Cozy Golden Cauliflower with Red Sauce! GF, Vegan, SCD & Paleo!

Hey Happy Tummies!

How is everyone's week going?

Good news...tomorrow's FRIDAY!!! :D

What do you have planned for the weekend?

Well today it rained. All. Day. And there's no better remedy for a rainy day then a lovely home cooked meal -- preferably involving the oven and roasted veggies:) haha

Enter: today's recipe: Cozy Caramelized Cauliflower with Red Sauce!

Half a head of cauliflower roasted to golden brown perfection, topped with a beautiful tomato sauce and fresh basil. Y-U-M.

And it's Gluten Free, Vegan, Specific Carb Diet Friendly, and Paleo!

Here's what you need: (Serves one)

1/2 head of cauliflower

handful of baby spinach
3 button mushrooms, sliced
fresh basil, chopped (garnish)

Sauce:
1 tomato, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp herbs de provence
1/4 tsp salt
several "cracks" of black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place your halved cauliflower, cut-side-down on a tin foil-lined, olive-oil sprayed baking sheet. Spritz with olive oil, and bake for about 45 minutes, until its golden brown and delicious, otherwise known as GBD :)

In the meantime, make your sauce. In a skillet, sauté your onions and peppers in 1 Tbsp olive, salt, pepper, and herbs de provence. Let those soften for about 5 minutes. Add your garlic and let it cook for another 3 minutes. Finally, add your tomato and let it cook for about 4 minutes. Carefully transfer to your food processor, and process until smooth.

Finally, brown your mushrooms in the skillet - about 3 minutes per side.

At this point, you should have about 10 minutes left on your cauliflower -- which is the perfect amount of time to clean the food processor, set the table, and pour a glass of wine :)

To assemble, place your cauliflower on a bed of spinach. Top with the tomato sauce, mushrooms, and garnish with fresh basil. Serve warm.

My goodness, what a delightful dinner! The perfect ending to a rainy and rather gloomy day.

It was such a stunning dish - with the golden brown outlines of the cauliflower, and the bright red tomato sauce. It was so beautiful against the bright green from the spinach and basil.

But more than that, it was DELICIOUS. If you've never had roasted cauliflower before, consider this your personal invitation. It is seriously amazing. I'm not kidding -- magic takes place in the oven, my friends, magic! It becomes caramelized and has a nutty flavor! For a girl that can't eat bread, it almost tasted like bread! hah ok, well...how about...reminiscent of bread. :)

And the sauce was wonnnnderful. The herbs de provence gave it a warm and cozy flavor that had a delicate sweetness to it. And the basil gave it a nice *pop* of freshness.

So. Good. This is my next dinner party meal for sure:)

Finally, I was watching Gilmore Girls, and to my delight, check the sign on the door of the town grocery store...you may know my love for all things winter squash, so the screen grab was particularly humorous. Check back on Monday for a special butternut squash recipe:)

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Tempura Cauliflower Steak w/ Blistered Italian Spring Veggies! GF, V, SCD, BED & Paleo!

Hey Happy Tummies!

Alright. It's time for a show stopper recipe. Holy cow you guys this is one for the books, I'm serious.

So while I was in Wisconsin, my family wanted to celebrate my graduation. So we decided to have a BBQ -- a classic Northwoods celebration!

Since clearly I can't eat BBQ fare, I was encouraged to make a nice dinner. Challenge accepted.

So what did I make?? "Tempura" Cauliflower Steak with Blistered Italian Spring Veggies.

Wow wow wow. That's about all I can say. My dad, who has an aversion to all veggies other than corn and Lima beans:) proclaimed that this was the best thing I've ever made.

I'll take that as a win for team GFHT! :)

This treat was Gluten and Grain Free, Vegan, Specific Carb Diet & Body Ecology Diet friendly, & Paleo!

Here's what you need: (Serves one)


1/3 head of cauliflower 

1 egg, beaten (vegan option: plain almond milk)
1/3 cup almond flour

handful green beans
1/2 zucchini, sliced
6 mushrooms, sliced (BED use shittake mushrooms)

Sauce:
15 grape tomatoes or one large tomato (BED sub one red pepper)
1/2 red pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano

Fresh basil, chopped (garnish)


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut 1/3 of your cauliflower head. I used the "center cut" that included the root, and saved the outer thirds for snacking and other meals. Set aside and set up your breading station.

Breading process: You'll need a bowl, medium sized plate, and your tin foil-lined, olive oil-sprayed baking sheet. In the bowl, beat your egg and add a pinch of salt (or use almond milk). On the plate, spread out the almond flour with a pinch of salt. Take your cauliflower, coat it in egg, and then place it on the plate with the almond flour and coat it evenly with the almond flour. Then place it on one half of the baking sheet. Spritz with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

On the other half of the baking sheet, place your green beans in a single layer. Spritz them with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place the entire baking sheet into the oven. You'll bake the cauliflower for a total of 40 minutes. But at 20 minutes, when you flip the cauliflower, remove the green beans and set aside.

Meanwhile, create your sauce. Saute your onions and garlic in 1-2 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, and dried herbs over medium heat. After about 4 minutes, add your red peppers. Let those soften, about 4 minutes. Then add your tomatoes and let them cook for about 4 more minutes. Then, carefully transfer the veggies to the food processor, and process until it is smooth. You'll need to scrape the sides a few times.

Also meanwhile, sauté your mushrooms and zucchini in 1-2 tsp EVOO. Let them brown on one side (about 3 minutes), and then flip and let the other side brown. Set aside.

To assemble, place your cauliflower on the plate. Top with the veggie mixture and sauce, and garnish with chopped fresh basil. I put the majority of the sauce around the cauliflower on the plate to minimize the contact between the sauce and the breading on the cauliflower so it would stay nice and crispy:)

You guys. I cannot even begin to tell you how amazing this was. I know I can be a bit of a "gusher" about food...but this is next. level.

The first thing you notice when you bring it to the table is how freaking gorgeous it is. There's something "rustically fabulous" about the "breaded" and substantial steak of golden brown cauliflower, topped with a stately pile of blistered veggies, and bright red tomato sauce. It is regal. It is elegant. It is something to be proud of:)

Then, the taste is just outrageous. The bright and subtly sweet tomato sauce is the perfect backdrop to the nutty and homey cauliflower. The bright basil accents the caramelized green beans and zucchini. So. Good.

And then the textures. This may be the best part. Let me tell you- you've got to cut into that cauliflower with a steak knife! It is still crunchy, but the outsides have caramelized and become a little chewy and have some give. And coating the outside is this sweet and nutty coating of almond flour that give it a richness and butteriness that you've never experienced with cauliflower before. It was cauliflower, transcended :)

And the creamy sauce with the crunch veggies was just delightful.


So all in all, this was a terrific meal to celebrate my graduation. It was special, and seemed a bit extravagant--but in reality, it was just the humble kitchen superstar--cauliflower!

As summer is beginning to wane, we're going to have lots of "special occasion" meals. Give this one a try! 

Brussels Sprouts Italiano! GF, V, SCD, BED, & Paleo!

Hey Happy Tummies!

How's everyone's week going?

It's FRIDAY!! What a week, what. a. week!

Can I just say...I am flabbergasted that it is already JUNE! I mean...seriously?! We're almost officially in the summer season. Spring in NYC has been pretty crazy...I mean, I was still wearing a heavy winter coat just last weekend! Seriously! It's been unseasonably COLD! I'm so excited to finallyyyy be able to whip out the shorts and sundresses! :)

It's pretty clear: I love food. But there's one food in particular that holds a special place in my heart:) haha....and that, it the Brussels sprout!

Yep, the humble Brussels sprout is probably my favorite food...well, besides butternut squash...and a sweet Honeycrisp apple...and dried mangos...and gosh, I could go on forever...haha

But for real, I love Brussels sprouts. SO, tonight, I decided to make a delicious recipe starring those little nuggets.

I made Brussels Sprouts Italiano!

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

Here's what you need: (Serves 1)

12 brussels spouts, halved
4 mushrooms, sliced (BED use shittake)
handful grape tomatoes (BED use red peppers)
1/2 onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
fresh basil, chopped

In a large, nonstick skillet, sauté your Brussels sprouts over medium heat for 7 minutes per side, in 2 tsps EVOO, salt, pepper, and half of the dried basil and oregano. Do this by placing them cut side-down, and then let them sit and brown for about 7 minutes. Then, flip, and let sit for another 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a separate nonstick skillet, brown your mushrooms, using the same technique for 4 minutes per side, in 1 tsp EVOO. Then, add your onions, and an additional tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, and the other half of your herbs, and let them soften for about 3 minutes before adding in the tomatoes and garlic. Let those cook for another 3 minutes.

Finally, combine the onion and mushroom mixture with the Brussels sprouts and toss together. Before serving, stir in the chopped basil.

There's nothing better than Brussels sprouts and homey Italian flavors. It's seriously the best combination ever. The fresh basil complements the bright tomatoes and earthy mushrooms. And the oregano and basil give it nice, hearty warmth.

And the textures are fabulous. The Brussels sprouts are nice and perfectly crunchy. They've softened just the right amount where they've still got a nice bite, but are a tiny bit soft on the inside. And they've caramelized wonderfully, giving them a delicate sweet note. The onions have also caramelized, and become almost slurpy. Finally, the little cherry tomatoes explode in your mouth, giving you a surprise *brust* of sweetness.

This meal is Italian at its finest. It really elevates the Brussels sprout to "superstar" status!

What's your favorite food?!

Until Next Time!

I'm Baaack! Memorial Day Munchies!

Hey Everyone!

Long time no see!

After a long hiatus, I'm back and ready to party! :) This past semester, I was finishing my senior capstone for college...so that, combined with auditioning and life in the city left zero time for blogging. But now that the semester is over and my summer semester is lighter, I've got a bit more time to devote to my Happy Tummies!

So just a quick update on my time away...I'm still in New York, and loving every minute of it! The acting is going great...staying busy for sure. And my little niece is just as cute as can be! I wish I could see her more.

My health couldn't be better! I'm still (and always will be) on the Specific Carb Diet...which is a gluten free diet. Basically, it's the Paleo diet, but I'm doing it vegan style. :)

But I've missed you guys! And I'm so excited to get back to it, and share more delicious and healthy recipes!

So, with Memorial Day coming up, let's start with some fun Memorial Day Eats! Nothing says Memorial Day like cookout food, like Burgers, Pizza, Potato Salad, Slaw, and Ice Cream! :)

I wish I could be spending it up at our lake home with my family in Wisconsin....

...but this view in NYC will have to do! :)

All the recipes are Gluten and Dairy Free! The majority are Vegan and Paleo. SCD = Specific Carb Diet, BED = Body Ecology Diet

SCD Hamburger Buns w/ Portobello Burger GF, V Option, SCD, BED, Paleo

Oven-Dried Tomato, Eggplant & Avocado Flatbread Pizza GF, V, SCD, Paleo

GF Onion Rings!

Sugar Free Vegan Strawberry FroYo! GF, V, SCD, Paleo

Fireworks Slaw! GF, V, SCD, BED, Paleo

Vegan Pesto Potato Salad! GF, V, BED

Portobello Burgers w/ Goat Cheese (Omit Goat Cheese for Dairy Free!)

Coconut Cashew Sugar Free Vegan Ice Cream! GF, V, SCD (Sub Honey!), BED

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!!


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