clean eating for home cooks
One of the best parts of celebrating any holiday, is making and decorating cookies. It’s a rare treat to be able to enjoy a gluten and dairy free cookie, let alone a fun cut-out! Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, so, I wanted […]
There is just something about Fall and the smell of pumpkin pie baking. I love to eat pumpkin pie, but is not so easy to find a dairy and gluten free version. So, why not just make something a whole lot easier and spend the […]
There are certain recipes I cook almost once a week, mostly because I have them memorized, but also because everyone in my family loves them (including my three-year-old!). My week-night, go-to recipes are ones I can usually prepare within an hour and with some pretty simple ingredients. This recipe for Spaghetti and Meat Sauce is no exception!
I know it can be easier to just buy a bottle of sauce at the store, but a lot of times those pre-made sauces have additives and ingredients that don’t seem so appetizing. So, why not just make your own sauce and make your house smell amazing while you’re at it? Growing up, my mom always made her own meat sauce at home. She taught me her recipe and I have tweaked and changed things over the years until it became my own. I also love to watch cooking shows especially if they are preparing Italian food or pasta, so I’ve learned a trick or two.
Of course, the main issue with eating gluten and dairy free, is that it’s really hard to find a good pasta that has the right texture and taste. My favorite gluten free pasta is Barilla brand spaghetti noodles. You really can’t tell the difference between the gluten free version and the traditional noodle. Its seriously amazing. This holds true with all the other kinds of gluten free Barilla pastas I’ve tried… I highly recommend them!
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
2 teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 lb. Ground Beef (local, grass fed is best)
1 Small Onion – diced (about ½ Cup)
1 can 28 ounce Whole Tomatoes (I like Hunt’s brand)
1 can 10.75 ounce Tomato Puree
3 cloves Garlic – diced
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar (paleo option: honey or maple syrup)
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 package 12 ounces Barilla Spaghetti Noodles (paleo option: spaghetti squash or zoodles)
1 Tablespoon Dried Basil
2 teaspoons Dried Oregano
½ teaspoon Dried Thyme
Instructions:
Start a large stock pot to boil (salt the water). In a large sauce pan, start browning and breaking apart the ground beef (stir and break apart occasionally). While the beef is cooking, start cutting the onion and garlic and set aside. Open the can of whole tomatoes, using a blender, blend until smooth and set aside.
Once the beef is browned, drain fat if necessary, then add the onion and garlic to the beef and sauté to to soften, stirring frequently (about 3 minutes on medium heat). Pour the blended tomatoes and puree into the pot. Add the basil, oregano, thyme, salt and brown sugar to the sauce. Stir and turn-up the heat to medium-high. Stirring occasionally, bring the sauce to a boil then reduce the heat to Medium-low.
Boil the noodles until al-dente (almost completely cooked), using a strainer, drain the water (do not rinse the noodles). Add the noodles to the sauce (I use two spoons to stir the noodles into the sauce) turn off the heat. Let the noodles sit in the sauce about 5 minutes to finish cooking.
Serve with a drizzle of olive oil… and enjoy!
One of my favorite comfort foods is meatballs! I found a great recipe for Swedish meatballs and adapted it to be gluten and dairy free. I challenge you to make them and see if you can tell the difference between these and a traditional dairy […]
When I was a kid, the very first thing I learned to make myself were chocolate chip cookies. I used the old tried and true recipe directly from the Nestle toll house chocolate chip bag. My mom usually had all of the ingredients on-hand, so, […]
I really love this recipe, not just because I love potatoes, but because they are easy to prepare and make a great side-dish in a pinch. This recipe is such a versatile side that it can be served with all different kinds of main dishes, not just for tapas. Sometimes I make these with gluten free/ diary free sausages, chicken, steak or baked tofu.
The spices I included in the recipe are ones I already had on-hand in my spice collection. Feel free to substitute or omit certain spices if you don’t have them. The reason I believe these are successful is the smoky chipotle spice. You could substitute a smoky paprika instead, which is a more traditional Spanish spice. I have a sensitivity to Bell Peppers and sometimes too much paprika bothers me a bit. In my opinion, Spanish cooking seems to have a bit more smokiness to it.
Patatas Bravas
3 Tablesoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 (med/ large sized) Yellow Potatoes
1 teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Chipotle Chile Pepper Powder
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder (not Garlic Salt)
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
¼ teaspoon Cumin
½ teaspoon Onion Powder (not Onion Salt)
¼ teaspoon Turmeric
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut the potatoes into approximately 1 ½ inch cubes. In a mixing bowl, toss cubed potatoes with olive oil until coated. Mix all the spices and salt into a small bowl then add to the potatoes. Stir with a spatula until coated with spices.
Spread the spiced potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet (with sides). Bake for 20 minutes, then stir/ flip the potatoes then continue baking for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft in the middle and crispy/ brown on the outside. Enjoy!
I love Spanish tapas but I don’t love feeling bad (for days) after eating them. So, I decided I should come up with a gluten and dairy free alternative to make at home. I like this recipe because it is pretty simple and doesn’t require […]
Being gluten and lactose intolerant, it is really difficult the buy cookies at the store. If you do end up buying something, it is usually dry or tasteless (not to mention expensive!). When you decide to buy a package mix you never know if it […]