Tag Archives: pasta

  1. Lamb Ragù {Paleo and Gluten-free}

    Lamb Ragù {Paleo and Gluten-free}

    Lamb Ragù {Paleo and Gluten-free}

    The comforts of food and it’s universal ability to connect us, has constantly come up as of recent, reminding me that this is one of the core reasons that I have found such a true and passionate love for cooking, food and more importantly serving the people I love.

    This winter in particular I have noticed my cravings and my desires for food have changed quite drastically from previous seasons. I know, in part, some of that comes from the distinct and more winter-like season we have actually been experiencing here in Southern California, complete with rain storms and lots of cool, grey days. But it also occurred to me very suddenly as I was writing this, that in a time when there is so much uncertainty and unrest, so much aggression and fear, we are finding the need and desire for comfort and love wherever we can find it.

    I was watching Michael Pollan’s Netflix series, Cooked, the other night, and while I can’t recall which episode in particular, of the four, that I heard this in, he so brilliantly and matter-of-factly said at some point “It’s no longer a given that people will cook.” I had never really thought about that, given the way that I grew up and the lifestyle choices I have made for myself. But, for centuries cooking was a given, it was absolutely obligatory to our survival. We had to cook in order to eat and we need to eat in order to live! I realized as these words touched my ears that this unknowingly is probably the largest part of what I enjoy so much about cooking every day. About cooking for the people I love. It feels like a gift! As a woman that has no children, cooking for other people is my moment to feel as if I am giving the gift of life. Because food IS life. It IS love.

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  2. Gluten-free Pastitsio (Greek-Style Baked Pasta / Lasagna)

    Gluten-free Pastitsio (Greek-Style Baked Pasta / Lasagna)

    Gluten-free Pastitsio (Greek-Style Baked Pasta / Lasagna)

    I literally cannot believe that after nearly 7 years of blogging and sharing recipes here with you, that I have never shared this one. It’s literally one of my MOST favorite foods ever. Gluten-free Pastitsio (pa-STEE-tsee-oh), a Greek-Style Baked Pasta / Lasagna, of sort, this is 100% my kind of comfort food. A Christmas dinner tradition, this is the food I grew up eating for the holidays. My Yia Yia always made an incredible tray of pastitsio and since her passing, we can always count on my mother to manage the task and do it as if she herself was the Greek one. Years ago, when I discovered my gluten intolerance, my mom so graciously tweaked the family recipe to be made gluten-free and I never had to be without. Overtime I have made it myself and continued to slightly adjust things and I am so honored to be sharing it with all of you, finally.

    With layers of ground meat (beef or lamb) and pasta and a creamy, puffy, eggy, cheesy béchamel on top, there are hints of warming cinnamon throughout the entire dish and then it’s baked to perfection. This dish steps in where casseroles and lasagna leave off. Traditionally made with bucatini, a long tubular pasta laid out going in the same direction, I make mine gluten-free using instead an organic brown rice penne. In place of regular flour in the béchamel, I use a gluten-free all-purpose blend.

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  3. Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi with 15-Minute Tomato Sauce

    The Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi is an absolute dream come true! Just like you always remembered, soft, little pillows of luscious goodness. Perfect little cloud vehicles for whatever your favorite sauce and they are a breeze to make. 

    Grain-free Sweet Potato Gnocchi with 15-Minute Tomato Sauce

    Grain-free Sweet Potato Gnocchi with 15-Minute Tomato Sauce

    I am super excited about today’s post and I have been eagerly awaiting sharing it with you all. If you follow me on Instagram or Snapchat you likely saw me testing this recipe, you also could probably sense my insane excitement over it’s success. Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi has been on repeat and now I get to share it with all of you.

    October is National Pasta Month and when Calphalon asked if I would partner with them to create my twist on a classic pasta recipe, I jumped at the chance.

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  4. Spring Green Minestrone Soup with Basil Pesto

    Spring Green Minestrone Soup with Basil Pesto {Gluten-free}

    Spring Green Minestrone Soup with Basil Pesto {Gluten-free}

    I have a newfound appreciation for Spring this year. California has decided to play coy and it hasn’t jumped straight into the heat, for once! Such a wonderful and welcome surprise. We’ve certainly had some very hot and sunny days, but we’ve also been blessed with some cooler, windy, spring-like days as of late and it’s been magical. So much is in bloom and there is so much beautiful green stuff at the markets, I am crushing extra hard on this incredible season. The lingering coolish weather has brought on cravings for soups and stews and comfort food featuring all of the beautiful new, delicate spring produce.

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  5. Spicy Butternut Squash and Kale “Cheezy” Mac

    Spicy Butternut Squash and Kale “Cheezy” Mac

    Let’s just get this out of the way right now, yes I ironically used a z in the word cheese and yes, I also put quotes around it. That’s happening and I am totally into it. OK onto the show.

    My hubby is like most, a meat and potatoes man. He’s a no-frills, gimme what’s easiest, fastest and tastiest – kinda guy. Of course, being that I make most of the meals around here, I can keep his poor decision making and junk-food loving ways in check. Over the years I have proudly gotten him off soda, I have proven that a piece of good quality dark chocolate after dinner can be just as satisfying at 4 Oreos, I have convinced him that it’s possible to eat more than just meat and still eat well and my latest feat, showing him that we don’t necessary HAVE to have a starch or grain at every single meal.

    Spicy Butternut Squash and Kale “Cheezy” Mac

    Football season however, this is a tough time around here, it can be a hard sell on the plant-based, less processed foods. Mark LOVES football and he LOVES eating the worst foods while watching it. If he had it his way, he’d be munching on fried chicken, eating a pile of nachos, diving face first into pizza and Buffalo wings and I don’t even want to think about what sweet he’d finish it all off with. He’s always asking me to come up with fun football snacks for him and of course, I try to always deliver him a much more mindful, yet still comforting treat. He never asks me to make him something “healthier”, per se, but I am smart enough to read between the lines. He could easily go to the store and get the junk for himself, he certainly knows how to pick up the phone and order a pizza. I think deep down, though he may never admit it, he wants me to take care of him and make these better choices for him. No complaints here!

    Spicy Butternut Squash and Kale “Cheezy” Mac

    Spicy Butternut Squash and Kale “Cheezy” Mac Read the rest of this entry »

  6. Summer’s Harvest Farmers Market One-Pot Zucchini Pasta

    Summer's Harvest Farmers Market One-Pot Zucchini Pasta

    We have all seen the one pot pasta phenomenon and while I am a big fan and even shared a gluten-free rice pasta version of this today, I also wanted to create a grain-free version, highlighting my personal favorite, noodle – zucchini noodles/pasta AKA “zoodles”!

    Summer's Harvest Farmers Market One-Pot Zucchini Pasta

    Summer's Harvest Farmers Market One-Pot Zucchini Pasta

    This veggie-centric take on the classic, simple, weeknight meal is not just a great way to enjoy the best of the season, but I have found it’s also a wonderful way to use up some of those last bits of veggies, the things in the fridge you aren’t sure what to do with, the scraps from another recipe. Toss them in and go to town. You can’t go wrong.

    Summer's Harvest Farmers Market One-Pot Zucchini Pasta

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  7. Late Summer Farmers Market One-Pot Pasta (Gluten-Free)

    Farmers Market One Pot Pasta (Gluten-free)

    Listen, I am not even going to try to claim any bit of this whole one-pot pasta thing, as my idea. If you have spent more than 5 minutes on Pinterest you will know that this phenomenon has swept the internet in the past few years and it’s definitely not going away. In fact, you can even read about the back story and learn where the trend originated.

    Farmers Market One Pot Pasta (Gluten-free)

    But, just because I can’t have gluten and I prefer to avoid dairy, doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be able to partake. In fact, I took it all a step further after a trip to the farmers market, adding as many end-of-summer veggies as I could, because duh – veggies are the best!!

    Farmers Market One Pot Pasta (Gluten-free)

    Farmers Market One Pot Pasta (Gluten-free)This hearty, creamy, Late Summer Farmers Market One-Pot Pasta dish can be made in just about 20 minutes, from start to finish, with just one pot to clean. It’s gluten-free and naturally vegan, plus you can easily adapt it to what is most in-season and highlight your favorites! I love that without any dairy this pasta is creamy and rich. Of course, if you are a cheese-eater, go to town and top it with your favorite shredded cheese.

    For my paleo and grain-free friends, you can grab an alternative recipe today where I am sharing a version of this one-pot pasta dish featuring zucchini pasta (aka zoodles)

    Farmers Market One Pot Pasta (Gluten-free)

    Late Summer Farmers Market One-Pot Pasta (Gluten-Free)

    gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, vegetarian, vegan
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes
    Total Time: 22 minutes

    Ingredients 

    • 12 ounces organic brown-rice spaghetti-style pasta, gluten-free
    • 1 pound cherry or grape heirloom tomatoes, halved or quartered
    • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
    • 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
    • 2 sprigs basil, plus additional, roughly torn for serving
    • 2-3 zucchini, thinly sliced and quartered
    • 2-3 large handfuls kale, roughly chopped or torn, stems removed
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
    • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • ½ red pepper flakes, optional
    • 4 cups water
    • for topping: zest from 1 lemon

    Options:

    • top with Parmesan or Romano cheese, shredded
    • sprinkle nutritional yeast on top for vegan cheesy flavor
    • opt for leeks or shallots instead of onion
    • try other veggies based on the season, peas, green beans, broccoli or cauliflower, bell pepper, mushrooms, etc
    • if not dairy-free, add cream at the end for even more rich, creaminess
    • if you are a meat-eater, you can add also add sausage or pepperoni

    Instructions

    • Combine all of the ingredients in a large high-sided pan, a stock pot or Dutch oven. Cover and bring to a boil over a high heat. Reduce the heat, remove the lid and simmer uncovered for about 9-12 minutes, until the pasta is cooked through and the liquid reduced. While it’s bubbling away, be sure to stir often to keep it from sticking. The pasta will continue to absorb the liquid as it sits. Serve immediately topped with fresh basil, shredded cheese or nutritional yeast.
    • PLEASE NOTE: The amount of water called for in this recipe was calculated using brown rice spaghetti. If you use normal pasta or a different gluten-free pasta, please be aware that it may alter the amount of liquid required. It is best to start with a smaller amount and add more, as needed.

  8. Zucchini Noodles with Roasted Heirloom Tomatoes

    Zucchini Noodles with Roasted Heirloom Tomatoes

    I have to be honest, I debated even sharing the recipe for these Zucchini Noodles with Roasted Heirloom Tomatoes. It is quite simple and really no frills. But, what it lacks in complexity and concept, it more than makes up for in flavor, ease and satisfaction. I can tell you that while there really is nothing extra special or innovative about this dish, for me lately with the craziness of life, when it comes to cooking, I am drawn to perfect summertime simplicity. As I was trying to decide on photographing this to share, I stepped back for a moment and realized how I actually live on dishes like this, in between all of the fun recipe development stuff. No frills, just classic flavors, easy, fresh, seasonal and light. Most days you will find me eating zucchini noodles, cucumber ribbons or a lettuce wrap of some sort for lunch.  If these types of recipes and meals make me dance around my kitchen with joy and really satisfy me, surely I cannot be alone!

    Zucchini Noodles with Roasted Heirloom Tomatoes

    Stepping outside first thing in the morning, walking barefoot through the dew covered grass, making my way across the yard to my garden – has to be one of the highlights of my day. Many times this early morning stroll determines the rest of the meals for the day and I just adore that. Letting nature and the season decide for me.

    While having a garden can at times feel like another job, most of the time it feels like pretty much THE most brilliant thing you could ever do. It legitimately feels like free food whenever I bring that morning’s bounty into the kitchen. Plus, I really love knowing exactly where my food is coming from and I enjoy connecting with my home and my surroundings in this way. Pulling weeds and looking for things ready to be picked, it is all quite therapeutic and meditative, in a way.

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  9. Roasted Tomato Pesto – Gluten-free + Vegan

    Roasted Tomato Pesto - Gluten-free + Vegan

    Roasted Tomato Pesto - Gluten-free + Vegan
    As summer winds down, I am still not quite ready to jump into all of the fall recipes just yet. I am looking to hang on to the last few delicious bits of the summer bounty. For me, tomatoes are always the way to do that — bid the summer farewell with the most delicious tomatoes you will have all year. My garden is still producing its fair share of tomatoes and I am enjoying savoring the last of it. I have even oven-dried some of them and packed them in oil to preserve the goodness through the winter.

    Roasted Tomato Pesto - Gluten-free + Vegan

    This roasted tomato pesto is a great way to use up some of the last of the tomatoes. It is full of robust and deep flavors and, of course, lots of great nutrients from the fresh tomatoes. Besides with pasta or even zucchini pasta, you could also spread this on toast for a bruschetta of sorts, or serve it over your favorite grilled meat or fish. It would also make a delicious dip served with crackers.

    If you have a lot of tomatoes, you can double or triple the recipe and freeze some for later, too. Head on over to the Free People Blog BLDG 25 where I am sharing this recipe today as part of my ongoing Restricted Diet series.

    This recipe was originally shared on the Free People Blog BLDG 25.

    Roasted Tomato Pesto - Gluten-free + Vegan

     

    [print_this]Roasted Tomato Pesto – Gluten-free + Vegan

    makes about 1 cup

    • 1 lb fresh roma tomatoes (9-12), sliced in half lengthwise
    • 2 garlic cloves
    • 1/2 cup almonds, walnuts or pine nuts, toasted + a small amount more for serving
    • 1 cup fresh basil + a bit more for garnish
    • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil + more for drizzling on tomatoes
    • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese
    • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
    • 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper, optional
    • Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • Cooked gluten-free pasta of your choice, reserving approximately 1/4 cup of the cooking water before you drain

    Preheat oven to 400º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

    Place tomatoes cut side up on the lined baking sheet. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the tomatoes, lightly salt and pepper.

    Roast the tomatoes for about an hour. They should be lightly browned and soft. Take them out and allow them to cool. Don’t worry if some of the tomatoes get a bit blackened, it may change the color of the pesto, but it really enhances the flavor. I prefer them this way.

    Once cooled take about 3/4 of the tomatoes and add to the food processor, reserving the rest to add to the pasta. Process until finely chopped, to your desired texture. Remove and set aside. Add the toasted nuts and the garlic and pulse a couple times until finely chopped. Add the basil, nutritional yeast and lemon zest, continue pulsing to combine. Pour in the oil and the tomatoes. Process until smooth. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

    Pour as much pesto over your pasta as you would like. If your pesto is thick like mine was, add in some of the cooking water to the pasta and pesto, to thin it out. Toss it all well to combine and get all of the pasta coated. Top with additional toasted almonds, fresh basil and if you’d like, some of the roasted tomatoes.

    Keeps for up to 5 days in a tightly sealed container in the fridge. [/print_this]

     

     

  10. Arugula and Hemp Seed Pesto – (Gluten-free + Vegan w/ Nut-free option)

     

    Arugula and Hemp Seed Pesto - (Gluten-free, Vegan and Nut-free option) I have severely cut back on my pasta intake the last few months. I am so seriously obsessed with pasta, but since I do try to limit my intake of grains as much as I can, pasta is a great place to start. But in total honesty, it is also the hardest one for me to eat less of. I adore good organic brown rice pasta, I like both Jovial and Tinkyada organic brown rice pastas, I like how light they are and there is something just so comforting about pasta.

    When Cappello’s offered to send me some of their grain-free pastas to try, I of course jumped at the offer. Pasta that is grain-free and ready in less than 1 minute (not counting the time it takes for the water to boil) – sounded pretty darn good to me.

    Arugula and Hemp Seed Pesto - (Gluten-free, Vegan and Nut-free option)

    Cappello’s sent me some of their fettuccine, gnocchi and lasagna sheets. I made the fettuccine first, to get an idea of how it cooks and tastes. It is really good and similar to a lot of fresh (grain-containing) pastas, though it has been very many years since I have had fresh pasta made with gluten, so I cannot say how similar it is to that specifically. Their pasta is made up mostly of almond flour and eggs. It is firm but properly tender and not at all mushy, which I honestly expected. The pre-portioned container says “two servings”, but I found it to be heavier than the usual brown rice pasta I have gotten used to, I found myself getting full very quickly. Which isn’t always the case with pasta, sometimes I feel like I could eat it until I explode. It didn’t reheat the next day quite as nice as my usual organic rice pasta, but that is to be expected with a fresh pasta. I do find that rice pasta is quite firm after coming out of the fridge as leftovers, that I am not always a fan of since it HAS to be reheated. So there is no cold pasta eating with the rice pasta. This pasta is definitely possible to eat cold and was quite good that way actually. Hubby really liked the Cappello’s pasta as well, but he still prefers rice pasta as his first choice.

    I know it isn’t totally fair to compare this grain-free pasta to rice pasta, since they are quite different, but since I am not 100% grain-free or paleo, I thought this was a fair assessment on my end. However, if you do eat a completely grain-free diet, 100% of the time, and you love your pasta – you would be a total FOOL not to try Cappello’s pastas. It hits the spot and nails that pasta craving right on the head.

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  11. Zucchini Noodles – Vegan & Gluten-free, Raw option

    Zucchini Noodles - Vegan & Gluten-free, Raw option

    Zucchini Noodles - Vegan & Gluten-free, Raw option

    I have said it before and I will say it again…I am a self-proclaimed pasta addict. If I could, I would eat pasta every single day. However, I know that carbs and I (read my butt and thighs) don’t necessarily see eye to eye on this idea. I would likely be the size of a house if I ate pasta every day! I have to be mindful of the amount of grains I consume, I am starting to learn. Healthy, whole-grain, gluten-free or otherwise, I tend to find myself feeling more bloated and heavy when I eat a lot of carbs. I have been trying to be a bit more aware of this fact as of late. So, if I have a sandwich or a wrap for lunch, I will skip out on any starch with dinner, if I know dinner is going to be pasta, I will have a big salad for lunch!

    As of late, with the insane amount of vegetables we have from our CSA, I have really been enjoying the challenge of what to do with everything. With all of the lettuce, we have been eating salads like they are going out of style but I have been trying to be a bit more creative with the other foods we have gotten. In this past Saturday’s share, we got 9 zucchini, 4 yellow squash, a huge handful of green beans, some radishes, green onions and some more lettuce. On Sunday, I decided I wanted to experiment and try using my mandoline slicer to make these delicious zucchini noodles and it worked out great! I decided to blanch them quick in boiling water, to make the noodles a bit more tender, but feel free to go totally raw, too – just sprinkle a little salt on the noodles and let them sit for a bit to drain some of the excess moisture off, squeeze off the water and serve with your favorite sauce. It would be just as delicious.

    Zucchini Noodles - Vegan & Gluten-free, Raw option

    If you don’t have a mandoline slicer, you can also use a vegetable peeler to make ribbons. I do that often to add some of the raw zucchini or yellow squash to my big green salads, I love how the yellow squash adds color and texture. They also make julienne peelers, which I have never used, but would likely provide similar results to the mandoline slicer.

    I was pleasantly surprised at how perfect the zucchini lent itself to being eaten as noodles. I tossed the noodles in some of the garlic scape and Swiss chard pesto that I had previously made and it was a super refreshing and simple lunch, ready in minutes! I enjoyed it so much that I made them again last night and tossed it with a little roasted garlic marinara and fresh basil from the garden. It was perfect, light and super simple.

    Zucchini Noodles - Vegan & Gluten-free, Raw option

    [print_this]Zucchini Noodles
    serves 2

    • 1 large (or 2 medium-ish) zucchini
    • 1 cup sauce of your choice

    Using a mandoline slicer (vegetable peeler or julienne peeler) run the zucchini on all four sides across the mandoline slicer on the 1/8″ julienne setting, slice the zucchini until you reach the seeds in the middle and then stop (the seeds will cause the noodles to fall apart). Use your fingers to separate the strands from each other and if you wish, you can place them in between paper towels to bring out some of the excess moisture, or you can lay them in a colander or strainer and sprinkle with a little salt to do the same. I have made them both ways (with salting and without), and I didn’t notice a huge difference.

    Bring a large sauce pan of salted water to a rolling boil, add the zucchini noodles and allow them to cook for just two minutes. Remove the noodles from the boiling water and add them to a serving bowl with sauce. Toss gently and serve immediately. I have also read then you can quickly cook them in a pan with a little olive oil, again just for a minute or two. I will have to try that soon.

    [/print_this]

  12. Vegan, Gluten-Free Fettucine Alfredo

    Vegan, Gluten-free Fettucini Alfredo

    I have fully admitted to my love-affair with pasta on this blog, many times. It is something I cannot live without and is almost always included in my weekly menu planning. Not only are pasta dishes simple and fun to create but they can easily be made with ingredients you have in the pantry and your refrigerator and many times can easily be made healthy. Even with the healthiest of pasta recipes, to me it is a major comfort food, it always will be. Probably the number 1 comfort food on my list.

    Although I am on a cleanse, I wanted to make sure to experiment with at least one cleanse-friendly pasta dish. Of course, as I mentioned in my post about my cleanse, there are many different types of cleanses out there and many different items you can remove from your diet when cleansing. Obviously this recipe may not work on every cleanse. For me already being on a totally gluten-free diet, removing gluten when cleansing is never a major hassle or issue, but it is very important to a cleanse and to detoxify your body. For me one of the biggest things I like to remove from my diet while cleansing is dairy. I am not a milk drinker and I rarely cook with it, but cheese is what gets me. I love cheese. So with that in mind, I wanted to come up with a cleanse-friendly pasta dish that would bring the comfort of any other gluten-free pasta dish I would make, but with cleanse friendly ingredients.

    I love gluten-free pastas and find them to be much lighter compared to traditional wheat-based pastas. I personally prefer brown rice pastas and I love Tinkyada brand organic pastas. They have three or less ingredients, organic brown rice, rice bran and water. That’s it. When I cleanse the majority of what I eat is fresh vegetables, legumes and whole grains – I certainly cannot go without pasta. Brown rice pasta falls within the constraints of my cleanse and though I don’t eat a ton of it, a dish like this is a perfect way to forget you are even cleansing at all. If you don’t care much for brown rice pasta, there are also corn and quinoa based gluten-free pastas that are also quite delicious, as well.

    I decided when making this alfredo sauce rather than trying to experiment with different nut milks, which I knew wouldn’t give me the thick and creamy affect of an alfredo sauce, I would go the route of a raw nut based sauce. Cashews tend to be great for this. Even without excessive soaking, you can just add boiling hot water to cashews just before pureeing and get a delicious creamy sauce. I took the above photo the next day with the leftovers, since it was too dark to take photos the night we ate it. I honestly don’t think the image fully captures just how creamy the sauce really is, it is incredible. There isn’t an overwhelming nutty flavor to the sauce and by adding garlic, basil and some nutritional yeast, it’s very hard to tell that it is even dairy free. Beyond nutritional yeast’s nutty and cheesy flavor, is a great source of protein and fiber, it is rich in B-complex vitamins including B12 and it contains the glucose tolerance factor that helps in the regulation of blood sugar. If you are a vegetarian or vegan, it is definitely worth exploring adding it into your diet.

    The beauty of this sauce is that it doesn’t actually need to be heated up, so if you like to eat raw, you could skip heating it up, use your favorite alternative raw noodle, like thinly sliced raw zucchini (or other raw vegetables), kelp noodles, etc and just pour the raw cashew cream sauce right over for a delicious and healthy raw meal.

    I had some beautiful zucchini and yellow squash that we picked up at a farmers stand on our drive home from NYC so I added that and a carrot to the dish for some additional health-benefits as well as the very lovely colors. You could play around with many different vegetables here including fresh spinach, peas, etc.

    I had a small amount of sauce leftover that I put in the fridge, I figured it would be delicious on some steamed broccoli or over a baked potato, etc. I have a feeling you will fall in love with this healthy alfredo sauce.

    Soaking raw cashews for Vegan, Gluten-free Fettucini Alfredo

    Veggies for Vegan, Gluten-free Fettucini Alfredo

    Vegan, Gluten-Free Fettucine Alfredo
    serves 6

    1 1/2 cups raw, unsalted organic cashews
    3 cloves garlic
    1 cup warm water (you may need more)
    3 teaspoons nutritional yeast
    1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
    1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    14 ounces of your favorite gluten-free fettucine or linguini, I use Tinkyada’s organic brown rice pasta
    handful of fresh basil, roughly chopped
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    1 zucchini, julienned
    1 yellow squash, julienned
    1 carrot, peeled, julienned (or you can wash and peel the outside, then peel the entire carrot instead of julienning it, which is what I did)
    kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

    Place the raw cashews in a glass bowl, cover in water. Let soak as little as a few hours or overnight.

    In a large saucepan bring your water to a boil and cook your pasta according to package directions.

    Drain the soaked cashews and rinse well, place into your food processor with garlic, salt, pepper and 1 cup of water. You may find you need to add more water if the sauce is too thick, but you can always add more. Process until smooth and creamy. Once it is at your desired consistency, add in the nutritional yeast, pulse a few times to combine. Set aside until you are ready to heat it up.

    While your pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a skillet over a medium-high heat, add your julienned vegetables and sauté a few minutes until tender. Remove from heat.

    Once the pasta is cooked, reserve 1/2 cup of your cooking liquid, drain and place in a large serving dish. Pour the alfredo sauce into the saucepan you used to cook your pasta and heat over a medium heat, stirring often to keep from sticking. Once warm, pour over the pasta.

    Add the vegetables and fresh basil to the pasta and sauce. Toss to combine, adding some of the pasta cooking liquid if the sauce is too thick. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, topped with freshly chopped basil and a sprinkle of nutritional yeast, if you wish.

  13. Mint Pesto

    Mint Pesto

    Last summer I made, what I later learned, to be a big mistake – I planted mint in our yard, not in any pot or planter, just in the dirt on the side of the yard near my vegetable and herb gardens. I originally planted it because I absolutely LOVE fresh homemade mojitos in the summer time. There is nothing more refreshing. The reason my planting of said mint turned out to be a mistake, was the fact that it has grown out of control and it is taking over that section of the yard. Because I have never grown it in my own yard, I didn’t realize how quickly it grows and how far it can spread. We travel so much, that getting into the yard and weeding my gardens gets increasingly difficult as the summer goes on. I know I should get out there more, but I don’t, so I always try to plant things that need very little upkeep. Well, mint definitely falls into that category. Early in the summer I took a look out in the yard to see the progress of things and I was floored at how the mint was spreading. It was crazy. So I made a lot of mojitos this summer. I also decided I needed to find other things to do with the mint. I mentioned something on Twitter and Kelly from Design Crush made the wonderful suggestion of mint pesto. I had never thought of that. So, earlier this summer I played around and made mint pesto to serve with gluten-free penne. It was sooo good that we ate it all up and I forgot to write-up my recipe or photograph it. Ooops. That just meant I needed to make it again. Darn.

    This time around, I again served this over delicious organic gluten-free penne with some gluten-free crispy zucchini rounds on the side. We both were in heaven with this meal. This pesto, much like the original that we all know, is bright and light but chock full of flavors. I like my pestos garlicky, which gives a bit of a spicy kick, you can certainly take it down to one clove if you don’t like a lot of garlic (shame on you). I also love playing around with different nuts in my pestos. Most original basil pesto recipes call for pine nuts, which I really love, but they can be hard to find sometimes and many times are insanely expensive. I have played with both toasted almonds and walnuts in pesto recipes, both of which are absolutely equally delicious, if not more. I think any one of those nuts would be great in this mint pesto. I went ahead and still included some basil in this mint pesto, since I also grow that in my yard and I thought it would round out the flavor of the mint nicely, so it wouldn’t be too overpowering. Also, it should be noted, it is crucial to use a good quality olive oil in your pestos, since the sauce is left raw and is never cooked, the olive oil flavor remains in the forefront of the flavors, so you want it to be a good one.

    In addition to all the usual dishes that pesto is great in; pasta, sandwiches, pizza, in soup, over a baked potato etc, – you could definitely use this mint pesto for other non-traditional uses as well, such as a marinade or served over-top grilled lamb or steak, etc, you could just skip the basil and cheese, maybe add some lemon juice and red pepper flakes and make it more of a Chimichurri style condiment. Have fun with it and make sure if you plant mint of any kind in your yard plant it in a pot, unless you are looking to be able to make enough mojitos and pesto to serve a small country.

    Gluten-free Penne with Mint Pesto

    Mint Pesto
    makes approximately 1 cup

    2 cups fresh mint
    1 cup fresh basil
    1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds (walnuts or pine nuts would also be great)
    2 medium-large cloves garlic
    1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
    1/4 – 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano, shredded (plus more for serving)
    1/4 teaspoon sea salt
    freshly ground black pepper

    Place mint, basil, almonds, garlic and salt in a food processor; pulse a few times, and process until everything is finely chopped and combined. With the processor running, gradually pour the olive oil in and process until smooth. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides to get all the little bits. Add the parmigiano reggiano and pulse again until blended and smooth. Season with additional salt, if needed, and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

    If you are serving this immediately, keep the sauce at room temperature and pour it over your cooked pasta (I used my usual gluten-free organic brown rice penne) and quickly stir to combine, top it with fresh parmigiano reggiano and serve immediately. I always recommend reserving approximately 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid from your pasta so you can add it in to the final dish, if need be, to thin the sauce if it is too thick.

    If you aren’t serving this immediately, it can be stored in a tightly closed container in your refrigerator for up to 3 days.

    Notes:

    To toast sliced almonds, cook them over a medium-low heat in a small dry skillet, stirring and tossing constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, this will take less than 5 minutes.

    If you’d like to freeze your pesto, leave out the parmigiano reggiano. When you’re ready use the pesto, defrost it first, then stir in the cheese.

    Seri frolicking in our mass amounts of mint

    Seri hiding out in the mass amount of mint in our yard, earlier this summer

  14. Spicy Spaghetti with Fennel and Herbs (Gluten-free)

    Spicy Spaghetti with Fennel and Herbs

     

    Yes, yet another pasta dish. I am a pasta-aholic, I can admit it. I cannot get enough of the stuff and I am always excited to try out new recipes. The possibilities really are endless and it’s rare that I meet a pasta dish that I don’t love. This recipe is no exception. I came across it a while back and couldn’t wait to try it with a few subtle changes. Even with the bacon and cheese, it is still very light and healthy pasta dish. See you can have your bacon and eat it, too!

    The subtle crunch and bold flavor from the fennel is so wonderful and the heat from the chilies is what I live for in a spicy dish. The original recipe calls for red jalapeños, though I could only find green, I think the red would have really been nice for a pop of color. It also called for seeding the chilies, but I left them in, when I tasted the peppers while I was cutting they didn’t have too much heat, and I really wanted a good kick. It is rare that I find something to be too spicy. If you want a more subtle spice, certainly leave the seeds from the chilies out and you can always make it spicier at the end, if it needs it, by adding in some red pepper flakes. The recipe also called for adding in crushed fennel seeds untoasted, I felt like toasting the whole seeds first would give a much better flavor by releasing it during toasting, not only did it taste great, the house smell amazing. Additionally, the original recipe called for pancetta instead of bacon. Since we buy all of our pork from Sojourner Farms, a local pasture-raised farm, I decided to use some of the delicious bacon that we purchased from them, instead. I would advise not to substitute dried herbs for the fresh stuff in this dish, it would surely be missed. It is also important to use a low-sodium broth, as you will reduce the broth down and you will also be getting some salt from the bacon (or pancetta), you can always add more salt to taste, before serving. I am a big fan of using the pasta water to thicken and bring back liquid to a pasta dish, just go slow so you don’t add too much, but don’t leave this step out, it can make or break a dish without sauce, like this one. Obviously, I also changed the original recipe by substituting gluten-free spaghetti, if you aren’t gluten-free you can use whatever your favorite pasta is, a nice whole-wheat spaghetti would be great, I am sure.

    If you wanted to make this vegetarian you could easily leave out the bacon and use a vegetable broth instead of chicken, you may just want to add in a bit more fresh herbs to bump up the flavors. It would still be very tasty and hearty.

     

    Spicy Spaghetti with Fennel and Herbs
    serves 8
    Adapted from Bon Appétit Magazine

    6 slices of farm fresh local, pasture raised bacon, chopped
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    3 garlic cloves, chopped
    2 large jalapeño chiles, finely chopped – remove seeds if you want less heat
    2 large fennel bulbs, stalks trimmed, cut into thin wedges with some core attached
    1 1/2 cups low-salt organic free-range chicken broth
    4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided
    2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    11/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
    1 pound gluten-free organic brown rice spaghetti (or whatever your favorite pasta is, gluten-free or not)
    2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    1 1/2 cups finely grated Pecorino Romano or Pecorino Toscano cheese, divided

    Toast the fennel seeds in a large dry skillet over high heat, until slightly brown and fragrant. Remove the seeds and set aside. Sauté bacon in the same large skillet over medium heat until golden and a bit crispy. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the bacon drippings in skillet. Add garlic and chiles; sauté over medium heat 1 minute. Add the fresh fennel; cook until beginning to soften, 5 minutes. Mix in broth, 2 tablespoons parsley, lemon juice, and the toasted fennel seeds. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until fennel is very tender, 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

    Cook pasta until tender; drain. Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid. Transfer pasta back to the pot or a large serving bowl.
    Uncover skillet with fennel mixture and return to high heat. Cook until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 4 minutes. Add fennel to pasta. Stir in 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 cup cheese, and pancetta. Add cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls if it’s too dry. Toss pasta; transfer to serving bowl if it was in a pot. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons parsley over. Serve with cheese.

  15. Gluten-free Mac & Cheese with Bacon

    Gluten-free Mac & Cheese

    For me this time of year was always about indulgence, eating, drinking and then more eating. Since I have changed the way I eat, I have cut back on all major indulging. It serves no purpose and both the guilt and the gross heavy, toxic feelings you have afterward, aren’t worth it. All that being said, sometimes you need something rich and decadent. This is about as indulgent as it gets for me these days! Homemade mac and cheese!

    I have never cared for most mac and cheese until I started making my own gluten-free version, I found most to be way to heavy and dense. Made with a good quality organic brown rice pasta, organic butter and milk, high quality cheeses (organic if you can find them) and smoked pasture-fed bacon from our wonderful farmer, there is little that can compare. Though this is a bit extreme compared to what I normally eat, there is no reason you can’t enjoy things like this from time to time. The key to everything in life is moderation. I learned that after many years of extreme diets and extreme rules. Should I eat mac and cheese every week or even every month for that matter? Absolutely not. But, I make it a point to make this once or twice a year, I enjoy it so much more and I look forward to it. If made totally from scratch with high quality, organic and fresh ingredients, I believe eating things like this, once in a while, is still better than loading yourself up with those disgusting processed diet foods all the time! I am sure of that. I am able to maintain my 30 lb weight loss and still enjoy decadent things like this from time to time. This is what life is all about, don’t deprive yourself.

    Originally I hadn’t planned to add the bacon as this was meant to be a side dish to a delicious roast chicken. However, when I went to pull the chicken out of the fridge, it was still very frozen so I decided we would just eat the mac and cheese as our main course with a bit of bacon on top and a side of sautéed spinach with garlic, and save the chicken for the next night. And we could still enjoy the leftovers later in the week as sides to other meals or for lunch. Bacon is another indulgent item that I don’t partake in very often, but since we bought our 1/2 pig from Sojourner Farms, I find myself cooking with it more than I ever have in my life. I think bacon is wonderful as an accent in dishes and in moderation. It has such a wonderful flavor and that crunch is perfect on top of a homemade mac and cheese like this. Obviously if you aren’t a meat eater or don’t care for meat on your mac and cheese, the bacon can be left off on this. That being said, if you are a meat eater, you can experiment with ham or prosciutto instead. Also, you can certainly play around with different cheeses, I have found that cheddar and Manchego are my favorite, but you can really use any combination that you like.

    Gluten-free Mac & Cheese with Bacon
    Serves 6-8

    1 pound organic gluten-free brown rice pasta
    1 stick (1/4 cup) organic unsalted butter
    1/2 cup white rice flour
    4 cups organic 2% milk
    1 onion, peeled and chopped
    Pinch or two of fresh nutmeg
    1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
    1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
    1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
    1 cup Manchego cheese, grated (you can use 2 1/2 cups of any cheese or cheeses you like)
    1/2 cup gluten-free bread crumbs
    3 slices of farm fresh smoked bacon (pasture-raised), cooked until nicely brown, crumbled or roughly chopped

    Preheat oven to 425º F.

    Boil, rinse & drain pasta according to directions, cooking until al dente.

    Melt butter in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat, add chopped onion, cook until tender about 7-10 minutes. Add rice flour, stir to form roux. Slowly add milk while stirring, heat until warm and thick. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.

    Add 2 cups of your cheese combination, stir until melted. Set aside the other 1/2 cup. Add your pasta to the cheese and milk mixture, stir until well coated.

    Pour the pasta and cheese mixture into a 9″ x 13″ pan, sprinkle with the remaining cheese, bacon and breadcrumbs. Add some fresh ground nutmeg. Bake for 20 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.

    Gluten-free Mac & Cheese

  16. Gluten-free Vegetable Lasagna

    IMG_2652

    I’ve been making this lasagna recipe for years, it’s so simple and very delicious. It is best with a homemade sauce, but if you don’t have any on hand, a store-bought sauce will do. I would like to try it at some point this winter with homemade gluten-free pasta. I think that would set this recipe over the top. This lasagna is easy to make and if you are a household of 2, like we are, this provides 4 meals throughout the week. I love those types of meals this time of year. Something you can make on Sunday and eat through the week.

    Gluten-free Vegetable Lasagna
    adapted from Everyday Food Magazine, May/June 2003
    Serves 8

    4 cups (32 ounces) whole-milk ricotta cheese (organic if you can find it)
    2 large farm fresh eggs
    Salt and fresh ground pepper
    2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen organic chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove excess moisture
    6 cups store-bought or homemade tomato sauce
    12 gluten-free lasagna noodles (I love Tinkyada’s organic brown rice lasagna noodles)
    1 pound fontina cheese (4 cups), shredded
    1/2 cup (+ a bit more for serving) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shredded

    Preheat oven to 400º. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions.

    In a medium bowl, whisk together ricotta cheese, eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Add spinach and 1/2 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, stir well to combine.

    Spread a small bit of tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Arrange a layer of lasagna noodles on top. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, followed by 1/3 of the remaining sauce; sprinkle with 1/3 of the grated cheese. Repeat to make two more layers, ending with cheese. If freezing, cover tightly with plastic wrap. Before baking, defrost in the refrigerator overnight.

    Cover with aluminum foil. Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil; continue baking until top is golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Let cool slightly before serving. Top each piece with a sprinkle of shredded parmesan reggiano cheese. Enjoy.

  17. Pasta with Kale, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Bacon (gluten-free)

     

    Pasta with Kale, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Bacon

    Last weekend, we took the drive out to Olean to visit our farmer (I love the sound of that). We were picking up our pork share for the winter, as well as our Thanksgiving turkey. We are so lucky to have found Pierre and Sojourner Farms. The fact that every animal on the farm is pasture-raised and not pumped full of antibiotics and hormones means so much to us. I am so happy to support a wonderful place like that. It’s truly the only meat we buy.

    After making the drive, it seemed wrong not to at least cook up a quick dinner with some of the delicious food we picked up. It was pretty late by the time we were ready to make dinner, so I decided to whip up a quick pasta dish for us (yeh, I know, more pasta!). The kale in my garden was still holding on and I had everything else on hand, so I thought this would be perfect. It was so perfect and delicious. Light but still hearty, it was a great quick dinner. The smokey bacon flavor was delicious and cooking the kale in the same pan as the bacon gave some of the edges that nice crisp as well. There are so many great flavors in this dish that you really don’t need much more than a pinch of Parmigiano-Reggiano on each serving, it’s that good. I am really going to miss my kale this winter, it is such a versatile green that really stands up to so many dishes. Here’s to next year’s gardening season!

    Pasta with Kale, Bacon and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
    serves 4

    16 ounces organic gluten-free brown rice pasta
    4 cups kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
    3 slices pasture-raised farm fresh bacon (we get ours from Sojourner Farms)
    1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
    1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
    1/4 cup of freshly shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

    Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain.

    While pasta cooks, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, 4-5 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, set aside. Crumble when cooled. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add kale to the pan and cook 3-5 minutes until tender and a bit crisp around the edges.

    In a large serving bowl, add the cooked pasta, bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, kale, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Toss to combine. The little bit of grease from the bacon should be enough for the pasta, if it isn’t, add a drizzle or two of olive oil. Top the pasta with the shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Serve.

  18. Pumpkin, Ricotta & Gruyère Pasta Casserole (gluten-free)

    Pumpkin, Ricotta & Gruyere Pasta Casserole (gluten-free)

    For some reason the word “casserole” reminds me of being a kid and it always makes me laugh, it just seems like such an 80’s dinner. That being said, the world needs more casseroles. A hearty, one-dish meal, that provides leftovers for days to come, how can you go wrong? I came across this recipe on the kitchn last week and I was excited to try it out. I am still on my major pumpkin kick, and I have been having so much fun trying out all the different things I can make with pumpkin. The original recipe calls for a 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree, but I had baked a beautiful fresh sugar pumpkin over the weekend to make muffins again and I have enough leftover for this recipe. I also still had some Gruyère leftover from these muffins I made a few weeks back, so I decided instead of just parmesan cheese as the original recipe called for, I would go with both Gruyère and a little bit of Parmesan Reggiano. This casserole (still making me giggle), is the perfect cool Autumn night dinner, definitely filling but not too heavy. The sweetness from the pumpkin is so perfect with the cheeses, the sage is a party in your mouth and little bit of crispiness on the top and around the edges is just amazing. This is a perfect vegetarian weeknight meal that can be whipped together, very quickly. The original recipe called for pecans, I decided to leave them out, but they would be great in the recipe.  Do you have any favorite casserole recipes?

    Pumpkin, Ricotta & Gruyère Pasta Casserole
    serves 6
    adapted from The Kitchn

    Olive oil
    1 pound gluten-free organic brown rice pasta, such penne, small shells, or elbows
    One 15-ounce container organic whole milk ricotta cheese
    2 cups fresh pumpkin puree
    2 farm fresh free-range brown eggs (We get our eggs from Painted Meadows Farms)
    1/2 cup yogurt (I use plain yogurt from White Cow Dairy)
    2 teaspoons salt
    Freshly ground black pepper
    1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
    1/2 cup loosely packed fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
    2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
    3/4 cup grated Gruyère, divided
    1/2 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano, divided

    Heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a 9×13-inch baking dish with olive oil. Set aside. Bring a 4-quart pot of water to boil over high heat, and stir about 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta, and turn the heat down to medium. Cook for a slightly shorter amount of time than specified by the package. (For example, if the package specifies 10 to 12 minutes, cook for 9 to 10, or until just barely al dente.) Drain the pasta.

    In a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta, pureed pumpkin, eggs, and yogurt. Whisk in the salt, pepper, nutmeg, and ginger.

    Stir in the pasta and coat completely with the pumpkin mixture. Stir in sage, and garlic. Stir in 1/2 cup of the Gruyère and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan.

    Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cups of Gruyère and Parmesan over top. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes or until golden brown on top. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

    Pumpkin, Ricotta & Gruyere Pasta Casserole (gluten-free)

    sorry, not the best photo in the world, but I didn’t have my good SLR when it came out of the oven

  19. Fettucini with Tomato-Almond Pesto (Gluten-free)

    Fettucini with Tomato-Almond Pesto (Gluten-free)

    Happy October to you all!! This is my absolute favorite month and I couldn’t be happier that it is finally here. Not only is it my birthday month, but it is the most beautiful weather of the year and the trees are already singing with color around here. This morning I was thinking about this time last year, and I recalled the lovely surprise 30th birthday party that my amazing hubby, Mark, threw for me. It was a super great night filled with so many people who I love. I also remembered looking at the photos from that night, the very next day, and thinking, ‘Ooof, I need to lose weight! I don’t look healthy’. After seeing those photos, I promised myself the day after my 30th birthday that I would lose 30 pounds before I turned 31.

    It took my a bit to get the motivation and the plan down. I read some great books on food, the food industry, industrialized and processed foods and in March of this year, I changed my life. I say it that way because I honestly made a lifestyle change for the first time in my life. No more diets, no more counting points or calories, I made a conscious choice to change for good, and I have stuck with it. From March until now, I lost those 30 pounds and in the process have become the healthiest me, I have ever been. I no longer eat processed foods, no more junk with ingredients I can’t pronounce, no more packages of gluten-free this or that. Just fresh, honest and pure foods. I have always cooked a lot, but I am cooking now more than I ever have and I couldn’t be any prouder of all of this.

    I would like to lose another 10-15 pounds, but I am not rushing it, nor am I stressing about it. If it takes two years, I am totally content with that. I am finally at a healthy weight, I am practicing yoga daily and I know that I am in a good place. I always thought losing a significant amount of weight meant that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy food the way that I always have, in my head I always thought of ‘carrot sticks and bland chicken breasts and worst of all, no more cheese’, I couldn’t have been more wrong. It is obvious by this blog, I am eating well and loving food more than ever.

    On nights when I get home late and a meal needs to be cooked, I sometimes feel overwhelmed with the idea of committing to fresh food and then I take 2 minutes to sit and think about the weight that I lost and how I feel and I find that energy to make a delicious and quick dinner. This meal was made on one of those nights. I had a busy and long day, I went to my 90-minute yoga practice and got home near 8:30. I was feeling sorry for myself because I was starving and feeling too tired to cook. Then I saw the beautiful plum tomatoes on the counter, the print out of this recipe and knew that it would be a short 15-minute prep to have a delicious and fresh dinner.

    This pasta has so much flavor, the nutty toasted flavor from the almonds, the pungent kick of the garlic, the beautiful fresh basil from our garden and the salty tang from the Pecorino Romano, all made me smile on the first forkful. These were all gentle pats on the back that cooking this was worth the time and effort.

    Gluten-Free Fettucini with Tomato-Almond Pesto [Pesto Trapenese]
    Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

    3/4 cup slivered almonds
    1 large handful fresh basil leaves
    2 large garlic cloves
    Several sprinkles of sea salt
    6 ripe plum tomatoes, quartered
    1/2 cup grated Pecorino
    1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil
    1 pound of your favorite gluten-free fettucini

    In a large skillet, sauté the almonds in a little olive oil until toasted. Let cool, then blend them in a food processor until they are in coarse pieces. (“The size of orzo,” the original recipe suggests.) Remove from the processor and set them aside.

    Put the basil, garlic and a few pinches of sea salt into the food processor and chop. Add the almonds back to the food processor with the tomatoes, cheese and olive oil and whirl briefly. Season it with freshly ground black pepper.

    Cook your fettucini until it is al dente and could use another minute of cooking time. Drain instantly and reserve one cup of pasta cooking water. Immediately toss the hot fettucini with the pesto and mix quickly so that it drinks the sauce up a bit. Add more pasta water if needed. Serve this lukewarm, or at room temperature. Enjoy.

  20. Gluten-Free Gnocchi with Wild Mushrooms

    Gluten-Free Gnocchi with Wild Mushrooms

    There is not much else to say about this dish, than “WOW!” This is a super simple and easy, perfect Autumn weeknight meal. Every year when we are in Seattle, I spend a significant amount of time (and money) at Delaurenti – Specialty Food and Wine, at the Pike Place Market. They have a great selection of artisanal foods, gluten-free products, wines and chocolates (and so so much more). That is the only place I have ever found gluten-free gnocchi. They are imported from an Italian company called rustichella d’abruzzo . So each year, I pick up a bag or two and I usually just serve them with a little fresh marinara and some nice cheese. I came across this recipe on Food & Wine’s website recently and decided to give it a try with the gnocchi I bought this year. I definitely want to find a great recipes for homemade gluten-free gnocchi (if you know of one, please send it my way) and I am sure that would take this dish over the top, but for a weeknight, packaged or frozen artisanal gnocchi is perfect. You could also use a homemade chicken, mushroom or vegetable stock as well, but since I didn’t have any homemade stock on hand, I went with a low-sodium organic free-range chicken stock. Certainly you could also use a store-bought vegetable or mushroom stock to make this recipe vegetarian. And obviously, if you aren’t gluten-free buy a nice store-bought gnocchi (frozen or fresh) or make your favorite gnocchi recipe. I unfortunately didn’t get my hands on any truffle oil to finish this, but that just means I will have to make this again with fresh homemade gluten-free gnocchi and truffle oil. Darn!

    Gluten-Free Gnocchi with Wild Mushrooms
    serves 4
    adapted from Food & Wine Magazine, November 2006

    2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    1 – 1/2 pounds mixed wild mushrooms, stemmed if necessary and thickly sliced (I had a nice mix of baby bella, shiitake, oyster, porcini and chanterelle)
    2 shallots, minced
    1/4 cup dry vermouth
    3/4 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth (you can also use vegetable or mushroom broth or stock, to make this vegetarian)
    1/2 cup heavy cream
    1 teaspoon chopped thyme
    Salt and freshly ground pepper
    1 pound fresh or frozen prepared gluten-free gnocchi (I love rustichella d’abruzzo brand gluten-free gnocchi)
    6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    1 teaspoon white truffle oil (optional)

    Preheat the broiler. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil with the butter. Add the mushrooms and shallots and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, 12 minutes. Add the vermouth and cook until evaporated. Add the stock, cream and thyme, season with salt and pepper; bring to a boil.

    Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the gnocchi until they float to the surface, about 3 minutes. Drain well. Add the gnocchi to the mushrooms and simmer, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in 1/4 cup of the Parmesan and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan on top.

    Broil the gnocchi 6 inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Drizzle with truffle oil and serve.

    Gluten-Free Gnocchi with Wild Mushrooms

  21. Penne with Deconstructed Zucchini Pistou

    Penne with Deconstructed Zucchini Pistou

    I came across a recipe recently for a classic Provencial dish, Penne with Zucchini Pistou, and I couldn’t wait to use the zucchini from our garden and make it. I had planned on making this dish last night after we got home from a long day at the studio, but I was so exhausted from all the late nights of work and travel. So, I instead decided I would simplify the dish and deconstruct all the bold flavors from the South of France that were featured in the original recipe and make it my way.

    Pistou is to the French what pesto is to Italians, and I really love pesto, so I knew this recipe was a win. The only major thing missing from my recipe that was in the original was 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream, which is also part of the reason I decided to change the recipe up. Since we didn’t have any on hand and I didn’t feel like hitting the grocery store, I decided to skip it. I, of course, made this with gluten-free pasta and I served it with a beautiful green salad, made completely from our garden. This was the first salad of the season and it made me so incredibly happy.

    This is a fantastic vegetarian entree or would make a lovely side dish as well. I can’t wait to make it again from the original recipe, heavy cream and all! Yum. Oh and if you are even thinking about leaving the toasted pine nuts out, or skipping the toasting step, you are CRAZY! Those toasted pine nuts make this dish!!

    Penne with Deconstructed Zucchini Pistou

    Penne with Deconstructed Zucchini Pistou

    Penne with Deconstructed Zucchini Pistou
    serves 4

    8 ounces uncooked organic brown rice penne pasta (or whatever pasta you prefer)
    4 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
    1/4 cup pine nuts
    4 garlic cloves, minced
    2 1/2 cups zucchini, sliced and quartered
    1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped roughly
    3/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shredded
    2 teaspoons kosher salt
    freshly ground black pepper

    Boil water with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt in a large sauce pan over high heat, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain over a bowl and reserve 1/3 cup of the cooking liquid, rinse pasta in hot water, drain. Leave in colander.

    Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add pine nuts and toast until golden brown, tossing often so they don’t burn. Remove from the pan and set aside in a bowl.

    In the same large skillet heat 2 teaspoons of oil, over medium-high heat. Add 2 cloves garlic and zucchini to pan, saute 5-10 minutes until tender and golden. Salt and pepper to taste.

    In a large serving bowl, add the pasta, zucchini, pine nuts, chopped basil, the last 2 cloves of minced garlic and 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Toss to combine and mix. Add the cheese to the pasta mixture and slowly add the reserved liquid as needed to coat the pasta and make it creamy. Toss again, salt and pepper to taste and top with a bit more shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

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