Tag Archives: vegetarian

Tropical Pasta Salad

Pasta salad in the gluten free world can be a challenge. You need to be able to give the salad flavor with out weighing it down with all the dressing. This recipe is filled with summer flavor.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Gluten Free Pasta Twist
1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes
1 Mango Diced
1/2 Cup Cilantro
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 Pepper
1 tsp Oregano
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1/2 Sugar

Cook pasta making sure you do over cook it. You want the pasta to be firm and not loss any shape. While pasta cooks, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, sugar and oregano.
When pasta is done run under cool water and drain well. Place the cooled pasta in a large bowl and add tomatoes sliced in half, cilantro and mango. Toss is all together and then add dressing before serving. Enjoy!

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Spaghetti Pie

I have a funny story about this recipe but its one that I can only share in person. Regardless I was asked to make this for a shoot and it came out great. A fun way to use any extra pasta you may have. You can watch me make it on camera by checking out my video clip page.

Ingredients:

2-3 Cups Cooked Gluten Free Spaghetti ( Ancient Harvest is my favorite brand and holds up the best.
3 eggs
1/2 Cup Parm Cheese
2 tsp Salt Divided
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1 1/2 Cup Ricotta Cheese
1 Tbs Oregano
1 Tbs Garlic
1 Cup Any Pasta Sauce

Start by mixing eggs, parm and 1 tsp of the salt in a large bowl. Add pasta and mix to evenly coat. In a pie dish coat the bottom with the olive oil. Now pour the pasta in the dish and softly flatten to form an even layer. Now in a separate bowl mix ricotta, oregano, garlic and remaining salt. Using the entire cheese mixture, gently place a layer of the ricotta above the pasta pressing down to keep even. Lastly, top the whole thing with pasta sauce. Bake the whole thing at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until the crust start become golden . Serve and enjoy.

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Summer Squash Spaghetti

We try to have pasta night once a week. I am always looking for healthier alternatives to pasta that don’t take much time to put together. With my new mandolin I have been coming up with a lot of new fun inventions.

Ingredients:
2 Summer Squash
1 tsp Salt
1 Cup of Your Favorite Pasta Sauce

Using the mandolin grate each squash down the long way so that you get a bunch of long strips. Place the strips on top of each other and slice them all the long way to form thin ribbons. Place the squash in boiling water for 1 min and then drain well. Plate up and top with you favorite sauce. Enjoy!

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Ranch Mix

From ranch seasoning to dip and everything in between I have always been a huge fan. What kid does not like carrot sticks and ranch dressing! Now you can by the seasoning mix in a little packet and do a million things with it. I was sad when I found you that it was not gluten free. But after some trial and error I figured out how to make my own. Give it a try.

Ingredients:

1 Tbs Parsley Flakes
1 Tbs Dry Dill
1 Tbs Onion Powder
1 Tbs Garlic Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
1 Tbs Basil Optional

Mix jt all together and store in a small container.

You can you use it to spice meat like chicken wings. Mix with yogurt or mayo for a new dip or dressing. Make a great new side dish by adding it to potatoes or any fun veggie. Enjoy!!!!

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Edamame Guacamole

I was asked to make a healthy guacamole recipe for on online clip and I had never even heard of. Edamame is packed with good vitamins and protein. The texture is more chunky then regular avocado guacamole but if would prefer it more smooth add a small amount of yogurt or oil. Super simple and totally worth a try!

Ingredients:

2 Cup Edamame
Juice of 1 Lime
1 tap Salt
1 Chopped Tomato
1/4 Cup Chopped Cilantro

Throw everything in a food processor and blend very well. Adding oil or yogurt will create a smoother consistence.

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Low Cal Protein Bar

I have wrote about my granola bars in the past but Since I make them every week I am always changing them around. I made a new one with week and they came out so great I wanted to share. Plus this one could be made nut free if needed.

Ingredients:
2 Cups Rice Crispy Cereal

1 1/2 Cup Old Fashion Oat Meal (gluten free)

1/2 Cup White Raisins

3 Tbs Peanut Butter

2 Tbs Honey

2 eggs

4 Tbs Splenda / Sugar * Optional

1 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp sal

1/3 Cup Dry Skim Milk

In one bowl mix peanut butter and honey and heat in microwave for a few second to loosen. After it cools add vanilla, salt and sugar then mix well and put it aside. In a larger bowl and oatmeal and fruit. Return to the first bowl with peanut butter and mix in eggs well then add this liquid mix to the dry bowl and continue mixing. Finally, add the rice cereal to the mix and mix everything together well. Press mixture into a square baking well greased baking dish and cook for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees until golden brown. Allow to cool and then cut into bars. Enjoy!!!!

Italian Rainbow Cookies

My favorite cookie as a kid was always the Italian Rainbow Cookies. The fun, sprinkles and choclate all in a cute package. Plus my grandmother loved marzipan and I could never get enough of the sweet almond goodness.
Living in the italian market I am surrounded my amazing baked goods. I wanted to re-creat my favorite gluten free. It came out great on the first try. This is a must have!!!

Ingredients:
Four eggs separated
1 Cup Butter Melted
8-10oz Almond Paste (marzipan)
3/4 Cup Chocolate Chips
A few drops each of blue and red food coloring
1 Cup Sugar

(The original recipe I worked from added 2 cups of almond flour and another half cup butter. I did not use it with my version but may play around with substituting some almond flour for the sugar next next time.

Start by separating eggs into two bowl. Whisk the whites until you get high peeks and place aside. To the bowl with the yolks crumble in the almond paste and mix. To the yolk and almond paste bowl add the melted butter and sugar. Mix very well until all the lumps are gone and mixture is smooth. Now fold in eggs whites and mix carefully.

Now separate this mixture into three bowls as even as possible. Mix a few drops of blue into one bowl, a few drops of red into the other and then leave the remaining bowl untouched.

Line three equally sized rectangular baking pans with wax paper and individually pour one batter into each pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes utile top starts to firm and before sides brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool. After ten minutes use the wax paper to remove each layer and then place them on top of each-other. Now melt the chocolate in a bowl. Spread the chocolate over entire cake with the chocolate so that the entire thing is covered. Allow the whole thing to harden in the fridge. Then slice into square pieces.

Store in fridge and slice as needed. Cake freezes well.

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Creamy Dressing

Now that the weather is getting really nice I am always in the mood for salad. It’s easy to just toss in some vinegar, lemon and oil but once in awhile I like to kick it up with something creaming and packed with flavor. Most store versions are a 150 calories a serving,full of fat and many times gluten. Well try making your own, you never buy the store stuff again. Promise!!!

Ingredients:
1 Cup Greek Yogurt
1/3 Cup Fresh Mint Leaves
1/2 Cup Cucumber Rounds
1/2 Tsp Salt
Lemon Zest Optional

Place everything in a food process and whip up. Goes great with everything !! If your bit a mint fan try parsley or cilantro.

Pour on any fresh salad and enjoy!!!!

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Magic Chips

Would you believe me if I said I could take the guilt out of potato chips?Discovering this recipe may have become a game changer. Potato chips are a huge weakness on mine. A normal serving of chips is only 15 but it is so hard to stop once you start. Well I have found the best guilt free and super easy chip recipe on the planet.

Ingredients:

3-4 Potatoes
1 Tbs Salt
1 Tbs Olive Oil

The most important part of this recipe is to use a mandolin or box grater slice potatoes thin into chips. Put all the sliced potatoes into a bowl, add salt, oil and mix gently by hand. Next, spray a large round dinner plant with non-stick cooking spray and lay potatoes out in one single layer on the plate. You will have enough potatoes to make 4-5 batches so take your time and make sure potatoes don’t overlap.
Time for the magic. Place one plate at time in the microwave UNCOVERED for 4 minutes. Chips will brown and get crispy. Make sure to spray the plate lightly with each batch. Enjoy!

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