Chicken and rice casseroles are creamy, comforting, and.. keyword: creamy.

One of the cardinal rules in ordering healthy when you’re dining out is avoiding anything with “creamy” in the title.

However, with this casserole, you’re still getting the same creamy, indulgent consistency, without all the butter and cream.

This Paleo-friendly version of the classic “chicken and rice casserole” uses coconut milk, chicken broth, and eggs to create a creaminess that’s nutritious and clean-eating friendly. This casserole is protein and veggie packed, making it an all-around good-for-you meal, while still satisfying those comfort food cravings.

This casserole is meal-prep friendly, ideal for prepping on a Sunday and having for dinners and lunches all week. If you want to lighten it up a bit, use lite coconut milk. However, the consistency won’t be as creamy, it’ll be little more broth-like. The flavors are still there, though, so it’s up to your preference.

The celeriac rice absorbs the flavors in the chicken, broth, coconut milk, and softens to a rice-like consistency. The spinach, mushrooms, and garlic give this dish the savory, classic flavors of the original casserole, without adding unneeded fats and processed ingredients.

If you can’t find celeriac in your grocery store, you could use spiralized turnips, butternut squash, sweet potato, kohlrabi, rutabaga and even golden beets!

I’ll see you tomorrow for another #livinginspiralized feature, where I’ll be talking all about my non-toxic makeup routine, the final installment in my “non-toxic” lifestyle transition!

Watch our video to learn how to spiralize celeriac using the Inspiralizer and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:

Nutritional Information & Recipe

Weight Watchers SmartPoints*: 5 points

*These points were calculated using the official Weight Watchers SmartPoints calculator. We are in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers, we are providing this information based on popular demand.

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Paleo Chicken and Celeriac Rice Casserole

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 large celeriac peeled, Blade D
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 8 ounces baby portobello mushrooms quartered
• 10 oz bag spinach
• 1 13.5oz can coconut milk (you can use lite, but it will be a bit more watery)
• 1 cup chicken broth low-sodium
• 3 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325°F. 
• Place the celeriac noodles into a food processor and pulse until rice-like. Add the celeriac rice to the bottom of a baking dish.
• Season the chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper. 
• Heat half the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the chicken and sauté until cooked through, about 7 to 8 minutes per side. The chicken is done when juices run clear and it's no longer pink on the inside.
• Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to cool. Use two forks, shred into bite-sized pieces. Add the chicken to the baking dish with the celeriac rice.
• In the same skillet used to cook the chicken, heat the remaining olive oil.
• Add the onion and sauté until translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, stir, and let cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and sauté until mostly wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach in batches and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and transfer to the baking dish.
• Whisk together the chicken broth, coconut milk, eggs, nutmeg and salt and pepper. 
• Toss the contents of the baking dish together to mix. Then, pour the mixture over the chicken and vegetables.
• Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the egg mixture is set and a toothpick comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Per serving (1 out of 6-8) - calories: 191, fat: 9g, saturated fat: 2g, carbs: 9g, fiber: 2g, sugars: 3g, protein: 18g, sodium: 160mg

The post Paleo Chicken and Celeriac Rice Casserole appeared first on Inspiralized.

Ahhhhh, soup season.

I haven’t posted many soups this winter, so I’m excited to share a classic soup with a little Inspiralized twist: white bean and chard soup (with spiralized celeriac, or, celery root.)

Another one-pan wonder, this soup is so flavorful, but requires minimal ingredients. The white beans offer a vegan protein source, so I made this dish with vegetable broth and made the Parmesan optional, but if you want a more robust, savory soup, I really recommend chicken broth.

Swiss chard is a great leafy green to pack in in the wintertime, especially if you’re overdoing it with the kale. (I’m totally guilty of that!) It’s a great source of Vitamin K, A, and C – perfect for immunity boosting!

I love the taste of celery, so I used diced celery AND spiralized celery root, but if you’re sensitive to the taste, omit the diced celery in the beginning and just use spiralized celeriac (that’s the real star of this dish, afterall.)

Hope everyone had a great weekend – and if you watched the Super Bowl, what a nail-biter, right? Those last 30 minutes were crazy! I’m happy for all the Patriots players and fans, what an incredible game and what an accomplishment, especially for Tom Brady!

Lu’s gone this week, so I plan on eating super clean (it’s so much easier when you can just cook exactly what you want and not think about someone else’s cravings/preferences/etc), starting Santa Clarita Diet, and crushing my weekly work goals.

Happy Monday, hope everyone makes it a productive, healthy week!

Watch our video to learn how to spiralize a celery root using the Inspiralizer and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:

Nutritional Information & Recipe

Weight Watchers SmartPoints*: 6 points

*These points were calculated using the official Weight Watchers SmartPoints calculator. We are in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers, we are providing this information based on popular demand.

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White Bean and Chard Soup with Spiralized Celery Root

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ¾ cup diced white onion
• 2 carrots peeled, diced
• 2 celery ribs diced
• 2 large garlic cloves minced
• ¼ red pepper flakes or more
• salt and pepper
• 6 cups vegetable broth low sodium (or chicken broth)
• thyme leaves from 4 sprigs of thyme
• 1 small celeriac peeled, Blade D, noodles trimmed
• 1 14.5 oz can white beans drained, rinsed
• 6 cups chopped winter chard
• optional if not vegan: 4-6 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese to garnish

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Let cook for 5 minutes or until soft, then add in the garlic, cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and add in the vegetable (or chicken) broth.
• Add in the thyme and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a medium-low simmer and add the celeriac noodles, beans, and chard. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until celeriac noodles are cooked to your preference.
• Ladle soup into four to six bowls and top each with about a tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese, if using.

Notes

Per serving (1 out of 4 to 6) - calories: 188g, fat: 5g, saturated fat: 1g, carbs: 30g, fiber: 9g, sugars: 6g, protein: 9g, sodium: 1765mg

The post White Bean and Chard Soup with Spiralized Celery Root appeared first on Inspiralized.

I’m on a real celeriac kick lately. It has such a fresh flavor and the consistency is uncanny – it really does taste just like regular spaghetti.

There’s just so much great winter produce to spiralize, I’ve been neglecting my beloved zucchini.

But when pasta looks like this, how can you resist? Today I’m sharing an easy 5-ingredient pasta using spiralized celeriac (aka celery root), brussels sprouts, garlic, red pepper flakes, and Earth Balance‘s butter substitute.

After my two year stint as a vegan, I kept a lot of the same eating habits and still use all the same vegan-approved food products in my everyday now, as an omnivore.

Some of the vegan subsitutes and alternatives are so good, that there’s no reason to use the unhealthier options. Companies like Earth Balance have created product lines that support a fully plant-based diet or simply help you incorporate more plant-based into your diet. There’s even information on how these small changes can really affect your health, which you can read here.

Earth Balance was actually one of the first companies I discovered in my vegan journey. I wanted to butter my toast to make my favorite childhood breakfast (buttered toast with cinnamon and maple sugar), so I had to find a vegan alternative and there it was at the Whole Foods in my college town: a vegan buttery spread! Although I have to say, this peanut butter French toast looks divine.

This spread tastes just like butter, and some varieties are a bit sweeter or saltier than others. I find Earth Balance’s soy-free variety the best, and I still use it to this day. While my breakfasts aren’t always vegan, if I’m serving toast with it, it’s spread with Earth Balance. Lu loves it too – when I first gave him a piece of “buttered” toast, he had no idea and then once I told him, he was surprised and happy that I shared this healthy alternative with him!

But this butter isn’t just for spreading on toast – it can be incorporated any way “real” butter is, like with baked goods, or for general cooking, like caramelizing onions. Today, I’m using it as the base flavor to a pasta dish.

Once the Earth Balance spread melts in the pan, all you have to do is start adding ingredients – first, the garlic and red pepper flakes to bring out the aromatics, then the brussels sprouts and spiralized celeriac. The pasta has a great savory flavor and it comes together in under ten minutes!

Most importantly, the consistency of the celeriac is spot-on to that of regular spaghetti. If you haven’t tried to spiralize celeriac yet, I suggest you start here.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Earth Balance. The opinions and text are all mine.

Watch our video to learn how to spiralize a zucchini using the Inspiralizer and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:

Nutritional Information & Recipe

Weight Watchers SmartPoints*: 9 points

*These points were calculated using the official Weight Watchers SmartPoints calculator. We are in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers, we are providing this information based on popular demand.

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Spiralized Celeriac Pasta with Brussels Sprouts

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Earth Balance Soy-Free Spread or olive oil
• 1-2 garlic cloves minced (I like it garlicky!)
• 1 large pinch red pepper flakes about 1/8 teaspoon
• 1 cup shredded brussels sprouts
• 12 oz celeriac peeled, Blade D, noodles trimmed
• chopped parsley to garnish

Instructions

• Heat the Earth Balance spread (or olive oil) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the spread melts (or oil is shimmering), add in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
• Add in the brussels sprouts and celeriac noodles and season with salt and pepper. Cook until celeriac pasta is cooked to your consistency preference, about 7 minutes.
• Transfer the noodles to a bowl or plate and garnish with parsley. Serve.

Notes

Calories: 264, Fat: 17g, Carbs: 22g, Fiber: 5g, Sugars: 6g, Protein: 8g

The post Spiralized Celeriac Pasta with Brussels Sprouts appeared first on Inspiralized.

I’m trying to equip you with some winter go-to recipes for those holiday parties or those detox days after said holiday parties.

This time of year is so festive and all get togethers tend to revolve around my favorite thing in the world: eating. Ha!

Your friends and family will love you for bringing a healthy option to the family dinner or holiday potluck. There’s never enough healthy options at those kinds of gatherings, so you will be very much appreciated.

First, I shared with you my brussels sprouts and pear noodle salad. Now, I’m bringing you this slaw.

This slaw is especially wonderful because the longer it sits in the refrigerator, the better it gets – the celeriac, fennel and apple soften in the dressing and the flavors develop nicely.

This slaw can be served as a salad or a side dish – fold in some quinoa and add some toasted hazelnuts and you’ve got a fully satisfying salad!

It’s versatile and another one to bookmark or Pin for later!

Nutritional Information & Recipe

Weight Watchers PointsPlus*:  5 points

*These points were calculated using the official Weight Watchers PointsPlus® calculator. We are in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers, we are providing this information based on popular demand.

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Apple, Fennel and Celeriac Slaw with Apple Cider Vinaigrette + 20% Off The Inspiralizer (Today Only!)

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• For the slaw:
• 1 small celeriac peeled, Blade C, noodles trimmed
• 1.5 tablespoons minced parsley
• 1 Granny Smith apples Blade C
• 1 small fennel bulb Blade D
• For the dressing:
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing into a small bowl. Set aside.
• Rinse the celeriac in cold water and then pat dry. Add the celeriac to a large mixing bowl with the parsley, apple and fennel. Pour the dressing over and toss thoroughly to combine. Serve.

The post Apple, Fennel and Celeriac Slaw with Apple Cider Vinaigrette appeared first on Inspiralized.

Remember last Monday when I said I lost the photos for this taco pasta dish?

Well, the next day, I found them, buried deep within my Dropbox! I guess I must’ve dragged and dropped carelessly.

I’m thrilled, because this easy taco pasta with celeriac noodles is sinfully good.

While this dish comes together in 30-35 minutes, it doesn’t taste that way. It tastes like a true bowl of cheesy, indulgent taco filling. Since it’s wintertime and tomatoes aren’t growing in most gardens, I chose to use canned tomatoes (drained first.)

However, if you prefer to use fresh tomatoes, substitute in 2 cups of freshly chopped tomatoes. You’re probably going to want to make this year-round, so remember that tip during the summertime!

If you don’t have easy access to celeriac in your grocery stores or farmer’s markets, you can substitute other vegetables, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash and kohlrabi. I’d avoid using zucchini, only because it will quickly thin out the cheese with its moisture and leave you with a less-gooey, cheesy consistency (it will be more runny.)

I chose celeriac noodles for this recipe, because when they’re boiled, they become like egg noodles and they’re soft and light. When topped with the taco mixture, the noodles become velvety like a bowl of mac and cheese.

And then the olives and avocado are the cherry on top.

This is definitely a winner for your #30DaysInspiralized challenge, if you’re partaking!

Have you ever tried boiling celeriac noodles? What’s your favorite way to cook spiralized celeriac?

Nutritional Information & Recipe

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Easy Turkey Taco Celeriac Pasta

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Ingredients

• 1 large celeriac
• ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove finely minced
• ½ cup diced white onion
• ½ diced red bell pepper
• ½ jalapeno seeded, diced
• ½ pound lean ground turkey meat
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes drained
• ½ cup quartered olives
• 1/2 cup chicken broth low sodium
• ½ cup organic cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon minced cilantro to garnish
• ½ avocado sliced into strips
• For the taco spices:
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp chili powder
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp oregano
• salt to taste

Instructions

• Bring a large saucepan filled halfway with water to a boil.
• While waiting for water to boil, peel and spiralize the celeriac, using Blade B. Trim the noodles.
• Once boiling, add in the celeriac noodles and cook for 2-3 minutes or until al dente. Drain and set aside.
• Place a large skillet over medium heat and add in the olive oil. Once oil heats, add in the garlic, onions, bell pepper, and jalapenos, cooking for 3-5 minutes or until onions turn translucent. Then, push the mixture to the side of the pan and add in the ground turkey.
• Cook the turkey until it’s completely browned, about 5-7 minutes. Then, mix veggies and turkey together in the skillet and season with taco spices and salt and pepper. Add in the tomatoes, olives and stir for 1 minute. Then, add in the chicken broth and cook for 5 minutes or until most of the broth reduces.
• Stir in the cheddar cheese and keep stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat. Divide to celeriac into two bowls and top with equal amounts of the sauce. Garnish with cilantro and serve with avocado slices.

The post Easy Turkey Taco Celeriac Pasta appeared first on Inspiralized.

Last night for Valentine’s Day, Lu and I went to a new restaurant that recently opened up in Jersey City called Talde.

I’m pretty sure I had the best brussels sprouts I’ve ever eaten last night. And I eat a lot of brussels sprouts. Between the pork and pretzel dumplings and my whole branzino, my tastebuds were in heaven.

This morning, I even made pancakes, so I guess Valentine’s Day is a weekend event?

Well, now, I’m sharing a recipe that’s rich, flavorful and seemingly decadent, but of course, instead, it’s healthy!

A couple weeks ago, I asked you on Instagram if you had any recipe requests. While I have a long list of ideas, I love to make recipes that I know you all want. Afterall, one of the best things about spiralizing is that it allows us to recreate our favorite, indulgent dishes into a healthier alternative.

So, on that Instagram picture, someone asked for a beef stroganoff. Today, we make stroganoff.

Typically stroganoff, a Russian dish, is made with sour cream, which, I’ve never enjoyed. Whenever Lu and I order nachos, tacos or anything that comes with sour cream, we always scoop it off or say “no sour cream, please!”

Instead of sour cream, I’m using coconut milk in this recipe which not only pleasantly thickens the stroganoff, it adds another level of flavor and provides more nutrients.

The celeriac noodles add a refreshing taste that complements the heaviness of the beef. Plus, celeriac noodles look like spaghetti, right?

And, of course, my favorite part of this recipe is that it’s a one-pot wonder (if you don’t know already, I love to cook but I hate to clean!)

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Beef Stroganoff with Celeriac Noodles

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound top sirloin steak cut into strips (about 1/4”)
• 1.5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion diced
• 8 oz sliced button mushrooms
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1 cup beef broth
• ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tablespoon tomato paste
• ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper to taste
• ½ tablespoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 large celeriacs
• 1/2 cup canned coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons freshly minced parsley

Instructions

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add in the strips of beef and cook on each side for two minutes or until golden brown and then set aside. Be careful not to crowd the meat as it cooks - you may have to cook in batches.
• Add in a half tablespoon of olive oil and add in the mushrooms and onions, cooking for 3-5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Set aside once cooked.
• Add in the cooked beef, red wine, beef broth, Worcestershire, tomato paste, mustard, salt, pepper, paprika and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, pour in the coconut milk and cook for 30-40 minutes or until thickened.
• While the stroganoff cooks, peel and spiralize the celeriacs, using Blade B. Trim the noodles using a kitchen scissor and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• While the mixture cooks, place a large skillet over medium heat and add in the last tablespoon of olive oil. Once oil heats, add in the celeriac, season with salt and pepper and cover, cooking for 7-10 minutes or until cooked to al dente, uncovering to toss occasionally.
• Once the stroganoff is cooked, divide the celeriac into bowls and top with equal amounts of beef stroganoff. Garnish each bowl with parsley.

The post Beef Stroganoff with Celeriac Noodles appeared first on Inspiralized.

If you’re looking at these pictures and thinking, “Why is she posting a rice dish on her spiralizing blog?” that means I’m doing my “job.”

Spiralizing is amazing on so many levels (check out my reasons for why everyone should spiralize), but it’s most amazing when it tricks people’s eyes into thinking they’re looking at “regular” pasta and rice.

This celeriac rice tastes just like a spiced Moroccan pilaf. Really, it’s uncanny. When I uploaded the photos after making the recipe, they kinda made me fall in love with spiralizing all over again.

Moroccan spices are lovely, but they can sometimes be overpowering. With celeriac rice, its refreshing celery taste marries well with the intense Moroccan flavors and creates the perfect balance.

This dish has everything – sweet apricots, toasted pine nuts and savory shallots. Every bite has a kick of flavor, a subtle sweetness and a refreshing tang.

Plus, who doesn’t love kabobs? Kabobs aren’t just for summertime and grilling – they’re easy to make and pop in the oven. If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them for at least 30 minutes – 1 hour prior to using them, to ensure they don’t, you know, burst into flames in the oven. If you’re using a metal skewer, don’t worry – you can go straight to the oven!

There’s something exciting about eating kabobs with rice – they’re fun to eat. These chicken kabobs are “build your own.” I built each one slightly different, as you’ll see here before I popped them in the oven:

At the end, I sprinkled a little feta on top because Lu was eating it and it added a nice saltiness that complemented the chicken and tomatoes. It’s completely optional, as listed in the ingredients – I just wanted to give you the idea. Plus, mo fetta mo betta!

If you’re a vegetarian, try using sliced portobello mushrooms on the kabobs, tofu or try adding some quinoa to the rice for more protein. I hope my recipes inspire you to create your own customized meals!

This dish is truly Inspiralized – a global classic made healthy and light, by way of the spiralizer. If you’ve never made spiralized rice, check out this page to learn how to make it!

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Spiced Chicken Kabobs over Moroccan Celeriac Rice

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 3 cups of rice, 6 kabobs

Ingredients

• 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1.5 large shallots peeled, minced
• 1 large garlic clove minced
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts
• 1 large celeriac or two medium, peeled, Blade C
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• 1/3 cup diced dried apricots
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
• ¼ cup crumbled feta to garnish (optional)
• For the kabobs:
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• pinch of ground cinnamon
• pinch of ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 large chicken breast cut into 1” cubes (about 1 pound)
• ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 large bell pepper any color
• 1 medium red onion
• 1 dozen cherry tomatoes

Instructions

• If you’re using wooden skewers, make sure you soak them for at least 30 minutes – 1 hour to avoid burning in the oven. If you’re using a metal skewer, you can skip this step.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the kabob spices (cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne) into a large bowl and mix together. Add in the chicken, olive oil and lemon juice and season with the salt and pepper. Toss to mix thoroughly. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
• While chicken marinates, place the celeriac noodles into a food processor and pulse until rice-like. Set aside. Then, chop the onion and bell peppers into 1” pieces.
• Once the chicken is marinated, skewer the marinated chicken, bell peppers, onion sand tomatoes as you prefer (in any order.) You should be able to make 6 skewers, with 2-3 pieces of chicken per skewer.
• Arrange the skewers on a large nonstick baking sheet in a single layer and bake until chicken is just cooked through and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place a large skillet over medium heat and add in the oil. Add the shallot and cook for 1-2 minutes until translucent and fragrant. Add the garlic and pine nuts and cook, stirring frequently, until the nuts are lightly toasted, slightly golden brown. Add in the celeriac rice and stir in the spices and apricots and mix well. Season with salt and pepper, pour in the chicken broth, cover and cook for 5-7 minutes or until celeriac reaches a rice-like consistency and is no longer crunchy, uncovering the skillet to stir occasionally.
• Stir in the parsley and divide into three plates, topping each plate each with 2 kabobs.

The post Spiced Chicken Kabobs over Moroccan Celeriac Rice appeared first on Inspiralized.

I’ve noticed a trend with my recipes: one week, I’ll go primarily vegetarian and the next, I’ll whip out the meat. I guess this week, it’s meat.

Yesterday, pork. Today, lamb.

Tomorrow, I’m going veg. Promise!

As you all know, yesterday was Cyber Monday and in true Ali-fashion, I procrastinated on making a shopping list so I didn’t buy a single thing yesterday. Not a single thing!

It’s kind of like when you’re walking around the city and you see all these cozy bars and restaurants and think, “Oh, I have to go there!” Then, the next time you’re out looking for a cozy spot, you walk for blocks without spotting one.

No? I have that problem a lot, but maybe it’s not the best metaphor for this situation.

Regardless, I can now face-plant into this chunky lamb ragu over celeriac noodles.

As I warned you in my Instagram, celery root is no picnic to peel. It’s one of the rootiest looking root vegetables out there. I mean, it really looks like it grows from the ground:

A photo posted by Ali(ssandra) Maffucci (@inspiralized) on Dec 12, 2014 at 8:38am PST

To peel, I slice off the chunky bits on either ends (the veiny-looking parts) and then use a strong OXO peeler to peel away the tough, hairy-like skin. I know, I know, I’m not painting the prettiest picture.

Once you’ve got your peeled celeriac, it’s easy to spiralize – just apply quick, fast pressure and voila: refreshing celeriac noodles! Celeriac (or, celery root) is what it sounds: it’s the root of celery.

Since ragus tend to be hearty and robust (like this simple lamb version), I picked celeriac noodles to offer a light, tart bite to combat the heaviness (yet deliciousness) of the ragu. The mint brings out the freshness in the celeriac and adds more flavor to the dish.

The celeriac noodles are strong and resilient, making them ideal for heavy sauces like this one.

ALSO, Casa.com is giving away this set of four Lenox bowls (the blue ones in the pictures today!) – to enter, like the following photo and follow Casa on Instagram. The winner will be announced today at 5pm EST! Goodluck – Casa is pretty much the best/most addictive place to shop for homewares.

A photo posted by Ali(ssandra) Maffucci (@inspiralized) on Dec 12, 2014 at 7:16am PST

Have you tried spiralizing celeriac yet?

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Chunky Lamb Ragu with Celeriac Noodles

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 3

Ingredients

• ¾ - 1 pound ground lamb lean
• 1 large garlic clove minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon chopped rosemary
• ½ teaspoon chopped thyme
• salt and pepper to taste
• ½ carrot finely diced
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ small yellow onion finely diced
• ½ celery rib finely diced
• ½ tablespoon tomato paste
• 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
• ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1 medium celeriac celery root
• ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped mint

Instructions

• In a medium pot over medium heat, add in the lamb, garlic, cumin, rosemary, thyme and season with salt and pepper. Break up the lamb with a wooden spoon and cook until browned. Then, add in the carrot, red pepper flakes, onion and celery and cook until vegetable soften and liquid mainly evaporates, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the tomato paste to combine thoroughly and then add in the tomatoes and stock and bring to a boil. Cover partially and simmer over low heat until sauce thickens, 20 to 25 minutes.
• While sauce cooks, peel and spiralize the celeriac with Blade B and trim the noodles. Place a large skillet over medium heat and add in the olive oil. Once oil heats, add in the celeriac noodles, cover and let cook for 5-10 minutes or until celeriac is cooked to al dente, uncovering occasionally to toss. If celeriac noodles start to stick to the pan, add in drops of chicken broth.
• Divide the celeriac noodles into bowls. Top the celeriac noodles with sauce and serve warm, garnished with mint.

The post Chunky Lamb Ragu with Celeriac Noodles appeared first on Inspiralized.

If you asked me what I spend my money on, it’d be food and cooking ware. Prior to starting Inspiralized, it was probably travel, entertainment and shoes.

While I do miss spontaneous weekend trips to Palm Springs, I’m happier now than ever.

My favorite place to splurge? Williams Sonoma. Always and forever!

Williams Sonoma is especially near and dear to my heart nowadays, since it’s the only major retailer carrying the spiralizer that I use. You can walk into any store and find it (if you can’t wait to buy it on Amazon.)

As a little girl, I remember walking into my local Williams Sonoma (at The Mall at Short Hills or The Bridgewater Commons Mall) with my mother and touching all the shiny things in the front of the store- the beautiful stand mixers, blenders, ice cream makers and the gorgeous skillets. My favorite part of the store was always in the back – the ceramic serving wear, the stemless wine glasses and the block cutting boards. I dreamed of entertaining like my mother did and having coordinated napkin holders and plates.

As I got older and started making money, that yearning only grew stronger. Still to this day, I can’t resist walking through Williams Sonoma – especially during Christmastime. It’s the most magical store during the holidays (Rockefeller Center has nothing on it!)

One day, when I have my own family or just an apartment big enough to hold a dining table, I’ll be sweeping up everything at Williams Sonoma and building a festive scene.

Back to reality. I’m 27 years old, live in an 825 square foot apartment with no dining area and still go home for all of my holidays, where my mother runs the show. Still, I couldn’t resist pretending with these Speckled Egg Salad Plates from Williams Sonoma. They’re so precious and apparently, colored eggs symbolize hope, good fortune and new beginnings. Well, that’s just perfect for me!

These salad plates are perfect for any Easter festivities – they’re the right size for a large salad or honestly, could be used for a main course. The adorable eggs in the middle are softly decorated with the egg of a different bird: a nightingale, American robin, golden-crested wren or meadowlark. Unfortunately, these plates are no longer available online, but this beautiful platter is. You can check your local store for the plates, if you’re interested.

I used them to plate this elegant Lemon-Garlic Celeriac Noodle Salad. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to present you with a celeriac recipe. Celeriac tastes like a hearty celery with the consistency of a potato. It spiralizes easily into strong noodles (make sure to peel the ugly outside first!) and cooks easily, absorbing the flavors of the olive oil, lemon and garlic in this recipe.

The shaved asparagus offers a velvety, springy texture to the dish, while the toasted almonds give it that beloved salad crunch. Then, the feta gives the salad a fluffy saltiness, while the mint picks up the celery flavor in the noodles.

Speaking of mint, I used a new tool (found at Williams Sonoma) to easily top this salad with chopped mint. This Microplane Herb Mill might be my new favorite kitchen gadget.

Personally, I don’t love chopping herbs. It’s time-consuming, and I always end up making a mess. With this herb mill, it’s so simple:

All you do is take off the top piece and load in the herbs.

Then, you use it like a grinder and out come perfectly chopped pieces!

I totally recommend getting one of these if you use fresh herbs a lot. I even used it at dinner like a pepper grinder to add more parsley to a dish.

While celeriac is an autumn and winter vegetable, the addition of feta, shaved asparagus and fresh mint make it a light and filling salad, perfect for an Easter celebration or springtime dinner.

Now, I just need guests! Who wants to join me?

Note: While I received complimentary products from Williams Sonoma for this post, all opinions are my own.

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Lemon-Garlic Celeriac Noodle Salad with Feta, Mint and Shaved Asparagus

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 celeriac peeled, Blade C
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp slivered blanched almonds
• 12 asparagus stalks
• 1/4 cup feta cheese cubed
• 3 tsp chopped mint or use 6 mint leaves in the Microplane Herb Mill

Instructions

• Prepare your asparagus. Snap off the bottoms and then use a peeler to "shave" the asparagus. When done, chop off the tips and set aside.
• Place a large skillet over medium-low heat and add in the olive oil. Then, add in the garlic and let cook for 30 seconds. Then, add in the celeriac noodles, asparagus tips and lemon juice. Cook for 5-7 minutes, tossing frequently. Add in the almonds, shaved asparagus and cook for 1 more minute.
• When done, divide onto individual plates. Top each with equal amounts of feta and mint. Enjoy!

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