When my kids were little, I labored over a hot stove, as it were, to create authentic Italian spaghetti sauce. One night, running late for a Little League game, I opened a jar of Ragu.
I felt guilty.
They loved it. ("Oooh, make this again, Mommy. This is the best sauce you ever made!")
And that was the end of my spaghetti sauce making....
Until I switched to Paleo and then I was back to making my own sauce because most jarred sauces out there aren't organic, have added sugar, and, frankly, don't taste all that great.
I recently got an email from a representative of Uncle Steve's Italian Specialties. She had stumbled across my blog and wondered if I'd be interested in trying their sauces, which are not only organic, but certified Paleo, as well.
Well, of course I would! As you might remember, in my last blog post, I extolled the virtues of slow cooking. But sometimes, you just want to get something on the table in a hurry, and a jar of spaghetti sauce, some meatballs that you cooked months ago and pulled out of the freezer this morning, and Miracle Noodle Fettuccine just hits the spot. And besides, somebody at Uncle Steve's slowly cooked that sauce with love, so that has to count for something.
Uncle Steve's is the kind of spaghetti sauce your grandmother would make if you had an Italian nonna, which I didn't. I had an immigrant Jewish grandmother who was a wonderful cook, but whose idea of American food was spaghetti slathered in ketchup with fried fish on the side.
Steve Schirripa, who, In addition to making some pretty great spaghetti sauces, is an actor (The Sopranos) and author, did have an Italian nonna, hence the inspiration for the sauces. And inspired they are. The cost is comparable to the organic spaghetti sauces sold in my local health food store and the taste is so much better. To find Uncle Steve's products, go to the website: www.unclestevesny.com
I felt guilty.
They loved it. ("Oooh, make this again, Mommy. This is the best sauce you ever made!")
And that was the end of my spaghetti sauce making....
Until I switched to Paleo and then I was back to making my own sauce because most jarred sauces out there aren't organic, have added sugar, and, frankly, don't taste all that great.
I recently got an email from a representative of Uncle Steve's Italian Specialties. She had stumbled across my blog and wondered if I'd be interested in trying their sauces, which are not only organic, but certified Paleo, as well.
Well, of course I would! As you might remember, in my last blog post, I extolled the virtues of slow cooking. But sometimes, you just want to get something on the table in a hurry, and a jar of spaghetti sauce, some meatballs that you cooked months ago and pulled out of the freezer this morning, and Miracle Noodle Fettuccine just hits the spot. And besides, somebody at Uncle Steve's slowly cooked that sauce with love, so that has to count for something.
Uncle Steve's is the kind of spaghetti sauce your grandmother would make if you had an Italian nonna, which I didn't. I had an immigrant Jewish grandmother who was a wonderful cook, but whose idea of American food was spaghetti slathered in ketchup with fried fish on the side.
Steve Schirripa, who, In addition to making some pretty great spaghetti sauces, is an actor (The Sopranos) and author, did have an Italian nonna, hence the inspiration for the sauces. And inspired they are. The cost is comparable to the organic spaghetti sauces sold in my local health food store and the taste is so much better. To find Uncle Steve's products, go to the website: www.unclestevesny.com
Meatballs,Miracle Noodles and Uncle Steve's Marinara Sauce
Serves 2, with leftover meatballs
1 recipe Paleo meatballs, below
2 packages Miracle Noodles Fettuccini or Angel Hair
1 jar Uncle Steve's Marinara Sauce
Nutritional yeast (in place of grated Parmesan) for serving
Paleo Meatballs
(This makes about 40; freeze the rest for those nights when you just want
to throw dinner together). You can actually use your favorite meatball recipe and just substitute almond flour for the breadcrumbs, Here's mine.
1 lb. ground grass-fed beef
1 lb. ground organic pork
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 cup grated onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 eggs
3/4 cup almond flour
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Line a baking pan with parchment paper
3. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl (I like to use my hands, just remember to take off your rings first)
4. Roll the mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until done (you don't want them pink inside because of the pork)
6. About 15 minutes before serving, add the meatballs to the sauce and heat until hot.
7. Prepare Miracle Noodles according to package directions (easy, just rinse, throw into boiling water for one minute, then drain)
8. Serve pasta topped with sauce and meatballs and sprinkle with nutritional yeast, if desired.
to throw dinner together). You can actually use your favorite meatball recipe and just substitute almond flour for the breadcrumbs, Here's mine.
1 lb. ground grass-fed beef
1 lb. ground organic pork
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 cup grated onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 eggs
3/4 cup almond flour
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Line a baking pan with parchment paper
3. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl (I like to use my hands, just remember to take off your rings first)
4. Roll the mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until done (you don't want them pink inside because of the pork)
6. About 15 minutes before serving, add the meatballs to the sauce and heat until hot.
7. Prepare Miracle Noodles according to package directions (easy, just rinse, throw into boiling water for one minute, then drain)
8. Serve pasta topped with sauce and meatballs and sprinkle with nutritional yeast, if desired.
Paleo Chicken "Parmesan"
Miyoko's Vegan Mozzarella, made with cashew nuts, is another cool Paleo-friendly product. Paired with fried chicken cutlets and Uncle Steve's Tomato Basil Sauce, it makes a creamy, delicious Chicken Parm, which isn't really parm because there's no real cheese in it. Whatever. Even my non-Paleo husband pronounced it "outstanding."
"You're eating vegan cheese, you know."
He shrugged, reached for another helping and said "Doesn't matter, it's fab! Love this sauce!"
"You're eating vegan cheese, you know."
He shrugged, reached for another helping and said "Doesn't matter, it's fab! Love this sauce!"
Ingredients
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup tapioca flour
Salt and pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
Grapeseed or coconut oil for frying
1 jar Steve's Marinara or Tomato Basil Sauce (or Arrabiata Sauce if you like it spicy)
8 ounces Miyoko's VeganMozz Cheese, shredded
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Pound chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment paper until chicken is 1/4 inch thin; cut into serving pieces.
3. Mix tapioca flour, salt, pepper and dried oregano in a bowl and dredge each piece of chicken in mixture.
4. Heat oil in pan and fry chicken pieces until golden brown on each side. Remove from pan and drain chicken on paper towels.
5. Pour about 1/3 of a jar of spaghetti sauce into the bottom of a shallow rectangular baking dish.
5. Place 1/2 of the chicken breasts on top of the sauce, then top with 1/3 of the mozzarella, and another 1/3 of sauce.
6. Make another layer of the rest of the chicken breasts, top with the rest of the sauce, then cover with the rest of the mozzarella
7. Bake about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.
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