These are a few of my favorite things!!!!

So I have been slacking on my blog lately..just too busy living life I guess. :) I have however in my absence been very busy working out and finding wonderful new ways to enjoy some of my favorite foods. I don't know about the rest of you but I LOVE pasta. LOVE IT!!! Unfortunately pasta doesn't always love me....sad. Well I am happy to say in all my research I have found a great alternative for some of my favorite pasta dishes. Zucchini, Eggplant, and Spaghetti Squash. Instead of using traditional lasagna noodles, try using eggplant instead. Peel the eggplant, cut into long flat thin strips about 1/4" thick drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and roast in the oven for a few minutes. Take them out and layer them like you would the pasta in your favorite lasagna recipes. If you're not a fan of Eggplant, Zucchini does the job just as well. To use the zucchini for pasta take a mandolin slicer or even just a plain old peeler and cut the zucchini into long thin strips. Blanch the zucchini in hot water for about 30 sec. then immediately rinse in cold, toss with your favorite sauces. Don't worry the sauce will warm it back up. You could also do half zucchini, half pasta mixture if you are unsure about the change. To do the Spaghetti Squash just cut it up and cook it like any other squash. Run a fork through it from end to end when it is done to get the "noodles." My other love is mashed potatoes...sigh...Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here soon...give me strength. A good substitute I have been reading about is using cauliflower instead. I LOVE cauliflower so this sounds absolutely delicious to me, I know for some this just sounds plain gross. All the recipes and reviews I have read have said that the cauliflower flavor is very mild and most of the kids who ate it had no idea they weren't real mashed potatoes. I found an extremely easy recipe for some, I haven't tried it yet and usually don't post things until they get my official stamp of approval, but the ratings and comments were so positive I feel confident the recipe will be a good one. Plus I know some of you are searching for some healthier options this holiday season and wanted to get this posted as soon as possible.

Creamy Herb and Cheese Mashed Cauliflower

3 Laughing Cow Herb and Cheese wedges

1 head of cauliflower

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

Cut up cauliflower into florets and steam until fork tender.

Put cheese wedges into bottom of bowl, add hot cauliflower on top and mash until desired consistency.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Serves 4

I wish I could take credit for coming up with such ingenious ideas and recipes, but I cannot. What I can do is share what I find with you my friends to help everyone live a longer and healthier life. I hope you guys find some of these tips helpful. Also all of these ideas are great for those who have problems with foods containing gluten and low- carbers.

Thanks for reading,
Stephanie