Gluten-Free Archives · Page 5 of 5 · Rachel's Nourishing Kitchen

Creamy Cauli-fredo Sauce! {Paleo, Vegan}

On June 20, 2014

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Dairy-Free, GBOMBS, Gluten-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Paleo, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Fettuccine Alfredo.

If I had to guess, I would bet this dish is one of the most popular and beloved comfort foods of all time.

But with a cup of butter, almost as much heavy cream, and over a cup of cheese in a typical Alfredo sauce recipe, it’s not something many people can enjoy very often, especially if you’re trying to stay away from dairy or just notice that you feel better without it.

If you absolutely love fettuccine Alfredo, my goal isn’t to get you to give it up for good. Instead, I want to introduce you to a new way of preparing a similar dish…one that is a lot healthier but still creamy and comforting!

The main ingredient?

Cauliflower.

Cauliflower in Alfredo sauce?? Wait a minute…how can this possibly taste good?

I have to admit, when I first saw this recipe, I was a bit skeptical…and so was Bill.

I know it sounds kind of absurd…but, trust me, it works!

One of my passions is showing how some of our favorite recipes that might not be so healthy can be flipped to a more nourishing version that is still delicious and kid/family-friendly

My ultimate test for knowing whether I’ve made a successful recipe is to have my husband, Bill, try it.

If something we make doesn’t taste good, he has no qualms saying so.

But if it’s delicious, I usually get an emphatic “oh yeah” or “this is great” (which is a lot coming from him!).

Bill and I were pleasantly surprised by the outcome of this recipe and licked our bowls clean!

Not only does this recipe taste delicious, but it doesn’t use any fancy ingredients and can be whipped up in about 20 minutes.

Ingredients

4 zucchini, spiralized using this awesome gadget! (You could also sub in your favorite gluten-free pasta of choice – we like the Tinkyada brown rice pasta)
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Caulifredo Sauce

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or grass-fed ghee
1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets (here’s how to break apart a head of cauliflower in seconds!)
1 cup water
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 generous pinch of pepper, to taste
juice from 1/2 lemon (about 1.5 tablespoons)

Directions

Sauté the minced garlic in coconut oil or butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Allow to cook for a few minutes, until the garlic is tender and fragrant but not browned.
Add the 1 cup of water to the saucepan, along with the cauliflower florets, and bring the water to a boil. (The water will not cover the cauliflower, but that’s okay.) Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot for 12-15 minutes or until the cauliflower is fork-tender and very soft.
Transfer the entire contents of the saucepan into a blender or food processor, and season with salt and pepper. Add in lemon juice and onion powder. Process until very smooth and creamy, with a texture similar to traditional cream sauce. (Always be careful when blending hot liquids– the steam pressure can blow the lid off your blender!).
Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired, and serve hot. If it seems thick, add more water. If it seems dry, add a liberal drizzle of olive oil.
Place spiralized zucchini in a medium-sized frying pan greased with coconut oil, and stir for 3-4 minutes or until zucchini takes on a cooked pasta texture, sort of wilted and soft. Be careful not to overcook.
Transfer zucchini noodles (AKA “zoodles”) to a plate or bowl and pour sauce on top. Sprinkle this 3-ingredient paleo parmesan cheeze on top and start eating!

Eat Your GBOMBS!…The Top 6 Immune & Health-Boosting Foods

By Rachel Druckenmiller

On January 29, 2014

In Anti-Inflammatory, Detoxifying, GBOMBS, Gluten-Free

As much as we have complicated what it means to eat healthy, some wonderful people have dedicated their lives to come up with ways to simplify it.

During one of my lectures in nutrition school, I learned a simple acronym from Dr. Joel Fuhrman (#1 New York Times bestselling author and board-certified family physician specializing in nutritional medicine) that has stuck with me ever since.

The acronym represents a group of the most nutrient-dense, disease-fighting, immune-boosting, health-promoting foods in the world, foods we should eat a lot of on a daily basis.

I’m going to get a little nerdy here for a second. I had never heard this information before, and it transformed the way I looked at these foods.

Angiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels. Tumors (and fat cells) need blood vessels to grow, replicate and spread.

The foods I’m about to share with you contain compounds called angiogenesis inhibitors. These compounds are designed to prevent the formation of new blood vessels, thereby stopping or slowing the growth or spread of abnormal cells, like tumors, and protecting the body against fat storage.

Certain cancer drugs contain angiogenesis inhibitors, but these compounds also occur naturally in dozens of plants!

The good news? You’re probably already familiar with these foods…but, chances are you aren’t eating enough of them and may not have known just how good for you they are.

Okay, you’ve waited long enough! Ready for the acronym?

G-BOMBS (Greens, Beans, Onions, Mushrooms, Berries, Seeds)

Check out my video series on YouTube about each one. This video sums up the gist of why GBOMBS are so good for us, but I also outline that info below 🙂

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPRwzswfSnw

Let’s break it down.

G = Greens

Sources: spinach, broccoli, cabbage, kale, collard greens, arugula, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, romaine lettuce, Swiss chard, beet greens, red and green leaf lettuce, bok choy…and many others!

Nice to know: Chew them thoroughly (inhaling a salad won’t give you the full effect of the nutrients) to break down the cell walls of these plants in order to release their immune-boosting and anti-cancer effects.

BONUS: Per calorie, leafy green veggies have more nutrients than any other food, and they can be consumed in virtually limitless quantities. If you remember only one thing, remember to eat more leafy greens!

B = Beans

Sources: lentils, kidney beans, black beans, adzuki (aduki) beans, pinto beans, chickpeas, black-eye peas, cannellini beans, navy beans, split peas

Nice to know: It’s super cheap to buy dried beans and cook them yourself. As a time-saving strategy, we usually buy cooked Eden brand beans because they come in BPA-free cans and are prepared with kombu, which is a seaweed that makes the beans easier to digest. Cooking beans with a thumb-size piece of kombu will reduce their not-so-pleasant gassy effects. “Beans! Beans! Good for your heart, the more you eat…” well, you know the rhyme!

O = Onions

Sources: red, yellow, and white onions, shallots, garlic, scallions, leeks

Nice to know: These give food a TON of flavor, so use them liberally (and bring a toothbrush!)! Just like with greens, the disease-fighting compounds are released when we chop, crush, or chew them, so remember to chew them well.

M = Mushrooms

Sources: white, cremini, Portobello, oyster, shiitake, maitake, reishi, trumpet, chanterelle

Nice to know: Raw mushrooms should always be cooked to get rid of the mild toxins they contain. They taste great sauteed, roasted, and mixed into soups, stews and sauces.

B = Berries

Sources: blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, pomegranates

Nice to know: Don’t wash them until you are ready to eat them. Store a piece of paper towel in the container with them to reduce moisture and prevent spoilage. We buy a big bag of organic frozen mixed berries at BJs Wholesale Club for under $10! Berries are one of the most contaminated fruits, so it is best to buy them organic.

S = Seeds (and nuts)

Sources: sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, macadamia nuts, pecans, Brazil nuts, walnuts, almonds

Nice to know: Buying raw nuts and seeds in bulk can save money. Store nuts and seeds in glass jars in your refrigerator or in a consistently cool, dark place. They contain delicate oils that can go bad (rancid) when left out in warm and/or variable temperatures.

The body is amazing. It’s smart. It was innately designed to resist disease and be immune to viruses and bacteria with proper nutrition.

Upgrade your nutrition by adding in one (or more!) GBOMBS at your next meal.

I’ll be posting some of my favorite GBOMBS recipes in another post later this week, so stay tuned!

For more details and references to all of the studies that back up this information, check out this link on Dr. Fuhrman’s website. You could also read one of his books – Eat to Live and Super Immunity. I’ve read both and learned so much from him. These books (and the testimonials of the people in them) could literally transform your life!