Rigatoni with Turkey Meatballs

May 15, 2013May 15, 2013 CleanEatingMamaLeave a comment

You all know that I eat fairly simple. I do like to add several spices to jazz up my dishes but the ingredient list is normally small and to the point. This dish is not only simple but it’s family friendly, clean and satisfying.

This recipe can be created to your liking. When I create my turkey meatballs and turkey burgers I don’t really measure my ingredients – it’s been one of those things that I make so often that I know how it’s supposed to look so I just eye ball it. Just remember that they need to be moist and full of flavor!

Turkey Meatballs:

I combine Organic ketchup, Organic mustard, basil flakes, garlic powder, dried oregano, sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Mix until well combined. ( I used the leanest grade of turkey so I added a bit of olive oil to a large pan to cook them in. ) Roll meat in to small meat balls – about 1-2 inches. Cook until well done.

Sautéed Vegetables:

In a sauté pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add a cup of diced yellow onion, sliced bell pepper ( I used an entire orange bell pepper ) and 4 cloves or minced garlic. Add a pinch of sea salt and some fresh ground pepper. Sautee until the veggies are soft. At the very end, add a few handfuls of baby spinach leaves and cook until soft and wilted.

Maninis Gluten Free Rigatoni:

In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add your rigatoni and cook for 3 minutes. Drain. in a large bowl toss pasta with dried basil, a pinch of sea salt and a teaspoon of olive oil. Add your sautéed vegetable mixture and toss thoroughly.

Now you are ready to dish! Simple, clean and very family friendly! I love cooking with turkey as it is very versatile and takes the place of greasy hamburger and sausage.

gluten free · Maninis · soup

Chicken Noodle Soup with Gluten Free Noodles

April 15, 2013 CleanEatingMama1 Comment

You all know I love making soup. We have all been feeling under the weather the past week and I thought a big batch of healing chicken noodle soup was in order!

I used boneless chicken thighs, fresh thyme and gluten free noodles. And of course I used Maninis Gluten Free Noodles because Maninis is the only certified gluten free company that uses ancient grains instead of corn and soy and produces FRESH pasta instead of dried pasta. For the chicken noodle soup I used their lasagna strips and cut them into smaller strips. I did this because I wanted my noodles wider and shorter than fettuccini noodles. They came out perfectly!

You can now find Maninis Gluten Free products on Amazon!

SOUP TIPS:

You can use fresh thyme sprigs or poultry seasoning, I like the different herbs in poultry seasoning but I really enjoy using fresh herbs.
Always salt and pepper each layer – the base, the stock and finished product. But go light on salt since you can’t take it away.
Add as many veggies as you like. If you like a lot of carrots then add more – it will only help the flavor!
Short on time? Buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it up.
Remember to season your raw chicken breast while you cook. I chopped the breast up into small cubes prior to cooking, adding salt, pepper, dried parsley, onion powder and garlic powder. You want the chicken to have it’s own similar flavor to the stock.

Ingredients

2 quarts chicken broth, vegetable broth or water
4 boneless chicken thighs, cubed
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 large carrots, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
3 cups fresh gluten free pasta
1 clove garlic, finely minced
salt and pepper
poultry seasoning, about 3 tablespoons OR a mixture of fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, basil, parleys)
extra virgin olive oil, about 3 tablespoons

Pre-cook your chicken in the same pot you are going to cook your soup in. Add a few teaspoons of olive oil to the bottom of the pan and add your chicken pieces. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and let it cook through entirely.

Once the chicken is cooked, add the celery, onion, carrots and garlic. Stir until softened but not brown (about 10 minutes). Add a pinch more salt and pepper to taste and your poultry seasoning, if you are using, or your fresh herbs. You can always add more as the soup cooks so go easy at first.

Add the chicken broth or liquid – I used organic, free range chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Cover and let cook until the vegetables are slightly cooked through.

Add the fresh noodles and let simmer for 5-10 minutes. The noodles will continue to cook even once you take the soup off of the heat. They cook fast so continue to watch them.

You can garnish with fresh parsley leaves if desired.

Enjoy!

gluten free · Maninis · vegetarian

Maninis Gluten Free Tri-Color Pepper Pasta

April 8, 2013 CleanEatingMamaLeave a comment

Happy Sunday! I am getting a lot of great recipe and product requests for Maninis Gluten Free Pasta. I know some of you have been having some trouble finding their fresh pasta but they are adding their product to new stores each and everyday! And remember: if you want to see Maninis in a store near you just let the store know! Your voice is more powerful than you realize! If the demand is there they will stock it!

Want to know if Maninis is in a store near you? You can view the ENTIRE list here!

We had company over Saturday night and made a light seafood fettuccini with almond milk, parmesan, sea scallops, shrimp and lobster tails. It was amazing! Today, I wanted to recreate a similar dish without the seafood. I decided to add fresh spinach, garlic, sun dried tomatoes and a tri-color blend of bell peppers. I also added crumbled blue cheese for creaminess and a nice punch of tanginess.

1/2 half yellow onion, chopped
6 fresh garlic cloves, diced
2 cups assorted bell peppers – I used red, yellow and orange – julienned into small strips
1 cup packed sun dried tomatoes, soaked in water then drained
5 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons of blue cheese crumbles or gorgonzola crumbles
2 tablespoons of dried basil
olive oil
a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
one 9 oz package of Maninis Linguini

Start boiling the water for the noodles.

In a large skillet, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions and garlic and let cook for 2-3 minutes. Add peppers, tomatoes and a pinch of salt and pepper. Let soften for a few more minutes. Add Spinach, lemon juice and pinch more salt. Cover and let the spinach wilt down – about 5 minutes.

Add the noodles to the pasta and cook per the directions.

Once the spinach has wilted, toss until everything is coated. Stir in the cheese until melted.
Drain the noodles and add to the vegetable mixture. Toss together and serve.

gluten free · Maninis

Gluten Free Sesame Noodles

April 1, 2013 CleanEatingMamaLeave a comment

Hey guys! I hope you all enjoyed the weekend! It was BEAUTIFUL in the Seattle area this weekend! We spent most of the time outside walking, riding bikes, playing at the park and really just enjoying the sun and nice weather!
However, I did make some time to create an AMAZING Gluten Free Sesame Seed dish. Instead of using soba noodles, I used Maninis Spaghetti Noddles – it turned out amazing! It had a great crunch from the onions and radishes and the warm taste of the sesame oil made this dish shine! The best part… 100% gluten free!

one 9oz package of Maninis Spaghetti
4 tablespoons of pure maple syrup
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
6 tablespoons Tamari sauce (gluten free soy sauce)
2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce or 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
5 radishes cut into matchsticks
1 tablespoon of finely minced fresh ginger
5 scallions thinly sliced
2 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds

Bring a large pot of salted and oiled water to a boil. Add noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.
Meanwhile, whisk maple syrup, vinegar, soy sauce, and chili-garlic sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, toss the soba noodles with the sauce, sesame oil, and vegetables. I prefer to eat these noodles chilled, but you could eat them hot or cold.

gluten free · Maninis · pasta · salad

Gluten Free Mediterranean Pasta Salad

March 17, 2013 CleanEatingMamaLeave a comment

I try to eat gluten free as much as I can. I have ALWAYS been a bread and carb lover ever since I was young but as I started to eliminate it out of my diet, the better I found myself feeling. Although, I always found gluten free products to be hit or miss. Pasta was never soft enough, bread was dry and hard and over all I felt that consuming too much rice was not beneficial to my health. ( Did you know it contains arsenic?!)

When I came into contact with Maninis Gluten Free products, I was AMAZED with the quality, taste and the versatility of their products. Maninis is a Certified Gluten Free local Seattle company that produces FRESH pasta (not dried in a box!) and all of the products are fully sustainable. Maninis is certified by the Global Intolerance Group (GIG). All of their products are made with ancient grains INSTEAD of rice and soy. Grains such as Organic Millet, Teff, Organic Quinoa, Certified Gluten Free Oats, Flax, Organic Amaranth and Organic Sorghum. You can find them all over the Pacific Northwest including Whole Foods! Here is a location finder – and you can also order online!

I am teaming up with Maninis to help spread the word about Celiac Disease, gluten related health issues and getting the word out about Mananis wonderful pasta, bread and flour mixes! Over the next few weeks I will be showcasing more products and creating more delicious recipes that are gluten free. And I will also be giving away some great product, too!

For more information about Maninis, please visit their blog and facebook page!

Gluten Free Mediterranean Pasta Salad

1 package of Maninis Gluten Free Rigatoni, 9 oz
1/2 cup of sliced kalamata olives
3 large tablespoons of crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup sliced sun dried tomatoes
1/4 cup of sliced red onion
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
handful of fresh parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons garlic powder
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Boil pasta as directed on package.

As soon as the pasta is ready, put it in a cold bath of water to stop the cooking process. Once cold, pour into a large bowl. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add the remaining ingredients and toss gently. Taste to see if it is seasoned to your liking. Refrigerate at least 2-3 hours (overnight is best) before serving.

Makes 6 servings