Spaghetti in a Tangy, "Cheesy" Vegan Sauce with Lemony Herbed Mushrooms

Don't let the lengthy title, ingredient list, or instructions fool you; this pasta dish is super easy and takes no time at all. Perfect for a busy night when you're working late, need something filling in a short time, or just simply don't want to cook, but don't want to order in.

There are a few ways to make this "cheesy", but the best (and most colon-friendly way - confused? Check out my post from yesterday) way is listed first in the recipe. You'll likely have all of these ingredients in your pantry/frig already, and you can always make this without the gluten-free or dairy-free ingredients if that's not your kinda thing.

This would also be a fantastic recipe to use any skinnypasta HIGH PROTEIN or upcoming SUPERFOOD fresh pastas with... just saying :)

Spaghetti with a Tangy, "Cheesy" Vegan Sauce with Lemony Herbed Mushrooms

spaghetti, linguine, or any other pasta (enough for 4-6 people)

1 tbsp. Becel Vegan Margarine

2 tbsp. minced garlic

3 tbsp. Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose flour

1 tsp. corn starch

2 cups dairy-free milk (I like So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk)

1/2 cup cashews and/or almonds

2 tbsp. + 3 tbsp. lemon juice (fresh-squeezed or bottled)

1 tbsp. + 1 tbsp. onion powder

black pepper

1 tbsp. dill weed

1 tbsp. rosemary

1 tsp. dried basil

6-8 white button mushrooms, sliced

2 tsp. + 1 tsp. lemon zest

olive oil

salt

1. First, make the "cheese" part of your "cheesy" sauce:

 - in a blender or food processor, mince cashews and/or almonds to a powder (near-powder is okay)

- add 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp onion powder, black pepper to taste, a pinch of salt, and a splash of olive oil and blend until smooth.

- add water if needed until the "cheese" mixture is smooth

[Other options include: cream cheese (dairy-free if needed), nutritional yeast, or shredded cheese (dairy-free if needed)]

- set aside

2. Bring water in a large stove-top pot to a boil, and throw in a few pinches of salt. Toss in pasta and cook according to instructions.

3. Melt margarine in large skillet. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant. Add mushrooms and stir. Add 3 tbsp of lemon juice, a splash of olive oil, stirring frequently. Add lemon zest, dill weed, rosemary, basil, and 1 tbsp onion powder, continue stirring. 

4. Once mushrooms are browned, add another splash of olive oil, stir in flour and corn starch. 

5. Add milk slowly, stirring as you pour. 

6. Add your "cheese" mixture (or optional other "cheese"), and stir until the sauce is smooth. Sprinkle remaining 1 tsp. lemon zest and a dash of black pepper to sauce, and stir.

7. Once pasta is ready, drain and toss with sauce. Serve with whichever garnish you choose.

Enjoy!

Sidenote: YES, you can eat amazingly on a vegetarian/vegan diet! Albert Einstein was known for being "onto things", and he said this:

Yup.... way to go old man!

Namaste.

Almondine This!

It seems like just a few posts ago where I was bitching (slightly... nope... full on bitching) about not being able to eat fish or seafood. It was a dark time, it was a gloomy time... it was a bitchy time. BUT now I'm able to eat fish (and some seafood) again!

My doctor couldn't exactly explain why, but after consulting a holistic nutritionist friend, she suggested that it may be due to my one and only colon. The way she explained it to me, inflammation and irritation in the colon can cause your body to intercept harmless food proteins and nutrients as harmful, thus causing reactions and 'creating' allergies. Confused yet? I still am.

Colon health is integral in staving off allergies, and helping to prevent 'new' ones. Mercola.com states that,

"Allergies [m]ay [a]lso [b]e [d]ue to Leaky Gut Syndrome. Besides being associated with inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's and ulcerative colitis, or celiac disease, leaky gut can also be a contributing factor to allergies... Once the integrity of your intestinal lining is compromised, and there is a flow of toxic substances 'leaking out' into your bloodstream, your body experiences significant increases in inflammation... According to a growing number of experts, including Dr. Loren Cordain, a professor at Colorado State University and an expert on Paleolithic lifestyles, humans are NOT designed to eat grains, and doing so may actually be damaging to your gut."

Anywho, my point is that, since I've been eating to 'treat' my colon, I've been happier, clearer, and healthier! Pinterest has definitely helped me to find some recipes, and then create my own gluten-free, dairy-free, colon-friendly recipe, just like what I had for lunch today.

Today's lunch was adapted from Kings Markets for one person, but you can adapt it if you are feeding your fam. Only 394 calories per serving, and 34.4 g of protein (according to MyFitnessPal)!
*note: I only used Rice Wine Vinegar as I didn't have Lemon Juice. Super tasty!

Filet of Sole Almondine

1 1/2 tbsp sliced almonds
200 g sole fillet (you can get individual sole fillets for around $3.00 CAD at Sobey's)
1 tbsp Bob's Red Mill Organic Coconut Flour
1 tsp garlic powder
2 stalks green onions, chopped
1 tbsp Becel Vegan Margarine
1/2 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
black pepper to taste
dried or fresh parsley to taste

1. Combine coconut flour, garlic powder, and black pepper; coat filet with mixture. Melt 3/4 of the tbsp of margarine in skillet over medium heat. Sauté filet until golden on each side (about 3-4 mins per side, depending on your stove).
2. Remove filet from skillet to your plate. Combine sliced almonds and green onions in skillet with the remaining 1/4 tbsp of margarine and stir until fragrant (don't "over-toast" the almonds!).
3. Spoon onion and almond mixture over filet and sprinkle with rice wine vinegar and parsley.
4. Enjoy!!!

(c)Katherine Wittman

Namaste.