GBS friendly Super low carb comfort food. Or how I get my kids to eat a weeks worth of veggies in one meal!

So, I had Gastric bypass about 2 years ago.  I had gotten really big.  I did it to be healthy for my kids and myself.  It was truly the best thing I ever did for myself.  Sometimes I hate what it has done to my eating habits.  I miss comfort food.  I miss being able to eat my fill of hot sourdough bread and soup.  Italian food is my weakness, and I miss the heck out it. A surgery like that is supposed to be life changing.  And it is.  But.... no matter how many meetings you go to, no matter how ready you THINK you are... you are not.  My biggest fear, and the source of all my nightmares ( except that freaky one about Freddy Kruger, the giant spider, and Pennywise the clown) is that I wake up one day and I look at myself and I have gained it all back, and then some.  And in my dream it happened so slowly I didn't know it was happening until it was all there.  You know what, I have seen it happen.  A lot of people I know had the surgery and gained it all back about 3 or 4 years after they have the surgery.

Enough of what I am scared of.  On to the food!!  Tonight I wanted something comforting for dinner.  I know my husbands deployment schedule for the year.  While I am not complaining, and it is not nearly as bad as it could be.... I still get a little sad when I know how often he will be gone.  Old me would have eaten home made bread and cookies.  New me ...well I still want to eat the cookies and bread, but I am not a slave to those habits any more. 

Tonight we made dinner as a couple.  So I didn't get pictures of everything step by step.  We made noodle free spaghetti casserole home made cheddar bay drop biscuits, and salad. NOODLE FREE "basketti" ( as the youngest minion calls it) is really easy to make, and lends itself to substitutions so you can make it with what you have in your house.

You need:
For the noodle free "pasta"
spaghetti squash
pound of sausage ( use any kind, I used hot sausage of the breakfast variety)
a good sized onion
2 green onions
4 zucchini or yellow squash ( either or a mix will be fine)
2-3 cloves or garlic minced ( or tsp of minced jarred garlic)
Can of tomoatos
jar of sauce
1 cup of cheese ( I used 3/4 cheddar and 1/4 Parmesan and Romano)
2 tbls panko bread crumbs
2 -3 tbls of olive oil ( or sunflower or whatever you use)
salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste.


For the cheddar bay drop biscuits :
2 c of self rising flour
half cup of shredded cheddar

1 tlbs parsley ( I used dry)
1 tbls garlic powder
2 tbls butter
1/2 to 3/4 cups of milk
1 tbls melted butter

DO NOT GET OVERWHELMED!  THIS IS WAY EASIER THAN IT SOUNDS

First cook your spaghetti squash.  I didn't get pictures of that, but you can do it in the oven or the microwave.  I did it in the oven by cutting it in half ( WARNING they are very hard on the outside, so BE CAREFUL) and scooping out the seeds.  Then I baked it at 350 for 45 minutes in a jelly roll pan cavity side down with 1/4 cup water in the pan.


While that is baking grate up your squash/ zucchini.  Cut your onions into what ever size your family will eat. Toss it all in a pan with your minced garlic, and sausage. Add your spices ( sorry, we all like things done in our own way).  When your sausage is all browned open your can of tomatoes and sauce and mix in then lower your temp and simmer it while you finish the rest of the food.

sideways, but good stuff. Some things didn't make the pic.

just dump it on and stir to brown it all. 

Ok, the meat is cooked.  Time for the tomatoes!

make sure to have it simmer so  all the flavors blend together

Your spaghetti squash should be done by now.  Pull it out and let it cool enough to touch.  Start your buscuits while it cools ( recipe follows).

cooked and cooled.  Time to shred

Take a fork and run it inside your squash and it will shred up like noodles.  Crazy I know.  Do with both sides and then toss with the oil and some salt and pepper.  ( I do not know how much but I would say I used maybe 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tbls pepper)  put it in a large casserole dish ( mine is 9 x 13) and mix with the sauce.  set aside.  Mix your shredded cheese and bread crumbs and sprinkle on top of the whole thing.  Place into the oven that is still at 350 for 15-20 minutes ( however long it takes for your biscuits to be done).

looks like spaghetti! Has an al dente feel to it.

before I add the sauce and topping.

mix your topping, and you can leave out the bread crumbs if you really want to.  They are a nice addition.

ready to melt the cheese.

Cheddar biscuits.

milk didn't make the picture. 

Mix your flour with your non melted butter ( have it softened)  until it is a little crumbly.  Then add garlic powder, cheese, and parsley.  mix up and add your milk. It should be doughy, but not too dry.  You can roll them out and cut them, but I don't want to waste the time.   Drop them by the spoon full onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  and slide into the oven with your "pasta".  Bake for about 15 minutes and when they are done pull them out and brush with the melted butter.  Let sit while you put the other stuff on a plate and in the fridge for your picky little kids who will not eat food that is "too hot" or "too cold" ( about 2 minutes) and then everything is ready to serve.  I added some salad and called it a day.

ready to be baked.

while I was grabbing my camera some disappeared...

everyone was a member of the clean plate club tonight! 

The verdict:  This was not something new.  It is something I serve at least once a month.  It is insanely healthy and my kids have no idea it is not really noodles.  Everyone I have ever served it to loved it.  Tonight My 3 year old who will throw ice cream, ICE CREAM!!, ate all of his and asked for more.  The picky 7 year old asked if she can take some with her for lunch and the husband told me at least 10 times how much he enjoyed dinner ( both the making and the eating).  Seriously guys, cook as a family, or a couple.  It is so good for your relationship to do things together.   You MUST make this!!