Friday Night Dinner

My favorite night of the week. Cooking with love, gathering around a properly set table, and chatting without the distraction of screens is what Friday Night Dinner is all about. More than ever connecting and sharing around the table is the ultimate way to strengthen family bonds.

Almond Flour Pizza Crust

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Almond Flour

2 Tablespoons Ground Flaxseeds

1 Tablespoon Dried Italian Seasoning

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Egg

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Method:

1. Preheat Oven to 400 F/ 200 C

2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper

3. Mix all ingredients together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment

(This is a dense dough so mixing by hand will be difficult)

4. Take the parchment paper from the baking sheet and put it on the counter. Add the newly formed ball of dough to the top of the parchment paper. Form a ball.

5. Using a rolling pin and your hands, slowly begin to flatten into a disc always begging in the center of the ball. Almond flour is a bizarre combination of dense and delicate so don’t be afraid to use your fingers to reconnect cracks.

6. When the crust is as thin as you can make it (the thinner the better) place it along with the parchment paper back on the baking tray. Using a fork poke a few scattered holes into the dough.

7. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.

8. Carefully, remove the crust from the oven and without breaking it, flip it over.

9. Add any and all toppings: tomato sauce, cheese, oregano etc.

10. Return to the oven and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Oven Roasted Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:

1. 1 Large Spaghetti Squash

2. 2 Teaspoons Olive Oil/ A light drizzle

3. Salt and Pepper to Taste

Method:

1. Preheat Oven 400F / 200 C

2. Place the Squash in the Microwave for 30-45 seconds on high heat to soften

3. Cut the ends off of the squash so that a flat base is formed on either end

4. Stand the Squash on a flattened end and cut in half

5. Remove all of the seeds and stringy wet bits of “gunk”

6. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and place both halves on the paper with their seeded sides facing up

7. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and turn the squash so that their cut sides face downwards

8. Roast in the center of the oven for 40 minutes until tender

9. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 3-5 minutes

10. Using a fork, scrape and pull the fresh crosswise to form long spaghetti-like strands of squash

11. Eat on its own or top with any pasta sauce, meatballs, cheese and/or seasonings of choice

Spaghetti Squash

Chicken Meatballs

Hidden Veggie Chicken Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 Pound Chicken Mince- I usually ask for Chicken Thighs but breast works

1/2 Pound Chicken Sausage with Casings Removed

1 Bag Steamed Cauliflower Rice

1/3 Cup Gluten Free Panko/Bread Crumbs

2 Tablespoons Dried Mixed Italian Herbs

Optional 1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

2 Eggs, Lightly Beaten

Salt and Cracked Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon Crushed Chili Flakes

Method:

Preheat Oven to 200C/350F

Line a Baking Tray with Parchment Paper

*This is truly where you will come to understand that clean hands are a chef’s best tools.

Add the chicken mince to a large bowl.

Add the beaten eggs, panko, herbs, cheese, milk, and seasonings

Using clean hands begin to mix all ingredients together.

Now, remove the casings from the chicken sausages and squeeze the contents out into the chicken mixture in the bowl.

Careful not to over-mush the mix, roughly incorporate the chicken sausage stuffing into mix.

Using a small scoop, scoop even sized meatballs out onto the lined baking tray.

Use your hands to smooth the balls into a roughly uniform size and shape.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

Lightened Up Lasagna

With the weather becoming colder and the days becoming darker- rich warm comfort foods are what we crave as we gather around the table. This lasagna is lightened up with two healthy swaps and an extra serving of veggies. Please, use this recipe as a loose guide for a lovely lasagna that will nourish both your body and your heart. I swapped both pasta and dairy but, feel free to exchange only one of the two. Progress not perfection-especially in the kitchen. This recipe has a lot of steps but, do not be afraid-they are all simple!

Ingredients:

Two cans of Palmini Lasagna Sheets

1 Medium Onion, Finely Chopped

1/2 lb Pastured Beef, 5% Fat

1/2 Block Organic Firm Tofu

1 Small Container Dairy-Free Cream Cheese Style Spread

2 Jars Organic Tomato Sauce of Choice

1/2 Bag Shredded Style Cheese Alternative

1 Large Egg

3 Tablespoons Dried Oregano

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Optional: Chili Flakes

Method:

Preheat Oven to 400 F / 200 C (I cook everything on the convection setting and use the middle rack of the oven but, traditional bake setting works as well)

Rinse and Drain Palmini Lasagna Sheets

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine 1/2 block of tofu with dairy-free cream cheese and mix until an evenly distributed mix is formed.

To the tofu mixture, add a sprinkle of salt and the egg. Lightly mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.

(If you are not looking for a dairy-free lasagne, swap the tofu and spread with Ricotta Cheese)

Heat a medium sized frying pan on medium high heat

Add the finely chopped onion along with a spoon of olive oil

Sauté onion for 5 minutes until slightly translucent

To the onion, add minced beef

Using a wooden spoon or spatula, break up the beef as it cooks

Add oregano

After 8-10 minutes, the beef will be cooked through.

If there is any liquid- drain it from the beef mix.

Using a medium sized oven-safe baking dish, spoon tomato sauce and spread until it covers the entire bottom of the dish

Slightly overlapping the lasagna sheets, cover the entirety of the baking dish base

Evenly distribute the meat mixture over the first layer of lasagna noodles

Spoon a few drops of tomato sauce on top of the meat. Not a thick layer just a few spots to keep the meat moist.

Add a second layer of slightly overlapping noodles

Evenly distribute the “cheese” mixture on top of the second layer of noodles

Add a third layer of slightly overlapping noodles

Top the third and final layer of noodles with the remaining tomato sauce and a generous sprinkle of shredded cheese

(If you are not making a dairy-free lasagna swap for shredded mozzarella)

At last, put the lightened up lasagna into the preheated oven

Bake for 35-40 minutes

Enjoy!