How Did Vodka Sauce Develop?

There are varied opinions as to its origin. Some say it was created in Rome to boost vodka, and that could be true, but it doesn’t feel very Italy Italian to me. Others report that it started at a restaurant in New York City, when a Chef Luigi Franzese of Orsini’s, needed to thin a sauce, and added vodka and heavy cream.

I recently ate at a new beautiful Italian restaurant in Nashville which served a most delicious vodka sauce, and it was my inspiration to make it again and put a spin on it, adding sausage.

A good tomato sauce has very few ingredients in it. That’s an Italian way of cooking. Onions drive the flavor more than garlic (outside of a few exceptions) and that’s true of this sauce, which uses an entire onion, finely chopped.

What is Vodka Sauce

It’s very simple. Vodka sauce is a tomato sauce with onion, vodka, heavy cream and some red pepper flakes.

Sausage is an option and one we especially like, serving this on rigatoni or penne pasta.

Process

Gather ingredients.

• Italian Sausage
• Olive Oil
• Garlic
• Onion
• San Marzano Tomatoes
• Vodka
• Parsley
• Heavy Cream
• Pecorino Cheese
• Red Chili Flakes

Cook loose Italian sausage in same pot you will make the sauce. Crumble into small bite sized pieces. Add diced onion for a few minutes in same pot, then add garlic.

TIP: If you are using whole tomatoes as I do, blend them first. The flavor is best with whole marzano canned tomatoes, but I use a stick blender to make a puree.

Add tomatoes to the pot. Follow with the fresh herbs, salt, pepper, and cook for twenty minutes. Add vodka and cook another 30 minutes on low, making sure the alcohol is burned off. Add in heavy cream, followed by pecorino or parmesan cheese. Cook pasta al dente. Add sauce to pasta. Add the red chili flakes (to taste). You may have more sauce than needed, which can be saved or frozen. Serve with more Pecorino or Parmesan cheese at the table.

More Pasta Recipes

• My Favorite Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipes
• Rigatoni with White Beans
• Hearty Rigatoni with Beef
• Spaghetti Bolognese
• How to Cook Pasta Like an Italian

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Vodka Sauce

Vodka Tomato cream sauce with rigatoni

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 medium onion small dice
• 1 pound loose Italian sausage
• 1 28 ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes
• 1/4 cup vodka
• handful fresh parsley
• few fresh basil leaves if you have it, don’t use dried
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup parmesan cheese or pecorino divided
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 pound rigatoni (small size)

Instructions

• Blend tomatoes to a sauce. I use a stick blender to do this. Set aside.
• Heat olive oil and butter in large sauce pan. Saute loose sausage until cooked through.

  Add diced onion for about 3 minutes. Add garlic, and sautè about a minute.
• Add tomatoes that have been blended to a puree.
• Add in fresh herbs such as parsley and basil (remove later)
• Cook for twenty minutes.
• Add in vodka.
• Stir, simmering on low for twenty or more minutes. Taste to make sure alcohol has burned off before adding in cream.
• Add in heavy cream. Stir.
  
• Stir in a 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
• Add in crushed red pepper.
  
• Cook pasta according to directions for al dente.
• Serve pasta in large bowl, and add just enough of the sauce you need, making sure to scoop up the sausage into the bowl. You may have some sauce left over.
  
• Serve with more parmesan or pecorino cheese.
  

The post Best Vodka Sauce Recipe with Sausage appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

What is Braciole?

Braciole is thin slices of steak, (round or flank) stuffed with parmesan, garlic, parsley, prosciutto and bread crumbs, browned and braised in a tomato sauce. I skip the bread crumbs and I add wine and broth to the tomato sauce and allow it to cook down for several hours. You end up with a flavorful and tender Italian braised steak.

This is a simple dish, which helps to stretch the budget, using a less expensive cut of meat. I like to make this with flank steak, but round steak is cheaper and will still be delicious if you opt for that.

However, you must use fresh parsley, freshly chopped garlic and a very good cheese such as pecorino romano or parmigianna reggiano.

Often a braciole recipe will call for prosciutto, which is a nice addition and adds more flavor like these prosciutto meatballs. I’ll leave that as an option. Prosciutto is expensive and as prices are today, I found that chopped pepperoni is a great addition. Make your own simple tomato sauce from scratch, which is nearly just as easy as opening a jar. Trust me.

You can choose to serve braciole with pasta, mashed potatoes or just an Italian salad and bread. This is a dish that is better the next day, and one in which you should make plenty and freeze.

When I made this braciole recipe a few years ago, I got kids involved. They enjoy the pounding, stuffing and wrapping in string. Please do engage your family in the kitchen. I know, I  say this all the time, but it’s one of the few joys in life and makes amazing memories.

How to Pound Steak for Braciole

You can use flank or round steak. I use round steak, which is not that easy to pound. If either steak is too thick, try to get your butcher to slice through it butterfly style.

Put the meat on either parchment sheets or a plastic cutting board with colored mats that you only use for meat. I like this set from Amazon. Use a meat pounder like this (which I’m an Amazon affiliate).

If your round steak is not wide enough to roll from short side up, roll it cross wise. You will need to use string. If I can roll it all in one piece, I will do that and then cut it into more individual pieces. These are easier to fry and put into the sauce. Don’t worry how it looks. By the time it’s fried, braised and sauced, it will look delicious.

Don’t worry if your rolled steak does’t look good before you fry it. Just make sure it’s tied enough to be able to fry without falling apart. Once it is in the sauce, it will look just fine. Serve with more sauce, and smattering of cheese and parsley.

Add wine and broth (beef or chicken) to the Sauce to add more flavor, and let the braciole cook for hours. You’ll know it’s ready when you jab at with a fork and it wants to comes apart.

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More Italian Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• Italian Pork Chops
• Italian Pork Steak
• Beef Ragu
• Brined Pork Roast
• Italian Cheese Stuffed Meatballs
• Italian Pot Roast
• How to Cook Pasta Like an Italian
• Mashed Cauliflower for Low Carb Option

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Authentic Braciole (Stuffed Rolled Steak)

Flank or Round Steak stuffed with parsley, cheese and garlic, braised in tomato sauce.

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Keyword braciola, braciole, flank steak, round steak

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Servings 6 Servings

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons avocado or olive oil
• 2 pounds flank steak or round steak
• 1/2 cup Itallian Parsley chopped (more for garnish)
• 6 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 cup Pecorino or Parmesan freshly grated (more for garnish)
• 1/4 cup chopped pepperoni
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup dried bread crumbs optional
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Tomato Sauce

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 28 ounce cans San Marzano whole tomatoes
• 1 cup broth or water can be beef or chicken broth
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Steak

• Pound steak very thin. Depending upon the size of steak, you may get more steak slices. You may stuff two large pieces and then you will roll lengthwise and cut into pieces.
• If you are using prosciutto, lay a piece across the steak before filling.
• Chop parsley, mince garlic, grate pecorino or parmesan cheese together along with pepperoni.
• Add this mixture to center of each piece.
• If you want to add a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
• Roll up from short side to long. You might also roll lengthwise as stated above, depending on what is easier.
• Tie with string. If rolling lengthwise in large piece, cut Into pieces before tying. You will will get 6 to 8 pieces.
  
• Fry in large frying pan, browning all sides.
• I prefer to make my sauce separately and add braciole to pot.

Tomato Sauce

• Add olive oil and a few garlic cloves to pan. Remove garlic once it turns golden.
• Using hands squeeze tomatoes into oil, along with the juice.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Add browned braciole to sauce and braise on low for 2 to 3 hours.
  
• Remember to remove string before eating.
• Freeze: Braciole freezes well and can be reheated in oven or microwave.

The post Braciole Recipe, Italian Stuffed Steak appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

While I have a good low-carb, traditional sausage ball recipe here, made with breakfast sausage and cheddar, this stands out above the norm. When a reader recently commented how these sausage balls turned out, I thought I’d try a different take and make these Italian style.

I had to add pepperoni for zing and of course use Italian sausage and mozzarella.

Italian Sausage Balls Ingredients

• Loose Italian sausage
• pepperoni
• almond flour
• egg
• mozzarella cheese

I actually made two different kinds to see which I would like better. One batch was made with cream cheese, and one batch with eggs.

Egg Free Option

The recipe with eggs was more tender, easier to make and all around better. However, you wanted an egg free sausage ball, mix in 4 tablespoons cream cheese in place of the eggs.

Macros

You should be able to get about 24 to 26 sausage balls at 1 carb each, making this the perfect low-carb appetizer, but delicious enough for anyone and great for folks needing a gluten free option.

Italian Sausage Balls Cooking Process

• Bring all ingredients together, but try not compact the sausage, which can make the balls tough.
• Roll into balls
• Bake at 350 degrees F, 180 C. for about 15 minutes.
• Cool on paper towels.

The best thing about these is that you can freeze these uncooked ahead and always have an appetizer ready to go in 15 minutes.

Freezing Process

• Roll out onto a tray. Freeze UNCOOKED.
• Once frozen, place in plastic freezer bag.
• Bake frozen 15-20 minutes.

You may or may not want to serve with pizza sauce. We like them just by themselves, but a dipping tomato sauce could be good too.

Optional Pizza Sauce

You can serve these with my pizza sauce if desired.

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Italian Sausage Balls Appetizer

Delicious appetizer or brunch item, keto friendly, gluten free, grain free, Italian sausage with mozzarella, almond flour, pepperoni.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Italian sausage, sausage balls

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 24 sausage balls

Calories 72kcal

Ingredients

• 1 pound Mild Italian Sausage
• 1 cup almond flour or 1 1/3 cups regular flour
• 2 small eggs beaten
• 2 cups whole milk mozzarella cheese shredded
• 10 pieces pepperoni, chopped (about 1/2 cup loosely packed)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, 180 C
• Mix by hand all Ingredients.
• Using small sized scoop, roll out 24-26 sausage balls.
• Place on baking sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes.

To Freeze

• Arrange UNCOOKED on tray and freeze. Once frozen, place In freezer ziplock bag.
• When ready to bake, bake frozen, 15 to 20 minutes. Check at 15.

Nutrition

Calories: 72kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 6g | Fat: -16g

The post Italian Sausage Balls Appetizer Made with Almond Flour appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Spaghetti Squash can be the start of so many healthy, grain free recipes. I encourage you to master the art of making spaghetti squash. Actually, I’m teasing you. It’s super easy to make. You can make it stove top like I did in this recipe or roast in the oven. 

What are the health benefits of spaghetti squash?

Spaghetti Squash is anti-inflammatory, increases your intake of essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids. It’s a filling fiber, low in calories, 42 per cup, low in carbs (8 net carbs per cup) and can take the place of wheat and gluten in a wonderful way.

You can find out how to cook the spaghetti squash here.

Is Spaghetti Squash Keto?

Yes, if you count the carbs. 8 net carbs per cup. 

What kind of Italian sausage do you use?

I am a member and affiliate for ButcherBox.  It’s the best Italian sausage we’ve ever had. We make this casserole and this sausage crusted pizza a few times a month. ButcherBox is a subscription service that delivers vacuum sealed, high quality sourced, meat chicken and seafood to your door at an affordable price. While they offer various curated boxes, I customize ours every month making sure Italian sausage is part of my box. 

What greens work best in this Sweet Italian Sausage Casserole?

I think kale is probably best but spinach works well also. Any green you want to add for color and interest is fine too. I hope you know you can freeze kale and spinach, and always have greens available for these kind of recipes.

Secret Ingredient also my favorite spice 

I love piment d’ espelette and is a go to for spicing up everything from vegetable dishes to seafood. 

What is piment d’espelette? 

Piment d’ espelette,  made from the Espelette pepper, also known as Piment d’Espelette, is a chili pepper cultivated in the French commune of Espelette, Pyrénées-Atlantiques. It is mildly hot, measuring up to 4,000 Scoville Heat Units. It’s sweet, spicy and smoky without overpowering a dish.  I like the way it gives heat to a dish, more nuanced than red chili flakes (which you could also use). 

You could cover this with pecorino cheese as I did or even use mozzarella. You could even dollop ricotta cheese in this casserole. 

I love my Le Creuset Braiser, because it goes from stove top to oven. A cast iron pan would do the same thing.

This is a flexible recipe. You could use turkey sausage if you choose. You could also choose a different meat, even leftover roast chicken, leftover carnitas. 

How to Sauté Mushrooms

I use either white button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms. I like to slice my own, saute in butter or oil, keeping them separate so they brown a little, instead of steam. That brings out a true mushroom flavor. Mushrooms are a great partner for sausage and for spinach and are a great addition to this recipe. If you hate mushrooms, skip them. It’s that simple. You might choose to add in some chopped sun-dried tomatoes instead. 

This is a an easy dish, very forgiving. Make sure you use enough salt and pepper and a little heat to bring it together. Don’t plan on leftovers. You probably won’t have any. 

More Recipes Using Italian Sausage from Spinach Tiger

Italian Sausage Meals Your Family Will Love

Italian Sausage Frittata with Ricotta

Baked Italian Sausage with Broccoli Rabe

Italian Sausage Crusted Pizza with Peppers

How to Cook Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

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Low Carb Sweet Italian Sausage with Spaghetti Squash, Spinach, Mushrooms

Italian Sausage, Spaghetti Squash, Mushrooms, Spinach and Pecorino baked in Casserole for a low carb, keto friendly dinner.

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

Roast Spaghetti Squash

• 1 Cooked Spaghetti Squash Recipe Here
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups mushrooms sliced
• 1 pound Italian Sausage removed from casing
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan or pecorino Romano Cheese.
• 2 cups spinach leaves or chopped kale
• 1 teaspoon piment d'esplette or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

• In a frying pan that will also go into oven, break up sausage and cook over medium heat. Drain sausage on paper towels.
• Remove spaghetti squash and allow to cool.
• Use the fork to shred the squash.
• Add more oil to pan if necessary and sauté mushrooms in same pan.
• Add sausage back into pan.
• Mix together sausage, mushroom mixture.
• Shred spaghetti squash and mix with sausage and mushrooms in frying pan you will use for oven.
• Add spinach and mix. No need to cook. It will soften in oven.
• Season with salt, pepper and piment d'esplette.
• Sprinkle with parmesan or pecorino cheese and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees F. until melted. You could also add mozzarella if desired.

Assemble

Notes

Feel free to use turkey sausage. 

Play around by adding dollops of ricotta cheese and topping with mozzarella before baking. 




The post Low Carb Italian Sausage Recipe with Spaghetti Squash appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

It was my dream to bring together my keto dinner rolls and grain free meatballs for an old school meatball slider.  But, I wondered, would it work? Would the rolls hold up to the sauce and meat?

I served these to my latest cake baking class and the feedback was tremendous. Everyone wanted the recipe for the meatballs, the sauce and the rolls. My initial concern was if the rolls would stand up to the sauce and meatballs. They did.

Even though the class was here for a cake class, I think they were almost more thrilled with these sliders. They were wow’d with the homemade tomato sauce and I promised them the recipe.

I now feel confident saying that you can eat old school Italian food and stay on your keto or Paleo diet plan.

Meatball sliders are perfect for my classes, as it shows off the keto rolls and my flair for grain free Italian cooking, and this is the best of both worlds. I currently teach a keto cake class and a keto bread class. The rolls are taught in the bread class and have been so well received because they taste like real bread and do not fall apart holding an ample meatball.

What are the ingredients in keto meatballs?

In these meatballs, I chose only to use ground beef, using equal amounts of ground round and ground chuck, which yielded an flavorful, tender meatballs. I soaked the meat in milk to tenderize, added a little olive oil, lots of pecorino and parsley. Keeping it simply, I used garlic powder, but you could use fresh minced garlic.

What Meat Makes the Best Keto Meatballs?

While I used all beef, a mix of ground round and ground chuck, you can use a variety of ground meat. Instead of beef, you could also use ground turkey. Just make sure to add in some olive oil because ground turkey can be very lean.

You can mix your meat up by adding pork, but I wasn’t sure who did or didn’t eat pork, so I stuck wth all beef. This proved very fruitful, as I intentionally set out to make the best all beef meatball I could, meaning a tender meatball.

My Cooking Technique for Keto Meatballs

Ground meat should not be packed tightly, when making meatballs. They will end up tough. Be gentle when rolling and bake for only 15 to 20 minutes at 375 degrees F.  before immersing into tomato sauce.

How to Make Easy Low Carb Tomato Sauce for Meatball Sliders

My basic tomato sauce is a version of  my grandmother’s authentic tomato sauce using Cento San Marzano tomatoes. In that recipe I use a food mill to separate the pulp. In this easy recipe, it’s not necessary as long as you use the Cento brand. It has the least amount of pulp and you can crush it with your hands. I simply heat some olive oil, garlic cloves and an quartered onion. I then remove the onion and garlic, add in two or three cans of tomatoes and cook on low for about 45 minutes.

All of these components can be done in advance. Keto Meatballs can be frozen. Rolls can be frozen. This means you can have access to meatball sliders at any time or make the components well in advance. It’s always a good idea to have meatballs in the freezer, ready to go. I love them in this spaghetti squash lasagna dish. 

Keto Slider Rolls

I use the same recipe I use for keto dinner rolls to make the keto slider rolls. The only thing I change is that I will press them down a little more.  They are the perfect size for sliders of all types.

The dough can be made and refrigerated for up to five days. It can also be frozen.  The recipe makes 8 rolls and a pound and a half of meat will make eight sliders, each with 3 ounces of meat.

More Keto Friendly  Italian Food You Might Love

Keto Eggplant Parmesan

Keto Chicken Parm

Keto Sausage Crusted Pizza

Low Carb Edamame Pasta with keto meatballs

Baked Italian Sausage with Broccoli Rabe

Three Cheese Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

Keto Cooking/Baking Classes 

These were so well received at my keto baking class and a meatball slider cooking class my be in order.  As of this date, we have keto bread classes, keto cake classes and a newly formed keto sausage crusted pizza class.

Keto Cooking Class Here

Keto Baking Class Here

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Keto Meatballs and Keto Meatball Sliders

Grain Free, all beef keto meatballs with grain free keto dinner rolls.

Course Keto Entree

Cuisine Italian

Keyword keto meatballs, keto sliders, meatball sliders

Servings 8 Sliders

Ingredients

Keto Meatballs

• 1 pound ground round
• 1 pound ground chuck
• 1/2 cup milk see notes
• 1/2 cup pecorino romano or parmesan grated
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 tablespoons Italian parsley chopped

Tomato Sauce

• 2 cans Italian San Marzano Tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic peeled
• 1/2 onion quartered
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Assemble Sliders

• 8 keto dinner rolls
• 8 meatballs
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
• 1/4 cup pecorino romano grated

Instructions

Keto Meatballs

• Mix meat together gently.
• Pour milk over meat. Allow a minute to soak in.
• Add eggs, and remaining ingredients. Mix gently. Don't compact meat.
• Roll into 16 meatballs.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.
• Once meatballs are baked, add to the sauce.

Tomato Sauce Recipe

• Heat olive oil with garlic cloves and onion. Once those are browned, remove and add in cans of tomatoes.
• Use your hands to crush the tomatoes. There should be very little pulp left. I usually discard the tips of the tomatoes.
• Add in salt, pepper, and fresh basil (if you have it).
• Cook on low, uncovered for up to two hours until the sauce thickens.

Assemble

Get Keto Roll Recipe Here

• Cut rolls through middle. Brown for about 5 minutes at 400 degrees F.
• Place meatballs on each roll. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake another five minutes until cheese is melted.
  
• Sprinkle Pecorino Romano over meatballs.

The post Keto Meatballs with Keto Slider Rolls appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Broccoli is probably my favorite green vegetable and comes home with me every week, second only to greens for salad, The versatility of this beautiful, anti-oxidant super healthy vegetable is unsurpassed for many reasons.

Broccoli is the star here, but there are handfuls of basil and fresh spinach, which, of course, makes me grin from ear to ear.

I set out to show you a way to love vegetables, and while we are eating them here at home, I’m not reporting them back to you on a frequent enough basis. But, I guarantee you that if you like broccoli, you will love this soup, and if you don’t like broccoli, maybe you just haven’t had it prepared properly.

If the only kind of broccoli soup you’ve experienced is that thick, gooey broccoli cheese soup that restaurants purchase in large plastic buckets, then you haven’t had good broccoli soup.

Broccoli Comes to America Via Italy

My love affair with broccoli is probably genetic. Did you know that it was the Italians who brought this beautiful cruciferous to America? The D’Arrigo Brothers weren’t the first to plant it, but they popularized broccoli in the 1920’s, first in San Jose, California, then in Boston, under the name Andy Boy.

Broccoli was meant to be married with olive oil, salt and lemon, served at room temperature, after being cooked quickly so that it would remain bright green, or placed inside a frittata, or tossed with pasta. That is how I remember broccoli.

Broccoli Basil Soup Ingredients

• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Basil
• Olive Oil
• Lemon
• Organic Chicken Broth (or broccoli broth)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Pine Nuts (optional pistachios or sliced almonds)

If broccoli is cooked too long, it will release a sulfur smell that makes it unappetizing. After being assaulted with overcooked broccoli that stuffed into too many casseroles, mashed beyond identity, it’s no wonder people sometimes mistake broccoli for a vegetable they don’t like.

This soup just might turn a hater around.

Broccoli Basil Soup, Clean Eating, Paleo

This soup can be made with organic chicken broth or it can be made with the broccoli water it is cooked in. I’ve done it both ways. I used handfuls of basil and spinach, olive oil, lemon and pecorino romano cheese. This really gives it the Italian flavors I was looking for and feels heartier than it really is.

By this time the broccoli was cooked and ready to drain. I kept the broccoili water and began to blend about 1 cup of water to 2 cups of broccoli to this mixture. You can use a Vitamix, blender, or immersion blender. Add a few toasted pine nuts or almonds for garnish.

You can use Frozen Broccoli

Some people enjoy a soup that you can drink. Sometimes I do too, but sometimes I want more tooth to my soup. I only blended it to a point where you can still have texture. For me this is like porridge and it’s just right.

Taste along the way, and feel free to add your own touch to your broccoli basil soup. I drizzled olive oil into the soup and placed a dollop of Greek yogurt on top.

More Soup Recipes from Spinach Tiger

Asparagus Detox Soup

Golden Cauliflower Soup

Cheap Hearty Soups

Homemade Chicken Broth

Tomato Bisque Soup

Spring Pea Soup

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Broccoli Basil Soup

This version of broccoli soup is extra healthy, with added spinach, garlic, olive oil and lemon.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 6 large broccoli flowers See Instructions for either fresh or frozen
• juice of half lemon
• 1 large pot of boiling water with sea salt
• 3 handfuls fresh spinach leaves washed
• 1 handful basil
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil and some for drizzling into soup
• 1/2 cup pecorino romano grated
• 1/4 cup pine nuts optional (can use Pistachios or toasted almonds)
• olive oil for finishing off
• sea salt
• black pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth (optional) You may use the broccoli broth.

Instructions

Using Fresh Broccoli

• Cut about 2 inches of stems off the broccoli and throw in a large pot of boiling water, with sea salt. Use a lot of water so there is so much heat that the broccoli will cook very quickly.
• Once broccoli is cooked, drain in colander. Save the broth or use added chicken broth.
• You can use frozen broccoli. Use chicken broth for broth.
• Squeeze lemon all over the broccoli.
• (Should be able to put a fork into easily enough, but don’t overcook)
• Put the broccoli in the Vitamix or blender with spinach, olive oil, basil, salt and pepper.
• Blend to your liking. I don't puree, but blend enough to have some heft remain I in the soup. Taste test to get the soup the way you like it.
• Add the broth or water 1/2 cup at a time, so as not to make too watery.
• Taste for seasoning.
• You may want to add more lemon, cheese, etc.
• Finish off with drizzle of olive oil, toasted pine nuts.

Notes

Buy very green dense broccoli. Use a very good cheese of choice.
You will be able to taste everything, so be sure you use FRESH spinach, FRESH garlic and very good extra virgin olive oil.

The post Broccoli Basil Soup with Pecorino and Pine Nuts appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

I’m Italian and it was only after my husband said this was the best spaghetti squash he’s ever had that I realized I could title this as a form of lasagna that is keto friendly and grain free.

It all started with a spaghetti squash that sat on the counter for a few weeks. I had no plan, but I did have a can of Italian tomatoes, some fresh mozzarella cheese, pecorino, ricotta cheese, and a pound of mixed ground beef and ground pork. It can also be made with Italian sausage.

When these ingredients come together in the right balance, it’s very reminiscent of lasagna. It has the creaminess of the cheese, the flavor from the meat, a combination of ground pork and ground beef, pulled together by a fresh quick tomato sauce.

Spaghetti Squash lasagna is very easy to put together with little actual prep time.
The squash is oven roasted like I did in this recipe, which gives it a caramelized depth of flavor.

How to Roast Spaghetti Squash 

The hardest part of roasting spaghetti squash is cutting it to roast it. You can microwave it for a few minutes to make it easier and then cut lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds and pulp. Place face down in a baking dish with a few inches of water and bake until tender at 400 degrees F.

While the squash is baking, you can make a quick tomato sauce, and brown the meat. I like meatballs in my lasagna, but to make it easier, I add some spices and pecorino cheese to a mix of ground beef and Italian sausage and browned it. It gives you the taste of the meatballs without the trouble, but using left-over meatballs can be a good idea.

I used a combination of beef and pork, but you can use all beef, ground turkey, or even Italian sausage. I flavored the meat the same way I flavor meatballs, with lots of pecorino and parsley.

This is a great recipe to make when you have left over meatballs, such as these paleo meatballs

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Use Three Cheeses for Keto Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

I used three cheeses, pecorino (for the meatballs) and for topping, fresh mozzarella and ricotta. If you don’t have pecorino, use parmesan.

More Spaghetti Squash Recipes

This is one of our favorite Fall to Winter dishes for its earthiness from the mushrooms.

Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp

Spaghetti Squash Hasbrowns

Sausage Mushroom Stuffed Spaghetti Squash 

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Three Cheese Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Caserole, Keto Friendly

Easy Three Cheese Lasagna made with Spaghetti Squash, Keto Friendly, Low Carb. Paleo, Gluten free.

Course Keto Entree

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 337kcal

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 2 cups quick tomato sauce recipe below
• 1 spaghetti squash
• 1 pound of ground meat or Italian sausage see notes
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• 3/4 cup pecorino romano or parmesan
• parsley
• red chili flakes
• salt
• pepper

Quick Tomato Sauce

• 1 can San Marzano Tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 onion

Instructions

• Roast spaghetti squash
• Soften spaghetti squash by microwaving for five minutes.
• Or you can just cut in half, lengthwise.
• Scrape out seeds and stringy parts.
• Put face down in pot. Add water up to about 3 inches.
• Roast for 40 minutes or until softened.

Tomato Sauce

• Crush tomatoes with hand.
• Heat olive oil.
• Add onion and garlic.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Cook uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes while squash is baking.
• You can choose to smooth out the sauce using a stick blender.

Make Ground Beef Mixture

• Season meat with parsley, 1/4 cup grated pecorino cheese, salt and pepper.
• Brown Meat. Drain grease if necessary.

Assemble Lasagna

• Shred spaghetti squash with a fork.
• Paper towel moisture off of squash.
• Arrange in casserole dish.
• Toss with Sauce. You may not use all of the sauce, depending as to how much you have.
• Arrange meat, ricotta cheese and mozzarella in various places in dish.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until all cheese is melted.
• Allow to cool about ten minutes. Serve with extra Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese.

Notes

You can use ground beef, loose Italian sausage or a mix of of beef/pork.

Net cabs: 7 with Six Servings

Nutrition

Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Fat: 20g | Fiber: 2g

The post Three Cheese Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Casserole, Keto Friendly appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Spaghetti squash carbonara now joins good company at Spinach Tiger if you remember this shrimp recipe. 

This time, instead of tomatoes, I’m applying a northern Italian spin making spaghetti squash carbonara. It’s been a long time since I’ve made carbonara here with actual spaghetti so it wasn’t too hard to transfer this recipe to be keto or paleo friendly.

What is Spaghetti Carbonara?

Carbonara is a pasta made with egg, hard cheese (usually pecorino), a cured pork (guanciale or pancetta) and pepper.

Guanciale comes from the jowl of the pig, but is not easily found in the United States. I use pancetta,  which comes from the belly of the pig, is often aged with herbs, and also has a different flavor from bacon.

I’ve been lucky enough to eat spaghetti alla carbonara in Rome where the dish originates and it was quite memorable, nuanced, not heavy, but yielding enough good flavor.

I particularly like the use of pancetta in this recipe, because it gives it that little extra Italian flavor. You can substitute with bacon if you prefer.

My original carbonara recipe was for an entire pound of pasta. You would probably have to make a lot of spaghetti squash to get that amount, so this recipe is cut down considerably.

The first thing you need to know how to do is make spaghetti squash and I have that recipe here.

The rest is easy.

Important Ingredients for Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

If you unfamiliar with Pecorino, it’s a hard sheep’s cheese, tangy and salty. It adds a jolt of flavor, and it’s the Italian cheese I use the most.

• Spaghetti Squash
• Pecorino Cheese AND Parmesan Cheese
• Egg
• Garlic
• Parsley
• Pancetta Bacon (or bacon)
• White wine (optional)

The Process

Cook your pancetta or bacon while you are making your spaghetti squash. Put aside, until you are ready to bring it all together. Start with a warmed spaghetti squash before adding your ingredients. You will need to serve immediately.

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How to Cook Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

A low carb version of Carbonara using Spaghetti Squash

Course Pasta

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Total Time 23 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 4 oz. pancetta bacon, either or, or both (sliced into 1/4” inch pieces)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves smashed
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 1 large egg I used pasteurized, but you can use very good farm fresh eggs
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino romano
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
• black pepper
• 1 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 large spaghetti squash

Instructions

• Make Spaghetti Squash. Set aside.
• Fry garlic in oil until golden and then discard. Add pancetta (or bacon). I used half bacon and half pancetta, but you can do this anyway you like.
• Once crispy, add wine. Before you do that, lower the heat, so the oil and wine do not form a geyser. Be careful, as you add wine, having a lid in hand. Cook for 1 or two minutes. Turn off heat.
• Break egg in bowl l you will serving spaghetti.
• Beat eggs and add in grated cheeses, pepper and half of parsley.
• Reserve an extra tablespoon of parsley for garnish (along with a bit of micro greens).
• Add spaghetti squash to bowl with beaten eggs and toss. Reheat pancetta and add to pasta. Serve at once.

The post Spaghetti Squash Carbonara with Pancetta appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

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This is the salad that got me hooked on kale.I have now posted so many recipes on kale but wanted to come back and share with you where it all started.

This little chopped kale salad changed my green life forever.

There was a time 30 recipes ago or so, that I did not eat or like kale. I tell you this because you might be uncomfortable with certain vegetables and think you are the only one. You might be under the false impression that  “those foodies eat everything, know how to cook everything, and are all encompassing rock stars in the kitchen.”

The truth is that even food bloggers have foods we are unfamiliar with, didn’t grow up, and maybe are even a tad bit afraid of.

But, with a name like Spinach Tiger, I need to conquer all things green.  After all green anything is so chic,  it’s the new little black dress of instagram.

Kale, as beautiful as it is, has always baffled me. I tried to make kale chips once,  which ended up in the trash followed by a nice big empty bag of kettle cooked potato chips. I couldn’t enjoy them the way I read I was supposed to in about in every cool, hip or not so hip food and life style blog. (That doesn’t mean I won’t try again some day in far distant future).

It makes no sense at all that my love for kale would start at a sports bar/restaurant that has five different kinds of french fries, but it’s true.

Someone very smart at the Tavern in Nashville put a chopped kale salad on the menu. I ate the whole bowl right along with my french fries. How’s that for split personalities?

I don’t remember the  fries.  I remember the tuscan chopped kale salad.

It was spiked (and I used the word spiked on purpose) with lemon, lots and lots of lemon and some parmigiano reggiano cheese. I was hooked, and the very next day, I went searching for the freshest kale I could find. If  you read my roasted okra post, I got lucky and and bought two beautiful bunches from a vegetable stand ready to close.

Chopped Kale Salad starts with Lacinato Kale

I remembered how the salad tasted and  I set to work chopping and chopping (using a mezzaluna) and spinning and spinning in the salad spinner, as kale seems to have a lot of water in it.

The dressing was easy. Extra virgin olive oil, lemon and more lemon, a splash of pear vinegar, and an ingredient I thought should be added, crushed red pepper.  And, of course, the toasted almonds. I decided to use pecorino romano cheese in slivers rather than grated parmigiano reggiano. You can decide which one, as you long as it’s freshly grated.

Chopped Kale Salad is a Perfect for a Potluck

In my experiences, everyone loves a salad at a party. The chopped kale salad is perfect because you can dress it at home. It lasts all day without wilting. Trust me. People will thank you.

Am I now a kale convert? All the way, yes. (Although still holding out on the kale chips thing).

Oh I don’t need to tell you how healthy kale is do I?  I hope that doesn’t ruin it for you. I know that I started to immediately feel better within the first two bites. And, it doesn’t hurt that I bought it from the hands that grew it.

The texture of kale is hearty and takes well to an olive oil dressing and even gets better if chilled a few hours. It’s not mushy or slimy and maintains a certain crunch, which is always satisfying. Add to that more crunch from the toasted almonds and the zing of the lemon and crushed red pepper and you have an exciting healthy dish.

That year the salad gave me a chance to use one of my birthday presents. I received three different vinegars from Sparrow Lane, and the one I decided on here was the D’anjou Pear.

Kale Chopped Salad Loves a very Acidic Zesty Vinaigrette

I have a thing for vinegars of all kinds and I have about 10 vinegars in my pantry, so stay tuned to hear about the other two, walnut champagne and  peach champagne vinegar.  All three are very different, very smartly balanced.  I chose the pear because it goes well with lemon and pecorino, but I also like their golden balsamic. I wouldn’t use regular balsamic because it won’t have enough punch. I used lots of lemon and you could stick with that, but the added hit of vinegar not only aids in breaking down the kale fibers, but gives the necessary zing that a kale salad needs.

Heidi Swanson of  101 cookbooks has a very similar recipe where instead of almonds she uses toasted breakcrumbs, another great way to get that added crunchy texture and a marked Italian profile.

Since my original first kale salad post, I have made many kale salads. One of the crowd favorites goes a different route with apple, sweet potatoes, cranberries, and maple pecans.

So tell me, is there a vegetable out there you have been afraid to try? If you say turnips, I can change your mind on that too.

More Kale Recipes from Spinach Tiger

More Salad Recipes from Spinach Tiger

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Chopped Kale Salad with Toasted Almonds

A raw kale salad with Tuscan flavors.

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• juice of one large lemon
• 1 teaspoon pear vinegar or use a white wine vinegar
• 1 small clove garlic crushed
• sea salt black pepper to taste
• 1 bunch of kale
• 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper or to taste
• Sea salt black pepper
• Small chunk of Pecorino Romano

Instructions

• Salad Dressing: Crush garlic clove, place in olive oil for 10 minutes. Remove.
• Squeeze lemon in small bowl, add vinegar, and slowly add in olive oil and salt and pepper.
• Rinse kale, roughly chop and dry with salad spinner or paper towels.
• Chop finely using a mezzaluna or chef's knife.
• Toss with salad dressing, cheese, toasted almonds and crushed red pepper.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Top with very thin slices of Pecorino Romano, using sharp knife or mandolin

The post Chopped Kale Salad with Toasted Almonds appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Take a good look. See how nice and bright green this pesto is. The taste is even better, thanks to pistachios.

I’ve been making pesto almost as long as I’ve been cooking pasta, long before it really became popular. I made it for this traditional Genovese pasta dish.  Then I noticed the whole world discovered pesto for everything and everything became pesto.

Traditionally it’s always been made with pine nuts, which are actually the edible seed of a pine tree, but then something happened to pine nuts!

No one knows for sure why, but a syndrome called pine mouth has been reported and packages now have warnings that “Some individuals may experience a reaction to eating pine nuts, characterized by a lingering bitter or metallic taste.” You can read more about that pine nut syndrome here.

For a while, I substituted with walnuts. Recently I  discovered that pistachios yield a result much closer to the pine nut version, as they equal the flavor and texture of pine nuts (with no fear of losing my good taste buds).

The pistachios provide enough heft and flavor to make my pesto turn out exactly the way I like it. It also retained its bright green color, as often walnuts will muddy the color.

How to Make Italian Pistachio Pesto

I know that pesto can be made mortar pestle style, but I’m going to show you my easy way. I use a small food processor that I can control. I just purchased this immersion blender that came with a mini-food processor attachment and it worked like a charm, because I like it with a bit of body. You can put it all in a Vitamix type blender, but I like a food processor for pesto.

The store bought pestos are usually all wrong in so many ways, and I urger you to avoid them. They are often weak substitutes with overpowering garlic and a metallic taste. It only takes a few minutes to make your own and it’s so worth it.

Good Ingredients are Key in Making Pesto

Garlic: How Much? Many recipes require way too much garlic and it becomes a garlic pesto. You may say you love garlic, but try my way once with only two small cloves and see how bright and fresh your pesto will taste.

Butter: Yes, a few tablespoons of butter lends to a very creamy texture. You can leave it out, but once you add butter, you will experience a whole new kind of pesto.

Cheese: I often use a combination of freshly grated parmigiano reggiano and Pecorino Romano. It’s all good and a matter of preference. The Romano cheese (a sheep’s cheese) is saltier and in this recipe that’s all I used. But feel free to mix it up.

Basil: If you wash the basil, dry it well in a salad spinner or with paper towels. If you’re short on basil, add in fresh Italian parsley.

Storing Pesto: You need to refrigerate pesto. Take it out 30 minutes before using. You can also see notes for freezing.

How to Freeze Pistachio Pesto

Once I have my pesto completed, I always freeze some, especially since I grow basil and have it in abundance this time of year.

I’ve seen people freeze pesto in ice cubes, but I like to use these silicone cups, especially these from OXO because they have side handles, which makes them easy to cart when full of liquid. After they are completely frozen, I place them in a food saver bag or ziplock.

Just take out and defrost. Presto, pesto, you have a fresh batch.

How would you eat Pistachio Pesto?

While pasta is an obvious choice, this is low carb by itself. Simply add to veggies, steak, fish, zoodles, soup.

If you’re splurging, try pistachio pesto on smashed potatoes? It’s amazing. It will also perk up polenta and be an amazing appetizer on tuscan toast points.

This traditional genovese dish is one of the ways we love to eat pesto with pasta.

I love this zoodle shrimp dish with tomatoes and spoonfuls of pesto.

You can always add pesto to pizza or to a caprese salad. 

Pesto is awesome in sandwiches like this big fat party sandwich.

More Pesto Recipes from Spinach Tiger

More Pistachio Recipes from Spinach Tiger

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Why You Need to Make Pistachio Pesto

Fresh basil, pistachios, lemon juice make a delightful summer pesto, which can be frozen and enjoyed in the winter.

Course Italian Sauce

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 2 cups tightly packed fresh picked basil leaves
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoon roasted salted pistachios
• 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped before processing
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• dash of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• For completion by hand
• 1/2 cup tablespoon freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
• 2 tablespoon butter

Instructions

• Place all ingredients except cheese into a food processor. You must chop the garlic first, which makes it much better to process and doesn't become a juice.
• I don't like to use a food processor for this because I can pulse it and keep some texture, which I prefer.
• Add the cheese by hand.

Notes

Regarding cheese, sometimes I just use pecorino romano. You can also use parmesan cheese.

If you are adding this to pasta, reserve some pasta water (3 tablespoons or so) a little at a time to extend the pasta.

You may also heat the pesto on very very low and add in heavy cream for a creamy pesto pasta.

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The post Pistachio Pesto Recipe and Why You Might Want to Avoid Pine Nuts appeared first on Spinach Tiger.