Healthy Protein fettuccine Alfredo with Vegan option

I was too tired to snap a perfect picture. Hormones are on fleek right now and its not a picnic, but I know eating healthy will help. But the Bitch inside wants comfort food. Good thing I have tricks up my sleeve and I can feed both the Bitch and the Angel that wants to stay true to her goals. Enter healthy alfredo.

I know what you are thinking but you are wrong. This IS just as creamy and rich as the regular dairy filled version. The original saturated fat version makes me feel gross. Bloated, tired and miserable. I am all about eating yummy good food, but I don't want depression afterward. Been there, no thanks. So this is my solution and it works like a charm. I feel like I just indulged on the best comfort food all while sticking to my goals. Nothing is better than that! So let me share with you the EASY way to make it.

First thing I use is Banza noodles instead of store bought fettuccine. I choose Banza because per serving they have 25 grams of protein, 13 grams of fiber, and 40% fewer net carbs than traditional pasta. And they taste like the real deal. My entire family loves them and no this isn't a paid ad. This is me saying there are REALLY healthy options out there for you that require very little lifestyle change. Ditch the noodles that have virtually no nutritional value for ones that are FULL of protein and nutrients. Chickpea pasta is a healthy choice for people to trying to lose weight, diabetics, or anyone who loves pasta. Its the small steps that add up. 

I doubled this recipe because that is how I meal prep. Every time I make a dinner I double it. Sometimes triple it, and put it in individual servings in containers. It is like having a healthy lean cuisine that is actually whole foods. It is fantastic if you have fitness goals because if food is prepared and ready, you tend to not waste money and calories on C.R.A.P. 

Carbonated Drinks
Refined Sugar
Artificial Flavorings & Alcohol
Processed Foods

We don't need those in our life. Your body is begging you to give it the good stuff! So when I get a hankering for olive garden, I do this instead. Give it a try!

Healthy Protein fettuccine Alfredo

1 1/2 cups sweet onion, diced

1-2 cups low sodium vegetable broth if vegan, chicken broth if you aren't, divided
1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 x-large minced garlic cloves
1/2 heaping cup raw unsalted cashews (soaked for at least 4 hours for creamier result)

1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
2-4 tablespoons nutritional yeast if you want vegan and dairy free, parmesan cheese if ya don't care.

I package Banza protein linguine noodles



Add the onion and 1 cup of the broth to a large pan over medium heat. Cook for about 8 minutes until the onion is very tender. Next, add the garlic and cook a couple of minutes more, stirring often. All of the broth should have evaporated by now. If not, keep letting it cook until the broth is gone. You don't want any more liquid once it's done cooking, so the end result is thick and creamy.


Add the cooked onion and garlic to a blender. Start out by adding JUST 1/2 cup more of the remaining broth and add the remaining ingredients (salt, pepper, cashews, starting with JUST 1 tablespoon lemon juice, nutritional yeast-starting with just 2 tablespoons yeast). Blend on high for a couple of minutes until very creamy and smooth. Taste and add any more salt & pepper if desired.

Cook your noodles according to package directions. Top with sauce. You can also add chicken or any protein or veggies of choice. For an easy chicken alfredo get a rotisserie chicken at your local grocery.

Greek Pasta Salad

Who doesn't like pasta? I love it, but traditional pasta doesn't love me. Makes me bloat and adds little to NO nutritional value. I am all about making every ingredient count, that is why I was so stoked to find Cauliflower pasta that indeed was HEALTHY!

Only 3 ingredients:

Cauliflower - Which is full of fiber, plant-based protein, and vitamins including vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, and omega-3s, but it is low in carbs, sodium, and sugar as well.

Lentils - Packed with energy-sustaining plant-based proteins, lentils are a great source of folate and magnesium, which contribute to heart health and lower cholesterol. They are also full of dietary fiber, which helps with digestion and stabilizes blood sugar, in addition to being low in calories and fat.

Peas - A great source of vitamin A which aids in eye health. They contain high levels of iron, fiber, and plant-based protein in addition to being low carb. Peas are also rich in antioxidants and maintain a low glycemic index, which controls blood sugar levels. 

That is it. That's ALL that is in this pasta. 

It is

High Protein

Gluten-Free

Non-GMO

Dairy Free

Vegan ( although this recipe has cheese you can easily sub for nut cheese)

SO EAT UP! 

Get your Cauliflower High Protein Healthy Pasta Here

I have been craving all things Greek lately, so I decided to whip up a Greek Penne Pasta that is FULL of Veggies, and FANTASTIC for Summer days at the Beach, Park, etc... perfect for my adventurous life! This Greek pasta salad is a light and fresh combination of colorful veggies, olives, and feta cheese.

Try it and let me know what you think!

Healthy Greek Pasta Salad
Makes 4 Servings 

8 ounces dry Penne pasta
1 1/2 cups cucumber diced
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
1/4 cup red onion minced
1 green bell pepper diced
1/3 cup kalamata olives
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese plus more for garnish
1/4 cup chopped parsley plus more for garnish
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions. Strain.

Place the cucumbers, tomatoes, pepper, red onion, olives, parsley and feta cheese in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Add the pasta to the bowl with the vegetables.

Pour the dressing over the top and toss to coat thoroughly. Serve, sprinkled with more parsley and feta cheese if desired.

Healthier Mac and Cheese (vegan options)

So we found this great Quinoa pasta at Costco that is non-gmo and organic and the ingredients are: Quinoa. 

Pretty amazing! So we gave it a shot.. and the verdict was... YUM! HIGHLY recommend. 

So instead of making it horribly unhealthy and smothered in cheese, cream and butter. I decided to make a healthier sauce, made from nutritional yeast and almond milk. 

Guys it was divine. 

I do add parmesan cheese to the top, because I love it and it is all about balance. 

Roasted chicken on top is good too. Here is the recipe for the macaroni. 

Enjoy!

Healthier Mac and Cheese

1 head roasted garlic
12 ounces quinoa elbow macaroni (they are gluten free and yummy)
4 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp potato starch (you can also use potatoes instead)
2 cups unsweetened plain almond milk, plus more as needed
Sea salt and pepper to taste
5 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (if Vegan use Vegan parm substitute)

Bring roughly 10 cups water to a boil in a large pot and salt with pink himalayan sea salt  generously. Once boiling, add pasta and stir to prevent noodles from sticking. Cook according to package instructions . Once fully cooked, drain and set aside.

Sauce time! Heat a large, oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil and minced fresh garlic. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until light golden brown. Immediately add potato starch and whisk - cook for 1 minute.

Slowly add almond milk while whisking, then cook for 2 minutes over medium heat, whisking constantly.
Add roasted garlic. To extract garlic, simply push up from the base and the softened cloves should come right out.

Add cooked, drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Then top with parmesan cheese.

Optional: Heat oven to high broil and position a rack at the top of the oven. Broil pasta on high for 1-2 minutes (optional), or until golden brown (see photo). Watch closely as it can burn quickly.
Serve immediately. I love topping mine with an extra pinch of vegan parmesan cheese - I can never get enough of that stuff.
Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, though best when fresh. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop - add extra almond milk if it's dry.

Optional: Top with roasted chicken. 

Clean Vegan Thai Ramen

The time has come again for me to do my 3 day cleanse. When I first did the cleanse it was much harder for me. Now it is so easy. I actually feel too full to finish my daily food portions. I love it because you get to eat real food. 

My choice of living consists of this: 

21 days of clean eating. It includes yummy desserts and foods I love. Then I go off clean eating for 4 days. I plan those days as my ladies nights, date nights, etc... I have cocktails and eat pretty much what I want, within reason. Then I start a 3 day cleanse to get out all the crap I put in the last 4 days. Then I start over. I love this lifestyle. I have a date that I know I will get to splurge and have fun, and I have a safe way to remove the sugars from my body. Being a Cancer survivor I am SO BLESSED to have found this product that allows me a little fun! 

My husband only cleanses about twice a year, and he struggles. He is a big eater and because of that, the cleanse is needed from time to time. So this time I was prepared with some of his favorite flavors. We are halfway done and he is feeling great. We had this for dinner last night and he at it also for lunch. It contains the veggies needed and your healthy fat. Totally cleanse safe and clean eating. We loved it and I would eat it on or off the cleanse any day of the week!

If you are interested in trying out this 3 day no exercise cleanse, email me and I will send you over all the info. It is Vegan, Organic, Non-gmo, whole food cleanse. 

The secret is in the red curry paste. 

Ingredients in it are: Red Chili, Garlic, Lemongrass, Galangal (Thai Ginger), Salt, Onion, Kaffir Lime, Coriander, and Pepper.

 It is only 20 calories per serving and 100% cleanse safe! I do sometimes make my own, but since the kids have all moved out, this is SO much easier.

Thai Ramen

Serves 4

1 4oz jar thai kitchen red curry paste

1 13.66 ounce can of thai kitchen organic coconut milk

2 cups vegetable broth

2 Zucchini 

1 Tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

Mixed veggies of choice, I used:

1 onion (sliced)

2 carrots (sliced)

10 mushrooms (sliced)

2 green peppers

Combine one 4 ounce jar of Thai Kitchen red curry paste with one can of thai kitchen organic coconut milk and 2 cups of vegetable broth and bring to a boil.

While bringing to a boil use your zoodle maker to make noodles out of your zucchini. These are very affordable tools you use to make noodles and I recommend every kitchen has one! This is what makes your clean yummy cleanse safe noodles! I peel my zucchini first, but you don't have to. 

Once your broth is at a boil, add your salt and chopped veggies (NOT THE ZOODLES!)

Bring back to a boil and stir constantly cooking for 5 minutes. 

Add in your zoodles for 30 seconds (just enough to heat the noodles) then divide between 4 bowls and serve immediately!!!

Salt and pepper to taste

Clean Garden Breakfast

Today is the last day of my November clean eating 7 day crockpot challenge. 

It went so well! It was so successful we are doing another! Do you want to join it? 

It starts December 1st and will have a FREE shopping list, FREE recipes, FREE menu plan, and FREE support from a fitness and nutrition coach (me!). 

Simply click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/693383594092028/  and ask to join! 

Here is one of the breakfasts from the challenge! The dinners are done in the crockpot. 

This is super easy, healthy, and fast!

Clean Garden Breakfast

1 Avocado, sliced.

1 tomato, sliced

4 eggs

1 cup spinach, chopped

1/2 cup sweet onion chopped

2 slices gluten free bread - toasted

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp olive oil cooking spray

Spray your pan with olive oil and heat the pan over medium heat. Whisk the eggs. Add your chopped onions to the pan and stir until fragrant. Pour in your eggs and spinach. Salt and pepper to taste. While eggs are cooking toast your bread.

Top your toasted bread with sliced avocado. Salt and pepper the avocado. Top with the eggs mixture and fresh cut tomatoes. 

A yummy healthy breakfast. For more join my upcoming challenges!

Read about my upcoming challenges HERE! 

Super Simple Gluten-Free Pad Thai

Have you tried the new certified Gluten-Free Thai Peanut Sauce from San-J? I was blessed to receive it from San-J in exchange for my opinion on the product. I did not get paid to write this article. The views are my own. I actually don't accept many products any more. I prefer to do things myself to make sure I have quality ingredients in my body. That is what I love about San-J. They care about the ingredients they use. You can recognize all ingredients that are on this high quality glass bottle. Another selling point because I am not a fan of plastic and the possible hazards that leak into our food. 

Use this Gluten-Free Thai Peanut Sauce when you are in a time crunch. It is perfect for adding a tasty Thai touch to any meal. They did the work for you, and it is good work! Using this sauce I was able to make this simple pad thai from start to finish in 15 minutes.

Super Simple Gluten-Free Pad Thai

by Christi Silbaugh

14 ounces rice noodles

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 lb Chicken Breast, sliced thin diagonally

3/4 cup Gluten-Free Thai Peanut Sauce, divided

5 oz. can of water chestnuts, rinsed and drained

5 oz. can of bamboo shoots, rinsed and drained

4 green onions, sliced

4 Tbsp crushed peanuts for topping

1. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Remove from heat. Add rice noodles; let stand for 8-10 minutes or until noodles are soft but firm. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside. 

2. In a large bowl add sliced chicken and 1/4 cup of the Gluten-Free Thai Peanut Sauce. Stir well to coat. 

3. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add sesame oil, and coated chicken. Cook until cooked through. Time will vary depending on how thick you cut your chicken. Mine took 5 minutes. 

4. Top with bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, and remaining sauce. 

Serve over rice noodles top with green onions and crushed peanuts. 

Raw Vegan Caprese

I was recently blessed to receive a Veggetti™ Spiral Vegetable Cutter in exchange for my opinion on the product. This cute little Veggetti™ Spiral Vegetable Cutter turns veggies into good-for-you spaghetti or fettuccine with just the twist of your wrists.

My first comment to my husband, was how handy this will be to have on our sailboat, or camping. No need for huge equipment or electricity. With just a few minutes I was able to have a large bowl of healthy raw veggie pasta.  The Veggetti™ Spiral Vegetable Cutter is very easy to use, anyone can learn to use it quickly and safely. I recommend it!

I had 3 people for lunch today, so I thought I would give this tool a whirl. My husband popped in from work to fill his tummy, and a friend stopped by to catch up on her lunch break. So I went to what was fresh and ready for eating. This took me 5 minutes to make and less time to gobble it up. We all loved it. Don't be afraid of healthy food! Make this!

Raw Vegan Caprese
by Christi Silbaugh

3 Zucchini
2 tomatoes
1 Avocado
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
garlic salt

Peel your zucchini. Then place it in the thick side of your Veggetti™ Spiral Vegetable Cutter. Twist until all the zucchini is used. Place zucchini noodles in a large bowl. 

Dice you Tomato and Avocado, add them to the zucchini noodles. Add balsamic and toss to coat. Season with garlic salt to your liking. Serve cold. 

Chicken Sausage Tagliatelle

This past week I had the honor of sampling Jovial Foods gluten-free Tagliatelle pasta. 

What a treat! Even if I was not eating gluten-free, I would want to buy their pasta instead of the nasty enriched pasta sold at the market. 

Jovial™ gluten free products were developed in Italy, out of a heartfelt compassion for all of us who have had a food intolerance critically effect personal health and wellness. Jovial believes eating gluten free should be pleasurable and not feel like a sacrifice. 

When I saw this pasta, I thought; "oh boy, this is gonna be a comfort food night!". 

I got busy. Walked to Jimbo's for the finest produce and some spicy free range chicken sausage. Thanks to my herb garden I had plenty of fresh basil. 

This dish came together effortlessly and disappeared fast. Boy was I right about comfort food. This pasta is so decadent. I love it! So go ahead. Enjoy pasta again! 

You can get jovial pasta here and at a lot of health food stores, like Jimbo's, whole foods, vitacost etc.

Gluten-Free Chicken Sausage Tagliatelle

by Christi Silbaugh

1 9oz. box of Jovial Foods gluten-free Tagliatelle pasta

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 lb. spicy chicken sausage, casing removed

1 tsp garlic, chopped

1 tomato

1/2 cup chopped basil

1 cup parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Boil and drain your pasta according to package directions.

Chop up your tomato, garlic, and basil.

Heat a skillet over medium heat, and add olive oil, garlic, and your chicken sausage. Cook until sausage is browned and cooked through. 

In a large bowl add noodles, cooked sausage with drippings, tomato, basil, and parmesan cheese. 

Toss to distribute ingredients evenly throughout pasta. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve and eat! Great hot or cold. 

Healthy Chicken Linguine Alfredo

 

You know how you just have something you love, and even though it is really bad for you, you eat it anyway? Well, I have stopped doing that. I still may have some high fat recipes on my high calorie days, but I no longer eat garbage. I thought it would be really hard to do, but it actually has been easy. By just going over old recipe's and adapting new and healthy ways to make them, I have been able to enjoy most of the foods I love. 

I started making my alfredo out of veggies instead of butter and heavy cream. 

Obviously when you "healthify" a recipe. It will taste a little bit different.This recipe comes very close to the original taste. With the creaminess of the cauliflower, mixed with the garlic and parmesan, it comes so close to the artery clogging original. unless you let people know you made it with Cauliflower, they won't know. 

Using quinoa noodles instead of the over processed garbage noodles, it adds even more protein and more healthy goodness. 

This cauliflower sauce reheats beautifully, so feel free to refrigerate the leftovers and reheat them later.

Healthy Gluten-Free Chicken linguine alfredo

adapted from http://juliasalbum.com/

Serves 4

1 big cauliflower floret

1 tablespoon butter

2 shallots, minced, or 2 tablespoons of minced onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup half and half

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

8 oz sliced mushrooms

1 pound dried Quinoa linguine

Ingredients for Chicken:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1lb Chicken breasts

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

Wash the cauliflower, remove the leaves and stalk and chop it into large  pieces. 

Place it in the big sauce pan with water, bring to boil and boil for 30-40 minutes until cauliflower is really soft. Remove from heat and drain cauliflower from water, but save some of the cooking water, and set it aside.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add minced shallot (or 2 tablespoons of minced regular onion) and minced garlic and saute until tender. Add half and half  and Parmesan cheese and bring to a boil. Cook just for a minute, stirring, until cheese melts. Remove from the heat.

In a food processor, combine cauliflower and creamy sauce. Process really well, until a very creamy sauce forms. Add up to 1/2 cup cooking water and up to another 1/2 cup half and half to thin the sauce to a desired consistency.

 Feel free to add more half and half or cooking water (using 1/4 measuring cup) from step 1 to thin the sauce if it is too thick. Transfer sauce into a large sauce pan and keep it warm on the stove top. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

In a separate skillet melt 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil (or oil of choice) over medium heat and saute mushrooms until soft and browned. Season with salt and pepper.

For the noodles I use Ancient Harvest Organic Quinoa Linguine. 

Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the linguine in boiling salted water until al dente (6-9 minutes). Drain.

If you like mushrooms, brown your mushrooms in a skillet with 1 TBSP olive oil, salt and pepper 

To prepare the chicken:

Mix salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, cumin, and chili powder in a medium size bowl. 

Add chicken to the bowl with spices and mix and toss to coat chicken with spices.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan on high heat. Add chicken, coated with spices, and cook about 4 minutes on each side. Remove pan from heat.

Combine the cauliflower sauce,  and pasta . Toss to combine thoroughly – over medium heat.  Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.

Add cooked Chicken and mushrooms to linguine alfredo, and garnish with parsley, if desired. Serve immediately

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Creamy Crab Linguine

Just when I thought that my local farmer's market couldn't get any better, A new booth opened that has live fresh caught local crabs. Since last week, I faced my fear of cooking crustacean. This week I faced my fear of murdering one. As I approached the booth, I got stressed out. One crab in particular was staring at me saying: "please save me!". Confidently I handed the owner the money for two live crabs. The one who asked to be saved was put in my bag, still moving and pinching. I made my husband carry it home while giving myself a pep talk. 

I walked into my house and immediately started the boiling water. The bag was now on my counter and I could see the crabs were still slowly moving. "don't look, don't look, don't look", I kept saying it to myself. I grabbed the long tongs and dropped each live crab in the pot without looking. Placed the lid on the top and boiled for 15 minutes. Goodbye fear. 

I served the crab over linguine and alfredo sauce, seasoned with old bay. It was very very tasty and worth all the effort. I made my pasta from scratch. If you would like homemade gluten-free pasta, you can see my recipe and process here: http://whatsfordinner-momwhatsfordinner.blogspot.com/2010/10/gluten-free-homemade-pasta.html

Gluten-Free Crab Linguine

8 ounces gluten free linguine

4 whole crabs, if just buying lump meat, 1lb.

1 TBSP old bay seasoning plus 1 tsp divided.

For the Alfredo Sauce:

1/2 cup butter

1 TBSP Gluten Free Flour

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 cups heavy whipping cream

2 cups shredded parmesan

Start off by cooking your crab. Fill a large stockpot 3/4 full with water and add 1 TBSP old bay seasoning. Bring to a boil. Add your crabs and cover for 15 minutes. 

While crabs is cooking start your sauce. 

For the sauce: Start by heating your garlic, butter, salt and pepper in a large saucepan.

Next add your flour and whisk until smooth. Cook until bubbly and then add your whipping cream. 

Stir constantly until it comes to a boil.

Then add your Parmesan and stir continually until thick and creamy. 

Remove the crab from the boiling water and let get cool enough to crack. Do not dispose of boiling water. Add your noodles and cook in the boiling water. 

If you have homemade pasta it only takes 2 minutes. If you are using packaged noodles, cook according to the package instructions. 

Rinse off your pasta really well.

Crack your crabs and remove all the meat. Toss with 1 tsp of old bay.

Assemble your dish with noodles, alfredo and crab. Serve!

Don't forget you can order my cookbook HERE!

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