To maximize our health, we are a gluten and *mostly* dairy free household here. I love to create EASY, fast, nutritionally dense food, and I also prefer to batch cook it too when I can. Since I work evening shifts as a nurse, there are just some nights I'm not around to cook. While the Hubs does a GREAT job managing the home too, batch cooking - or cooking double+ the amount of food one night so we can eat for a couple meals - allows me to make it just a little bit easier on all of us.
One genre I find easy to batch cook, and flexible on ingredients, is gluten free pasta dishes. Add in seasonally fresh/garden fresh ingredients, some kind of meat/protein, and VOILA! Quick, nutritious, one pot fuel for the fam! AND kid approved too!
I have a pot large enough to just barely cook 2lbs of pasta at once, so that’s where I start. We need that much for our family of 6 to eat this meal at least 2x. So take whatever your family size would normally eat and plan to at least double it for this! The quantities are VERY flexible here. The goal is to use what you have, don’t overthink it, and keep it both tasty and healthy (I’ll help you with that!). Grab your biggest pasta pot and let’s go!
Summertime One-Pot-Wonder Pasta
~2lbs gluten free pasta of choice - penne and fusilli are recommended (we love Aldi’s options!)
~1-2 med zucchini, cut in bite-sized chunks
~1 lg or 2 sm tomato(es), cut in cubes
~2-4 generous handfuls of baby spinach
~Any other seasonal veggies you choose! Some suggestions: onions, asparagus, squash, beets, broccoli, etc! You really can’t go wrong here!
~Meat of choice. I use anywhere from 1-2lbs typically. Sausage is a favorite, but chicken, venison, and ground beef also work great! If you prefer to be meat-free, try some white beans thrown in.
~1 can black olives (optional)
~4Tbsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil!) or any other healthy fat you choose
~Fresh garlic, minced - I think 3 cloves is a great amount! But you do you!
~Additional seasonings as you prefer. Think about throwing in fresh, dried, or essential oil* forms of Oregano, Mountain Savory, Marjoram, Parsley, Black Pepper, etc. These herbs not only amp up flavor, but they all have great healing properties too. Keep in mind that the dried version will naturally have the lowest level of healthy constituents left though.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving about 1c of starchy pasta water.
While pasta drains, in same pot you cooked the pasta in, add a few Tbsps oil and meat. Brown in oil. Ideally for this step I’d use ground or cut into bite sized pieces, depending on the meat type, to keep it cooking fast, and to keep cost down. If going meat free, skip this step!
Once meat has browned, add in chopped veggies and saute roughly 3-5min. Do not overcook.
Add in minced garlic and give in a swirl. If using canned white beans, add them here and make sure they are heated through before proceeding.
Toss pasta back into pot and mix with “sauce.” Add olives too, if using them. Add reserved pasta water if needed to keep pasta/sauce moist and help disperse sauce.
Add in herbs/seasoning/essential oils of your choosing. Adjust salt to taste preference.
Voila! One pot, yummy goodness you can eat over a couple days!
*I recommend looking for garden-fresh or organic options for all ingredients here if possible, especially meat and any produce on Dirty Dozen list (found HERE). Minimizing chemical exposure is a key for healing.
*For me, I like to take it easy on the carbs and grains (they just don’t serve my body well right now), so I like to do the toppings for this recipes over roasted spaghetti squash or cauliflower rice for myself.
*Ingesting essential oils may not be for everyone, but our household loves this option. We are VERY specific about using oils in this way, and I cannot endorse ingesting oils whose origin and growing practices are unknown. Please do your own research and take caution with essential oils you are using. While they can have great benefits, they are also very concentrated and powerful. If you’d like to discuss what I have learned and what oils I recommend, feel free to contact me!
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