{Basil Puttanesca}

Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

1 box of your favorite GF Spaghetti
18 oz. diced tomatoes
1 small onion, diced
4 Tbls coconut oil, divided
2 Tbls, capers, chopped
1/2 c olives of choice, leave whole or chopped (I prefer Kalamata but my kids like a standard black olive)
1 tsp oregano
1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped
1 c fresh basil, chopped
Salt & Pepper

Cook pasta according to directions on box.

In a medium sized sauté pan add your tomatoes, onion, 2 Tbls oil and salt to taste.  Simmer for 20 minutes or until most of the liquid is gone.  Turn off heat and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the other 2 Tbls oil, capers, olives, oregano, parsley and basil then add to resting tomato sauce.

Pour tomato sauce over cooked, drained noodles and stir to combine.  Add pepper to taste.

COMPLETE MEAL IDEA:  Serve with a biscuit and side salad.

{Lemony Garlic Chicken}

Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 small breasts

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a baking dish with parchment paper.

6 small chicken breasts
1 Tbls GF flour (I used Sweet Sorghum)
1/2 tsp Basil
1/2 tsp Thyme
1 Tbls oil (I used coconut oil)
2 Tbls favorite CF butter (I used Earth Balance Soy Free), divided
1 Lemon, juiced (or 3 Tbls bottled Lemon juice)
1/2 c chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, minced

Combine flour, basil and thyme in a small bowl and sprinkle HALF the mixture over your chicken, flip and season the other side with the rest of the flour mix.

In a large sauté pan, melt 1 Tbls butter with 1 Tbls oil and heat on medium-high.  Add seasoned chicken and brown each side (approx. 4 minutes each side).  Transfer to baking dish and bake off for approx. 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

While chicken is baking the rest of the way, add remaining 1 Tbls butter to the pan and melt.  Add the chicken broth, lemon juice and garlic to the pan and scrape up all the good chicken bit on the bottom.  Bring sauce to a boil and allow to boil till sauce begins to thicken then turn down to a simmer till you get a good thick lemony sauce.

Spoon lemon garlic sauce over your cooked chicken and serve.

COMPLETE MEAL IDEA: Serve with steamed asparagus, adding fresh lemon zest to the top and some roasted fingerling potatoes.

{Roasted Cauliflower}

Time: 1 hour
Yield: Serves 6-8

2 heads of cauliflower
1/4 c light tasting oil (I used refined coconut oil)
1-1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
Prepared Ketchup for dipping

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Chop up your raw cauliflower into pieces, rinse and dry.  In a large bowl add your oil, salt and pepper, stir to combine.  Dump your rinsed cauliflower into the oil mix and toss with your hands making sure each piece is coated.  Once coated, spread evenly on your baking sheet and place in the oven.  Every 20 minutes (3 times total during the baking time) toss your cauliflower.

Serve hot from the oven, dip in your favorite ketchup, tastes like yummy French fries!!  We told our kids that they were called "flower French fries", they bought it and ate em' up!

{French Dressing}

Yield: About 2 cups

Time: 10 minutes plus 1 hour chill time

2/3 c EVOO

6 Tbls apple cider vinegar

2 Tbls Catsup

2 tsp Himalayan salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp dry mustard

2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional)

2 Tbls pimientos, chopped

1 tsp honey or agave

2 Tbls minced bell pepper, any color

Combine everything in a jar, cover and shake vigorously.  Chill at least 1 hour before serving. Will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

{Mexican Salad}

Yield: Enough for 6 entree sized salads

Time: 20 minutes

Recipe for French Dressing here.

Lettuce of choice
3 large tomatoes, chopped
6 oz. can sliced black olives
2 avocados, chopped
2 boxes kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 box garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
Corn, scraped from cob
1/2 red onion, chopped
Tortilla chips {optional}

Serve line style so everyone can customize their own Mexican salad. Top with French Dressing for a healthy, filling meal!

{Easy Peasy Pasta Sauce}

Yield:  Enough for 1 1/2 boxes of GF spaghetti noodles, cooked
Time:  Less than 5 minutes

1/2 c EVOO
3 garlic cloves, minced or microplaned
1/4 c pasta cooking water
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 Tbls dried parsley (or 1/2 c fresh chopped parsley)
heaping handful of baby kale

Warm your oil in a large saucepan with your garlic and kale till it wilts stirring constantly to release garlic fragrance.  Add all remaining ingredients and warm through.

That's it!  Pour over cooked GF pasta noodles and toss!  How's that for quick and easy?

Optional: Add cooked chicken or fresh, chopped roma tomatoes to the pasta.

{Raspberry Vanilla Cream Pie}

Yield: One 9" spring form pan
Time: 45 min plus 2 1/2 hour chill time

CRUST: 

1 1/2 raw nuts (can use all of one or a mix of walnuts, almonds, cashews, brazil nuts or hazelnuts)
12 medjool dates, soaked 30 minutes and pitted

Place your medjool dates in a food processor and whiz till they make a sticky paste.  Slowly add in your raw nuts, add a little water if necessary to help things along (not too much though).  Press the sticky nut mix into the bottom of your spring form pan and set aside.

CREAM FILLING:

3 c raw cashews, soaked for 3-7 hours then drained
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 c coconut oil (NOT refined)
2 tsp vanilla
3 Tbls lemon juice
1/2 c maple syrup or raw honey
1 c fresh or frozen raspberries (can use any berry you like really)

In a high power blender blend everything but your berries till silky smooth. Taste test.  Pour 75% of this cashew cream into your crust ready pan and place in the freezer to set up for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, add your berries to the remaining 25% of cashew cream in your blender and whiz away.  If you used frozen berries, you may need to add a little more coconut oil to compensate for the water off the berries.  Pour on top of the set vanilla cashew base, cover and place in the freezer for 2 1/2 hours then move to the refrigerator.

Top with Coconut Whipped Cream and fresh raspberries to impress your guests!