The Sexy Forever Recipe Bible (71 page)

½ pound quinoa or whole-grain linguine

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 red onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

12
Candied Tomatoes

Zest of 1 lemon

1 bunch fresh basil, leaves only

Red pepper flakes

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large sauté pan over high heat, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the onion and cook until the onion is caramelized and soft, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes, lemon zest, and basil. Cook until the tomatoes soften, about 10 minutes.

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and add 2 cups of the cooked linguine to the sauté pan. Toss together and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

SERVES 2

penne with tomato basil sauce

VEGETABLES, CARBOHYDRATES
DETOX, LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2

Two 28-ounce cans tomatoes, coarsely chopped with juice

1 medium onion, chopped

6 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

20 fresh basil leaves, stacked, rolled, and thinly sliced

1 pound whole-grain penne pasta

Over medium-high heat, warm about ⅓ cup of the juice from the peeled tomatoes in a large saucepan. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 7 minutes. Then add the garlic and sauté another 3 minutes. (If the tomato juice is bubbling too much, turn the heat down to medium.) Add the remaining tomatoes and their juice. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the basil.

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Toss with the sauce and serve immediately.

SERVES 6

FOR LEVEL 1 AND LEVEL 2
 For Detox, this recipe contains no added fats. For additional flavor in Level 1 and Level 2, start the sauce by sautéing the onion for about 10 minutes (until golden brown) in about 1⁄2 cup extra virgin olive oil. Add the garlic and cook until just pale gold. Turn down the heat and add the tomatoes with their juice. Finish as above.

penne all’arrabbiata

HEALTHY FATS, VEGETABLES, CARBOHYDRATES
LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

Two 28-ounce cans crushed Italian plum tomatoes with juice

Sea salt

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, or more if desired

1 pound brown rice, quinoa, or whole-grain penne

½ teaspoon dried oregano

10 fresh basil leaves, julienned

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and the garlic. Sauté until golden, 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and salt to taste and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer, add the red pepper flakes, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes. The sauce will reduce and thicken.

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain in a colander, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.

Place the penne, pasta water, and tomato sauce back into a large saucepan and toss until each piece is well coated. Add the oregano and basil. Adjust the seasonings. Serve immediately.

SERVES 4

spinach and ricotta ravioli with candied tomato sauce

HEALTHY FATS, VEGETABLES, CARBOHYDRATES, INSULIN TRIGGERS
LEVEL 2