Sautéed Kale & Fusilli in a Tahini Garlic Cream Sauce

I am giving up dairy in 2013 and in preparation for that, I have been trying to come up with substitutes for many of my favourite dishes. This one blew my socks off (not to toot my own horn or anything)! I actually like it better than most dairy based cream sauces I've tried! 

Giving up dairy is going to be quite a challenge for me, as I've been addicted to cheese for as long as I can remember, but I know that dairy is negatively effecting my health and it's time I let go of my cheese addiction! If you'd like some more information on some of the negative effects dairy can have, check out some of these links.

Sautéed Kale & Fusilli in a Tahini Garlic Cream Sauce
serves 2

• 1 Bunch Lacinato/Dinosaur Kale
• 4 Cups Cooked Rotini Pasta (I use Gluten-Free, Brown Rice Pasta) (reserve a bit of the cooking water)
• 2 Tbls Organic Tahini
• 3 Tbls Coconut Cream
• 2-4 Cloves Garlic
• 2 Shallots
• 2 tsp Coconut Oil
• Red Chili Flakes (optional)
• 1 Tbls Nutritional Yeast Flakes (optional)
• Sea Salt & Pepper (to taste)

➽ Finely dice shallots and garlic.

➽ Chop kale into 2-3 inch pieces. I removed the stalks from the bottom portion of the kale as they were pretty thick.

➽ In a large pan, melt coconut oil under medium heat. Add shallots and cook until they are translucent. 

➽ Add kale to pan and wilt.

➽ Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds (do not let garlic brown).

➽ Add tahini, coconut cream, red chili flakes (if you like it hot), salt & pepper. Stir until the tahini is melted (about 20 seconds).

➽ Add cooked pasta and some of the cooking water to achieve your desired consistency of cream sauce.

➽ Divide into two bowls and enjoy :)

Steamed Mussels in a Goat Cheese Jalepeño Tomato Sauce

Steamed Mussels in a Goat Cheese, Jalapeño, Tomato Sauce

• 2 to 3lbs of Mussels
• 2 Large Shallots (or 3 small ones)
• 1 to 3 Fresh Jalapeños (depending on your heat preference)
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• 1/4 Cup White Wine
• 1/4 Cup Stock (fish would be best, but you could use vegetable or chicken too)
• 1/4 Cup Tomato Sauce (use a high quality jarred sauce or your own recipe if you're up for it!)
• 3 oz Goat Cheese or 3 tbls Heavy Cream (35% or Whipping Cream)
• 1 tbls Olive Oil

 ➾ Start by cleaning the mussels and removing their beards. Discard any that have broken shells, and they are most likely dead and un-eatable.

➾ Next, finely chop the shallots and garlic.
Remove the seeds from the jalapeños if you want it a little less spicy, and dice the peppers.

➾ Add the olive oil to a large stock pot and turn stove to medium heat.
➾ Add Shallots and cook for about 5 minutes.
➾ Now add the jalapeño peppers into the pot and cook for another 5 minutes.
➾ Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes, but do not let the garlic get brown (stir often).
➾ Now add the wine and cook for another 2 minutes, scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pot.
➾ Add the stock, tomato sauce and goat cheese and stir until the goat cheese has melted and the sauce starts to bubble.

➾ Next, add the cleaned mussels to the pot. Give them a good stir to coat them in the sauce and then cover with a lid. Keep covered for about 4 minutes. Remove cover and give them another good stir and cook for another minute or so.

➾ Serve & Eat!
Make sure not to eat any mussels whose shells are not open.
If They Don't Open, Don't Eat'm!
It means they were dead when you bought them and therefore, bad.

**3 lbs is enough for 2 large, entrée servings.** We ate ours with garlic bread for sopping up this delish sauce.
Enjoy

The finished product