Zucchini Noodles with Scallops in Spicy Vodka Sauce (gluten free & dairy free)

I always wanted a Veggetti.  This was the first time I used it and I decided that it definitely was money well spent.  I love it!!  I snuck so much good stuff in this meal and you couldn't even tell that it didn't have real noodles.

seriously.... love it!

Zucchini Pasta with Scallops in Spicy Vodka Sauce

2 T EVOO
4 Garlic Cloves- minced
1/2 C Vodka (Tito's)
1 (14oz) can Crushed Tomatoes
1/2 C Cream Cheese (Go Veggie)
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1 T sugar
2 T parsley
2 T basil (fresh if possible!)
salt & pepper- to taste
1 lb Scallops
3 Zucchinis

Heat EVOO over medium in a large pan.  Add the garlic and cook for a couple minute until it smells nice and yummy!  Add the vodka and let it cook down to about half.  Add the tomatoes, cream cheese, and seasonings- stir well.  Use your handy veggie spiral pasta thingamajig to add the zucchini noodles to the sauce.  Let thicken and cook for about 5 minutes.  In another small pan heat some oil over MEDIUM heat (too hot and your scallops will be tough).  Add the scallops and cook until they are just opaque.  Add the scallops into the sauce and let simmer a couple minutes more.

Because you are eating zucchini noodles instead of real noodles you can certainly afford to have some delicious garlic bread (and some good read wine) with this meal!  I load whatever GF/DF bread I have on hand with Earth Balance spread, garlic powder, my homemade Italian seasoning mix, and some nutritional yeast. Turn the broiler on low and throw it in the oven while you dish out the "noodles" until the bread is nice and golden brown.

DIY Gluten Free Bisquick

The Betty Crocker Gluten Free Bisquick is soooo useful.... but also so expensive!  Aldi had a product that had the exact same ingredients which was a little more reasonably priced.  When I was comparing ingredients between the two I decided why not just make this myself?  I appreciate the effort by both companies, but I can do a bit better.  It's always good when you get the chance to save money and eliminate processed food from your life in my opinion!

Decent ingredients, but some of that
stuff sounds a little nasty! Aluminum? Soy?
Is that really necessary? NO

At first I couldn't find any recipes for Gluten Free Bisquick.  There were plenty for regular bisquick and I thought I was going to have to take one of those and make it GF.  That's not what I wanted, and most of them weren't even dairy free. Not gonna work!

Finally I found this one from Carla's Gluten Free Recipe Box!

This is how I do it....

1 C White Rice Flour
1/2 Brown Rice Flour
1 1/2 C Potato Starch
3 T Sugar
1 T + 2 t  Baking Powder (Make sure it's GF and aluminum free)
1 1/2 t Xanthan Gum
2 t Sea Salt

In a big bowl whisk everything together.  Sift it a bunch of times to make sure it's good!  Store it in a sealed container.  I use my big mason jar.  You can use this just as you would the boxed stuff.

My favorite thing to use this for is pizza crust!

From the heart of the "skinny bitch" in the pink bikini..

I sure as shit am not all about that bass...

What happened to women just simply encouraging one another?  Don't we get enough pressure from society to be perfect?  Do we really have to throw more fuel on the fire and bully each other?

Now I could be wrong, but I'm pretty for sure that if I sang a song about "fat bitches" that it would be considered incredibly rude, politically incorrect and most importantly hurtful...even if i was "just playing."  I wouldn't even think of doing that... ever (I didn't even like typing it :/)!

It's just wrong to joke about.  And what about those "stick figures"?  I'm sure there are boys that love to hold them at night too!  Don't people realize it is just as wrong to criticize someone for being too skinny as it is for being overweight?  It hurts them just as much.  Let's just not criticize at all!  How about we try that because what we have going on now clearly isn't working.

damn right!

Since when did women decide they always have to be competeing with one another?  Why do we always want something we don't have and someone else does?

This is me... the real me... and I am not always proud of it...in fact sometimes I am scared of mirrors because I can't stand seeing the reflection that is looking back at me... and that is a heartbreaking feeling.

It makes me feel incredibly guilty not only because my body does amazing things and I need to appreciate it, but also becasue I know there are women out there who look at me and want to look like that... and I get to and I don't even appreciate that body all the time..

Maybe that really does make me a "skinny bitch"...or maybe I'm just overwhelmed with the hate that is thrown around..

What you don't realize is what it takes for me to get to look like that... it's actually one of my silver linings.  This brings me to another important point.

Your body is just the vehicle that drives your heart and soul around.  You need to keep it well maintained.  Sometimes your parts malfunction and need maintenance.  It's about being healthy.  You give your vehicle what it needs and none of what it doesn't.  If I run on diesel fuel there is no way I would put gasoline in my tank.... that would be a disaster!

Not a day goes by that I don't watch what I eat...not because I'm watching my figure.  Nope, it's much more important than that.  It's so I can live!  I work hard, play hard, do yoga to manage the stress of life and disease, and I watch everything I eat (because I have to!)... And the silver lining of all that is I get to wear that binkini... somewhat confidently... :/

You may look at me rocking that pink binkini and get that jealousy ... but what you also don't realize is that I look at you and am jealous too... maybe of your hair or skin or the fact that you can eat like a normal person....


I guess my point is that we need to love our own bodies, stop comparing, and stop body shaming everyone.  And stop judging books by the cover, you don't know the story or struggle that's inside simply based on the fake/genuine smile on the outside.  A body is a body, it's your vehicle and you only have the one so you might as well own it and love it!  I know it's easier said than done....

I remember going to a college football game and watching the dancers at halftime.  I remember thinking that I could never do that because I would have so much anxiety about getting out there in front of people in that skimpy little outfit.  There was one girl in particular who was just owning it... seriously shaking what her mama gave her front and center and loving life!  I was in awe and so jealous!  I could never do that.   I couldn't take my eyes off of her!  She had a lot more to shake than I do, and she appeared so secure with herself.  It was beautiful, she was beautiful!  I envied her, I want that feeling.

Unfortunately chasing that feeling in today's society is like trying to find a split window vette in my price range... virtually impossible! But guess what, I'll keep trying to find that split window!!

Cajun Chicken Pasta (gluten free & dairy free)

This is a super colorful and healthy pasta dish adapted from skinnytaste.com to be gluten and dairy free!  It is so good!

Cajun Chicken Pasta

8 oz GF spaghetti noodles- tinkyada
1 lb diced chicken
1 t cajun seasoning
1 T EVOO
1 red pepper- sliced
1 yellow pepper- sliced
1 green pepper- sliced
1 C mushrooms- sliced
1 red onion- sliced
3- garlic cloves- minced
2 medium tomatoes- diced
1 C chicken broth
1/3 C unsweetened almond milk
1 T brown rice flour
3 T dairy free cream cheese- I like go veggie
1-2 T nutritional yeast



Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and the cajun seasoning.  Prepare the pasta according to the directions.  Heat the oil in a pan over medium.  Add the chicken and cook.  Remove from pan.  Add onions, peppers and garlic to the pan.  Saute for four minutes.  Add mushrooms and tomatoes.  Cook four more minutes.  In a small bowl mix the milk, cream cheese and flour into a slurry.  Add the slurry and the broth to the vege mix, along with any other seasonings and nutritional yeast-to taste.  Cook two minutes, stirring.  Add the cooked pasta and stir to coat. 


You could try it with shrimp too!

Asian Spaghetti

Get your own here!



I found these cute chop stick bowls at Marshall's on clearance and just had to have them!  Simply because they are just so darn cute!!

Now I needed something fitting to put in them...

Here it is!



Asian Spaghetti

8 oz gf spaghetti- tinkyada (as usual!)
1 C fresh snow peas
4 green onions
1 garlic clove- minced
1 t sugar
2 T sesame seeds
1 C fresh mushrooms
3/4 C shredded carrots
2 T oil
1/4 C soy sauce- make sure it's gluten free!!!
1/4 t cayenne pepper

Cook the pasta according to the directions.  Meanwhile in a large skillet heat the oil.  Cook the chicken.  Add the veges and saute until crisp-tender.  Add garlic and cook one more minute.  In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, sugar and cayenne pepper.  Add this mixture to the skillet and stir.  Add the pasta and stir to coat and heat.  Sprinkle with the sesame seeds.  And finally fill your chop stick bowl and eat it with your chopsticks  .. just because it's fun! :)

Click here for the oringal recipe from Taste of Home

This is great meatless, but I also like to double the sauce recipe and make it with pork or chicken.