{ CASHEW ALFREDO SAUCE }

Aunt Elna emailed this recipe to me (original source?).  It was super easy and really good.  I think I like this recipe a little bit better, but the very best might be the 2 recipes combined.  I'll try that next time and let you know.

1/2 c. raw cashews
1 t. fresh lemon juice
1-3 cloves garlic
2 T. nutritional yeast
1/2 t. salt
1 dash pepper
1 1/2 c. boiling water (best to use starchy pasta-cooking water)

• Blend all ingredients until very smooth and thickened.
• Serve over whole grain pasta.
• Top with freshly ground black pepper.

{VEGAN ALFREDO WITH PEAS}

I made a few changes to this recipe.  We liked it even better.  (A bit less tofu-y, and a bit more complex flavor.)

1 lb whole wheat pasta, cooked al dente.


1/2 c. water
2 c. shallots or onions, chopped
1 lb. frozen peas (about 2 1/2 c.)


1 12.3-oz. pkg. firm silken tofu, pressed
1 1/2 c. non-dairy milk
1/3 c. nutritional yeast
1 head garlic, roasted*
1 t. onion powder
1/2 t. salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 pinch nutmeg

1/4 c. fresh parsley

• In a medium saucepan, saute onions in water until soft.
• Add peas and saute an additional 2 minutes.
• Blend 2nd group of ingredients (tofu through nutmeg) until very smooth (2-3 minutes).
• Add cream mixture to onions and peas.
• Heat on low until heated through.
• Add parsley, and serve over whole wheat pasta.

*To roast garlic, peel off flaky paper stuff, leaving the whole head of garlic intact.  Wrap in foil.  Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.  Allow to cool.  Squeeze out garlic cloves.

{HOT PASTA}

This recipe comes from Mom's good friend.  We call it "Tammy's Hot Pasta."

16 oz. whole wheat rigatoni noodles
3 cans stewed tomatoes, blended to desired chunkiness
1/4 to 1/2 c. vegan parmesan (or nutritional yeast)
3 small cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. fresh parsley
1/8 to 1/4 t. crushed red pepper
olives (optional)

• Prepare noodles, drain, rinse, and set aside.

• Saute garlic, parsley, crushed red pepper in water.

• Toss all ingredients together.

{BAKED PENNE FLORENTINE}

This recipe is from Dr. Mcdougall's website. My whole family liked it so I consider that a success.

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Servings: 6-8

8 ounces uncooked penne pasta

10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (I used fresh spinach)

1/4 c. vegetable broth

1 onion, chopped

1/2 c. raw cashews

1 3/4 c. water

1 15 oz. can white beans, drained and rinsed

1 T. soy sauce

1 T. white miso

2 t. lemon juice

1/4 t. dry mustard

1/4 t. cayenne

1/2 c. whole wheat bread crumbs

• Drop the pasta into a pot of boiling water and cook until just barely tender, about 6 minutes.
• Drain, place in a bowl and add the spinach. Mix well and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Place the onion and veggie broth in a medium frying pan.
• Cook, stirring occasionally until onion has softened. Set aside.
• Mix the cashews in a food processor or blender and process until finely ground.*
• Add half the water and blend until smooth.
• Add the remaining water, cooked onions, beans, soy sauce, miso, lemon juice, mustard and cayenne.
• Process until very smooth.
• Pour over the pasta and spinach and mix well.
• Transfer to covered casserole dish.
• Sprinkle with bread crumbs.
• Cover and bake for 45 minutes, let rest 5 minutes before serving.

*I did all the mixing of cashews through the cayenne in one step in my blendtec, and it worked great. If you are using a food processor, it might overflow if you do it in one step.

*I used the whole box of noodles (13.5 oz.) and then adjusted all the ingredients accordingly. This would have worked fine, except I still put it all in the same casserole dish. I would not recommend doing that. It didn't cook that well in the middle, and although we all still liked it, it would have been better if I had spread it out into one normal size and one half size dish since it was about one and a half times the recipe. Now I know for next time!

*This may be prepared ahead and refrigerated until baking time. Add about 15 minutes to the baking time.

{PASTA SALAD}

Here's another "not really a recipe" post. I love this one because it proves wrong the old "just add enough mayonnaise/oil/dressing to make the seasoning stick" instruction. The seasoning sticks all by itself to the bare naked noodles and veggies. Here's what I do:

1 lb whole wheat pasta of choice, cooked and cooled
2 pkgs dry Italian dressing mix

Any or all of the following:

cherry tomatoes, halved
olives, chopped
peas
broccoli, fresh or steamed
cucumber, chopped
carrots, chopped
celery, chopped
avocado, chopped
soybeans
red, orange, yellow peppers, chopped

• Toss and serve.

{ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH VEGGIES}

I got the idea for this recipe from a flylady recipe, and then I changed it to be vegan and low-fat.

1 package whole wheat angel hair pasta (Heartland makes good 100% whole wheat pasta)

1/4 c. dried parsley (or the equivalent of fresh)

4 cloves minced garlic

8 c. fresh broccoli (you could combine broccoli with chopped baby carrots, also)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Steam broccoli. Saute parsley and garlic in water until soft (I use water instead of oil to cut down on the fat). Drain pasta and mix with garlic mixture and broccoli. I use a little bit of butter spray on the noodles to help the garlic/parsley mixture coat them. I also spray the broccoli (sometimes--the kids like it better if I do).

I sometimes add more spices (like an italian spice mix or garlic powder).

{LEMON CASHEW AND SUN-DRIED TOMATO CREAM SAUCE}

This recipe is a combination of the Lemon Cashew Cream sauce and the Spicy Lemon Pepper Pasta with Broccoli from Vegan Yum Yum. She uses the lemon cashew cream sauce with her gnocchi, but we've had it on regular pasta and it's delicious. If you want the original recipe for that, go here. We've also had her spicy lemon pepper pasta with broccoli and it's delicious as well. However, it uses olive oil to coat the noodles and I'm not crazy about that (tastes good, not so healthy). Find that original recipe here.

Anyway, I was messing around with my new blender (a Blendtec) and decided to make a pasta sauce with these two dishes in mind. It turned out quite wonderfully, if I do say so myself.

1 1/2 c. water
1 1/4 c. raw cashews
1/4 c. sun-dried tomatoes
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 lemon, zested and then peeled and quartered*

• Zest the lemon. Reserve zest and then peel and quarter the lemon.

• Add all ingredients (including the lemon zest and peeled lemon quarters) to your blender.

• Blend until completely smooth and hot**.

• Serve with whole grain penne pasta and broccoli (either on the side or mixed in).

* This makes the sauce pretty lemon-y. We really liked it, but you may want to start with 1/2 of a lemon and add more if you'd like. I'd still use the zest from the whole lemon, though.

** The sauce should still get pretty creamy with a normal blender - it just won't heat up unless you have a Vita Mix or a Blendtec.

{ ARTICHOKE PASTA }

Fat-free Recipe:


water to saute
2 c. chopped onions
2 T. minced garlic
1/2 t. dried oregano (or 1/2 T. fresh)
1/2 t. dried basil (or 1/2 T. fresh)
1/4 to 1/2 t. black pepper
1/2 t. salt

2 cans (14 oz) diced tomatoes (or tomato sauce)

1 can artichoke hearts (1 1/2 c.), drained and rinsed
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 c. nutritional yeast

• Saute onions through salt in water until onions are transparent.
• Add tomatoes (or sauce) and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add artichokes, parsley, and nutritional yeast, and simmer 5 minutes.
• Serve over whole wheat pasta.

Original Recipe:

2 jars (6 oz. each) Marinated Artichoke Hearts
2 c. chopped onions
2 T. minced garlic
1/2 t. dried oregano – or 1/2 T. fresh
1/2 t. dried basil – or 1/2 T. fresh
1/2 t. black pepper
1/2 t. salt
2 cans (14 oz) diced tomatoes
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 c. vegan parmesan cheese

• Drain artichoke marinade and save. Combine marinade with onions, garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Sauté over med/low heat until the onions and garlic are soft and translucent (10 min). Add tomatoes and simmer 30 minutes. Add artichoke hearts, parmesan, and parsley. Stir and simmer 5 minutes.

• Six portions – enough for 1 pound of whole wheat pasta (fettuccine, angle hair, cheese tortellini).

{FETTUCCINE AND PEAS ALFREDO}

(Joanne shared this recipe a few years ago. I don't know where she got it.)

1 lb. whole wheat fettucine (or other pasta)

2 c. shallots, diced

1/4 c. water

1 lb. frozen peas (about 2 1/2 c.)

2 T. garlic, minced (about 3 to 6 cloves)

4 c. vegan alfredo sauce

1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped (about 1/8 bunch)

pepper to taste

• Cook pasta until al dente. Drain well. Return pasta to the pot and set aside.

• Saute shallots and garlic in water until onions are tender.

• Add peas. Saute for an additional 2 minutes.

• Add the pea mixture and alfredo sauce to the cooked pasta. Toss well to combine.

• Season with pepper to taste. Add fresh parsley. Serve.

{MAC AND CHEEZ}

(Adapted from Vegan Yum Yum.)

This is the "cheesiest" macaroni we've tried. Even my non-vegan husband likes it and agrees that the sauce tastes like Cheez Whiz. The biggest change I made from the original recipe was to omit the margarine to make it lower fat.

8 to 10 oz. whole wheat rotini (or pasta of your choice)
2 c. steamed broccoli florets
2 pieces of bread, toasted and ground to bread crumbs

black pepper to taste
paprika for sprinkling

{CHEEZ SAUCE}

1 c. potatoes, peeled and finely chopped (1 medium potato)
1/4 c. carrots, peeled and finely chopped (1 small carrot)*
1 c. water

1/3 c. raw cashews
1 T. miso
1 T. tahini (3 T. sesame seeds)
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. dijon mustard
1/3 c. nutritional yeast
1 t. salt

• Preheat oven to 350.

• Heat a large pot of water to boiling.  Add pasta and cook until al dente.  Set aside.

• Steam broccoli and set aside.

• Place the chopped potatoes and carrots in small sauce pan with a lid.  Add the 1 cup of water.  Boil, covered, until tender, 10-15 minutes.

• While the potatoes and carrots are cooking, place remaining ingredients in a blender.

• When the potatoes and carrots are done cooking, add them and their water to the blender.  Blend until very smooth.

• If needed, add soy/rice milk or water 1 T. at a time to thin.  Taste for seasoning.

• Toss the cooked pasta and broccoli with the sauce.  Place in a casserole dish and top with breadcrumbs, black pepper, and paprika.

• Bake for 25 minutes at 350.  Enjoy!

Note:  One carrot is usually more than 1/4 cup.  I put all of it in anyway.

I have also used this sauce with just noodles.  It's fabulous!  I also like it on homemade pizza, and as a veggie dip.

{LASAGNA}

This is a very very favorite meal at our house. We usually serve it with corn, french bread, and a salad.

Red sauce:

4 cans spaghetti sauce

1 16-oz. bag frozen spinach

White sauce:

1/4 to 1/2 c. parsley

2 t. garlic

8 to 10 carrots

1/2 c. veggie broth

3 tubs tofu (firm or extra firm, not silken)

3 tubs tofutti cream cheese

3 T. lemon juice

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/4 to 1/2 c. nutritional yeast flakes (optional)

Other ingredients:

soy parmesan cheese

lasagna noodles (uncooked)

• Chop and steam carrots, set aside.
• In a big sauce pan, mix together spaghetti sauce, spinach, and hamburger. Cook on medium, then turn to low.
• In a big frying pan, saute parsley and garlic in oil or broth.
• Add steamed carrots and 1/2 c. veggie broth to saute mix. Cook for 5 minutes.
• Add drained tofu, cream cheese, lemon juice, nutmeg, and yeast flakes. Cook until it's soft and all mixed together.
• Ladle red sauce into bottom of 9x13 pan, barely covering it.
• Sprinkle on parmesan cheese.
• Arrange layer of noodles (uncooked) over cheese.
• Spoon white sauce on.
• Repeat previous 4 steps (but use more red sauce than on first application).
• Top with one more layer of red sauce and parmesan.
• Cover with tin foil. Cook at 375 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, removing cover the last 15 minutes.

Note: This recipe originally was made for a large lasagna pan. I adapted the amounts to fit in 2 9x13 pans. It makes several dinners, and then it's worth the work (it freezes and stores well). If you only want one pan, half the amounts. I got this recipe from my dad, but we have no idea where he got it so that's the best reference we have.

Note from Rebekah: For those with smaller families, here are the amounts I use for a 9x9 baking dish and then a 9x13 baking dish, both without the ground soy:

{9x9}

1 large can spaghetti sauce

2 handfuls fresh baby spinach (2 c. chopped small)

1/4 c. water + 1/2 t. veggie broth powder

2 T. parsley

1/2 T. minced garlic

2-3 carrots (1 c. diced)

1 12-oz. box firm silken tofu, pressed

4 oz. vegan cream cheese (1/2 tub)

1 T. lemon juice

1 dash nutmeg

1/4 c. nutritional yeast

7 whole wheat lasagna noodles (broken to 9 inches, and remnants used on last layer)

vegan parmesan cheese

Layering:

red sauce to cover bottom of pan

3 noodles, broken to 9 inches

1/2 white sauce

almost 1/2 remaining red sauce

3 noodles, broken to 9 inches

remaining white sauce

almost all remaining red sauce

1 noodle + remnants

remaining red sauce

vegan parmesan cheese

{9x13}

1 1/2 large cans spaghetti sauce

3 handfuls fresh baby spinach, (3 c. chopped small)

1/2 c. water + 1 t. veggie broth powder

1/4 c. parsley

1 T. minced garlic

4-5 carrots (2 c. diced)

1 14-oz. tub extra firm tofu (or 2 12-oz. boxes firm silken, pressed)

1 tub vegan cream cheese

2 T. lemon juice

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/3 c. nutritional yeast

1 pkg. whole wheat lasagna noodles

vegan parmesan cheese

Layering same as above.

{TOMATO BASIL CREAM PASTA}

This is currently my favorite dish! It's a recipe from Vegan Yum Yum, with a few changes to make it easier and lower fat.

The original recipe calls for fresh tomatoes, which I think I will use in the summer time (winter tomatoes just aren't tasty enough). It also calls for fresh basil, which I use if I have it on hand, or if I want to be fancy. I eliminated the oil completely; just saute in water. (You can do this with any recipe that calls for oil to saute. It has very little effect on the taste of the end product).

2 cans tomatoes (I use diced, 'cause that's what I have)

1 c. cashews

2 T. tomato paste

1/2 t. pepper

1/4 c. water *
1/8 t. red pepper flakes (optional)

2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced

1 T. dried basil

1 lb. whole wheat spaghetti (or other pasta)

1 t. salt

• Put a large pot of water on to boil.

• Blend tomatoes, cashews, tomato paste, pepper, and water until very smooth.

• Saute garlic and basil in water until garlic is golden; be careful not to burn.

• Once water is boiling, add pasta.

• Pour sauce from blender into saute pan and bring to a simmer.

• Add salt and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• Once pasta is cooked, drain.

• Add pasta to saute pan, and toss to coat, or just serve like spaghetti, with each person saucing his/her own pasta.

* I do not add the water when I am using canned tomatoes because the liquid in the cans makes up for it.

** Most of the time I just throw all the ingredients in the blender instead of sauteing the garlic first. It works great!!

{PASTA WITH BROCCOLI AND PINE NUTS}

(from Neal Barnard's Food for Life, page 261)

"Perfect for a light supper on a hot summer evening. Serve with a crisp green salad."

12 oz. pasta (fettuccine, linguine, or other)
1/2 t. salt (for boiling pasta - additional salt to season tomatoes and broccoli is optional)
1 lb. broccoli
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 t. dried red pepper flakes, or a pinch of cayenne
2 T. pine nuts
1 T. olive oil
1 28-oz. can chopped tomatoes(can be pulsed in blender to eliminate chunks)

• Begin heating water for pasta in a large kettle. When water is boiling add the pasta, along with the salt, and cook until just tender. Drain.

• Break or cut broccoli into florets, and slice stems into rounds. Steam over boiling water until just tender, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

• Saute garlic, red pepper flakes, and pine nuts in olive oil in a large skillet for 1 minute, then add tomatoes and cook over medium heat 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the cooked broccoli. Season with salt as needed.

• Serve over cooked pasta.

• Serves 4.