Zucchini noodles with lemony squash sauce

"You can't resist me. Can you?"

 My tummy is getting a little happier these days, thanks to the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) with a bit of the FODMAPs diet thrown in.

"We don't like onions either, Mom."

 It's amazing how long a journey to wellness can take. The candida diet lead me to the AIP diet which lead me to the FODMAPs. On my FODMAPs journey, I have discovered that onions may be a culprit for me. They are one of the top 10 foods, containing inulin, and require an enzyme to break their fructose-fructose bond.

Zucchini noodles with lemony squash sauce

 I recently made the most delicious meal---zucchini noodles with a heavenly lemony squash sauce---onions optional.

 Here's what you need for two servings:

2 medium zucchini, ends trimmed
2 medium carrots, peeled, ends trimmed
3 large kale stalks, leaves removed
1 tsp. herbes de provence
salt and pepper
olive oil
1/2 small delicata squash
1 tsp. lemon zest, divided
juice of 1 lemon, divided
1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk

 Here's what you do:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice delicata squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Drizzle squash halves with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Lay squash halves, cut side down,  on a small baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. Roast for 30 minutes or until squash is tender. Allow to cool.

Prepare your zucchini and carrot ribbons. Use a potato peeler. Working lengthwise, peel off ribbons of zucchini and carrot as if you were peeling a potato.  You won't be able to use the entire zucchini or carrot. Wrap up the extra to use in a soup or salad at a later time.

Spread the zucchini and carrot ribbons on a large, parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the ribbons are slightly crispy. Remove and set aside.

Steam your kale in a large skillet with olive oil and a tiny bit of water. Cook until tender. Then, add one half of the lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper, to taste. Toss.

Meanwhile, reserve 1/2 of the squash for another meal. Scoop out the flesh of the other half, discard the skin (Or feed it to your poor starving pooches. Mine love anything squash.) and add the flesh to a food processor. Add the 1/2 tsp. lemon zest, half the lemon juice, coconut milk, salt and pepper, herbes de provence and blend.

Get ready to assemble your meal.

Start with a generous serving of lemony kale on the bottom. Pile on a helping of zucchini and carrot noodles. Spoon on some of the lemony squash creme. Serve with a side of some kind of protein.

Recipe contributed to:

 http://www.phoenixhelix.com/2014/01/15/paleo-aip-recipe-roundtable-10/#more-8560

 http://wholenewmom.com/traditional-tuesday/grain-free-poptarts-ground-beef-jerky-jalapeno-popper-dip-14-year-old-talks-diet/

 http://www.rickiheller.com/2014/01/wellness-weekend-january-16-20-2014/