Broccoli & Kale Pesto Pasta! GF, V, BED!

Tags

basil, Body Ecology Diet, broccoli, gluten free, kale, pasta, pesto, quinoa, vegan

Do you ever just crave pasta? A plate of warm, slurpy goodness that would make your inner Italian grandmother proud?

SO delicious!

I do! And I bet if you’re gluten-free — or even if you’re not — I bet you’ve probably had one of those days too :)

unbelievably healthy and yummy!

Pasta gets a bad wrap. It’s a “forbidden food” — seen as a diet-buster, unhealthy, and “pants-button-busting.” I’m here to tell you, that could not be further from the truth! Yes, it’s true that ordering a plate of fettucine alfredo from Olive Garden, or 4-Cheese Tortellini with Brown Butter Sauce — not the best thing for you, and probably deserving of the “sparingly” category of the food pyramid. However, pasta done right – in Happy Tummy fashion – is actually healthy for you!

wait a minute — the pesto is broccoli and kale!?

First of all, I’m using Quinoa pasta – which is gluten free and packed with protein.

want a bite?

And then the sauce — is ALL VEGGIES! In fact, this pasta could be called a Cruciferous Carnival — because the pasta is tossed with roasted cauliflower, and the pesto is a puree of broccoli, kale and basil! Talk about a nutrient dense meal!

what a plate!

And it’s gluten free, vegan, Body Ecology Diet friendly, and 100% delicious!

a cruciferous carnival!

Here’s what you need:

1 box of quinoa pasta
1/2 head of cauliflower, broken into florets and roasted

Sauce:
1 big stalk of broccoli, broken into florets and steamed
3 stalks of kale, stems removed, chopped and steamed
1 1/2 cups basil
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 big garlic cloves
1 tsp EVOO
sea salt
reserved pasta water

packed with nutrients!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place your cauliflower florets on an olive-oil-sprayed baking sheet. Spritz with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown, flipping half way though.

While they’re baking, toast your pine nuts, and steam your broccoli & kale for about 5 minutes, until bright green and tender. Rinse under cold water, drain, and set aside to cool slightly. Then, blend it with your pesto ingredients and about 3/4 cup of pasta water in the food processor until thick and creamy. Adjust salt to taste. Toss with your cooked pasta and roasted cauliflower. Garnish with chopped basil! YUM!

gorgeous crust on the halibut!

With this outrageous pasta, I served broiled halibut from Lobsta Bakes. This wild, ocean-caught fish was so delicious – sweet and tender! I broiled it for 10 minutes with 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and garlic powder — delicious!

Gluten Free, Vegan, and Body Ecology Diet Friendly!

This meal was delicious! The pasta was so unbelievably yummy! The flavor was bright and fresh from the basil! And the streamed broccoli made it so creamy and luxurious! My parents found it hard to believe that there wasn’t any cream or butter in it because it was so rich and decadent tasting! Thank you broccoli!!

fabulously roasted cauliflower!

And it coated the spaghetti so fabulously! Slurpy, creamy and hearty, but incredibly light! And the roasted cauliflower was nutty and superb. It provided a nice crunch too! It was almost like they were cauliflower “meatballs!”

Broccoli & Kale Pesto Pasta!

This pasta is definitely no “diet buster!”

What’s your favorite pasta dish?

This recipe is featured on Whole Food Wed & Full Plate Thurs & Thriving on Thurs & Thurs Treasures & It’s a Piece of Cake & Something Swanky & Pennywise Thurs!

GF Cauliflower Pancakes w/ Kale Pesto & 6 Pounds of Nuts!

Tags

Body Ecology Diet, cauliflower, gluten free, kale, millet, pesto, vegan

Thank you all so much for your encouraging comments yesterday. I really appreciate your love and support:) It means a lot!

On another note…

As many of you know, I’m on the Body Ecology Diet. This is to kill Candida yeast. You see, these evil little yeast eat sugar. So, in order to kill them, you have to cut off their food supply. Enter: the Body Ecology Diet. This anti-Candida diet strictly prohibits sugar, and everything that breaks down into sugar. That means NO: sugar, dairy (because of the milk sugar: lactose), fruit, grains, starchy vegetables (like potatoes), sweet veggies (like beets and yams), beans (including peanuts), soy, mushrooms, tomatoes, alcohol, caffeine, or vinegars (except Apple Cider Vinegar). It does allow 4 Gluten Free grains though — quinoa, millet, buckwheat, and amaranth.

So — what does a girl eat?

Well, for the last 2 months, I’ve chronicled my dinners…but what about snacks?

gluten free – check. vegan – check. body ecology diet – check.

Nuts, people. I eat nuts.

A lot of nuts.

Six Pounds worth of nuts.

six pounds!!

And not just any nuts.  Since peanuts, and peanut oil are a “no-no” on the diet, I can’t have nuts roasted in peanut oil — which most, if not all, of the nuts at the grocery store are roasted in.

lots and lots of nuts!

So, my sweet father scoured the internet and found a company that doesn’t roast in peanut oil! So, this was our latest shipment of nuts. Macadamia (my fav), cashews, almonds and hazelnuts. In bulk! Six whopping pounds! That should last….oh about 2 weeks. ;)

studded with green onions!

Anywho, dinner tonight was really delicious! I made Cauliflower Pancakes with Kale Pesto! They were wonnnnderful! Crispy outside, tender inside, and packed with flavor! And, they’re gluten free, and Body Ecology Diet friendly with a Vegan option!

yum x 3!

Here’s what you need:
3/4 cup millet cooked in 1 1/2 cups veg stock
1/2 head of cauliflower – riced
1/4 cup almond flour
3 egg whites ((Vegan option: 3 Tbsp ground flax + 9 Tbsp water –> “flax egg”))
1/2 tsp salt
2 green onions, sliced

Kale Pesto:
1 cup packed fresh Basil
3 large stalks of kale, stems removed and steamed
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 garlic cloves
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1-2 tsp EVOO
salt to taste

healthy never tasted so good!!

Cook your millet until it absorbs all the liquid, about 15-20 minutes. In the meantime, steam your kale for about 3-4 minutes, until tender, and toast your pine nuts on the stove for about 3 minutes. Also, rice your cauliflower by breaking into florets, and then putting them in your food processor. Pulse until it becomes a “rice” consistency. Then, place your “rice” in a clean kitchen towel and wring out all the excess liquid. Then, place in a medium-sized bowl. Rinse out your food processor — you’ll use it again. :)

cauliflower pancakes!

To make your pesto, simply combine all the ingredients in your food processor. Process, scraping down the sides several times, until you get a gorgeously thick and creamy pesto!

After you millet cooks, fluff it with a fork, and let it cool. Once cool, combine it in the bowl with your cauliflower, and add your egg whites, almond flour, salt, and green onions. Mix well. This is your batter.

crispy-crunchy pancake exterior!

Heat a big non-stick frying pan that has been sprayed with EVOO spray. Add 1-2 tsp EVOO to the pan. Once it’s hot, form 2-Tbsp-patties, and carefully place them in the pan.  You should hear a sizzle. Cook for about 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Be careful when flipping, as they are fragile — it was a “2-hand-job!” It will make about 9 patties.

there’s kale in that?!?

To serve, dollop 1-2 Tbsp of pesto on each pancake, and enjoy! To get the “swirled” look, put your pesto into a ziplock sandwich bag and squeeze it down to one corner. Then, snip off the tip of that corner, and you’ve got a make-shift piping bag!

gorgeous emerald pesto!

With the pancakes, I served Lobsta Bakes‘ wild, ocean-caught grouper! I broiled it in 1 tsp EVOO with salt, pepper, chili powder and paprika. It was so tender and delicious!

This meal was fantastic! The flavors were so bright and refreshing! And my parents had no idea there was kale in the pesto and cauliflower in the pancakes! — That’ll be our little secret ;)

delicious!

The outside of the pancakes were crunchy and golden, while the insides were tender and moist. And the pesto was rich and creamy, which paired perfectly with the cakes! It was bright and fresh from the basil, with a subtle hint of garlic and lemon. So fantastic! We cleaned our plates!

gluten free and Body Ecology Diet friendly!

What are your favorite snacks?

See ya tomorrow!!

This recipe is shared on A Piece of Cake & Allergy Free Wed & Full Plate Thurs & Thriving on Thurs & Simple Lives Thurs & Foodie Fri & Frugal Food Thurs & Wellness Weekend!

National *belated* Chocolate Chip Day!

Tags

artichokes, Body Ecology Diet, chocolate, eggs, GF cookies, gluten free, kale, Maker's Diet, quinoa, soup, vegan

I learned something very important today. Something that made me quite sad — I MISSED NATIONAL CHOCOLATE CHIP DAY!! It was YESTERDAY!……*tear*

Well — not that it matters much for me, as the Body Ecology Diet strictly prohibits sugar in ANY form (fruit, grains, sweet/starchy veggies, soy, alcohol, etc. — this is to starve Candida yeast that eat sugar). But, I was disappointed I didn’t share any chocolate chip recipes with you!

So I thought I’d make up for it today, and post my best Chocolate Recipes! They are all gluten-free and dairy-free, and some are vegan.

Besides — we’re just having leftover Super-Charged Kale, Artichoke & Quinoa Soup for dinner tonight :)

gluten-free, vegan, AND Body Ecology friendly!

But now…onto the CHOCOLATE!

Drumroll Please!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Rice Pudding! (GF, Vegan, MD)

Chocolate GF Crepes! (GF, MD)

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread (GF, MD)

Chocolate French Macaroons! (GF, MD)

Chocolate and Peanut Meringues! (GF, MD)

Chocolate Chewy Crispers! (GF, MD)

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Filled French Macaroons (GF, MD)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Krispie Bar! (GF, MD)

Monster Cookies! (GF, MD)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread! (GF, Vegan, MD)

Now that your taste buds have been tempted…go eat some chocolate! :)

Happy Tummies!

Super-Charged Kale, Artichoke & Quinoa Soup!

Tags

ahi tuna, artichokes, Body Ecology Diet, gluten free, kale, quinoa, soup, vegan

Ever have one of those days where its time to cook dinner, and you open your fridge only to find that you’re out of … everything?

Yeah, that’s how today was. Good thing I always have certain Pantry Staples on hand!

don’t judge a book by its cover — this soup ROCKED!

So here’s what I had to work with:

In the Fridge: Kale, Celery, 1/2 onion

In the Pantry: Veg Stock, Quinoa, Garlic

I scratched my head for about 3 minutes. Mind you, I have a dad who won’t touch Kale with a 12 foot pole. So I had to disguise it — in form AND flavor. Enter: a delicious, creamy soup.

Scrumptious Dinner!

And let me preface this by saying that my dad was *raving* about this soup and said it was amazing!

Here’s what you need for the Super-Charged Kale, Artichoke and Quinoa Soup:

3/4 bunch of Kale, de-stemmed and diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 cup frozen artichokes, thawed
4-5 garlic cloves
4 green onions, sliced — whites & light green separated from the dark (for garnish)
3/4 bunch of celery, diced
3 cups veg stock
1 cup water
3/4 cup quinoa cooked in 1 1/2 cups veg stock
juice of 1/2 a lemon
dried oregano and basil – about 1 tsp each
salt and pepper

In your dutch oven, saute your onions in 2-3 tsp EVOO with salt, pepper, oregano and basil. Allow them to soften for about 4 minutes. Then, add in your celery and let it cook until it begins to soften – about 5 minutes. Then, stir in your garlic and let it cook for about 2 minutes. Next, add your artichokes, veg stock and water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, add kale and stir so it all gets “in the pool.” Then, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the kale is tender. Once tender, add your lemon juice. Then, with a submersion blender (aka stick blender), puree the soup so it becomes smooth and creamy. (You can also do this with a regular blender, but do it carefully and in batches!) Once it’s pureed, stir in your cooked quinoa. Finally, stir in some final salt to taste — I added about 1+ tsp. Serve garnished with the dark green parts of the green onions.

gorgeously seared Ahi Tuna!

With this Super-Charged, Nutrient-Dense soup, I served Seared Ahi Tuna. This was amazing. And I had more, but the slices weren’t “pretty” enough for the picture:) Lobsta Bakes’ wild, ocean-caught Sushi-Grade tuna absolutely melts in your mouth. It is such a beautiful ruby red color, with a succulent, melt-in-your-mouth texture! It is seriously like buttah!

Now that I’m on the Body Ecology diet, I can no longer have sugar or soy sauce (among countless other things). Therefore, I could not marinate the tuna like I usually do. However, to give it a truly spectacular taste, I suggest to marinate it first. This is the marinade I {{used to}} use…….*tear*

Marinade:
2 T Tamari (gluten free soy sauce)
1 T grated fresh ginger
1 BIG garlic clove, grated
1 t fresh lime juice
1 green onion, thinly sliced
small squeeze agave
1 tsp EVOO (or sesame oil if you have it)

I combined these ingredients with the tuna steaks in a gallon ziplock bag.  I made sure they were all coated, and then put the bag (on a plate incase it leaks) in the fridge for about an hour.

Searing your fish: In a super hot, non-stick grill pan sprayed with olive oil spray, sear each side for 1-2 minutes. If you want it less rare, you can cook it longer, but I wouldn’t recommend it!

Gluten Free, Vegan, AND Body Ecology Friendly!

This meal was absolutely delectable! The soup was so luxurious — velvety and creamy! The flavor completely blew me out of the water – it had a deep, satisfying, earthy flavor, but it was complexly sweet from the celery, and beautifully garlicy. The addition of the quinoa provided a nutty flavor, plus a textural *pop* for the soup. It was out of this world! It warmed the belly and soul!

delish!

Until Tomorrow!

Kale & Pepper Pasta Sauce!

Tags

Body Ecology Diet, buckwheat, gluten free, kale, mushrooms, pasta, vegan

New Things have arrived at GlutenFreeHappyTummy! I’ve been working all day to organize my baby this blog! Sorting recipes, categorizing them based on GF, Vegan, Body Ecology Diet, and Maker’s Diet; making a word cloud, and creating an easy to use index! And now, 24 hours later, it is finished!! Be sure to check it out!

So tonight will be a quick post — my eyes have officially glazed over!

so delicious and SO healthy!

Tonight for dinner, I made a pasta sauce out of Kale and Roasted Yellow Peppers. So sweet and delicious! I served it over Buckwheat noodles. With this fantastic pasta, I served roasted zucchini, and broiled Halibut. Superb.

what a plate! Gorgeous crust on the halibut!

Let’s start with the Pasta Sauce. Here’s what you need:

5 leaves of kale, chopped and steamed
yellow pepper, roasted and chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
3 shiitake mushrooms, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped – cooked
1 garlic clove, chopped – raw
dried oregano and basil
veg stock
reserved pasta water

To roast your yellow pepper, I literally set it on our gas flame and kept turning it with tongs until it was completely charred. I then put it in a bowl and covered it with plastic wrap so that the steam loosened the skin. Then, after about 15 minutes, the charred skin peels right off (use your hands), and you’re left with a wonderful, roasted pepper! If you don’t have a gas flame, you can do the same right under the broiler!

While your pepper is steaming in the bowl, saute your onions in 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, dried oregano and basil. Allow it to soften, and add in your mushrooms. Let them cook for about 3 minutes and then add in your 2 garlic cloves.  After 2 minutes, deglaze with about 1/2 – 3/4 cup of veg stock. Then, take off the heat and let cool. Place all your ingredients into your food processor, whirl it up, and you’ve got a luxurious sauce! Toss it with your buckwheat pasta and about 1/4 pasta water and enjoy!

beautiful zucchini!

Next, the Roasted Zucchini.

1 Zucchini, sliced into 1/2 in rounds, and cut in half

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with olive oil. Toss your zucchini with 1 – 2 tsp EVOO, salt, and pepper, and spread in an even layer on the baking sheet. Bake for about 40 minutes, flipping half way through. Yum!

Finally, the broiled halibut. Lobsta Bakes’ wild, ocean-caught Halibut is so amazing. Sweet and flakey. MMM! I broiled it for about 15 minutes with 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, chili powder and paprika.

amazing roasted yellow pepper and kale pasta! GF, Vegan, AND Body Ecology Friendly!

This meal was delicious! The zucchini was so soft and almost buttery on the inside! Fantastic! And then the pasta — OK, wow. The sauce was so flavorful! It was slightly sweet from the yellow pepper, but smokey and dark from the fire roasting process. It just permeated through the dish. Succulent.

GF Vegan Roasted Red Pepper & Kale Pesto!

Tags

ahi tuna, Body Ecology Diet, buckwheat, kale, pasta, pesto, red pepper, vegan

Scrumptious Recipe Alert!!!

gluten-free and vegan amazingness!

Today was a day that we needed comfort food. Long story short, it was an emotional day, and nothing sounded better than a soul-warming serving of a creamy pasta.

the sunflower seeds added depth and texture!

This can be quite a difficult task with the Body Ecology Diet — since the only grains allowed on the diet are quinoa, millet, amaranth, and buckwheat. Well, wouldn’t you know, they sell buckwheat pasta!! How fantastic!! It’s not AS wonderful texture-wise and taste-wise as brown rice pasta, but still hits the “pasta spot.”

beautiful ruby-red Ahi Tuna!

So tonight, I blanketed these legal buckwheat noodles with a velvety, creamy, pesto — made from a roasted red pepper, steamed kale, basil, and roasted pumpkin seeds! This was so delicious! My dad was CONVINCED that there was butter or cream in the sauce! I served this with seared Ahi Tuna! Yum Yum Yum!

gorgeous green color!

Lets start with the Pesto. Here’s what you need:

1 red pepper, roasted and peeled
2 big stalks of kale, steamed
2 garlic cloves
juice of 1/2 lemon
3 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
3 Tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted
1 cup basil
6 olives
salt

To roast your red pepper, I literally set it on our gas flame and kept turning it with tongs until it was completely charred. I then put it in a bowl and covered it with plastic wrap so that the steam loosened the skin. Then, after about 15 minutes, the charred skin peels right off (use your hands), and you’re left with a wonderful, roasted red pepper! If you don’t have a gas flame, you can do the same right under the broiler! Place all your ingredients into your food processor, whirl it up, and you’ve got a luxurious sauce! Toss it with your buckwheat pasta and enjoy!

want a bite?

Finally, the Ahi Tuna! Oh my Gosh – Lobsta Bakes’ wild, ocean-caught, sushi-grade tuna is amazing. It is such a beautiful ruby red color, with a succulent, melt-in-your-mouth texture! It is seriously like buttah!

Now that I’m on the Body Ecology diet, I can no longer have sugar or soy sauce (among countless other things). Therefore, I could not marinate the tuna like I usually do. However, to give it a truly spectacular taste, I suggest to marinate it first. This is the marinade I {{used to}} use…….*tear*

Marinade:
2 T Tamari (gluten free soy sauce)
1 T grated fresh ginger
1 BIG garlic clove, grated
1 t fresh lime juice
1 green onion, thinly sliced
small squeeze agave
1 tsp EVOO (or sesame oil if you have it)

I combined these ingredients with the tuna steaks in a gallon ziplock bag.  I made sure they were all coated, and then put the bag (on a plate incase it leaks) in the fridge for about an hour.

Searing your fish: In a super hot, non-stick grill pan sprayed with olive oil spray, sear each side for 1-2 minutes. If you want it less rare, you can cook it longer, but I wouldn’t recommend it!

red pepper and kale — really??

This meal hit the “comfort spot” that we so needed after such an emotional day. This pasta warmed your belly and warmed your soul. The pesto was seriously delicious. My parents said it is in their “Top 3” of what I make. By roasting the pepper over a real flame, it got this deep, smokey-sweet flavor. It was fantastic — it went perfectly with the fresh, sweet basil. The garlic gave it nice backbone, while the lemon provided a refreshing bright note. But the thing that was most wonderful about it was its consistency! It was SO creamy and velvety. A truly great “mouth feel!”

velvety and creamy sauce!

Next time you need comfort in the form of pasta, try this guilt-free and highly nutritious red pepper pesto!

Millet Madness! GF Vegan Asparagus Millet Pilaf!

Tags

asparagus, Body Ecology Diet, eggs, frittatas, kale, millet, mushrooms, vegan

Day two of the Body Ecology Diet — a recap: no sugar, fruit (except for lemon), grains, milk or cheese (because of the milk sugar, lactose), beans (including peanuts), soy, caffeine, alcohol, sugary vegetables (like carrots and beets) or starchy vegetables (like potatoes). Oh yeah — and no mushrooms, except shiitake.

So far, so good — I even made GF meringues made with puffed millet and stevia last night! (I need a daily sweet treat!)

yummy millet pilaf -- just like couscous -- but GF!

And tonight was another terrific dinner. This time with a different permitted grain on the BED. The four allowed grains are amaranth, buckwheat, millet, and quinoa. Tonight I made millet! And it was great!! I made an asparagus and shiitake mushroom pilaf with egg white frittatas.

gluten-free AND vegan!

Lets start with the Veggie Egg White Frittatas.

delicate little veggie egg white frittatas!

This serves one — as my parents wanted cheesy scramblers:) And, they aren’t allergic to egg yolks like me!

Here’s what you need:

2 egg whites
salt and pepper
3 button mushrooms, diced
2 green onions, sliced
2 asparagus stalks, sliced
big handful of spinach, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Combine your egg whites and veggies in a bowl and stir to coat. Spray a muffin tin with olive-oil. Spoon the mixture into 3 cups. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until cooked through. Run a knife around the edge to help them out. YUM!

so spongy! and packed with nutrition!

Finally, I served the iron and protein packed GF grain, millet!

mmmmm!

Here’s what you need:

1 bunch of asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 shiitake mushrooms, quartered
1 cup of dry millet, cooked in 2 cups vegetable stock

Dressing:
Juice of 1 lemon
zest of 1/2 organic lemon
2 green onions, sliced
1 tsp EVOO
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
salt and pepper

While your millet cooks (25 minutes), saute your onions in 1 tsp EVOO with salt and pepper. Let them soften for about 4-5 minutes. Then, add your mushrooms and let them cook down and release their moisture, about 5-6 minutes. ((In the meantime, combine your dressing ingredients)). Then, add your asparagus to the pan. Allow that to cook for about 8 minutes or so, until it is crisp-tender. You will need to add a splash of vegetable stock to the pan to help the asparagus soften. At the last minute, stir in the garlic, and let that cook for a minute. Combine your veggies and dressing with the cooked millet and “fluff” it together. Add salt to taste. YUM!!

asparagus, mushrooms, onions and millet in a delicious lemony dressing!

This meal was delicious! My parents were astounded that they actually *loved* millet! It had such a wonderful texture! It was like couscous! Light, chewy, nutty — just wonderful! And it was fantastic with the savory, crisp asparagus, and chewy, earthy mushrooms. And the lemony dressing with parsley brought it all together!

green onions -- so fancy:)

Finally, the egg white frittatas were just superb. They were SO light and airy — spongy! They were the perfect size to pick up with your fingers and pop in your mouth! Delicate little veggie-packed, protein poppers!

look at the millet's fantastic texture!

And one more surprise! SNACK ATTACK SPECIAL!! Today I also made outrageous Kale Chips!! They are gluten-free, vegan, and SO healthy — and not to mention YUM-TASTIC!! Kale is high in Vitamin C, K, beta carotene, and calcium! Not to mention it has cancer-fighting properties!

careful -- they're addicting!!!

Here’s what you need for a quick and insanely delicious snack:

4 big stalks of kale, stalks removed, cut into “chips”
olive oil spray
sea salt, or seasoning mix — I used Herbamare

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place kale pieces on 2 olive-oil-sprayed baking sheets. Spray the kale with olive oil, and season with either sea salt, or a herb seasoning blend like Herbamare. You could also use chili powder, or paprika, or cumin, or curry powder! The possibilities are endless! Bake for 16 minutes, flipping half way through. I bet you can’t eat just one!

crispy, crunchy KALE!

Now I know what you’re thinking — Kale chips?!? I know, I know, it doesn’t sound like a “better than Doritos” type of salty snack. But I PROMISE you, they are outstanding!! The texture is what makes them so fantastic. When the kale is baked, it becomes SO light and crisp! It is like eating air! The curly edges just crackle and crumble so pleasantly. It’s like eating filo dough crisps but with a delicious salty taste! WOW!

Here’s to a great week!

GF Vegan Roasted Red Pepper & Kale Pesto!

Tags

brown rice, eggs, GF cookie, gluten free, goat cheese, kale, Maker's Diet, Meringue, mushrooms, pasta, pesto, red pepper

Sooo, the Specific Carbohydrate Diet lasted almost 12 hours. I was strong until it was 10 o’clock and it was time for my daily Oatmeal Raisin Meringue.

I couldn't resist my oatmeal raisin meringue...can you blame me??

I’ve been doing more research, and brown rice is extremely easy to digest. So, brown rice pasta is ok — which is what we’ve been eating all along.

creamy, rich roasted red pepper pesto!

Anyhoo, here’s the amazing meal I made last night! It was SO good and so nutritious! I made Roasted Red Pepper and Kale Pesto with Broiled Cod. This pasta sauce was so ridiculously tasty — and GF and Vegan!

yum!

Here’s what you need:

2 red peppers, fire roasted, chopped
7-8 mushrooms, chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
4 stalks of kale, chopped and steamed
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
6 kalamata olives
1/2 – 3/4 cup fresh basil
dried basil and oregano
1/4 cup white wine
reserved pasta water
Raw goat milk cheese — grated ***optional***

This sauce is a bit involved.

Lets start with roasting your peppers — First, you can totally use jarred roasted red peppers. But, there’s no substitute for fresh, roasted red peppers in both flavor and quality of ingredients. Also, there aren’t any preservatives or additives and stabilizers found in jarred, canned, and processed foods. OK, I’m off my soap box…lets get cooking!

Place your red pepper directly on the flame of your gas burner. (Place the pepper on the grates, and THEN turn the flame on low.) Roast them, turning with tongs every 3 minutes, until charred on all sides. Then, immediately place the hot peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to trap the steam. Allow the peppers to steam for about 15 minutes (while you prepare your other veggies). Then, the charred skin will literally peel right off the pepper. Cut off the tops and remove the seeds. Roughly chop, and place in your food processor.  If you do not have a gas burner, you can roast them under your broiler.

Ok, those are squared away. Now, steam your kale for about 2-3 minutes, until tender and set aside. Also, toast your pine nuts. In a large pan, saute your onion in 1 tsp EVOO with salt, pepper, 1/4 tsp dried oregano and dried basil. Allow that to soften, and then add your mushrooms. Let them cook down and release their moisture — about 5-6 minutes. {{When you let mushrooms brown, arrange them in a layer, and then don’t touch them for about 3 minutes. Then, flip them and put them in another layer and don’t touch them for 3 more minutes. Then they will be browned and beautiful!}} After your mushrooms have browned, stir in your garlic and steamed kale. Stir for a minute, and then take off heat to cool for a minute. Then, put your veggies in the food processor  with the peppers, pine nuts, olives and salt. Whirl that together until smooth. Then, at the last minute, add your basil, to reserve its flavor. (It will lose some potency due to the heat of the veggies). Combine your sauce with your cooked noodles and about 1/4 cup pasta water. YUMMO! Top with goat cheese if you’d like:)

gorgeous, wild caught cod!

Finally, I served this delicious pesto pasta with broiled cod. Lobsta Bakes’ wild, ocean-caught cod is so spectacular — flakey, sweet, moist, tender. Absolutely wonderful. I broiled it with 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, lemon zest and juice, and fresh dill. Delish.

beautiful dill crust!

This meal was terrific. The sauce on the pasta had a flavor unlike any pasta sauce I’ve made before! The roasted red peppers provided this deep, smokey-sweet flavor that permeated through the entire sauce! That, with the earthy mushrooms, and deep kale was so yummy. And it was highlighted by the fresh, bright basil, buttery pine nuts, and salty olives. It was punctuated perfectly with the addition of the raw goat milk cheese sprinkled on top. ((Ok, I may have gone a little heavy on the cheese:) ))

beautiful pile of pesto pasta!

It was creamy and slurpy, rich and flavorful. Truly fabulous!

a little overboard on the goat cheese...i was just so excited!

It always amazes me how blended and pureed veggies can pack such a punch! Flavor city!

so heathy!

Happy Tummies!

what a bite!

Fridge Clean-Out Veggie GFV Pasta!

Tags

brown rice, carrots, gluten free, kale, leek, Maker's Diet, mushrooms, pasta, vegan

Exciting news here today! My sister-in-law is arriving tonight! She’s in town to go house hunting, and then my bro is coming in on Saturday! And if that’s not enough, my other brother and his wife are ALSO coming in on Saturday! Wooo! The whole fam is going to be together!!

gorgeous dill crust on the cod!

I am such a family person…having the family all together makes my heart just soar — I know that’s hardcore cheesy, but it’s true! I love my brothers and sisters-in-law! We’ll all be together for Easter:)

It's fun to eat your veggies in sauce form!

SO — my parents went major grocery shopping today for the guys, and as a result, we had to clear a bit of room in the fridge for all the new yummies — that are sadly not vegan. So it was my job to cook a dinner that used up some lonely, leftover veggies.

delish!

Just what did I make? A vegetable puree pasta sauce with leeks, kale, and carrots! I really surprised myself! My expectations were low, low, lowww as I was literally throwing everything into a saute pan. But low and behold, it was delicious! It was a little “vegetable-y” for my dad, but then the only veggies he likes are lima beans and corn:) But I thought it was fabulous.

So yummy and HEALTHY!

Here’s what you need:

1 leek, sliced and *very* well washed
3 mushrooms, sliced
2 big stalks of kale, stems removed and chopped
3 big garlic cloves, sliced
2 carrots, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
yellow bell pepper — the top and tail I had leftover — chopped
1/4 cup white wine
splash veg stock
dried basil and oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes
reserved pasta water

Saute your leek for a minute in 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, dried basil, oregano, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Stir it around, and then add in your celery and carrots, and let those soften for about 3-4 minutes. Then add your bell pepper, and let it cook for just a minutes. Add your mushrooms and garlic. Let them brown, cook down and release their moisture for about 4-5 minutes. Add your kale, and then deglaze with the wine and stock. Cover the pan for 3 minutes to allow the kale to wilt. Take it off the heat and allow your veggie mixture to cool for a few minutes. Then, transfer it to the food processor and pulse until smooth. Thin it out using pasta water. Reseason with salt to taste. Toss with your cooked pasta and enjoy!

tender, flakey cod! wow!

With this deliciously inventive pasta dish, I served broiled cod! YUM! Lobsta Bakes’ wild, ocean-caught cod is decadently yummy! It is sweet and a little chewy, flakey and moist! I broiled it for 15 minutes with 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, lemon zest and juice, and fresh dill! The fresh dill is so good because it gets crunchy in the oven, and offers a super bright, lemony freshness! Try it!

such great texture and flavor!

This meal was surprisingly tasty! What better way to get a TON of veggies then pureeing  them into a delicious sauce! It was actually quite sweet, with a subtle earthy undertone. There was an inherent sweetness from the carrots, peppers and celery! It’s amazing how the sweetness in the veggies come out when you saute! And then, the mushrooms and kale gave a deep earthiness, all punctuated beautifully by the slight garlic backdrop!

Sometimes it’s fun to open your fridge and create your own adventure! There are lots of delicious meals coming up this weekend with all the house company! And Easter brunch! I can’t wait for her to arrive!!

Until tomorrow!

SuperFood Spaghetti! GF & Vegan!!

Tags

brown rice, gluten free, kale, Maker's Diet, mushrooms, olives, pasta, red pepper, tomatoes, vegan

Another gorgeous day here in the 5-1-3. And my mom surprised me with beautiful purple and yellow pansies in the planters outside!  She planted them because she knew I could see them from the couch:) What a great mom…I am so blessed.

such a pretty surprise! thanks mom!!

Oh goodness, do I have another show stopping recipe for you! My Superfood Spaghetti brought the house down. It is made with the superfood Kale! Kale has so many health benefits. First, it is packed with antioxidants, which help to fight cancer and lower cholesterol. Next, it is an anti-inflammatory food, and is full of Vitamins K, A, and C! Finally, it’s full of minerals, such as calcium, iron, potassium, and manganese. It is just an amazing leafy green.

so delicious and nutritious!

Here’s what you need:

5 stalks of kale — stems removed, chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
6 button mushrooms, sliced
red pepper –just the leftover top and tail– chopped
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup veg stock
1 can diced tomatoes
8 or 9 kalamata olives, chopped
5 or 6 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp dried oregano and basil
reserved pasta water

hearty, healthy, amazing sauce!

Saute your onion in 1/2 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, about 1/2 tsp dried oregano and basil. Let that soften and cook for about 5 minutes. Then, add in your mushrooms and garlic.  Let those cook down and release their moisture.  Deglaze with the white wine, let it reduce, and then stir in your kale. Add your veg stock, and then put a lid on the pot, so the kale steams for about 3-4 minutes, until soft. Adjust the salt and pepper, and then take off the heat to cool slightly. While its cooling, add your olives and sun-dried tomatoes to the food processor, and process into a “paste.” Then, carefully ladle the vegetable mixture and juices into the food processor, and process until it is a beautiful, hearty, consistency.  Add a little pasta water to thin it out. Return to pan, toss in your pasta, and get ready for an amazing dish!

so much flavor!

With this healthy, GF, vegan spaghetti, I served broiled fluke flounder. Lobsta Bakes’ wild, ocean-caught flounder was SO delicious. It was extremely moist and tender. The “meat” was delicately sweet and wonderful. I broiled it for about 15 minutes with 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, lemon zest and juice. Yum.

wow...so decadent

For my GF-ers out there, after trying several brands of GF pasta, there is a definite leader of the pack. It is Tinkyada brown rice pasta.  It has a great texture: not at all gummy or slimy — it truly is al dante and wonderful. My dad actually prefers it to regular spaghetti!

gorgeous fluke flounder!

This meal was absolutely fantastic. My mom took one bite and almost fell off her chair. “Are you kidding me?! You made this?!?!?” :) Yes, mother…quality, organic ingredients yield amazing food. This pasta sauce was so hearty and wonderful. It had such a fresh flavor with the tomatoes for sweetness, the kale — with its bright, fresh flavor; the olives with a slight salty note, the sun-dried tomatoes with a subtle deep sweetness, and the mushrooms not only gave an earthy flavor, but they also provided a truly meaty texture! This dish appears to be your humble spaghetti, but trust me — this puppy packs a punch! Oh my Gosh. Try it…you’ll fall in love, and won’t believe that healthy eating can taste this fantastically awesome:)

Happy Spring!!