A grain-free life does not have to be free of comfort food! When you're craving a big bowl of garlicky pasta, cook up these zucchini noodles aglio et olio (garlic and oil) instead. The real comfort here, other than that fragrant garlic, comes from "breadcrumbs" created from toasted almond meal; I was truly surprised by how much I enjoyed their flavor and texture.
Keep reading for this protein-packed, Paleo-friendly recipe for pasta.
At the mere mention the word "picnic," my ears perk up. So when I was flipping through Heather Christo's Generous Table and came across a menu plan for a lakeshore picnic, I knew I'd have to make at least one recipe from her spread. Add an early and bountiful cherry season to the mix — my local farmers market suddenly became overrun with them last week — and it was settled. Quinoa salad with cherries and feta would make it to my table, and soon.
Thankfully, Christo's palate is spot-on. Juicy cherries play off salty feta like old friends. Add grassy parsley, sharp minced shallot, and nutty toasted almonds to the mix, and the result is a hearty grain-based salad perfect for picnics, brown-bag lunches, or just because. As long as cherries keep finding their way into my farmers market tote, this delightful dish will be on my table.
Combine thick batons of slab bacon, or lardons, runny-yolked poached eggs, a sprinkling of minced shallot, and frilly frisée, and it's no surprise that the resulting salad is salty, sharp, and satisfying. Even better, salade Lyonnaise, as it's known in France, is gloriously versatile. It can serve as an elegant yet easy first course to a classic French meal or satiate on its own with the addition of an extra poached egg and a smattering of croutons or a hunk of baguette to mop up any extra dressing.
For a splendid and not-too-fussy meal, start with the salad at hand and a glass of crisp white wine, and pair it with lemon and lavender roast chicken, moules à la marinière, or a bloody rare New York strip steak. Either way, make certain to try out this can't-miss recipe.
We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health here on POPSUGAR Fitness.
By Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD
After experiencing some wacky symptoms, I was recently tested for celiac disease, and while the report came back negative, I've noticed that I do feel better when I avoid gluten. Many of my clients are in the same boat, but others seek me out after going gluten free and feeling worse, or even gaining weight, which seems to be increasingly common. The truth is, navigating the gluten-free landscape can be pretty darn tricky. Here are five common missteps I see, and how to resolve them.
Not 'getting' gluten
One client recently said to me, "I'm not really sure what gluten is, but I know it's bad, right?" I think a lot of people are a little in the dark about the issue at large, and it is complicated, but in a nutshell, here's what you need to know: gluten is a type of protein naturally found in wheat (including spelt, kamut, farro, and bulgur) and other grains, like barley and rye.
In people who have celiac disease, consuming even small amounts of gluten triggers unwelcome symptoms, including belly pain and bloating. This happens because gluten causes the immune system to damage or destroy villi, the tiny, fingerlike structures that line the small intestine like a microscopic plush carpet. Healthy villi absorb nutrients through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream, so when they become damaged, chronic malnutrition occurs, which is typically accompanied by weight loss and exhaustion. Other symptoms may include bone or joint pain, depression, and skin problems.
In people with this diagnosis, the only way to reverse the damage, and the accompanying symptoms, is to completely avoid gluten. People like me, who test negative for celiac disease, may be experiencing a condition called gluten intolerance, or gluten sensitivity, which means that while not celiac, consuming gluten causes bothersome side effects, which can include flu-like feelings, bloating, and other gastrointestinal problems, mental fogginess, and fatigue. Unfortunately, there is no real test for gluten sensitivity at this time, and the symptoms may be related to other issues, including stress (who doesn't have that?!), which makes it a not-so-black-and-white issue.
Will a Gluten-Free Diet Improve Your Health?
Confusing 'gluten free' with 'wheat free' or refined grains
As I noted above, gluten isn't only found in wheat. I've heard numerous people say they eat gluten free, but all they've really done is replace foods like white bread with hearty whole grain versions, which may include spelt (in the wheat family), and rye (which, while not wheat, also contains gluten).
If you don't have celiac disease or gluten intolerance, these swaps may make you feel great, and lead to weight loss, because trading refined grains for whole grains ups your intake of fiber, boosts satiety, so you feel fuller longer, and better regulates blood sugar and insulin levels. These are all good things, but, in this case, totally unrelated to gluten.
Keep reading for more mistakes made when going gluten-free.
Need an energizing, detoxifying meal to go along with your bikini shape-up plan? This blended green detox soup should be on the menu. The main stars, mustard greens and collard greens, are chock-full of nutrients that aid in flushing out toxins in the body, called glucosinolates, which are found in high amounts in mustard greens and collard greens. Both greens are also high in vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, and manganese, making this soup an important part of a nutritious diet. At just over 100 calories, it's high in carbs from the vegetables and has a decent amount of fiber and protein; pair it with these filling lunch ideas to stay satisfied.
A dried mango addiction is no laughing matter to your wallet. A small container can run you almost $10! That's just insane when a fresh mango costs about $2. Aside from costing too much at the health-food store, some dried mango is made with added sugar or preservatives. Save triply on money, calories, and chemicals by making your own homemade chewy treat.
Controlling cravings when you've cut carbs or gluten can be especially hard when it comes to breakfast or brunch. Between baskets of muffins and stacks of pancakes, there's often enough on the table to make your dietary restrictions dampen the morning fun. Luckily, you don't have to pass on a pancake breakfast if you whip up a batch of these wheat-free pancakes. Using almond flour and flaxseed means these dense, filling hotcakes are high in fiber (three grams per serving) as well as protein (six grams per serving).
If you're not yet acquainted with larb, a Thai meat- and herb-based salad that simultaneously manages to hit salty, sour, spicy, sweet, and savory notes, then it's about time your paths crossed. If you're already a fan — as nearly anyone who's tried it is — you may notice that this version is a bit atypical, primarily in the method of meat prep. Most larb is based around ground meat, but my favorite Thai restaurant's must-order duck version features bite-size chunks of roast duck, burnished, luxuriously fatty skin and all, and since my first bite, I've become a steadfast convert.
This recipe reflects that, but with a slight nod to more user-friendly ingredients, swapping chicken thighs for the duck (feel free to sub duck if your market stocks it). Either way, it's a tantalizing dish that brings a taste of Thailand to your dinner table in a flash. Get the exceptional and exotic recipe.
The long wait is over — thank goodness! — and berries and stone fruit are returning to supermarket shelves (at absurdly low prices to boot). A textured Winter fruit salad has kept me going the past few months, but now I'm putting that recipe aside for this Spring- and Summer-forward fruit salad featuring all-new produce.
It's impossible to pinpoint what I love most about this combination of flavors. Sure, any old day you can combine a bunch of berries in a bowl, but here, mint, nutty Marcona almonds, and lemon zest and juice transform this into a fruit salad worthy of serving on a special occasion. The addition of sugar enhances the flavors in the fruit as well as releases more juices so the whole salad is marinated in a berry syrup.
This simple ribboned carrot salad might not be the first thing to jump off the beautifully photographed pages of Louisa Shafia's much-lauded cookbook The New Persian Kitchen, but skimming past it would make for a small tragedy. Vinegary and bright, with a nutty, roasted note from the toasted sesame seeds and oil, it's not only visually stunning, but also delightfully balanced and far more nuanced than its simplicity would suggest.
Even better, it's quick (and easy) to prepare and can hold up to an overnight stay in the fridge, making it weeknight dinner- and brown-bag lunch-friendly, a rare and impressive feat. So what are you waiting for? Bust out the vegetable peeler, and get down to it.
