viral one-pot 🇫🇷🧅🍝
Welcome to those who were just scanning the web and serendipitously landed on my humble site 👋 whether you are in a rut and don’t know what to make; are in that loop of “sooo, what do you want to eat tonight?”; or have fallen into the infinite black hole of saved recipes from social media (the internet is truly ultimate purveyor of maximalist TL;DR content overwhelm 😵💫🫠🤭). I hope you enjoy — it brings me great joy to sprinkle any ease into your life — cheers to your good health, good love & good fortune!
And per my usual caveat, I do not claim to be a doctor or a chef. I do not dream of being a fancy food blogger. I’m just a gal who enjoys living and eating for optimum well-being. I like to creatively alter, and occasionally create, recipes to make them as balanced as possible, in both taste and health. I’ve come to learn soul-food and body-fueling food are both real and equally important, hence the critical importance and beauty of mind-body-soul eating! ✨ I typically like to begin with a key ingredient or two that I’m hoping to work with, search for a preexisting recipe as a guide, then play with measurements and make swaps to level up nutrient density. Consider this a destination for healthy recipe inspiration, where you’ll never have to scroll through any continuously re-populating ads. One of my primary goals is to add a little simplicity in places I’ve found murky.
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS INTENDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS PERSONAL MEDICAL ADVICE. INDIVIDUALS SHOULD ALWAYS CONSULT THEIR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER BEFORE ADMINISTERING ANY OF THE SUGGESTIONS MADE ON THEBALANCEDCALM.COM TO ENSURE THEY ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCE.
In case you are like me and hadn’t heard about the magic of the TikTok’s Viral One-Pot French Onion Pasta, get ready for your mind to be blown! I can pretty much guarantee that this is the most delicious thing you will eat this week! My recipe is mostly a mirror of Ereka Vetrini’s from her Instagram @erekav, with a few of my amendments included below:
INGREDIENTS
8 oz chickpea pasta*
2 tbsp grass-fed unsalted butter
1 tsp Pink Himalayan salt
2 organic yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp organic fresh thyme, minced
1 bay leaf
1/2 c natural dry white wine
6 c organic chicken stock
6 oz organic, raw Gruyere cheese grated + plus more for serving
1/3 c organic parsley, chopped
Chives, chopped for serving
*This can be swapped for any kind of pasta — I actually doubled all of the above and made half rigatoni and half gluten free for a fun his and hers version.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Add butter to a large skillet and melt over medium-high heat.
2. Once the butter starts to foam, add onions and pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to medium and cook on low for at least 30 minutes (until the onions are silky and caramelized)…patience is the key here! I promise this is the most painful step.
3. Add the thyme, a pinch of salt and wine to the onions and cooking for about 3 mins (until the smell of alcohol is gone).
4. Add bay leaf and stock to the mix.
5. Bring everything to a boil and then add pasta. The liquid should just cover the pasta and will result in starchy water, which is needed to thicken the sauce.
6. Cook for roughly 12 - 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
7. Mix in the cheese and parsley.
8. Serve and garnish with more cheese and chives and RELISH in the deliciousness you are about to dive into! Like WOWA 🤤
As with everything I make, I love to know the ingredients will fuel not only a beautiful plate, but a beautiful feeling inside. I will again caveat, I’m not a nutritionist, but as holistic health coach, here’s some functional food for thought:
ORGANIC ONIONS
Onions are a dream add to virtually any dish because they pack so much flavor without adding much additional sodium, plus contain no cholesterol or fat. On top of this, they’re packed with fiber, folic acid, vitamin C and B vitamins that all support the building of healthy new cells. Being high in many antioxidants, they have many anti-inflammatory properties and can support lower blood sugar levels and improved digestion! And while onions have been cited as possessing some of the lowest amounts of pesticides in conventional or not, given the outside layer often gets peeled off…some tests have not ironically shown that organic onions have had much higher levels of antioxidants, so I would always encourage springing for the higher flavonoid filled onions that have been grown in richer soil.
NATURAL WINE
While traditional wine makers may sincerely frown upon natural wine, I am a huge proponent for this non-filtered alternative, where grapes are picked by hand from sustainable, organic and/or biodynamic vineyards. This method of wine making helps maintain the gut-healthy bacteria and antioxidants in the wine that develop during fermentation. On top of this, no synthetic products (ie: pesticides or hebrides) are using during the grape growing process, ensuring the natural wine has all the sparkling qualities that one would hope was coming from a heart-healthy glass. Conventional winemaking not only filters the sediment and healthy bacteria out of wine, there is also risk of consuming the remnants of the oxidative additives used during the entire lifespan of the grapes and winemaking. Drinking wine should always come with moderation in mind and maybe it’s just me, but I’ve noticed I am much less likely to experience a hangover or stuffy nose following the consumption of a crisp natural wine. Plus the bottles tend to have the coolest labels - cheers to exploring!
PINK HIMALAYAN SALT
Since pink Himalayan salt is less processed than table salt, your body has an easier time processing it, as it doesn’t require as much water to clear out the excess sodium! It also contains more than 80 minerals and elements, including potassium, iron, calcium and (naturally occurring) iodine, aiding our body’s natural detoxification process and promoting the removal of bacteria. This can even help lower blood pressure, as iodine supports our body’s electrolyte balance, allowing our intestines to absorb more nutrients.
***important to note, quality is essential — always shop organic, whole, preferably in season, ideally know where your food is coming from and thoroughly wash those fruits + veggies!
