Zucchini Noodles with Fresh & Easy Pasta Sauce

My inspiration for this recipe is my mother-in-laws family pasta recipe dish called Penne al Peprone. It is a delicious, cheesy pasta dish that an Italian friend passed down to my mother-in-law. In the past at family gatherings my mother-n-law would lovingly make this favorite paired with warm garlic bread and a good glass of wine. It was delicious! It was a must to find something that could replace this for my immediate family. Even though it is loved by all members of my family it still is a close second to the original!

To make the zucchini noodles a veggie spiraler will be needed.

Zucchini Noodles

• 4 zucchini or 2 pounds

• 2 tsp salt

Spiral the zucchini then put into a colander with salt and toss. Let it sit in the colander for 15 minutes and rinse thoroughly. Cut noodles into smaller sections to keep from tangling into one big ball. Lastly, drain the noodles on a dishtowel to rid noodles of excess moisture.

Fresh and Easy Pasta Sauce

• 4 cloves crushed garlic

• ½ pound good quality Italian sausage

• 2 pints of cherry tomatoes

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 1 handful of basil chopped

• Optional grated Parmesan cheese

• Salt and pepper

Put olive oil in a 12-inch saucepan on medium high heat. Add garlic until fragrant. Next add sausage to garlic. Cooked sausage until done, then add tomato cook for 20 minutes covered, stirring a few times. Add prepared zucchini noodles to pan and stir until incorporated well. Salt and pepper to taste. Top with basil and Parmesan (for the dairy tolerant)

Here is the veggie spiralizer I use and love.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

When switching my family over to a gluten free, dairy free lifestyle the search was on for a really good cookie. I still had the vision that my kids would come home from school to hot out of the oven chocolate chip cookies. This recipe has been a family favorite for almost 3 years. These are so good that there is no need to tell them your little secret. To be honest this recipe is not one that I created, but found online. It was created by an amazing Paleo blogger, whom for the life of me I cant recall. ENJOY!!

• 1 c. Almond butter

• 1/3 c. honey

• 1 egg plus one yolk

• 1 tsp. vanilla

• ½ tsp. of salt if using unsalted almond butter

• ½ tsp. baking powder

• 2/3 c. unsweetened shredded coconut

• ½ c. enjoy life chocolate chips

Hand mix the first six ingredients in large mixing bowl. Fold in chocolate chips and coconut. Scoop out with small ice-cream scoop on parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Cookies can be close together as they spread very little while baking. Bake for 9-12 minutes or until golden brown in a preheated 350-degree oven.

Camping Chicken

This chicken is lovingly called camping chicken because it was created the first time my family went camping after I changed my lifestyle. After changing my lifestyle I was always a little nervous when doing the things I had always done for the first time since the change. Okay sometimes really nervous! This recipe is good because I would prepare it the day before we leave and grill it up the first night at the campsite. I always make extra as the leftovers are super delicious the next day!! Enjoy!

* 1 whole chicken cut up

* 6 sprigs of thyme

* 6 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed

* 1 whole lemon cut into quarters

* 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup

* 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

* ¼ c. balsamic vinegar

* ½ tablespoon salt

* 5 or more grinds of fresh pepper

Throw all ingredients except chicken in large plastic freezer bag; shake until all ingredients are combined, add chicken. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until done, or grill on medium heat for 45 minutes or until done. Cooking time vary.