Classic Genovese Italian Pasta Sauce Recipe (Low-Carb, Gluten-Free)

Cook this delicious sauce low & slow...

Classic Genovese Pasta Sauce.

Genovese sauce served over pasta.

This is an hearty, meaty, onion-based pasta sauce that is famous in Campania Italy.

I used beef chuck, a good flavored, inexpensive cut of meat. The low and slow cooking process makes the beef very tender. The long cooking also softens the onions and brings out their flavor. This sauce is naturally low carb, gluten free, and sugar free.

This sauce reminds me of a hearty beef stew and French onion soup, combined. My family prefers this sauce over buttered rice. I also like it quite well over buttered pasta that has been cooked al dente. Bigger, chunkier pasta holds up best with this sauce, and it's fun to eat too. Serve over buttered pasta like Pacchieri, Candele, or Ziti. Choose gluten free pasta if desired.


Sauce Genovese Recipe:

1/4 pound bacon, diced small
2 pounds Beef chuck, cut into large cubes
4 pounds onions (4 or 5 onions), halved then quartered and sliced very thin
1 large carrot, peeled and diced small
2 ribs celery, with leaves, diced small
6 large cloves garlic, smashed
2 large bay leaves
2 to 3 sprigs fresh marjoram, optional
Sea salt, to taste
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 c. cooking white wine
Fresh minced parsley for garnishing
Parmesan cheese for garnishing
Diced fresh tomatoes for garnishing, optional


Method:

In a large dutch oven, over med-high heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside.
In the dutch oven with the bacon fat, brown the cubed beef in two batches. Brown well on all sides.
Remove the chuck from dutch oven and set aside.
Place the diced carrot, celery, and garlic into the dutch oven and cook 4 minutes, with stirring.
Put the chuck back into the dutch oven along with the bacon and bay leaves. Stir together.
Top with the fresh marjoram sprigs, if using.
Pack the finely slivered onions on top and season generously with salt and pepper.
Place the lid on the dutch oven and turn the heat down to a simmer.
Simmer at least 3 hours, or until the beef is fall-apart tender (you may instead bake in a low oven).
Add the cooking wine and continue cooking with the lid off about 30 more minutes, to reduce juices.
Break up and mash the meat well to make a thick saucy consistency. I like to use a potato masher.
Taste for salt and adjust as needed.
Serve over buttered brown rice, or buttered gluten-free large pasta.

If you choose to serve this over pasta, cook 1 pound of pasta in water that has been salted so that it tastes as salty as sea water. Save 1 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and place in a large serving bowl. Add 2-3 T butter to the cooked pasta and stir until melted. Add a couple cups of meat sauce and a little of the starchy pasta water to bind the sauce and stir. Serve topped with more meat sauce.

Photos of the process:

Cook the bacon until crisp.

Cut the beef chuck into large cubes.

Brown the chuck in the bacon fat and then set aside.

Prep the vegetables while the beef is browning.

Add the vegetables to the dutch oven.

Cook the vegetables a few minutes to soften.

Add the bacon and bay leaves and stir.

Add the browned chuck to the vegetables.

Stir the meat and the vegetables together.

Top with the slivered onions.

Season with salt and pepper.

Turn the heat down to a simmer and place the lid on the dutch oven.

Simmer about 3 hours (low & slow).

Add wine and mash the mixture well.

The mashed beef mixture.

Taste for salt.

Serve over hot buttered pasta or buttered rice, garnish with parsley and serve.

Enjoy,

Leila.

Easy Sweet Italian Sausage & Pasta Skillet Dinner (Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free, Dairy-Free)

This one-skillet meal is very quick to prepare, which is nice for those busy week nights.

Fennel-scented Sweet Italian Sausage is the best choice here. The rich cream compliments the flavor of the Italian sausage perfectly and it mellows out the tomatoes too. You can add as much heat as you want with the red pepper flakes. I think a sprinkling of fresh rosemary would be nice here too.

If you are limiting sugar in your diet, using Lakanto's Golden Sweetener is a nice sugar-free alternative that is based on erythritol. If you are off dairy, skip the Parmesan cheese. You can also easily make this dish gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta, and remember to save a little of the pasta cooking water to thin and bind the sauce a bit, if desired.



Sweet Italian Sausage & Pasta Skillet:

1 (12-ounce) package bow tie pasta (may use gluten-free)
1 lb Sweet Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled
1 c. diced onion
4 cloves garlic, minced or smashed
1 Sweet red bell pepper, diced, optional
1/4 to 1/2 t. red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can Italian-style plum tomatoes, chopped (or fire roasted tomatoes)
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
1 to 2 t. brown sugar or Golden Lakanto, to taste (to cut acidity of the tomatoes)
1/2 to 1 t. bioSalt or sea salt, to taste
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 c. minced fresh parsley
Shredded Parmesan cheese, for garnishing, optional


Method:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add enough salt to the water so that it is as salty as sea water.

Boil pasta according to package directions, until al dente; drain.

Meanwhile, in a large non-stick skillet brown the sausage over medium heat. Add coconut oil if needed.

Add the onion and garlic, and the red bell pepper if using, and cook until tender.

Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, red pepper flakes, cream, and brown sugar.

Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Add the hot drained pasta and mix together well.

Top with minced parsley and serve.

Garnish individual plates with shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired.



Photos of the cooking process:

Enjoy,

Leila.

Thai Curry Soup (Noodles & Co.Copy-Cat Recipe)

A delicious rendition of a favorite soup

Noodles & Co. Thai Curry Soup

The first time I ate at Noodles & Co., I ordered their Thai Curry Soup. I loved it. I loved the fresh toppings, plus I adore the flavors of a good Thai curry anyway. I already make a great Thai curry at home, but this soup is lighter, so I wanted to figure out how to make this soup at home too.

I took my leftover soup home. I wrote down what I guessed was in the soup and proceeded to create a recipe. I did side-by-side taste tests until my recipe tasted and looked the same. I am very pleased with the results. I make sure I have the fresh produce needed for the best presentation and taste.

You can easily make this sugar-free and gluten-free if you want to. Use Golden Lakanto instead of palm sugar. Miracle noodles or mung bean noodles can be used instead of rice noodles.

I prefer to add the prepared noodles into the individual serving bowls right before serving. The texture of the noodles isn't as good when it is reheated, So I do not add the noodles to the whole batch of soup.

Leila's Thai Curry Soup (My Noodles & Co. knockoff):

2 Tablespoons yellow (or green) Thai curry paste (Mae Ploy brand) 

1 19-oz can coconut milk (like Ayroy-D brand)

1 2-oz cube palm sugar 

2 19-oz cans water

1 1/2 Teaspoon sea salt (or BioSalt) OR 2 to 3 T. Thai Fish Sauce

1 pkg rice noodles, prepared according to pkg directions

1/2 Large red onion, sliced into thin slivers (or sweet onion)

1/4 head cabbage, shredded

2 Medium tomato, fresh, cubed

mushroom, fresh, slices, optional

spinach, fresh, place a small handful on top of hot soup before serving

cilantro sprigs, garnish with about 5 on top of each bowl before serving

2 Medium carrots, shredded, optional

tofu, cubed, optional.

Method :

In a soup pan, add 2 T. curry paste and a little of the coconut cream from the top of the can of coconut milk. Stir to blend while heating to bubbling. 

Add more coconut milk and the onion and saute 2 minutes. 

Add the rest of the coconut milk, 2 cans of water, the palm sugar and heat until the palm sugar dissolves completely.

Add the carrots, cabbage, mushrooms and simmer lightly, just until the vegies are tender-crisp. 

Add the prepared rice noodles. Add salt and tomatoes. 

It is ready to serve when heated through. 

Ladle into bowls and top with baby spinach leaves and then cilantro sprigs. Serve hot.

Note: You may make this sugar free by replacing the palm sugar with 2 ounces of Lakanto's golden zero-calorie sweetener (or to taste). Lakanto's sweetener is made of erythritol and monk fruit extract.

Enjoy,

Leila.

Creamy Parmesan Cauliflower Broccoli Bake

True comfort food: Parmesan Cauliflower Broccoli Bake

This is one of my most favorite casseroles ever. Parmesan Cauliflower Broccoli Bake is a creamy, delicious vegetarian casserole. It makes a great side for just about any meal. It tastes super with or without the added tarragon, marjoram, rosemary, and thyme. You could also use Herbs de Provence or Fine Herbs as well. 

I made my own bread crumbs. It is healthier, super easy to do, and you can make it fresh for pennies. I made this delicious casserole for our Easter dinner this year and served it along side perfectly baked salmon (thanks to my cute husband) and roasted asparagus. It was a terrific meal. 

I have not done it yet, but I know this casserole would taste amazing with some crispy fried onions sprinkled on top along with the bread crumb topping. I am going to do this next time I make this casserole.

I hope you enjoy this comforting casserole as much as we do.

Parmesan Cauliflower Broccoli Bake Recipe:

1/2 c. Herb & Garlic bread crumbs (like Progresso brand), or home made *
2 T. melted butter
1 lb fresh cauliflower florets and stems
1 lb fresh broccoli florets and stems
1/4 c. plus 2 T. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 T. all-purpose flour
1 T. butter (can omit and just use a non-stick spray for the pan, but butter is better!)
1 large onion, diced
A pinch of baking soda
1 1/4 c. organic milk
4 ounces neufchatel or cream cheese, softened
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 t. seasoned salt
1/2 t. onion salt
1/2 t. BioSalt, to taste
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
A pinch each of tarragon, marjoram, rosemary, and thyme, optional


Method:

Wash and trim the cauliflower and broccoli. Peel the tough outer skin off the broccoli stem. dice the broccoli and cauliflower stems into small bite sized pieces. If using frozen cauliflower and broccoli, thaw them completely first. Cut the florets into bite sized pieces.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a deep 2-quart baking dish and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the dry breadcrumbs, 2 T. melted butter, and 2 T. Parmesan. Set aside.

In a large pan saute diced onion until tender in 1 T. butter and a pinch of baking soda, to aid caramelization. (You may just use a non-stick spray instead, but it isn't as tasty.)

Sprinkle flour over cooking onions and stir in well. Saute another minute.

Pour milk over cooking onions and stir in well, until it starts to thicken.

Add the neufchatel or cream cheese and the 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese and stir until the cheeses melt.

Add the garlic powder, seasoned salt, onion salt, and fresh ground pepper. Stir in well and taste.

Add up to 1/2 t. BioSalt, to taste.

Add herbs, to taste, optional.

Add the vegetables and toss well to coat. Scrape into the prepared casserole dish.

Sprinkle the top with the bread crumb mixture.

Bake 45 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and vegetables are tender.



* To Make the Topping using Quick Home Made Bread Crumbs:

1 heel of a loaf of whole grain bread, crumbled fine
1/4 t. Garlic powder
A pinch each of tarragon, marjoram, rosemary, and thyme
The 2 T. butter called for above


Method:

In a small non-stick frying pan placed over medium heat, transfer the fine bread crumbs. Stir the crumbs around if they are not dried out yet, and gently toast them.

Put the garlic and herbs in the pan and stir a bit until they are fragrant.

Add the 2 T. butter called for and saute until the crumbs are well coated and remove from heat.

Let cool a bit before adding the 2 T. Parmesan cheese. Proceed with the recipe above.

Fresh out of the oven.

A perfect dinner.

Enjoy,

Leila.

Garlic Roasted Asparagus

An easy way to prepare fresh spring asparagus

I usually steam my asparagus but I wanted to try roasting it instead, just for something different. I think this is a nice option for when you are already using your oven. I use deodorized coconut oil so the coconut flavor doesn't interfere with the delicate taste of the asparagus. I also prefer using fresh garlic over dried garlic, but either works.

How will I cook my asparagus next time?

I will probably steam it.

Why?

Because I prefer the way it tastes.

When I steam asparagus, I put it in a serving dish when it is still tender-crisp and bright green. I then slather it in real butter, and season with fresh ground black pepper and onion salt to taste.

I noticed the asparagus was seriously lacking in buttery goodness when it was baked.

So, here is what I will do the next time I choose to roast asparagus: Use less coconut oil to roast the asparagus. Still infuse the coconut oil with the garlic. Roast in the same manner. Put hot asparagus in a serving dish and top with butter, season with fresh ground black pepper and onion salt to taste. Roll the asparagus spears around in the butter and seasonings to coat well and serve.

If you are vegan, stick with the coconut oil version, it still tastes great. I'm just a butter freak.

Garlic Roasted Asparagus

2 lb Asparagus
1 T. Deodorized coconut oil
1/2 t. Garlic powder or 1 to 2 cloves very finely minced fresh garlic
1/4 t. Onion salt, to taste
1/4 t. Fresh ground black pepper, to taste


Method:

Wash and trim the fresh asparagus (trim by snapping off the tough woody ends).

Lay the asparagus onto a rimmed baking sheet.

Gently warm the coconut oil and mix in the garlic powder or minced garlic.

Pour over the asparagus on the baking sheet.

Sprinkle onion salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Toss to coat well.

Roast asparagus in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot.


Tip: If using garlic powder, you may alternately choose to generously oil the baking sheet with the coconut oil and sprinkle the desired seasonings over top and roast.

The seasoned asparagus in the roasting pan.

Transfer roasted asparagus to a serving dish.

Serve hot.

Enjoy,

Leila.

Our favorite fast Tostadas

These quick and yummy Tostadas have extra delicious layers of flavor dimension. 

Creamy, savory refried beans, the caramelized flavor of the onions and peppers, the sweet tomato-y sauce, smokiness from the bacon fat/smoked paprika, the crisp corn tortilla flavor, and the freshness of romaine, tomatoes, and cilantro are all perfectly complimented with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of cheese. We love these at our house!

No more needs to be said really. What? You want the recipe?

I have to say, I have not cared for most of the tostadas that have been served to me. The beans are usually dry and flavorless and then they are usually just topped with iceberg lettuce, prefab cheese, and salsa that is too heavy on the chili powder. I wanted a tostada that rose above all that. I wanted to create a more interesting tostada for my buds... My tastebuds. This is what I came up with.

This dinner is very easy to put together, You can cook everything at the same time and it will be ready in minutes. I like to start with the onions, and then start refrying the beans. I make the tomato sauce last. In between, I prep the toppings and make the guacamole.

The refried beans are the recipe I posted here earlier, but this time I refried them in bacon fat. I usually use deodorized coconut oil, so use what ever you like.

The tomato sauce was inspired by a mildly sweet chile relleno sauce I have had at +La Casita Restaurant in Springville, Utah (YUM). You may also flavor the tomato sauce with smoked paprika, or smoked hot chipotle pepper, and maybe a pinch of Mexican oregano, to taste.

Top with our Favorite Reduced Fat Sour Cream Blend.

Serve with a side of my Chili's Copy Cat Salsa recipe.


Get ready to have your tastebuds sing!


Our Favorite Tostadas Recipe:

Components:

Crisp corn tortillas (pre-made in the Mexican food section)
Refried Beans
Tomato Sauce
Sauteed Onions & Peppers
Shredded cheese
Diced tomatoes
Diced romaine lettuce
Minced fresh cilantro, optional
Our Favorite sour Cream Blend, or regular sour cream
Chili's Copy Cat Salsa, optional
Guacamole, optional
Lime wedges, optional



Sauteed Onions & Peppers:

1 Sweet or regular onion
1 Sweet red bell pepper
1-2 T. deodorized coconut oil (may use 1 T. bacon fat)
A pinch of baking soda
A pinch of BioSalt or sea salt

Method:

Slice into this slivers the onion and bell pepper.
Saute the onions slowly in oil along with the baking soda and salt, which speed caramelization.
When the onions are translucent, add the bell pepper and mix together.
Continue to saute, stirring occasionally until tender and starting to caramelize.



Easy Re-fried Beans recipe:

2 T. virgin or deodorized coconut oil and/or bacon fat
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 pinch hot red chili pepper flakes
1 can refried beans of choice
1/4 c. plus 2 T. purified water, divided
1/2 t. onion powder
1 pinch cumin powder


Method:

Saute the garlic and red pepper flakes in coconut oil until very fragrant and sizzling.

Add the can of beans and stir to mix together.

Add 1/4 c. water to thin the beans, mixing in well.

Add the onion powder and a pinch of cumin. mix in well.

Brown the beans, turning occasionally, until they thicken up and have areas that are browned nicely. This gives a great flavor to the re-fried beans.

Add a touch more water (about 2 T.) to thin the beans to a nice consistency.

Taste for seasonings and adjust if needed. If you used unsalted beans, add salt to taste.



Tomato Sauce:

1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
1 T. plus 2 t. sugar (Lakanto sweetener or xylitol) (or use 2 T. or more of  erythritol or maltitol)
1/8 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. onion salt
1/4 c. purified water
1/8 t. smoked paprika (or chipotle to taste, for added heat), optional

Method:

Place all sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer 5 minutes. Keep warm and set aside.



Speedy & Delicious Guacamole:

Ripe avocados
Onion salt, to taste
A pinch of garlic powder
A squeeze of lemon or lime juice, optional

Method:

Scoop the ripe avocado out of it's shell and put into a small bowl.
Sprinkle with the seasonings and citrus juice, and mash with a fork.
Add enough onion salt so the guacamole has a great flavor, and serve.



TOSTADA ASSEMBLY:

Top crispy tortillas in this order:

Spread tortilla with the hot refried beans, sprinkle with cheese, pour on some warm tomato sauce, add sauteed onions & peppers, shredded romaine lettuce, guacamole, salsa, tomatoes, sour cream, cilantro, and garnish with a lime wedge.

ENJOY!


Note: Alternately, you may brown flour tortillas in deodorized 76 degree coconut oil until crispy.


Photos of the cooking process:

Starting to caramelize the onions with a pinch of baking soda and BioSalt.

This dinner is very easy and fast to prepare.

Adding the red bell pepper to the softened onions.

Sauteing the onions and peppers.

The onions and peppers are finished.

The easy refried beans are about ready.

Simmering the tomato tostada sauce.

Putting the toppings on the tostada. The sauce adds a special touch.

The tostada all dressed and ready to go.

A plated tostada with toppings and my Copy-Cat Chili's Salsa recipe.

Enjoy,

Leila.