3 - 1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated on a micro plane
3 Tbsp Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
8 drops pure liquid stevia alcohol-free (SCD use 1/2 tsp honey)
2-3 Tbsp water

Spiralize (or chop) your veggies and put them in a large bowl.

After you slice your onions, let them soak in a bowl of ice water for about 5-10 minutes. (This gets rid of that harsh, onion-y bite that raw onions have)

Combine your sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Add enough water to thin out the sauce until it is "drizzly" - about 2 - 3 Tbsp.

Toss your veggie noodles, onions, cashews, and cilantro with the sauce until evenly coated.

Garnish with cashews and cilantro.

My goodness, you guys. This was SO GOOD! This dressing. I'm serious, I could drink it it was so delicious! Tangy, fresh, a little gingery, nutty, sweet -- AMAZING!!

It pairs so wonderfully with the subtly sweet veggie noodles, the buttery cashews, and the bright and fresh cilantro.

And it's so crunchy and fabulous. My favorite part was the honey crisp apple bits -- super sweet and juicy.

Finally, it really is a beautiful dish with all the colors. Red, Orange, Green, Purple -- it's a rainbow of nutritious goodness!

With this cilantro and lime action, all I need is a margarita! :D

Do you like trilogy movies like the Hunger Games, or Twilight, or Lord of the Rings?

Until next time!

Also -- be sure to follow GlutenFreeHappyTummy on Facebook or Twitter for instant updates!!

PALEO PUMPKIN PIE! GF, SCD & Paleo!

Hey Happy Tummies!

ANNOUNCEMENT: 2 ½ WEEKS UNTIL THANKSGIVING!!

Whaaaaaat??!! 

I. Know. Craaaazy, huh? Time is literally flying by. 

Have you started making plans for Thanksgiving yet? I am going home to be with family for turkey day. I'm super excited. Bought my plane tickets and everything! :D

Well, as promised, I'm sharing a gourd-geous dessert recipe with you all today:) ((See what I did there?!)) :) hehe

I’ve got a show stopper here folks. PALEO PUMPKIN PIE!!

It’s Gluten Free. It’s Dairy Free. It’s Specific Carb Diet Friendly. It’s Paleo. It’s fan-frickin-tastic.

I made this for Thanksgiving last year and it was an absolute hit. It brought the house down!

Filling: (Makes 2 pies)

1/3 cup raw cashews
2 cups pumpkin or butternut squash puree
2 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground clove
1/8 tsp ground ginger
4 droppers full of pure liquid stevia, alcohol free (SCD omit, and use an extra Tbsp honey instead)
2 healthy pinches of salt
2 Tbsp honey
3 egg whites
12 oz coconut milk – I used light

CRUST: (Makes 2 crusts)
16 dates
1 cup cashews
1 cup almonds
4 healthy pinches of salt

Preheat oven to 400. Cut your squash or pumpkin in half length-wise, scoop out all the seeds and place cut-side-down on a tin foil-lined, olive oil-sprayed baking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes, until tender. Take it out and let cool for about 7-10 minutes, until you are able to touch it. When you take it out, increase the oven temp to 425.

Meanwhile, make your crust. Pit and chop your dates into small pieces to help out the food processor. Then, add all nuts and salt to the food processor and process until they have broken down into small bits. Then, add your dates and process until it forms the consistency of chunky, wet, sand. You’ll need to scrape the sides once or twice. Spray two, 9-inch pie pans with cooking spray and divide the crust evenly between the two. Then, with your fingers, press the crust together along the bottom and up the sides. The dates will hold it together. Set aside.

Reassemble your food processor. You will now make the rest of the pie.

Place your cashews in the food processor and process until it forms a fine dust. Then, scoop out the flesh of the cooled squash and add it to the food processor. Process until smooth, scraping the sides several times. Then, add your stevia, spices, honey, and egg whites. Process to combine. Then, in 2 batches, add your coconut milk and slowly pulse to combine, so as not to splatter. The batter should be a thick, creamy liquid.

Divide the batter evenly between the two pie shells. Place in the 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Then, reduce the heat to 350 and bake for 40-50 minutes. When you reduce the oven to 350, plaee a tin foil “hat” around the edge of your pie, so the delicate crust doesn’t burn. It is finished when a knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 2 hours before cutting into it.

Oh. My. Gosh. You guys, I don’t mean to brag, but my dessert stole the show for Thanksgiving. ;) We had this and a store bought gluten free apple pie. Let me just tell you – we polished off my entire pie….and there was only one piece of the apple pie gone!

Everyone RAVED about it. They couldn’t believe that there was no butter or cream in it. They said it was so decadent and delicious. Everyone - GFree'rs and "omnivores" alike -- thought it was incredible. 

The flavor was warm and spicy, and the texture was so rich, luxurious and creamy. And the crust – wow: nutty, sweet, chewy, sticky! The perfect compliment to the luscious center.

These pies were like my little babiesJ Oh- just thinking about them warms my heartJ #proudmama haha

SO whether you use butternut squash, or pumpkin, these puppies come out fantastic!

One last thing: A tip on gourds ;)

Butternut squash can be a bit intimidating to prepare, simply because they can be tricky to prepare. But fear not friends, I'm here to break down how to break down squash in an easy and safe way!

You'll need a sharp knife -- and I suggest honing your knife's edge before hand. (It goes without saying to be careful whenever using a chef's knife)

Step One: Cut off the top and bottom of your butternut squash. 

Step Two: Cut the squash in half, (like the equator), where the thinner part meets the rounder part where the seeds are. This gives each part a solid base to stand on while you peel the skin.

Step Three: Peel the skin of each half.

Step Four: Cut the round part in half, lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Discard.

Step Five: Cut the remaining part in half, lengthwise. 

Now, you have manageable pieces of squash to slice and dice:) Hope that helps and makes these gourds less intimidating! 

Alright, see you guys tomorrow with a new recipe! :D

This was shared on delishknowledge's link party.