I tend to watch A LOT of cooking shows because I love food so much. One weekend, I found a show on Amazon Prime that was Gordon Ramsey recipes, I got immersed in everything he was making. Specifically, a creamy leak and mushroom pasta dish. I am always on the lookout for new ways to make pasta at home, and he had just what I needed.
This pasta dish got my mouth watering. The only problem was he used gluten and dairy, which we do not consume in our house for health reasons. So, I decided to revamp the dish so we could enjoy it as well!
Side note: we got rid of gluten and dairy because it was causing inflammation and digestive distress on our bodies. It was a slow process. It took many years to get on this bandwagon, with much hesitation. The best way to approach new habits is to take it one day at a time, and to start SLOW. We started by just switching one ingredient at a time. It has been well worth the effort and we’ve found so many tasty new things!
If you are looking for an easy 15–20-minute pasta dinner that is gluten and dairy-free, look no further. Give this one a try!
What is the best tasting gluten-free pasta?
You might also ask, what are the healthiest gluten-free pasta’s? I have tried several but always come back to chickpea and lentil pasta. The texture is very similar to normal pasta, and the only ingredient is lentils or chickpeas. No fillers, preservatives, weird starches, etc. Plus, it provides TONS of protein and fiber (keeps you full!). This also means you can make this a meatless dinner recipe. I like throwing in some meatless meals once a week. It saves money (protein can be expensive!), and it makes me eat a larger variety of vegetables. Not ready to give up meat? No worries, we sometimes sauté chicken and add it to this dish as well to make it last a couple of meals.
What is the best dairy-free cream option?
First of all, how do you make something creamy without dairy? is that even possible? Yes! I always turn to full fat coconut milk in a can, the fluffy cream on top of the milk is the perfect texture and consistency of normal heavy cream.
Secondly, I recommend this brand here, it is the BEST option for the dairy-free creamy texture that you are craving (the Whole Foods brand is also delicious).
Lastly, another important topic is taste. Not everyone wants to have coconut flavor in their pasta. The brand I provided is not as strong in the coconut flavor as a lot of other ones, which means it really just adds the creamy aspect to the dish.
Next, lets see what health benefits this dish provides.
Health benefits of leeks, mushrooms and chickpeas
One of the biggest things I have learned this year is “food is information” – Dr. Mark Hyman. Everything we eat has something that will help us or harm us. See a glimpse of the benefits the ingredients in this dish can provide to your health.
- Leeks – improved gut health, lower cholesterol, protection against cancer, etc.
- Mushrooms – Boosts immunity, fights cancer cell growth, etc.
- Chickpeas – Increase satiety, improve digestion, keep your blood sugar stable, etc.
Creamy leek and mushroom pasta
(15-20 minutes to make, serves 4 people)
Ingredients:
- 1 leek
- 1 8oz of your favorite mushrooms
- 2 cups of your favorite broth (I prefer chicken)
- 1 can of full fat coconut milk (you will just use ¾-1cup of the can in the recipe)
- 1 box of chickpea or lentil pasta
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
Instructions:
- First, start your pasta in some boiling water and cook according to the directions on the box.
- Then, sauté the mushrooms in two tablespoons of olive oil until cooked through (usually takes 5-10 minutes)
- While those are cooking, dice up your leek. Its remarkably similar to green onions, cut off the leafy part and throw that away. See a video here on what part you will cook with.
- Once the mushrooms are completed, add your leeks. Sautee until wilted and add a pinch of salt.
- Once those are cooked, add the chicken broth (bring to a simmer) and let that reduce to half in the pan.
- Then, add ¾-1cup of the coconut cream from your can and stir into the dish until combined. Add some salt and pepper to taste!
- Finally, toss your cooked pasta into the sauce and enjoy!
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