A few people in my family are gluten free, and a few others are ardent and adamant gluten lovers. So finding gluten free products that all enjoy can be a challenge. As always, ALDI has my back (and my taste buds). This post is sponsored by ALDI USA.
The liveGfree line of products are delightful. They have all the flavors and amazing textures without the added gluten. I can confidently say all parties were happy with this meal, and I used a few as the focal points of the featured menu.
Start with a snack board
For a dinner party, I love having a central snack board that all can gather around. It’s a focal point that draws people together. Variety is key, so I went with lots of different ALDI products.
There’s something so inviting about combining lots of different colors and textures on a plate. Grab the below ingredients and assemble to your liking.
- liveGfree Gluten Free Black Sesame Brown Rice Crisps
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Simply Nature Organic Popcorn
- Snap peas
- Park Street Deli Hummus
- Appleton Farms Prosciutto
- Emporium Selection Cheddar Cheese
The liveGfree Black Sesame Brown Rice Crisps are the perfect crunch and vehicle for dipping and building. My favorite combinations: with prosciutto and strawberries (hello, sweet and salty), and dipped into hummus (crunchy and creamy action).
On to the main event
There’s something so comforting about a giant vat of pasta that guests can scoop out. This particular one has minimal ingredients that just happen to sing harmoniously when combined together. The salty sausage paired with peppery arugula, bright citrus, sweet red onion and topped with creamy parmesan is sure to ignite the taste buds of all parties.
Serving size: 4
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
The ingredients:
- 1 package liveGfree Organic Gluten Free Brown Rice and Quinoa Penne Pasta
- 1 package Never Any! Italian Chicken Sausage
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 2 cups fresh arugula
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- To top: Emporium Selection Parmesan Cheese
- To season: 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper
- To sauté: 1 tbsp Simply Nature 100% Avocado Oil
The instructions:
- In a large sauté pan, add sliced red onions and 1 tbsp avocado oil. Combine until red onions are fragrant (~5 minutes). Add minced garlic and continue to sauté for another 3 minutes, until red onion is softened.
- In a separate pot, add water and cook liveGfree Organic Gluten Free Brown Rice and Quinoa Penne Pasta according to instructions. Save ½ cup pasta water.
- When pasta is boiling, add Never Any! Italian Chicken Sausage and fresh arugula to original pan of red onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and stir until arugula is wilted and sausage is warmed, about 3 minutes.
- Add juice of 1 lemon to onion/arugula/sausage mixture.
- When pasta is done, set aside ½ cup pasta water and drain remaining pasta.
- Add pasta to onion/arugula/sausage mixture along with ½ cup pasta water.
- Stir until well combined.
- Serve and top with parmesan cheese.
I love that most of this dish is just about letting the ingredients speak for themselves. There’s minimal fuss and time involved in making this, and it’s ready in under 20 minutes. Impressive yet simple is the name of the game! Plus, the liveGfree Organic Gluten Free Brown Rice and Quinoa Penne Pasta is the star that ties it all together.
The sweet ending
Is there anything more nostalgic than brownies at a dinner party? With that being said, I’ve had my fair share of gluten free brownies over the years. It’s hard to find a boxed mix that get the texture down.
The liveGfree Gluten Free Brownie Mix does just that. They’re chewy on top and gooey in the middle – a recipe for success for all brownie lovers. Eat on their own or combine with leftover strawberries from the above snack plate – the sweetest ending to a lovely evening.
Thank you ALDI for sponsoring this post and inspiring an excuse to create a dinner party for my family! We all left the evening so very happy and comforted.
