Paleo “Spaghetti” alla Vodka is a spin on a classic Italian penne alla vodka dish. Spaghetti squash is the perfect gluten free & low-carb base for this dish– and coconut milk, tomato, bacon & vodka come together to make a delicious dairy free sauce to go with it!
Penne alla vodka is traditionally made with penne pasta, vodka, heavy cream, crushed tomatoes, onions, and bacon or pancetta.
This dish became very popular in Italy and in the US around the 1980s, but the origin of the Penne alla Vodka recipe has been disputed between Italy and the United States: both claim the creation of this recipe.
According to The Ultimate Pasta Cookbook, penne alla vodka was invented in the 70s at Dante, a restaurant in Bologna, Italy.
The Williams Sonoma Essentials of Italian cookbook states that it was invented in the 1980s by a Roman chef for a vodka company that wanted to popularize its product in Italy.
To support the creation of this dish in the United States, we have two tales: Luigi Franzese, the Italian American chef of Orsini Restaurant in New York and James Doty, a graduate of Columbia University.
As you can see, it’s not clear whether or not Penne alla Vodka is an authentic Italian recipe. BUT based on the ingredients, the technique, and the mark it left on Italian cuisine, the answer should be yes!
Since this dish is liked by many (including me), I decided to put a gluten & dairy free spin on it so those with dietary restrictions can enjoy these amazing flavours of Italy (or the US).
This recipe is also great for those following a low-carb, keto or paleo diet.
"Spaghetti" alla Vodka is a spin on a classic Italian penne alla vodka dish. Spaghetti squash is the perfect gluten free & low-carb base for this dish-- and coconut milk, tomato, bacon & vodka come together to make a delicious dairy free sauce to go with it!
Cut spaghetti squash lengthwise and remove seeds with spoon.
Bake at 400F for 30-40 min (first 10-min bake with flesh down, then turn so skin is down for remaining time). Fork should pierce skin easily when squash is cooked.
Use a fork to scrape out the strands of squash.
For the vodka sauce:
Finely slice the shallot or onion and place in large frying pan with olive oil. Sauté for 2-minutes over medium heat.
Slice bacon into small chunks and add it to the pan. Cook over low heat until the bacon becomes slightly crispy.
Raise the heat to medium-high and pour in vodka. Let the alcohol evaporate. This may take a few minutes.
When alcohol is completely evaporated, add tomato passata. Season with salt, stir and cook for 8-10 minutes over medium-high heat without a lid, stirring occasionally.
When the sauce is cooked, add the coconut milk and cook until you get a fairly thick and creamy vodka sauce. Turn off the heat and let it rest.
You can add spaghetti squash strands into the pan with vodka sauce and coat OR place spaghetti squash strands into a bowl and top with vodka sauce.
Notes
Time your spaghetti squash so that it’s done cooking around the same time as your sauce, so your noodles don’t cool.
Cooking time varies depending on the size of the squash. Check regularly to avoid overcooking the squash. You want the noodles to be ‘al dente’.
Eggnog’s warm and festive flavours coupled with its rich and creamy texture makes it the perfect drink on its own–or even better, when combined with coffee to make this Dairy Free Eggnog Latte!
Some notes on making Dairy Free Eggnog Latte
The egg yolk is not necessary for taste, but it does create a creamier texture which is important if you’re using watered down carton nut milks. If using canned full fat coconut milk or other high fat nut milk, then the egg yolk is less important.
If you want a frothy latte and don’t have an espresso machine with a steam wand, you can use a blender, immersion stick or other frothing tool instead. Blend/froth warmed eggnog then pour into the espresso OR blend/froth eggnog and espresso together.
If you don’t have an espresso machine, you can make this latte with 1/2 a cup of strong brewed coffee instead.
Even if you don’t like eggnog, you just might enjoy this eggnog latte. The BF is proof of this. He hates eggnog, but he’s a coffee snob and enjoyed the combination of flavours in this recipe. BIG win for our Sunday latte experiment!
Eggnog's warm and festive flavours coupled with its rich and creamy texture makes it the perfect drink on its own--or even better, when combined with coffee to make this Dairy Free Eggnog Latte!
In a saucepan, warm nut milk, sweetener, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg over medium-low for roughly 5-minutes, stirring occasionally. You can also use a steam wand on an espresso machine to warm and froth ingredients at the same time.
If using an egg yolk: In a separate bowl, whip the egg yolk until frothy. Add a few teaspoons of the warm nut milk to the egg yolk (this will ensure you don't end up with scrambled eggs), then pour the egg mixture into the warm nut milk and continue to heat for a couple minutes.
Froth the milk mixture/eggnog with a blender, immersion stick or other tool, if desired.
Brew espresso then combine the eggnog with the espresso.
Feel free to top with whipped coconut cream and a sprinkling of nutmeg and cinnamon.
Beet Mash is the perfect side to your next meal! It’s high in fibre, low in carbs and bursting rich and creamy flavours. This mash recipe is great if you’re following an AIP, low-carb, plant-based or paleo diet.
DID YOU KNOW? Beets are an excellent source of disease-fighting phytonutrients called betalains which have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Betalains are also responsible for providing beets with their vibrant color. Studies show that these potent pigments may help protect against the development of certain types of cancer and disease.
Try my Beet Mash recipe below. It’s versatile and can be enjoyed warm or cold …
Use as a side to your meat or fish dishes.
Enjoy topped with fried eggs.
Use as a dip or spread for crackers, sliced veggies or wraps.
Mix with canned wild fish for a quick and healthy meal.
Beet Mash is the perfect side to your next meal! It's high in fibre, low in carbs and bursting rich and creamy flavours. This mash recipe is great if you're following an AIP, low-carb, plant-based or paleo diet.
2cupspeeled & sliced red beets, or 10 oz bag frozen beets
1headcauliflower, chopped
2clovesgarlic, skin on
1/2cupfull fat coconut milk, more if needed
1tspdried rosemary
2tbspavocado oil
Sea salt to taste
Instructions
Coat vegetables and skin-on garlic in oil, rosemary and salt. Place on a pan and bake at 350F for 40 minutes.
Remove skin from garlic and put in a food processor or blender along with cooked veggies and coconut milk. Process/blend until a smooth mash is formed. Add more coconut milk if needed.
Use right away or store in fridge for use during the week.
Keyword beets, cauliflower, coconut milk, mash, side dish, vegetables
This creamy and easy Turmeric Golden Milk is incredibly healthy, and so delicious! Golden milk is a traditional Indian drink that has its roots in Ayurveda. Made with coconut milk, powerful spices like turmeric, ginger and cinnamon, and naturally sweetened.
DID YOU KNOW? There are over 12,500 peer-reviewed articles published on the benefits of turmeric, in particular one of its powerful compounds, curcumin.
Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant, making it great for both weight loss and IBS.
Unfortunately, the curcumin content of turmeric is not that high, so if you want to experience the full effects of this powerful compound, you need to take a supplement that contains high amounts of curcumin.
In addition, curcumin is poorly absorbed during digestion, so many different supplement formulations have been created to improve its bioavailability.
Curcum-Evail is my go to curcumin supplement. It’s a highly bioavailable and absorbable formulation containing a unique combination of three health-promoting compounds known as “curcuminoids,” which are derived from turmeric root.
In order to get the most benefit from consuming turmeric (and to increase absorption of curcumin), consume with healthy fats like coconut and/or black pepper.
I used coconut milk and added black pepper to this recipe, so you can get the most out of your golden milk!
This creamy and easy Turmeric Golden Milk is incredibly healthy, and so delicious! Golden milk is a traditional Indian drink that has its roots in Ayurveda. Made with coconut milk, powerful spices like turmeric, ginger and cinnamon, and naturally sweetened.
My mission is to help women heal their gut, lose weight and feel great through simple and delicious smoothies, whole food nutrition & healthy lifestyle habits.
