Introducing Free Friday!

Sooo, this is kinda an inspiration from somewhere else, but I figured this would be a good way to get me here, writing on the blog once a week - introducing free Fridays. Basically, I'll try to come up with a simple or at least creative meal for Friday. IF somehow I can't come up with any amazing recipe, I'll make sure I post something edible. I promise not to say shrimp cocktails too many weeks in a row.

Today is for comfort food. I think I had a hard few days and decided that when you're worried about food all the time, it starts to weigh on you instead of being a good thing. Decidedly yesterday was one of those days nothing looked good. Insert reach for pasta here. Now every person out there with sugar and wheat issues knows pasta is not a great choice. There are a lot of different gf pastas to choose from: rice, quinoa, corn, amaranth. Pick a pasta you like the taste, texture and isn't too strong. Some people find quinoa to be too strong, but I really like the flavor and love the texture, it's as close as I can get to wheat. I'm so addicted to the texture of wheat - I'd never eat it again if it lost it's nice smooth, elasticky, rich texture. Ohya. I'm not supposed to eat it ever again anyway. I digress.

Watch portions of pasta very carefully, in regards to sugars. A single serving of quinoa corn pasta can have 46g carbs and that means a nice sugar crash 45 min later. Pair it with steak or shrimp, AND (yes I said and) some strong leafy veggies like kale, spinach or escarole. If necessary only have 1/2 serving. I'm a pasta fiend. I could eat a whole box in one sitting and have nothing more than garlic, butter and salt on it. yum.

So here's today's recipe (I'm going to super cheat here on ingredients so you can see how easy this would be to pick up and toss together - some work necessary but you'll be so glad you did.)

Craving pasta!

Cook 1 serving (for each person) of your favorite GF pasta

1 bottle of your favorite spaghetti sauce (yikes! or if you have your own use it but try to make it ahead so this is available!)

1/2 bag of frozen mixed veggies like squash, zuccini, carrots and whatever fun blend you want to use, red peppers, green peppers (whatever is already chopped!)

Couple handfuls of chopped kale

1 crock pot or rotisserie chicken (check labels for wheat used as a stabilizer in the marinade for these chickens)

Ok you have your pasta done in the sink with butter melting all over it. Take those frozen veggies and kale and omg /gasp (microwave them till soft) - no one heard me say that. Just get them unfrozen asap!

Open up the jar of sauce, pour into a pan or (yes you can microwave that too.) Toss the softened veggies/cooked kale in a food processor and pulse till you cannot recognize it for much more than baby food. =)

Pour into the tomato sauce.

Heat.

Place pasta on a plate, top with sauce, some cheese of your fav variety (I like mozo) and then a few slices of chicken on top.

Voila. Comfort food for the SFGF crowd. Everyone will love it. The sauce texture is amazing, the flavors pop and the balance is beautiful for when you're really craving pasta!

I realized today I have no real pictures of any of these foods or anything resembling a nice plate of wholesome foods... but I have a lot of pictures of Johnny Rzeznik. /sheepish grin. Does that help a food blog? Oh yes, I love good scenery while I eat. Ahem.

(Thank you J for your picture contribution, that is my favorite guitar of all time.)