Zucchini Fettucini

It's been pasta week at my house. Grain-free pasta that is : ) First we had kelp noodles a couple times, and then we moved on to this zucchini fettucini. While the kelp noodles are best with Asian sauces, the zucchini noodles work well with Italian.

To get them shaped like fettucini pasta I used THIS tool. (You may remember me mentioning it HERE.)

Rather than cook this zucchini fettucini I sprinkled it with salt and let it sit for an hour. Then I squeezed out the moisture with a dry kitchen towel and topped it with heated sauce. That's it.

But to be honest I only won over half of the family with this slightly crunchy uncooked zucchini fettucini. Andy and Zoe asked me to cook their zucchini noodles to make them softer. Then they were happy too.

A note about these zucchini noodles: If you eat them uncooked (like Ashley and I) then two zucchini per person is a good portion size. However, if you prefer them softer and choose to cook them, then they will shrink down much further. I would suggest more like three zucchini per person if you cook them.

♥, Kelly

Kelp Noodles with Thai Coconut Curry

We are crazy for curry. This recipe is nice because I can make it mild for Zoe, then add more heat for the rest of us, and everyone loves it : ) I have it pictured here by itself, but we often add cauliflower, red pepper and chicken.

These kelp noodles are a-mazing and grain-free. I don't think kelp noodles work well with Italian sauces, but they are delish with Asian sauces, like this Thai curry. We also love them with Elana's sauce.

Kelp Noodles with Thai Coconut Curry

For the kelp noodles:
You don't need to cook kelp noodles, but they are very crunchy. I simmer the noodles from two packages in water for ten minutes, then turn off the heat, put the lid on and let them soak in the water for another ten minutes. They will still be crunchy after this process, but when they meet the sauce they soften some more. They won't be very soft in the end, more like al dente pasta.

Update: Lauren left this comment: "To make kelp noodles soft, all you have to do is soak in water with juice from half a lemon. You can soak them 20 minutes or longer. As they soak, massage the noodles in the water, as you would massage raw kale. This makes them super soft and not crunchy! And it keeps in all the nutrients by avoiding heat and boiling water :)"


For the sauce:
Puree:
1 cup coconut milk, canned full-fat
3 tbsp coconut butter (this is optional, but I like it better if you have some)
Note: You can also make your own coconut butter.
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp ume plum vinegar
2 tbsp coconut sugar
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 cumin
1/8 chili powder (I make it this way for Zoe, then add about 1 tsp more for everyone else)

To assemble:
Heat the sauce on the stove.
Strain the kelp noodles then put them back into the hot pot.
Pour the sauce over the noodles and let them sit for a few minutes before serving.

Serves 4.

Leftovers / Make Ahead:
These noodles stay al dente in the fridge! You can eat them straight out of the fridge or reheat : )


♥, Kelly

Chard Wraps with Cashew Cheese

This past weekend at the gluten-free fair here in Denver I brought a variation of these wraps for lunch. My friend Elana loved them so much, she said I had to do a post about them.

Simply wash and dry the chard, then remove the stem. Spread a very thin layer of this cashew cheese on the chard, then top with any fillings you like (bacon is especially good). Roll up and enjoy : )

♥, Kelly

P.S. The crackers are a recipe by my friend Hallie. They're awesome! That recipe is HERE.

Savory Caprese Cheesecake

Please join me today at The Balanced Platter, where I share this recipe for dairy-free savory caprese cheesecake using the cashew cheese I last posted. 

Also, don't forget to stop by and see me this weekend at the Denver Gluten-Free Food Fair!

♥, Kelly

Cashew Cheese

Cashew Cheese

(For a double batch)

Soak 2 cups of plain cashews (I use organic cashew pieces) overnight in enough water to cover, plus two inches.

Add the strained cashews to the food processor with 1/2 cup coconut cream (or water), one tablespoon of maple syrup (or other sweetener), and the contents of enough dariy-free probiotic capsules to equal about 50 billion.

Puree for about ten minutes, scraping the sides once or twice during that time. It should be completely creamy and smooth.

Transfer the puree to a glass dish and cover with a cloth napkin.

Place the covered dish on a heating pad that is sandwiched between two cloth placemats or two kitchen towels.

Turn the heating pad on so that the bottom of the dish is warm, but not hot. (Note: I've also heard that placing it in the oven with only the oven light on works too.)

Ferment the cashew cheese for about 12 hours.

Season with 1/2 tsp Herbamare and herbs of choice. (Onions, garlic, mushrooms, olives or sundried tomatoes are also excellent in this.)

We love to eat it with peeled thinly sliced jicama (like chips) and carrot sticks, or smeared on lettuce or chard as a roll-up. (I'm also going to share a savory cheesecake made with this cashew cheese very soon.)

Store in the fridge.

Note: Make sure your hands and all of your equipment are very clean to ensure proper fermentation.

♥, Kelly

Banana Cinnamon & Sugar Doughnuts

These cute little clouds are soft chewy banana cinnamon & sugar doughnuts. While my favorites are still the mini Boulder creams, these are Zoe's favorite, so I thought I would share them too.

They're made with coconut flour and no eggs or starch. —Something I thought couldn't be done.

I used a combination of mashed bananas and psyllium husk powder. Psyllium husk powder comes from the fiber which covers the seed. I don't know how to get this stretchy texture with eggs, but feel free to experiment yourself.

Banana Cinnamon & Sugar Doughnuts
grain-free, starch-free, egg-free

Add to blender or food processor:
2 ripe mashed bananas (about 2/3 cup)

3/4 cup cashew milk

2tbsp honey

1/4 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread, soy-free, liquified (or oil of choice)

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp vanilla stevia

1.5 tsp cinnamon 

1 tsp nutmeg

2 tbsp psyllium husk powder 

NOTE: I like to add the psyllium husk powder last, just before blending

Puree.

Pour into mixing bowl.

Add:

1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted (to prevent clumps in the dough)

Mix with electric mixer.

Line a cookie sheet with unbleached parchment paper.

Use a large ice cream scoop with a lever to get the dough. Pack it in and level it off.

OR divide the dough into 8 balls if you don't have a large ice cream scoop with a lever.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 35 minutes.

Cool for five minutes. 

Dip in melted Earth Balance Buttery Spread (or coconut oil) then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. 

Cinnamon & Sugar

Puree in Magic Bullet or coffee grinder:

1 tbsp coconut sugar 

1 tsp cinnamon

♥, Kelly