4 Ingredient Spaghetti Squash Hummus “Pasta”

Posted in Gluten Free, Lunch, Main Dish, Refined Sugar Free, Sides and Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

What’s a girl to do when the fridge is running on empty and she’s in need of a speedy meal? All I had besides a shelf of staples (coconut milk, chia seeds, tahini and coconut butter) was the following:

half a container of roasted red pepper hummus
half a carton of grape tomatoes
several cups of cooked spaghetti squash

So that’s I made for my lunch concoction… the simplicity of the dish far exceeded the complexity of the taste. I added a tablespoon or so of hemp seeds with a dash of salt and freshly ground black pepper and it was a tasty dish!

spaghetti squash hummus pasta 1

I should have known hummus would be good with spaghetti squash…it’s compliments just about everything! I’ll be making this again on purpose with a few more add-ins for some additional bulk. I am thinking chickpeas or navy beans, sautéed greens and roasted broccoli or caramelized onions. (I have a weird thing about always wanting something green on my plate.)

Please forgive the quick photo snapped on my phone…I didn’t realize how much I’d love this dish until I was part of the way through but knew I wanted to share it!

4-Ingredient Spaghetti Squash Hummus “Pasta”
Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free, Nut-free, Egg-free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Quick

Ingredients

drizzle of olive oil
4-5 grape tomatoes, cut in half or quarted
2-3 cups cooked spaghetti squash
1/4-1/3 cup of roasted red pepper hummus (or your favorite flavor – roasted garlic would be delish)
1 Tbsp hemp hearts
salt and pepper to taste

Your favorite add-ins if desired (roasted veggies, chickpeas, grilled chicken or crumbled sausage etc)

Directions

In a small skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat.
Add squash and tomatoes and saute until warmed through.
Stir in hummus and hemp hearts. Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

*This serves one person; for a weeknight family meal quadruple the ingredients. You could always microwave all of these ingredients for a 5 minute meal as well.

16Nov2015

Autumn Spice Butternut Quick Bread (Grain-free)

Posted in Breads, Dessert, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Sides and Snacks, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

Although winter is already here in Montana, I am still holding onto fall. I could eat winter squash and pumpkin year-round but this time of year these ingredients particularly shine. This quick bread with warm autumn spices is another way of holding onto my favorite season.

Cant. Get. Enough 🙂

This bread can be a quick breakfast on the go, a sweet snack when you need a pick-me-up or part of a dessert. I’ve enjoyed slices straight from the fridge but have experimented with the following serving options to mix it up!

Serve lightly toasted with a pat of Earth Balance (ghee or butter if you do dairy) or a spoonful of coconut butter
Smear a generous spoonful of “cream cheese” (I love dairy-free cashew cheese, recipe to come) and drizzle with maple syrup
Crumble the bread and layer it with toasted pecans or walnuts with your favorite vanilla yogurt or coconut whipped cream for a parfait
Serve toasted or warmed with a scoop of vanilla or toasted coconut ice cream and sprinkle with dairy-free chocolate chips

I’ve also substituted the butternut squash puree for leftover mashed yams and pumpkin puree with success! I’ve made variations of this bread a couple times already this year…it gets eaten too quickly for me to snap photos…I finally kept my hands off to take a shot (after 1/3 of the loaf was already gone…oops!).

Autumn Spice Butternut Quick Bread
Gluten-free, Grain-free, Soy-free, Dairy-free, Paleo-friendly, Nut-free, Vegetarian, Refined-Sugar Free

Ingredients

½ cup sifted coconut flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 rounded tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 tsp ground ginger
pinch of cloves
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp maple syrup + 1/4 tsp pure stevia extract (or 1/4 cup of your favorite sweetener)
½ cup melted coconut oil (or ghee or butter if you are ok with dairy)
1 cup butternut squash puree (any winter squash or sweet potato puree can be used)

Add in options: 1/3 cup chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds, shredded coconut, dried cranberries, chocolate or carob chips

Directions

Heat your oven to 350F and line a loaf pan with parchment paper or grease well.
In a small bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together and set aside.
In a medium size bowl, whisk the eggs well. Add remaining liquid ingredients (vanilla though puree) and whisk until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth (the batter will be thick and thicken as it sits due to the highly absorbent coconut flour).
Spoon the batter into your prepared pan.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a knife going into the center comes out clean. Remove pan from oven to let cool, then slice and enjoy!

autumn spice cake

25Sep2015

Parsnip-Zucchini Hummus (Bean-free)

Posted in Gluten Free, Lunch, Refined Sugar Free, Sides and Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

I’m notorious for grabbing the quickest, easiest option in the fridge to snack on when I’m hungry. Just like shopping at the grocery store on an empty stomach, my least healthy food choices are made when my blood sugar is low and/or I am unprepared. If I wash and pre-cut veggies, there’s a much better chance of grabbing them than if I had to wash and prep them, and same goes for an accompanying dip.

As much as I’d like to smother EVERYTHING in traditional hummus, legumes haven’t been sitting too well with me. I’ll indulge on occasion — just because they are SO good… and meaty, velvety beans are an ingredient I really enjoy. Instead, I reserve beans for a rare occasion, and have tried different versions of hummus for an alternative veggie dip.

When I found myself needing to prep veggies and make a dip for the week for lunch, I knew I had to whip up something to satisfy my hummus craving. I blended some leftover roasted parsnips with some raw zucchini, and I was surprised at how addicting this dip is! I took the traditional flavors of hummus and spiced it up a bit with a chile-infused oil from our lovely Just Tapped oil and vinegar store (love these owners!). You can use plain olive oil or avocado oil if you’d like and sprinkle in some crushed red pepper or omit the pepper altogether and add a bit of lemon zest and extra lemon juice for a nice zing.

If you haven’t experimented much with parsnips, they are the BOMB! A sweeter, yet slightly spicy cousin of the carrot, parsnips have a velvety texture when they are roasted much like a winter squash. Simply roasting parsnips with a little oil and sea salt make some epic “parsnip fries” and a great side at dinner or a hearty snack when you need a starch fix.

This parsnip hummus is slightly sweet yet spicy with a smooth creamy texture, perfect for a filling snack or as part of a meal. Serve with your favorite chopped veggies, use in your favorite wrap, smear over gluten-free crackers, or dip with plantain chips or sweet potato chips!

parsnip hummus2

Parsnip-Zucchini Hummus (Bean-free)
Nut-free, Paleo-friendly, Nightshade-free option, Gluten-free, Grain-free, Sugar-free, Soy-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free, Vegetarian, Vegan

Ingredients

2 medium parsnips, peeled and cubed
1 medium zucchini, peeled and cubed (can use yellow squash as well)
2 Tbsp tahini*
2 1/2 Tbsp olive or avocado oil, divided (I used chile-infused)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4-1/2 tsp ground cumin
juice from one lemon
dash of cayenne pepper (omit if you don’t like spicy)
1/4 tsp sea salt plus more to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F. Tear off a large piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper and place cubed parsnips in the center. Drizzle 1/2 Tbsp of oil over the top, then create a foil or parchment packet and roast 25-30 minutes until tender and lightly golden brown. Remove from heat.
In the bowl of food processor or a high-powered blender (ie. Vitamix), add the following in order: lemon juice, garlic, tahini, 2 Tbsp oil, spices and zucchini. Blend until smooth. If you are using a blender, you may need to use the tamper.
Add the roasted parsnips and process until smooth. If you prefer a chunkier hummus, pulse to desired texture. Season with additional salt, pepper and lemon juice if preferred. Refrigerate to chill for an hour or two, then enjoy!Notes:*The tahini I buy (in bulk) is really runny, if yours is thicker than a creamy salad dressing, you may need to add an extra drizzle of olive oil.

3Aug2015

Tropical Green Monster Smoothie Bowl

Posted in Breakfast, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Sides and Snacks, Smoothies & Beverages, Vegan, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

Tropical green monster smoothie…transporting me to an island far far away…aka summer vacation in a bowl! This quick recipe is bright and tangy from the pineapple and mango, with a creamy base from the avocado (or banana) and packed with green goodness from the kale.

tropical green smoothie bowl2

I put this bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes and the sides started to get frosty – mmmm. With the summer heat and no air-conditioning, this chilled smoothie bowl makes for a refreshing afternoon snack or a pumped up breakfast with flavor AND nutrition! If you prefer a protein boost, add 1/2 to 1 scoop of your favorite protein (vanilla would be best in this) and blend away 🙂

Tropical Green Monster Smoothie Bowl
Gluten-free, Grain-free, Soy-free, Nut-free, Dairy-free, AIP & Paleo-Friendly, Nightshade free, Egg-free, Refined Sugar-free, Vegan option

Ingredients

1/2 ripe avocado, pit removed (if you want a sweeter smoothie, sub or add 1/2 banana)
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk or coconut water (or other dairy-free milk or orange juice can be substituted for a sweeter drink)
1-2 cups baby kale leaves (or spinach)
1-2 cups baby chard (or spinach or more kale)
1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks
1/2 cup frozen mango chunks

For a protein boost add 1/2-1 scoop of your favorite protein powder

Options For Serving
chopped fruit (I used a chopped fig)
shredded coconut
hemp hearts (not AIP-friendly)

Directions

1. Add ingredients in the order listed above (avocado through mango) to a high powered blender, and blend for 1 minute until smooth. Pour into a bowl, top with chopped fruit, coconut, hemp hearts etc and enjoy!

Serves 1 large or 2 small

tropical green smoothie bowl1