I don't have too much to say today, except that yesterday we nearly reached 3,000 visits! Whaaa? Yes. People, that's like half of my town just perusing Produce On Parade...it's so weird to think about. Anyways, not wasting anytime, let us move along to this delicious pasta dish. Tart and tangy lemon combines with luscious cashews to make one smooth, thick and creamy sauce for penne pasta that pairs with sauteed carrots and wilted kale. Hold up. Cashews? As a sauce base?! Oh the veganity! I know, I know...if you're not vegan, a cashew-based sauce may seem a bit odd. However, rest assured that you don't have to be vegan to enjoy this hearty dish. It's a tastier, healthier, friendlier, and downright jazzier alternative to a boring alfredo dish.
So go make it! And enjoy all the vegany goodness.
Creamy Lemon Cashew Pasta with Kale
Inspired by An Officer and A Vegan
Serves 6
- --For The Sauce--
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
- 1/4- 1/2 tsp. turmeric
- 1/4 tsp. onion powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- --For The Pasta--
- 18 oz. dry Penne pasta (or pasta of choice)
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 medium carrots, sliced thinly
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 bunch of kale, de-stemmed and chopped
- fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
Place the raw cashews in a small bowl and fill with water to cover the cashews. Microwave for 2 minutes and let sit until ready for use. Drain and rinse before use. Place all the sauce ingredients in a blender followed by the drained and rinsed cashews and whirl on high until smooth.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside. While the water boils, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the onions and carrots and saute for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and continue to saute for another few minutes.
Now, add the sauce and saute another 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Don't worry, I know the sauce seems thin but it will thicken up as it cooks. Next, add the kale and allow to cook a couple more minutes, until the kale has just wilted.
Add the cooked pasta into the sauce and veggie mixture and stir well to combine. Serve hot with plenty of fresh parsley atop.
I thought I'd share this wonderful quote. It really sums up how I feel quite perfectly. I'm ever changing and always surprising myself, but one thing that stays true is that I really have always tried to better myself (some things more than others...knitting...yea, it's not meant to be).
There are lots of little things we can do to help make ourselves healthier and happier and the world a more peaceful place. They don't have to be big changes. Sometimes the littlest changes turn around to be the most profound influences.
And of course for fun, what am I listening to? Langhorne Slim – On the Attack
