FauxPasta Fo Mama!

by Jenny

Close your eyes and imagine the smell of some delicious Italian pasta swimming in a divinely rich sauce...now, imagine adding up those calories. Wah, wah, wah. I wanted the taste of pasta without all the carbs and I do love me some spaghetti squash but I wanted something new, a different texture. So the experiment begins. And I'm going to, of course, share with you, why? Because it came out fantastic! And if there's any pasta lovers out there that want to give it a try, here ya go! I thought even if I replace one pasta dish a week (we usually eat pasta twice a week) that would help decrease my carb intake. Trying to make healthier choices ya know....

FauxPasta with Kielbasa & Mushrooms
(feeds 4)
2-3 zucchini
1 container of mushrooms
1 turkey kielbasa cubed
Olive oil
Fresh basil
Garlic salt & pepper

First, I used a julienne tool I have to slice up the zucchini in small strips. Then brown kielbasa in skillet with small amount of olive oil. Next add fresh basil & mushrooms- I put the lid on at this point to cook down and soften the mushrooms. Then add the zucchini strips and a drizzle of olive oil. Stir and cook for a few minutes til it reaches the point you can't resist wanting to eat it. I added a small sprinkle of parmesan to finish it off. Super easy, super quick. Gluten free & low carb, what's not to love!

(We did cook some whole wheat pasta for the kids to have and topped their pasta with this veggie sausage mixture. They loved it!)

"STUFFED" A Chilean Dinner...

by Jenny

Foodie Friday~Chile

Wow....I begin this post as I'm lounging on the couch totally stuffed from this dinner.
It. Was. Amazing. I really wish there was a way to post the smells that happen in my kitchen during Foodie Fridays too.                                                                 Evie's pick this week was Chile which has just about as much diversity as America. One of the reasons it's so diverse is because of their geographical makeup including mountains to ocean to the tip which is almost to Antarctica. The other huge influence is from other countries that have migrated there. Germany had a huge migration there and brought pork dishes and pastries like kuchen (which we had we did Germany, it's a super yummy apple cake). Their food is also greatly influenced by Italy and France with common dishes including omelets and prosciutto. Plus a bunch of other countries so you might've thought it's just Spanish influence but it's not. Their dishes are also regional; northern, central, and southern having their own typical dishes.

 

 

~Menu~

 

Pastel de Choclo

 

Avocado Quinoa Salad

 

Sopaipillas with Chancaca syrup

Evie picked Pastel de Choclo Sweetcorn Pie, which is layered pie from the central region. It's a beef mixture, then hard boiled egg, followed by olives and raisins, and topped with a sweet corn and basil mixture. I thought it sounded a bit odd with raisins and egg slices but I'm telling you- it really was an amazing combination! The raisins seemed to take on a different flavor, there was a definite sweet taste from the corn, and the basil and spices kept it from being overly sweet.  It's widely known in Chile but nothing really like it anywhere else. The closest thing it resembled to us was Gregg's grandma's Corn Pone Pie or chili con carne with cornbread. Everyone enjoyed it but Evie wasn't fond of the corn topping (she does not like potatoes- I think it was a similar texture). Oh, by the way, this dish is totally gluten free too.

Then she picked a lighter dish for a side and Chile is known for their produce like avocados. We found Avocado Quinoa Salad that fit the bill. It was full of flavor with avocados, tomatoes, & celery. (By the way, this dish is gluten free as long as you double check your chicken broth, some can have hidden gluten.)

Last, but by no means least, dessert: Sopaipillas con pasadas! This is not what we think of as a sopapilla. They are made with pumpkin and cut in circles that you poke with a fork so they don't really rise and puff. We made the 'sweet' version but there is a very delicious looking savory version as well. The only thing that changes is the sauce you pair it with. The thing I find delightful about this food is that they say they usually snack on them on rainy days. I love when food has a story or tradition behind it. The syrup used for the 'sweet' version is call chancaca syrup. Chancaca is a raw cane sugar that typically can be found in bricks. I read Jaggery is similar. We could not find either so our Chancaca syrup was made of 1 cup of sweetness- 3/4 cup brown sugar & 1/4 cup honey, water, orange rind, cinnamon, clove, and corn starch. After all the sugar and honey melted together then we added the corn starch. After you fry the sopaipillas up, you can pour, dip, or soak them in the amazingly sweet syrup. This syrup was what Gregg kept calling "Christmas in a bowl!" Every time you take a bite, you "ummm" out loud. I can't really describe it any better than Christmas in a bowl. The kids kept saying with each bite, "We should have these Christmas morning!" and "Ohhh, we should take these to Thanksgiving dinner!"  and "The next time we've got to take a dish somewhere, can we take these?!?" I would say that that is a successful recipe.

We thoroughly enjoyed and reveled in our Chilean dinner. We stuffed ourselves til there was no room left....but as I type this, the kids are asking for some of their candy from Trunk or Treat so I guess there's always more room for kids. It was interesting to read about their rich and diverse culture. I think you should definitely try one of the dishes! And if you do, let me know what you think! :)