GF Fusilli Stuffed Acorn Squash, Fusilli Stuffing + Catelli Gluten Free Pasta Review & Giveaway (Canada Only)

I'm back from a long holiday hiatus with a giveaway ! 

Part of my hiatus was induced by a long Christmas month spent in Vancouver, BC visiting family and friends, as well as multiple trips to the doctor for back and ankle pain, followed by a couple of x-rays, followed by a bout of some sort of stomach bug most likely courtesy of my fellow x-ray patients at the hospital. I guess gastrointestinal distress is a small price to pay for the benefits of Canada's health care system, namely that I was able to get the x-rays in the first place!  Now here's hoping that sprained ankle heals and the mysterious back pain is revealed through the power of medical imaging...

One of the other benefits of being in Canada was that I was able to review some Catelli Gluten Free Pasta, and I'm passing that benefit on to you (well the Canadians) with a coupon and giveaway.

A giveaway of 24 boxes of Catelli's gluten free pasta. Yup. 24 whole boxes of pasta.  Sorry, the giveaway is now closed.

For the rest of you non-Canadians, I'm sharing two pasta recipes from Catelli that look wonderful (including the photo above, which I wish I could claim as my own creation, but can't at all) -  GF Fusilli Stuffed Acorn Squash and GF Fusilli Stuffing.

 Review of Catelli Gluten Free Pasta

So first here are my thoughts on the sample of Catelli I received. Before accepting a box for review, I made sure to investigate their ingredients. Turns out Catelli gluten free pasta is:

• Produced in a dedicated gluten free facility.

• Certified by the Canadian Celiac Association’s Gluten-Free Certification Program.
 
• Made with certified GMO-free white rice flour, brown rice flour, corn flour, quinoa flour, and monoglycerides (from vegetable/palm oil).
 
• 310 calories, 2 grams of fat per serving (85 g) of pasta.
 
• Low in sodium (0 mg), source of fibre (3 g) per serving (85 g) of pasta.
 
• Cholesterol and preservative free.


I much appreciate it being made in a GF facility and with GMO-free ingredients, as well as being low in calories and sodium and preservative free.

So how did it taste?

Quite good, actually! I liked the flour blend, which is much more diverse than most GF pastas that are really either brown rice flour or quinoa flour only.

Texture?

Held up well to cooking. It didn't turn to mush and break apart, as most GF pasta tends to do, and it also held up well to being in the fridge overnight and reheating the next day.  The texture does end up a little al dente compared to a brand like Tinkyada, but I liked it that way.

Catelli Gluten Free Pasta Coupon

So Catelli has offered to give away a bunch of GF pasta to one lucky reader (deets below the recipes, entering is super easy!), but if you aren't lucky enough to win it, or you just want to try some right now, Catelli is also offering a $1 off coupon that you can download here and use at any Canadian retailer.
 

Gluten Free Pasta Recipes

Catelli kindly provided some tasty looking recipes along with the sample they sent me, so I'm sharing them with you to enjoy.


Fusilli Stuffed Acorn Squash (pictured at top of post)

Prep Time: 60 min                                                   

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

2 large acorn squash, halved and seeded

3/4 tsp (4 mL) each salt and pepper, divided

2 tbsp (30 mL) each maple syrup and lemon juice

2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil

3 cups (750 mL) sliced sweet onion (about 1 large)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup (250 mL) vegetable broth

1/3 cup (75 mL) chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1 pkg (340 g) Catelli Gluten Free Fusilli

3 cups (750 mL) baby arugula or kale

1 cup (250 mL) shredded radicchio (optional)

1/3 cup (75 mL) toasted slivered almonds (optional)

Directions:

1.      Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Arrange squash halves, cut-side-up on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Blend maple syrup with lemon juice. Brush 1 tbsp (15 mL) syrup mixture over the squash; reserve remaining syrup mixture. Roast squash for 1 hour or until fork tender. 

2.      Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Add onion and remaining salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally for 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in garlic and reserved syrup mixture; increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes or until onions are well caramelized. Stir in broth and sun-dried tomatoes, scrapping up the browned bits from bottom of skillet. Simmer for 2 minutes and remove from heat.

3.      Meanwhile, cook fusilli in a large pot of boiling salted water for 7 minutes. Toss hot fusilli with onion mixture, kale and radicchio (if using). Spoon fusilli mixture into squash "bowls" and sprinkle with almonds (if using) to serve.

Tips:

* Add piquant pizzazz to this dish by topping with crumbled blue cheese. Crumbled feta or shredded Parmesan cheese also pair well with this recipe. 

*For added protein, stir 1 cup (250 mL) thawed frozen, shelled edamame into the onion mixture before tossing with the fusilli.

Per serving (about 1/2 squash with 1 1/2 cups/375 mL pasta): 549 calories, 11 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 614 mg sodium, 108 g carbohydrates, 8 g fibre, 10 g sugars, 10 g protein. Excellent source of thiamin, folate, vitamin C and magnesium. Good source of iron.  

Festive Fusilli Stuffing

Prep Time: 25 min                                                   

Servings: 8 to 10 (makes about 7 cups/1.75 L)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp (30 mL) each butter and olive oil

1 large cooking onion, chopped

1 cup (250 mL) each chopped celery and grated carrot

3 tbsp (45 mL) finely chopped fresh sage leaves

1 tbsp (15 mL) each finely chopped fresh rosemary and thyme leaves

1/2 tsp (2 mL) each salt and pepper

1 1/4 cups (300 mL) chicken or vegetable broth

3/4 cup (175 mL) dried cranberries

1 pkg (340 g) Catelli Gluten Free Fusilli

1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions:

1.      Heat butter and oil in a nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, sage, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Sauté for 8 minutes or until softened and fragrant. Stir in broth and cranberries; simmer for 8 minutes.

2.      Meanwhile, cook fusilli in a large pot of boiling salted water for 7 minutes. Drain well; transfer fusilli to a large bowl. Add the skillet mixture and parsley; toss well to coat. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.

Tips:

* This stuffing can be served any time of year along-side roast chicken, pork or pan-fried fish.
* For a vegan stuffing, use all olive oil and vegetable broth.
* Make the stuffing up to 1 day ahead. Transfer the fusilli to a casserole dish. Drizzle with a little extra broth and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 20 minutes. 

Per serving (about 3/4 cup/175 mL): 213 calories, 6 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 6 mg cholesterol, 226 mg sodium, 38 g carbohydrates, 2 g fibre, 7 g sugars, 3 g protein.

Catelli Gluten Free Pasta Giveaway {24 Boxes!!}

(sorry, the giveaway is now closed)

Entering is really simple, consider it my belated Christmas gift to you. Leave a comment below and tell us something about pasta! Either share a story or describe your favorite recipe, or tell us about a recipe you'd love to try or convert to be gluten free.  Then note that you're Canadian so I can enter the right people into the draw. 

The draw closes January 22, 2014 and a winner will be picked at random and announced on January 23, 2014. Catelli will ship the pasta to you shortly afterwards.

*Please make sure I can find you somehow (i.e. leave a first name and last initial or make up a name) and then check in here on the 23rd so we can connect if you are the winner. If I cannot find you and you do not contact me within 24 hours of the announcement, a new winner will have to be chosen.

My apologies to my American readers, but you all have soooo many more opportunities for giveaways than Canadians. It's exciting to be able to offer the Canucks something for once :)

Festive Fusilli Stuffing

*Disclaimer: I received a box of Catelli gluten free fusilli for review but all opinions are my own. Images are courtesy of Catelli.     

   This post was shared on the following great link parties: Waste Not Want Not Wednesday, Fight Back Friday, From the Farm Hop, Musings of a Housewife, Fat Tuesday, Gluten Free Tuesday, Gluten Free Wednesdays,  Allergy Free Wednesday,