Alright you guys, stuff just got real.  Juli over at PaleOMG is straight up amazing…like legit amazing.

I had a bad week of food consumption [again] last week and wanted to get back on the low FODMAP horse this week.  So far, so good.  I headed over to PaleOMG to find some recipe inspiration for my Sunday meal prep…and couldn’t be happier with what I tried.  First, what I love about PaleOMG is that she doesn’t always post super strict Paleo recipes…then she throws in gluten free, dairy free, and other stuff too.  And when I am too busy to get overly creative I like to browse other blogs, primarily PaleOMG.  I tend to end up with my own concoctions that are a bit different than how I start, but I don’t mind if you don’t mind.  This past week, I was prepping A TON of food, so I didn’t want to sweat over “creating” new recipes…that is where Juli’s page is a complete godsend. AND SHE IS COMING OUT WITH A COOKBOOK!

On Sunday I did variations of these two PaleOMG recipes:
1. Artichoke Lemon Pesto Lasagna
2. Spaghetti Squash Noodle Bowl
[and I throw this in for honorable mention: Almost 5 Ingredient Spaghetti Pie.  I made this a few weeks ago and my husband went absolutely nuts for it.]

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artichoke lemon pesto [gluten free] pasta BAKE

yield: ~9 servings

[NOTE: Juli did this as a lasagna, so I made my own changes.  I am cheap…gluten free penne is about a third of the price of gluten free lasagna sheets.  That being said, I didn’t want to puree the ingredients for lasagna layers.  Instead, I chopped/processed alot of the ingredients for more of a baked ziti/pasta-type of dish.  And you definitely don’t have to use gluten free pasta if you do not prefer.  You can also add more pesto or a balsamic glaze for a more saucier, flavorful dish as you heat up the leftovers.  Hope you enjoy!]

• 2 tbsp olive oil, separated
• 2 tbsp minced garlic, spearated
• 1lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed into small pieces
• ½ bunch of green onions, chopped
• 1 cup crimini mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 large bell pepper, chopped
• 1 can artichoke hearts
• 4-5 tbsps pesto flavor of choice (I used LeGrand Pesto Sundried Tomato)
• juice of 1 lemon
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 package gluten free penne or ziti
• 1-2 cups baby spinach
• 1-2 cups freshly shredded cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13×9 glass baking dish with olive oil, butter, cooking spray, etc.
2. Place a large pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, peppers, and green onion and 1 tbsp of garlic. Saute and set aside in large bowl.
3. In same pan, add other tbsp of olive oil and other tbsp of garlic.  Once garlic becomes fragrant, add cubed chicken and cook until cooked through.  Empty pan and add chicken to the veggies in the large bowl.
4. Place the pan back over medium-high heat and add the halved artichokes and juice of 1/2 of the lemon. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and let cook until slightly browned and tender on all sides.
5. Once artichokes are browned, add them to a food processor with the juice of other 1/2 of the lemon. Blend until a chopped, almost smooth consistency.  Add to the veggies and chicken mixture.
6. Now add as much pesto as you would like to the mixture in the bowl.  Taste and add more lemon, garlic, salt and pepper to your preference.
7. Boil water.  Cook gluten free pasta for half the time as directed on packaging. Drain and add to the rest of the mixture in the bowl.
8. Now, spread the pasta, chicken, veggies, and artichoke mixture in the baking dish.  Layer with baby spinach.  Then sprinkle cheese on top of the spinach.  For a cheesier dish, you may want to put some in the pasta mixture or under the spinach as well.
9. Cover the dish with foil and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Then remove the foil and let sit under the boiler for 2-3 minutes until the cheese bubbles and browns.
10. Remove from oven, lightly cover with foil to help keep warm and let rest for about 5 minutes before scooping.

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spaghetti squash sriracha “noodle” bowl [spicy]

yield: 6 servings

• 1 large spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 pound ground meat of your choice (I used .75 lbs lean ground beef and .25 lbs pork)
• 2 tbsp Sriracha, separated
• 1 tbsp olive oil mayo
• Asian sauce of your choice (I used organic thai)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 large bell pepper, chopped
• 5 crimini mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 bunch green onion, chopped
• steamed vegetable of your choice (I used plain green beans, Juli used broccoli florets)

1. Cut spaghetti squash in half, scoop out seeds (like gutting a pumpkin) and place the deseeded halves facing up on a rimmed baking sheet.  Roast the spaghetti squash in oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.  Once cooled, use a fork to shred the noodle-like threads of squash into a bowl and set aside. (See HowCast here and/or video below if still unsure.)
2. Prep sauce for finishing meal by mixing 1 tbsp Sriracha, 1 tbsp mayo, and as much Asian sauce of your choice to taste.  Mix until all combined and smooth, set aside.
3. In a large pan or dutch oven, heat olive oil and garlic.  Saute peppers, onion, and mushrooms, then remove from pan and add to spaghetti squash.  Keep set aside.
4. In the same pan, add ground meat along with 1 tablespoons sriracha and cook over medium-high heat. Break up meat into small pieces and cook until completely cooked through.  Drain if preferred (I prefer).
5. Steam green beans, broccoli, or veggie of choice.
6. Toss everything EXCEPT finishing sauce together in pan or bowl until evenly combined.
7. Pour desired amount of sauce on the mixture after serving.

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[and the honorable mention:]
PaleOMG’s almost 5 ingredient spaghetti squash