Zucchini Lasagna & Gluten Free Italian Breadsticks

When I first went gluten free, I was so worried about finding replacement pasta. There are plenty of gluten free pasta options out there that taste great. I have plenty in my cabinets but I find myself trying different alternatives. I really like replacing pasta with different types of squash. Sliced zucchini is a fantastic replacement for lasagna noodles. It is low fat, low carb, grain free, gluten free, etc. It softens up nicely while baking and makes gives the dish and extra boost of flavor. We made this vegan but you could easily add ground beef or turkey to make it a little heartier. As always, you can substitute regular cheese for the dairy free kind. Serves 4-6

1 medium-large zucchini, sliced into 12 slices lengthwise (use a mandolin!)

1-2 cups pasta sauce

½ cup mushrooms, diced

1 cup swiss chard, kale or spinach, chopped (use a combination!)

¼ cup diced onion

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp parsley

½ tsp basil

2 cups shredded dairy free cheese (I like Daiya brand)

• In a large skillet, sauté onion, mushrooms, chard and garlic in olive oil. 
• In a 9x9 baking pan, spread about 1 Tbsp of pasta sauce. Place 4 slices of zucchini over sauce. Top with ½ of the mushroom mixture. Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese over veggies. Top with about ¼ cup pasta sauce. Repeat layers one more time. 
• Top with the final 4 slices of zucchini and any remaining pasta sauce (as much or little as you desire). Top with the remaining cheese. Sprinkle over basil and parsley. 
• Bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and slightly brown. Let cool about 10-15 minutes before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers.

GLUTEN FREE ITALIAN BREADSTICKS

Just saying – these go PERFECT with my Zucchini Lasagna. These are lightly and fluffy but still filling and as always, gluten free. These are actually made with non-soy flours and no dairy as well. My biggest suggestion with these is that you form them nicely, otherwise they can look like many things, some not so appealing. Either way they still taste great! Customize your toppings to what you like!

½ cup brown rice flour

½ cup amaranth flour

¾ cup potato starch

¾ cup tapioca starch

2 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp basil

1 pkt of active yeast

1 cup warm water

1 tsp sugar or honey

1 tsp white wine vinegar

1 Tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

additional basil or other seasonings for topping

• In a small bowl, combine yeast, sugar and water. Whisk together and let sit for 5 minutes to let yeast activate. 
• In a large mixing bowl, combine rice flour, amaranth flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, salt and basil. Add in olive oil, vinegar and yeast mixture until and mix over medium-high speed for about 30 seconds or until dough ball forms. 
• Separate dough into small dough balls and form into bread sticks (I made about 8 medium sized breadsticks. The best trick to this is to have wet or lightly floured hands to help keep dough from sticking to you. 
• Lay breadsticks onto a greased baking sheet. Let rise in a warm place for about 20 minutes. Brush with olive oil and add any desired toppings (Salt, pepper, seasonings, cheese, etc) 
• Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Best if served immediately.

Smoked Chicken Antipasto

My husband hates olives – with a passion. Therefore, I don’t make many things with them but I love antipasto! Sometimes I just make a little bit for myself since I know no one else will eat it. This is a different take on the traditional version but it’s still delicious! Instead of using salami or pepperoni, I added some leftover smoked chicken and it worked great. Serve this as a side dish or it is also good on crackers or pita chips. Makes about 1 cup.

¼ cup cooked chicken, diced

¼ cup kalamata olives, sliced
¼ cup artichokes, chopped
¼ cup roasted red peppers, chopped
½ tsp white wine
1 tsp Italian dressing (I’ve used red wine vinaigrette also)

• In a small bowl, combine chicken, olives, artichokes, and peppers.
• Pour wine and dressing over mixture and stir until combined.
• Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.

Egg Plant Parmesan & Homemade Bread Crumbs

This is another one of my husband’s creations. He really is such a huge help at meal times! One evening, I had to work late and the meal plan just indicated Eggplant Parmesan. A lot of times, my recipes are just something I create on the fly as I am rummaging through the fridge finding something for dinner. I can’t lie, I usually just cook some pasta, cut up some veggies, find a can of sauce and call it good. He actually made his own tomato sauce (since we don’t by regular spaghetti sauce anymore) and had everything ready when I got home. Let me tell you, this smelled delicious! I don’t know what it is about spaghetti but we think it tastes even better the next day!

1 clove roasted garlic, minced

1 can diced tomatoes, or about 1 cup fresh diced tomatoes
1 small can of tomato paste
¼ cup water
1 tsp basil or rosemary
1 small egg plant cut into ¼” slices
1 egg,
1 cup GF bread crumbs (see homemade recipe below)
1 Tbsp olive oil
6 servings of cooked rice pasta (or other pasta)
6 ¼” slices of mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese

• Combine the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, water and basil in a saucepan. This will be your “spaghetti” sauce. Cook on low while cooking the eggplant
• Beat egg in a small bowl. Add the bread crumbs into a separate bowl. Dip the eggplant slices into the egg until covered. Then dip the eggplant in the bread crumbs until the eggplant is covered with crumbs.
• Place battered eggplant into a hot skillet with olive oil. Repeat with remaining eggplant slices. Pan “fry” until both sides of the eggplant is lightly brown and crispy.
• In a greased 9x13” pan, put cooked pasta. On top of pasta, pour on tomato sauce. Place the slices of eggplant on top of sauce in a single layer.
• Place the slices of mozzarella on top of the eggplant. Sprinkle a thin layer of parmesan cheese on top of dish.
• Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted

HOMEMADE GLUTEN-FREE BREAD CRUMBS

Use these on top of casseroles for a nice crunch or as a coating for baked veggies or meats. You could even make a stuffing if desired. I created this after part of a loaf of my gluten free bread dried out in the fridge and became very crumbly. No sense in wasting it!

3-5 slices of dry gluten free bread, broke into small pieces

1/2 cup of cornmeal

1 Tbsp of dried parsley

1 tsp of dried thyme

½ tsp of garlic salt

¼ tsp of black pepper, paprika, cayenne, etc

• Place pieces of bread on to a cookie sheet. Let set overnight or even longer if your bread is still too moist. You basically want your bread pieces very hard and dry, enough so that you get small crumbs when you try to break it.
• In a food processor (or with your hands), pulse your bread pieces until they become find crumbs.
• Mix in cornmeal and spices. Store in a sealed container.
• NOTE: If you are making more of an Italian dish, use black pepper. If you are wanting to make something spicy or smokier tasting, use the paprika or cayenne. These breadcrumbs can be used to coat anything so just add the spices you prefer to get the flavor you want.