"Sandra Lee-ing" Dinner?

Dinner does not always have to be complicated! And, doesn't always have to be 100% homemade to be delicious and nutritious. I have had the flu this week so just not full of my usual energy and vigor. I wanted to make a healthy dinner for the fam but it just needed to be easy. So, I took the "Sandra-Lee approach" and made a Semi-homemade gluten-free superfood packed marimara pasta! Healthy and they gobbled it up!

First step:

I took crunchy sprouts (lentils, peas, adzuki), a few red peppers, and a few mini carrots and chopped them up in my mini-cuisinart.

Step 2: Put sauce (my absolute fave is Paesano's marinara- once you try it you will never go back) in a sauce pan along the pureed mixture above for approximately 5 minutes.

Step 3: Add my "secret" ingredients: green superfood powder and dulse flakes.

And, voila!

I apologize for the messy image but my kids had just gotten from a trip to Rockefeller Center for my daughter's class project so they came in cold, wet and staaaaaarving and devoured it before I could take a picture!

A simple sandwich for me and then off to an early bedtime!

Veggie Sandwich

2 slices Manna bread

Sliced tomato
1/2 sliced avocado

Few pieces mesclun salad and sprouts (from the delicious Union Square trip)

Tahini

Pile it all up and YUUUUM!



Made My Crunchy, Crunchy Mac and Cheese Tonight!

This dish is an absolute favorite in our household!!! You can make it in 3 easy steps and best yet it takes less than 15 minutes and is almost better the next day for leftovers!

What you need:

Head of cauliflower (preferably organic)

Bag of pasta (we use Tinkyada's rice pasta, which is gluten-free)

1-2 cups grated mozzarella cheese (we use the almond cheese by Lisanatti)

Parmesan (we use a casein and dairy free cheese by Galaxy Nutritional Cheese to sprinkle on)

Bread crumbs (we use a gluten-free one)

Olive oil or Udo's oil

So if you have all of the ingredients, here is how you make it:

Step 1: Steam the cauliflower and chop into small bits in a colinder (you chop it up in a Cuisinart but it is better if you do it by hand because you get different sizes and textures.

Step 2: Boil the pasta as per the instructions on the packet. Place in your casserole dish.

Step 3: Put it all together. Place the chopped cauliflower and then the grated cheese on top. Lightly douse with olive oil or Udo's oil and mix. Lastly, cover with bread crumbs and liberally sprinkle the parmesan (or parmesan alternative) and bake for approximately 20 mins on 350 degrees. Voila!

The best thing about this dish is that it is even better on the second day! My husband and children adore this recipe!!!