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’.
Chang’s Spicy Chicken is crispy tender pan-fried chicken coated in a delicious & spicy sauce. This gluten & soy free Chang’s Chicken recipe is a healthier take on the classic takeout dish. It uses whole food, high-quality ingredients, PLUS heat stable oil for frying. A true guilt-free pleasure for those living a healthy lifestyle!
This recipe is not only super yummy, but it’s also fun to create! So, gather your family or significant other and plan a date night in the kitchen where you can have some fun creating the most delicious Asian-inspired recipe you’ll ever taste!
Enjoy on its own, with a side of steamed veggies or on top of cauliflower “rice”.
When making Asian-inspired dishes (like this one), I coat my chicken in arrowroot powder and then fry in heat stable avocado oil. This creates a crispy coating on the chicken that absorbs sauce and tastes delicious!
Want more healthy Asian-inspired recipes? You’re going to love these …
Chang's Spicy Chicken is crispy tender pan-fried chicken coated in a delicious & spicy sauce. This gluten & soy free Chang's Chicken recipe is a healthier take on the classic takeout dish. It uses whole food, high-quality ingredients, PLUS heat stable oil for frying. A true guilt-free pleasure for those living a healthy lifestyle!
Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes and place in a large bowl with arrowroot flour, salt & pepper. Toss until chicken is coated. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients (or use a blender to combine ingredients). Set aside.
Cover the bottom of a large frying pan with avocado oil and heat until it begins to sizzle. Add coated chicken cubes to the hot oil. You may need to do this in two batches if your frying pan is not big enough. Cook each batch for about 10 minutes, turning mid-way through, until all sides are golden. Set chicken aside.
Once all chicken is browned, add back into the hot skillet. Whisk sauce once more & pour into the skillet with chicken. Add 3/4 of the green onions (save the rest for garnish) & cook, stirring until sauce thickens & chicken is well-coated.
Top with remaining green onions and enjoy on its own, with steamed veggies or on top of cauliflower "rice"!
Keyword arrowroot flour, asian food, avocado oil, chicken, coconut aminos, grain free, healthy asian recipe, healthy dinner
Gluten Free Carrot Pecan Muffins are the perfect homemade treat for the spring & Easter season! They’re soft, moist and filled with flavourful spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. These muffins are made with simple and natural ingredients like almond flour, carrots, eggs, coconut oil, pecans & maple syrup, so you can feel good about enjoying them!
DID YOU KNOW? Carrots are rich in beta carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A. This nutrient promotes good vision and is important for growth, development, and immune function.
However, beta-carotene is a fat soluble nutrient that needs to be coated in fat for greatest absorption. In addition, the absorption rate is better (up to 6.5-fold) if the carrots are cooked vs. raw.
Lastly, opt for whole carrots vs. baby carrots. Baby carrots are misshapen mature carrots that have been shaved down to a smaller more uniform size. The outer part that’s thrown away is much more nutritious than the inner core. The greatest concentration of nutrients is in the skin and the tissue right below it. When you remove the outer portion of the carrots, you also remove on-third of its phytonutrients.
So, to get the most health benefits from carrots, buy them whole then cook (sauté, steam, bake) them in a high-quality fat like avocado oil, coconut oil or olive oil.
Boost your beta-carotene intake by adding carrots to your homemade healthy treats. Try these yummy Carrot Pecan Muffins. They’re perfect for the Easter and Spring season!
What you need for Gluten Free Carrot Pecan Muffins:
Gluten Free Carrot Pecan Muffins are the perfect homemade treat for the spring & Easter season! They're soft, moist and filled with flavourful spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. These muffins are made with simple and natural ingredients like almond flour, carrots, eggs, coconut oil, pecans & maple syrup, so you can feel good about enjoying them!
1cupfinely shredded carrots, I used a food processor for this
1/2cupchopped pecans
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F and place liners in muffin tray.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk almond flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.
Mix in eggs, oil, and maple syrup.
Stir in the shredded carrots and chopped pecans.
Distribute batter evenly in the muffin tray.
Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool before removing from tin. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or store in the freezer for longer.
Notes
TIME SAVER TIP: Use a food processor for steps 2 & 3, if you have one.
Mediterranean Tuna Salad is the perfect quick and healthy lunch recipe! It’s super easy to prepare with just 6 simple ingredients needed and zero cooking time. This delicious salad recipe is paleo, low-carb, keto and can be made AIP by substituting tomatoes for cucumbers, olives or avocado.
DID YOU KNOW? Tuna fish is right up there with other healthy types of fish, such as salmon, when it comes to nutrition — it packs a good amount of protein and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Tuna’s high protein content makes it an excellent addition to a weight loss diet since it can help reduce your appetite, prevent cravings and keep you feeling fuller for longer.
In addition, protein makes up the foundation of your hair, skin, nails and muscles; is crucial for the synthesis of certain enzymes and hormones; and is used for the growth and repair of tissues.
So, including more tuna fish in your diet can help provide your body with the protein that you need.
Lastly, tuna is rich in omega-3 fatty acids (a.k.a. fish oil), which may be able to alleviate inflammation and reduce the risk of disease. Fish oil has potent anti-inflammatory properties, and multiple studies have shown that it could be therapeutic for autoimmune conditions like Crohn’s disease, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.
NOTE: Stick to wild types of tuna that are caught using the Pacific troll or pole and line methods. Also, avoid Atlantic bluefin tuna, which may have a negative impact on both the environment and your health because it is over-fished and often farm-raised.
Mediterranean Tuna Salad is the perfect quick and healthy lunch recipe! It's super easy to prepare with just 6 simple ingredients needed and zero cooking time. This delicious salad recipe is paleo, low-carb, keto and can be made AIP by substituting tomatoes for cucumbers, olives or avocado.
6cherry tomatoes, halved, (replace with olives, cucumbers or avocado for AIP version)
2tbspextra virgin olive oil
1tbspbalsamic vinegar
1/2tspdried oregano
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
In a bowl or container, add greens, tuna, tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper.
If you're eating right away, drizzle with olive oil and vinegar and toss. If you're taking it to go in a container, drizzle with olive oil and vinegar then shake container right before you eat to coat ingredients.
Notes
Replace tomatoes with olives, cucumbers or avocado for AIP version.
Picadillo (pee-cah-DEE-yo) is an Latin American dish that combines ground or finely chopped beef, vegetables, olives and dried fruit. It’s easy to make and there are so many ways to enjoy this flavourful dish, including with tostones!
Depending on the region and personal customs, picadillo serves as a main dish, often accompanied by rice and beans, or as a filling for empanadas, chiles rellenos, tamales, tacos, stuffed potatoes and more.
Since tostones have been a hot menu item for me lately, I decided to pair this dish with these delicious golden bites on the side. Tostones not only make this dish hearty, but they also do a great job of soaking up the sauce! A great complement to this dish, if I do say so myself 🙂 Find my recipe for Tostones here.
Here are a few other healthy ways to enjoy picadillo:
Picadillo (pee-cah-DEE-yo) is an Latin American dish that combines ground or finely chopped beef, vegetables, olives and dried fruit. It’s easy to make and there are so many ways to enjoy this flavourful dish, including with tostones!
1/8cupdates, pitted & sliced (omit for Keto/Low-Carb version)
Instructions
In a pot, heat avocado oil over medium-high then brown meat. Set meat aside in a bowl.
Reduce heat to medium and add onions and peppers. Sauté until onions are slightly caramelized. Add garlic and cook for a minute.
Add paprika, cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt and black pepper--stir for a minute until spices become fragrant. Add chicken stock and stir, scrapping off brown-bits at the bottom of the pot. Add in the browned beef, bay leaf, olives and dates. Mix to combine ingredients.
Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 1-hour. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
When the picadillo is 20-minutes from being ready, prepare the tostones (get the recipe here) OR other choice of side.
Serve picadillo in a shallow bowl and place tostones around.
Double Chocolate Banana Muffins are delicious & bursting with rich chocolate flavour! These healthy paleo muffins are free of gluten & dairy and packed with all the good stuff, including quality protein and healthy fats. Even better, they’re naturally sweetened with ripe bananas, so they’ll keep you on track with your health and weight loss goals.
If you love my Chocolate Chunk Banana Muffins then I’m about to make your palate explode with this spin on one of my most popular recipes to date!
I’ve upped the flavour on these muffins by adding more rich chocolate flavour plus an optional crumble that can be used on top.
These muffins are a great breakfast option on days when you’re running out the door. They also make for a delicious healthy snack or treat.
Let me know your thoughts on this recipe. I hope you enjoy them as much as my boyfriend does 🙂
TIP: Make a batch and store them in the freezer. Simply grab one whenever you need quick fuel…They thaw out within 10-15 minutes. If you plan to eat the batch within a week, they can be stored in the fridge.
What you need for Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
Eggs*
Coconut oil
Bananas
Honey or maple syrup (optional) Coconut flour Almond flour Cacao or cocoa powder
Baking powder
Dark chocolate chips
*Do you have an allergy or intolerance to eggs? Use one of the egg substitutes in the recipe notes below.
Want more delicious & wholesome muffin recipes? Then you’ve got to try these …
Double Chocolate Banana Muffins are delicious & bursting with rich chocolate flavour! These healthy paleo muffins are free of gluten & dairy and packed with all the good stuff, including quality protein and healthy fats. Even better, they’re naturally sweetened with ripe bananas and only a tiny amount of extra sweetener, so they’ll keep you on track with your health and weight loss goals.
Beat eggs in bowl, mash bananas with a fork on a plate, then add all wet ingredients together and mix thoroughly.
Mix all dry ingredients in a separate bowl then add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and continue to mix until a thick smooth batter is formed. (Note: Steps 2 & 3 can be done using a food processor to make things easier.)
Add chocolate chips to batter and mix in with a spatula.
Optional step for toppings: Add walnuts and coconut chips to food processor and pulse until a crumble is formed. If you don't have a food processor, put ingredients in a bag and crush with the bottom of a mug or can. Mix in dark chocolate chips.
Fill muffin tins 3/4 of the way with batter. Add toppings (optional).
Bake for 18-20 minutes. Let cool before removing from tin.
Notes
Substitute with 4 flax eggs or 4 chia eggs for egg free version ...
1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water (whisk until gelatinous and creamy) = 1 egg
1 tbsp chia seeds + 3 tbsp water (Stir and allow to rest for 15 minutes) = 1 egg
Steps 2 & 3 can be done using a food processor to make things easier.
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.
