italian Archives - Ari's Menu

Spicy Vegan Meatless Sauce

February 1, 2015 · by Ari · 1 Comment

This spicy vegan meatless sauce is packed with flavor and protein, and is a great meat-free option to serve with your favorite pasta. Healthy, gluten-free and flavor-full!

By now we’ve talked in detail about my obsession with Italian food. Especially sauce. Pasta I can take or leave, but there must be a good, flavorful sauce.

I am an equal opportunity eater, so generally I just brown up some ground turkey for my meat sauce, but I am always looking for options for my vegetarian and vegan friends. When Gardein^TM reached out to me about creating a recipe, I was so excited to try something new. And the verdict? It was absolutely delicious. For vegetarians, and non-vegetarians alike!

I have to admit, I have never been great about doing my research about the impact the food we choose has our environment. Did you know that if every American ate meatless just once a week it would be equivalent to half a million cars being taken off the roads each year? That’s crazy to me! In addition, it takes approximately 2500 gallons of water to produce 1 lb of beef whereas it takes only 50 gallons of water for a plant-based meal–this is the equivalent water savings if you didn’t shower for 6 months! I know many people worry about getting protein when going meatless, but Gardein offers 12 grams of protein (hence the name: garden + protein!) for every 1/2 cup of their beefless ground for only 80 calories! Ummm, SCORE!

One taste of this sauce, and you’ll be all about this deliciously meat-free option!

Spicy Vegan Meatless Sauce

Author: Ari Ziskin

Recipe type: Main

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Serves: 4

This spicy vegan meatless sauce is packed with flavor and protein, and a great meat-free option to serve with your favorite pasta. Healthy, gluten-free and flavor-full!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp fresh or dried basil
2 tsp crushed red pepper (more or less depending on desired spiciness)
generous pinch each salt and pepper
2 cups Gardein Beefless Ground

Instructions

In a large pan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until fragrant. Add crushed tomato and spices. When sauce starts to bubble, reduce heat to a simmer. Add the beefless ground and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately.

Here is a great video on Gardein’s #MeetChef campaign!

For more info check out Gardein’s website or follow them on Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | YouTube | Instagram or check out the #MeetChef campaign for a $1 off coupon!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Gardein . The opinions and text are all mine.

Lasagna Baked Chicken

January 4, 2015 · by Ari · 5 Comments

Easy, healthy, cheesy and delicious lasagna baked chicken breast is the perfect dinner to get your new year started off right! All the taste and comfort of lasagna in a healthy chicken entree that comes together before you know it.

If there’s one thing that drives me crazy (okay, there’s probably, like, a zillion…), it’s the idea that healthy eating means you can’t eat your favorite things. Before I was finally successful with my weight loss, I had so many failed attempts because each time I felt like I couldn’t eat anything, and it’s just not true. It’s just about finding ways to make your favorite things fit into your healthy lifestyle, and this chicken does just that!

Lasagna has to be the ultimate comfort food. With melty, gooey cheese and pasta you really can’t go wrong, but I honestly have never felt like pasta even adds much to a dish. It is the vehicle for cheese and sauce. I’m happy just eating cheese and sauce. By themselves. With a spoon. But I guess I should eat protein or something too.

I love stuffing chicken. It’s one of my favorite, easy ways to make my dinner more fun without having to do much. Chicken on its own can quickly become boring and monotonous, but there are so many fun varieties and flavor combinations you can use to dress it up a little. I just made my favorite lasagna filling, butterflied the chicken, stuffed that cheesy goodness inside, then baked it. Finish it off with a little mozzarella, stick it under the broiler to get brown and bubbly, and top it off with your favorite marinara sauce. Mine came from a bottle because, like I said, I am a totally lazy cook.

The result was total cheesy dreaminess, and I literally haven’t stopped thinking about it since.

Lasagna Baked Chicken

Author: Ari Ziskin

Recipe type: Entree

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 40

Ingredients

4 large chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup part skim ricotta cheese
½ cup nonfat cottage cheese
1 teaspoon dried or finely chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon dried or finely chopped fresh basil
1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella
1 cup marinara sauce (or more if desired)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Season both sides of each chicken breast with salt and pepper. Butterfly each chicken breast then set aside.
To make the filling, combine ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, oregano and basil in a medium bowl. Fill the center of each chicken breast with cheese mixture and fold the top half of the chicken back over on top. Make sure chicken can fold back over completely, and that cheese isn't spilling out. Depending on the size of your chicken breasts, you may have some cheese mixture left over.
Carefully place filled chicken breasts in a large, rimmed baking dish and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Bake until chicken is completely cooked and juices run clear. This will vary depending on thickness, but I usually start to check around 20 minutes. You do not want to over cook them.
Top with mozzarella cheese and broil until cheese is bubbly, about 2 minutes. Watch closely--it can burn quickly. Plate and top with marinara sauce. Serve immediately. Leftovers may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

September 29, 2013 · by Ari · 51 Comments

All the flavor and comfort of hearty lasagna in a healthy, gluten-free spaghetti squash dish that will have everyone asking for seconds! Looking for more spaghetti squash recipes? I have lots!

Today Mean Green and I had our first fight. We’ll call it the new stop sign’s fault, but Steve stopped short, I ran into his bike and flew off mine. Luckily I didn’t slide so I just walked away with some bruises, and Mean Green is a tough cookie–she barely got scraped! It was scary, but it had to happen sometime, and I’m glad it happened when the street wasn’t busy (ummm I ended up in the middle of it laying on the ground–traffic could have been a very bad thing), and when my husband was there to pick me back up.

In other exciting and much happier news, I attended and spoke at Blended Conference this weekend! It was a total blast, and I learned a TON! Maureen gave a great presentation on the business of blogging. Christine gave an incredible presentation (literally so.much.information) on Pinterest. Kimberley gave an awesome presentation on building an Instagram community. Nicole and I spoke again on video blogging (to a truly incredible response!), then there were break out discussions, and the day ended with a panel led by Wendy, Nicole, Christine and me on food photography/how to get exposure on sights such as Foodgawker and Tastespotting. I also finally got to meet Stephanie who I’ve known through our blogs and her gooooorgeous food for quite a while now. It was a whirlwind, but I had a really amazing time! Wendy & Wendy did an incredible job putting everything together!

So that was my eventful weekend. After all of that, I just kind of feel like doing absolutely nothing except for lounging on the couch watching Orange is the New Black (just started it, and I, like, REALLY love it!), and eating comfort food. Fall and winter are all about comfort foods for me, and comfort food always includes cheese. Duh.

I always thought lasagna was super intimidating, but my bestie and college roommate Heather taught me how to make it, and I used a lightened up version of her recipe for years. It’s simple, easy, great to freeze in bulk and always a hit. I wanted to change it up a little bit, and I was looking for a new way to use my beloved spaghetti squash, so I stuffed it with lasagna filling. Seriously people, I don’t know why I ever bothered with real noodles.

Between the spicy turkey sausage, the bold meat sauce, creamy ricotta cheese, and brown and bubbly (yes, it went back in the oven for extra love half way through the shoot) mozzarella cheese, I promise you don’t miss the noodles at all. In fact, I prefer the spaghetti squash texture, and I love getting a huge serving of veggies without having to cook them up as a side dish. You guys will love this new twist on lasagna–all the bold flavors you love while eating comfort food you can feel good about eating!

Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Serving Size: 1 squash half

Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Hearty, comforting lasagna in a light, satisfying and veggie-packed dinner.

Ingredients

2 medium spaghetti squash
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
20 oz 99% lean ground turkey breast (you can also use the 93-94% or 96% lean ground beef)
1/4 lb chicken or turkey sausage, sliced
1 lb can crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons dried or finely chopped fresh oregano, divided
2 teaspoons dried or finely chopped fresh basil, divided
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup nonfat cottage cheese
1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400. Slice spaghetti squash length wise and scrape out the seeds. Rub 1/4 tbsp olive oil into each squash half and season with salt and pepper. Place each spaghetti squash half face down in a large baking dish and bake for 40-60 min. When squash is done, middle will be tender and pull apart easily.
In a large pan, sautee onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until fragrant. Add ground turkey. Season with a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook until browned. Add sausage, crushed tomato and 1 teaspoon each basil and oregano. When sauce starts to bubble, reduce heat to a simmer until thickened (about 3-4 minutes).
Meanwhile, combine ricotta and cottage cheese in a medium bowl. Season with 1 teaspoon each basil and oregano. Add a pinch each of salt and pepper. Lightly mix until combined.
When spaghetti squash is fully cooked, flip in the baking dish so that it is now skin side down. Evenly divide ricotta mixture between each squash half. Repeat with meat sauce. Top each half with 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese.
Turn oven to broil, and cook for an other 2 minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbling. This happens very quickly–make sure to watch closely, otherwise it can burn easily. Serve immediately. Leftovers may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week.

Notes

The sauce is very forgiving. Add/subtract whatever spices you like to get your desired flavor. I used a spicy (pre-cooked) chicken sausage, but you can use whatever flavor you like.

http://www.arismenu.com/lasagna-stuffed-spaghetti-squash/

Ricotta Pesto

August 15, 2013 · by Ari · 13 Comments

Ever since I was little and my dad used to take me out for Italian food a minimum of two nights per week, I have been obsessed with pesto sauce. Sure, during my teens and early 20’s I was always ordering whatever came with alfredo sauce, but my dad’s a real good sharer, and he would always give me a little plate of his pesto sauce. I considered this the “healthy” sauce because it was green and there was no cream.

Well, pesto sauce although loaded with healthy fats from the olive oil and pine nuts, is still incredibly calorie dense. Especially if you’re me and you like a side of pasta with your sauce. It’s funny that adding extra cheese actually makes this sauce lower in calories and fat. I can’t argue that it’s necessarily “healthier” than traditional pesto, but it makes me feel a little better about the whole thing. 😉

Not to mention it is ridiculously good. In fact, I think I even like it more than a traditional pesto. The ricotta cheese makes it thick and creamy–perfect for lasagna, calzones or pizza (coming soon…). It’s great with pasta too, or just as a dipping sauce for veggies. Or, you know, a spoon. It’s ridiculously easy to make and comes together in about 3 minutes flat. Yes, 3 minutes. Of course depending on how quick and nimble your food processor is, but it makes creating a dish with it a total breeze!

Ricotta Pesto

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Yield: approx 1 cup

Ricotta Pesto

Ingredients

2 cups packed fresh basil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup low fat (or part skim) ricotta cheese
1/3 cup olive oil

Instructions

Place basil, garlic, pine nuts, and cheeses in food processor and blend. Slowly, stream in olive oil until everything comes together to form a thick sauce. If sauce is too thick for your taste, stream in a little more olive oil. Store in an airtight container for 3-5 days.

Notes

Lightly adapted from Rachael Ray

http://www.arismenu.com/ricotta-pesto/

“Spaghetti” & Meatballs {gluten-free}

April 29, 2013 · by Ari · 19 Comments

So, we all know by now that I have a slight obsession with spaghetti squash. The truth is, I probably won’t give it up until I have created every noodle-y dish known to man using this fabulous vegetable. And even then, I will probably go back to the beginning and make them all again, because it just never.gets.old.

I was raised on Italian food. My dad doesn’t cook and he loves pasta, so it was normal for us to go out to fancy Italian dinners multiple nights per week. Sure, there are some healthy options when you go to an Italian restaurant, but let’s be honest–we really want pasta. All of the pasta. And then more pasta.

Well, you guys know I AM ALL ABOUT THE SAUCE. Pasta is a vehicle. A mostly tasteless way to get to some alfredo sauce or spicy marinara. Or pesto. Or…MEATBALLS.

Honestly, when you have huge delicious meatballs, do you even need spaghetti??? Well, I like a side of spaghetti with my meatballs. A nice side of spaghetti squash to hold onto some sauce, give me some texture, and fill out the rest of my bowl because, let’s be honest, I am always looking for the maximum amount of food possible, and veggies are the way to get there. Bonus points for them being better than “real” pasta.

OMG and can we talk about these meatballs???? They are ridiculous. I’d actually never made meatballs before, but I went with a combination of spicy turkey sausage and lean ground turkey. I added some chopped garlic, some onions to keep them juicy, and some oats to help keep them together. Fun fact–did you know you can sub oats for breadcrumbs in recipes like meatballs and meatloaf? I always do, and it always comes out great!

Sometimes using lean turkey can cause dishes to come out dry, but between the turkey sausage and the onions (my friend Kristi gave me the onion tip!), these meatballs were perfectly juicy and tender.

“Spaghetti” & Meatballs

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Yield: 6-8 servings

The classic comfort of spaghetti and meatballs with a lightened up, gluten-free and grain-free twist. Served with spicy Italian meatballs and spicy marinara sauce.

Ingredients

For the spaghetti squash:

1 large spaghetti squash, halved
2 tsp olive oil
pinch each salt and pepper

For the meatballs:

1 lb lean ground turkey (93% or higher)
1 lb spicy turkey sausage
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 egg. lightly beaten
1/2 cup oats (use gluten-free if that's important to you)
1 tsp Italian seasonings (preferably homemade)
small pinch cayenne pepper

For the sauce:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp Italian seasonings
2 tsp crushed red pepper (more or less depending on desired spiciness)
pinch each salt and pepper
freshly grated parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

Instructions

To make the spaghetti squash, preheat oven to 400. Scrape the seeds and stringy center from the spaghetti squash. Drizzle each half with 1 tsp olive oil. Use your fingers to rub oil into squash. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lay each half face down in a large baking dish and cook until tender, about an hour.
To make the meatballs, place a wire rack inside a large cookie sheet. Spray with nonstick spray. Set aside. In a large bowl, gently combine all your meatball ingredients.. Do not over mix, just combine. Roll into approx 2" balls (or however large or small you like them). Transfer to prepared wire baking sheet. Bake at 400 (you can throw them in at the same time as your squash!) until cooked throughout, about 25 minutes.
To make the sauce sauté onion and garlic in 1 tbs olive oil over medium heat until fragrant, about 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add crushed tomato and remaining spices. When sauce starts to bubble, reduce heat to a simmer until thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
To plate, scrape the insides of the spaghetti squash. The squash when fully cooked will come out easily in spaghetti-like noodles. Top with sauce and add meatballs. Serve immediately. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

http://www.arismenu.com/spaghetti-meatballs-gluten-free/

Looking for more spaghetti squash recipes?

“Spaghetti” & Spicy Meat Sauce

Spaghetti Squash Boats

Skinnified “Fettucine” Alfredo

Noodleless Chicken “Pad” Thai

Spaghetti Squash Boats

December 27, 2012 · by Ari · 21 Comments

Warm, comforting and cheesy spaghetti squash boats give you all the flavor of spaghetti and meat sauce, in a healthy spaghetti squash topped with melty mozzarella cheese.

I have a confession. I kind of secretly dislike all of those “Get Back On Track After The Holidays” posts that go up. I know, I know…. And the thing is, I know that the best way to get back to feeling great after a period of eating less than great is to fill up on good healthy food and remind myself that contrary to recent events, I do actually love vegetables.

It just seems so….cliche. However, I know there’s always this big “problem” of WHAT DO WE EAT BETWEEN CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEARS??? Family is in town, you’re sick of leftovers, and every restaurant in town seems to have a two hour wait.

*Insert mandatory cliche about how this dish will help you stay healthy during the holidays*

Okay, but seriously, how can your family not enjoy these super cute spaghetti squash boats??? Everyone gets their own individual “boat”, and it looks so much fancier than it actually is! In fact, the only real time spent on this recipe is the time it takes to roast the squash. Then you just whip up a quick meat sauce, and you’re good to go! That leaves you with less time in the kitchen, and more time to relax and spend time with the people in your life.

Ever since I discovered spaghetti squash, I almost never go back to real pasta. It’s probably my favorite discovery in healthy cooking. I mean let’s be real here, we eat pasta to get to the sauce. No one orders plain spaghetti with no sauce. The pasta is merely the vehicle, and this squash is, in my opinion, a MORE delicious vehicle. It may not take the place of a gnocchi or ravioli, but when it comes to noodles, I find it more delicious, and as someone who loves to eat, I love the fact that I can load my plate up and still feel great afterwards! It’s the perfect way to sneak in veggies.

I used a spicy meat sauce, although you could use regular if you don’t like spicy, and loaded it up into each squash, then topped each boat with a little mozzarella cheese that I broiled until brown and crispy–just how I like my cheese! I served it up to a group of friends, and there was not a single bite left at the end of the evening. If you’re on the fence about the pasta swap, trust me, this is the way to try it!

Spaghetti Squash Boats

Author: Ari Ziskin

Recipe type: Entree

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 60 mins

Total time: 1 hour 10 mins

Serves: 4

Warm, comforting and cheesy spaghetti squash boats give you all the flavor of spaghetti and meat sauce, in a healthy spaghetti squash topped with melty mozzarella cheese.

Ingredients

2 medium spaghetti squash
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
20 oz 99% lean ground turkey breast (you can also use the 93-94% or 96% lean ground beef)
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon fresh or dried basil
2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (more or less depending on desired spiciness), optional
1 cup freshly grated part skim mozzarella cheese (you can use pre-grated if necessary)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400. Slice spaghetti squash length wise and scrape out the seeds. Rub ¼ tablespoon olive oil into squash half and season with salt and pepper. Place spaghetti squash face down in a large baking dish and bake for 40-60 min. When squash is done, middle will be tender and pull apart easily.
In a large pan, sautee onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until fragrant. Add ground turkey. Season with salt and pepper and cook until browned. Add crushed tomato and remaining spices. When sauce starts to bubble, reduce heat to a simmer until thickened (about 3-4 minutes).
When spaghetti squash is fully cooked, flip in the baking dish so that it is now skin side down. Evenly divide sauce between each squash half. Top each "boat" with ¼ cup cheese. Turn oven to broil, and cook for an other 2 minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbling. This happens very quickly--make sure to watch closely, otherwise it can burn easily.

Spicy “Spaghetti” & Meat Sauce

November 13, 2012 · by Ari · 7 Comments

Have you ever met those people that say they don’t like spicy food? I don’t understand them. Maybe it’s because I live in Arizona, and Mexican restaurants are more prominent than Starbucks.

Or maybe it’s because I’m one of those people who needs food with a LOT of flavor. I have friends that like their food plain as can be. No sauces, no condiments. I just don’t get it! I’m that person in the kitchen grabbing every spice off the rack, and then still adding more once I plate my food. I love bold flavors, and I’m easily bored by foods other people seem to love.

Like mozzarella sticks. I just don’t get it. They just taste like frying oil and cheese, and while I love cheese, I think mozzarella (unless you buy the really good stuff) is pretty boring. Now a fried goat cheese stick would be an other story. Or bleu cheese. mmmmmm. I know most people hate bleu cheese, but it is the most flavorful cheese! Strong, bold and delicious–just the way I like it!

Okay, but back to this “spaghetti”. Let me tell you, I freaking LOVE spaghetti squash. It’s bordering on an obsession. Every time I think “I need to carb load, I’ll make pasta” the next thought that comes to mind is “OOOHH! I’ll use spaghetti squash!” Then I realize that kind of defeats the purpose. The thing is, pasta is really just a vehicle to get to sauce. You don’t really taste the pasta and think “MMMM this spaghetti is delicious and full of flavor! I could eat it by itself!” We just need something to get us to the sauce, like how you eat a carrot to get to the hummus! Spaghetti squash is the perfect vehicle, and cuts down the calories exponentially!

Honestly, if you’re on the fence, I dare you to try it. I promise you will never look back! Here, my favorite pasta vehicle takes you to a perfectly zesty and spicy meat sauce. I would choose this over an Italian restaurant any day of the week. I always leave pasta dinners feeling overly full or just kind of disappointed. This dinner is so filling and satisfying while still leaving you feeling awesome! And, it’s just lean protein and veggies, so it’s a great excuse to eat some garlic bread, or have dessert after 😉

Spicy “Spaghetti” & Meat Sauce

yield 4-6 servings

1 large spaghetti squash
1 1/2 tbs olive oil, divided
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
20 oz 99% lean ground turkey breast (you can also use the 93-94% or 96% lean ground beef)
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp fresh or dried basil
2 tsp crushed red pepper (more or less depending on desired spiciness)
salt and pepper
freshly grated parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Slice spaghetti squash length wise and scrape out the seeds. Rub 1/2 tbs olive oil into squash and season with salt and pepper. Place spaghetti squash face down in a large baking dish and bake for approx 1 hour. Check at 40 minutes. When squash is done, middle will be tender and pull apart easily.
In a large pan, sautee onion and garlic in 1 tbs olive oil over medium heat until fragrant. Add ground turkey. Season with salt and pepper and cook until browned. Add crushed tomato and remaining spices. When sauce starts to bubble, reduce heat to a simmer until thickened (about 3-4 minutes).
When spaghetti squash is fully cooked, scrape out insides with a fork and serve topped with spicy meat sauce and parmesan cheese.

Gluten Free Cannoli Bars

July 18, 2012 · by Ari · 20 Comments

When I was a little girl, my dad and I would always eat cannolis at the pizzeria near our house. I love cheese. I love dessert. Cheese + dessert? Done.

I remember one time the pizza place ran out of shells, and I didn’t even care, because honestly, I just love the filling. I used to scrape all of the filling out and leave the shell behind, like weird people do with oreo cookies. That I don’t get. The cookie part of the oreo is the best!! I wish they made them with no cream. Just cookie. And cannolis with no shell. Wait, I made that last thing 😉

All of the delicious flavors of this decadent Italian treat, on top of a brown sugar and oats crust that beats any flavorless deep fried shell I’ve ever tasted. Plus, I love things in bar form. Cheesecake, cookies, you name it.

Also, can we just talk about ricotta cheese for a second? Why is it so freaking good? I could seriously eat it out of the tub with a spoon, ~~and I have~~. Don’t judge me. I’ve eaten a lot of cheese by itself in my day. Chomped on a block of sharp cheddar, ricotta by the spoonful, it may or may not have been kind of a…problem…

These bars however, are the perfect dessert solution to that problem. That’s me, a super awesome problem solver. Figuring out ways to eat lots of cheese, and not feeling guilty about it always and forever. As Terra would say, you’re welcome the world.

Gluten Free Cannoli Bars

yield approx 3 dozen bars

2 cups gluten free oats
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup + 2 tbs light whipped butter, melted
1 tsp cinnamon
40 oz part skim ricotta cheese
4 oz light whipped cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup mini dark chocolate chips
crushed pistachios for topping (about 2 tbs)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray, and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, melted butter and cinnamon. Press into the bottom of 9×13 pan, and bake for approx 25 minutes until golden. Set on a wire rack to cool
In a large bowl, combine ricotta, cream cheese, and powdered sugar. Fold in chocolate chips. Spread ricotta mixture onto completely cooled crust, and sprinkle with crust pistachios. Let set for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.

Skinnified Sunday: “Fettuccine” Alfredo

April 29, 2012 · by Ari · 20 Comments

My family loves Italian food. In fact, our birthday celebration of choice happens every year at Avanti–the best Italian restaurant in Phoenix, in my humble opinion. They have a 3 way pasta combination that is ridiculous. There is always a set 3 things on it, but they always let us modify it and order it however we want. My pasta plate of choice: gnocchi cardinale, angel hair fried diablo, and of course fettuccine alfredo. Their alfredo sauce is thick, creamy and buttery. It sticks to the fettuccine perfectly so in every bite you get maximum sauce, and a little bit of heaven.

There are some things I just don’t eat these days, regardless of the occasion. And I’m not saying you shouldn’t. I’m just saying, for me, it doesn’t seem worth it. But you know what does seem worth it? Recreating my own that is just as delicious (seriously!) with a fraction of the calories.

Okay, seriously. I did not expect my first go at this to be a success. I kept tasting the sauce as I was cooking and shouting to Steve “Oh my gosh!!! It tastes like alfredo sauce!!!!!”

“Isn’t that the point?” He didn’t seem to get my amazement that it actually worked. I made legit tasting fettuccine alfredo. My days of drooling over creamy alfredo sauce are back my friends and they don’t leave me feeling the gross heaviness in my stomach!

Also, did I mention it’s gluten free? Carolyn, wanna come over for dinner?

Skinnified “Fettuccine” Alfredo’

yield 4 servings

1 large spaghetti squash, split lengthwise and seeded
2 tsp olive oil
3-4 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2-1 tbs light whipped butter
8 oz reduced fat cream cheese
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/3 cup white wine (optional, otherwise sub more almond milk)
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt & pepper to taste
fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Drizzle the center of each half of split and seeded spaghetti squash with 1 tsp olive oil. Using your fingers, rub oil evenly into squash. Season with salt and pepper.
Place spaghetti squash in a large baking dish center down, and bake for 1 hour.
About 40 minutes into baking, begin your sauce. Place minced garlic and butter in a large pan with fairly high edges over medium heat. Cook for 3 minutes until garlic is fragrant. Add cream cheese, milk, wine, and parmesan cheese. Using a whisk, stir constantly. Add salt and pepper.
When spaghetti squash is finished (center should be tender and come apart when scraped lightly with a fork), use a fork to scrape out the insides. They will come out looking just like spaghetti.
Make sure all sauce ingredients are thoroughly combined, and transfer the squash “noodles” to your sauce. Use cooking tongs to toss and coat squash thoroughly.
When thoroughly combined, serve and top with fresh parsley.