Pasta Archives - Epicurean Vegan

Spinach Linguine with Sausage & Sun-dried Tomatoes

February 5, 2017 by Epicurean Vegan

I came across Tofurky’s Spinach Pesto Artisan Sausage, but I didn’t really have a recipe in mind; it just sounded like good and I wanted to give ’em a whirl. One sausage offers 29 grams of protein! only 11 grams of carbs and only 1 gram of saturated fat. And of course, you won’t find any cholesterol in these sausages. Super tasty and paired with pasta and sun-dried tomatoes in a light oil and garlic sauce, it makes an excellent meal in very little time!

INGREDIENTS:
12-oz spinach linguine
2 Tofurky Spinach Pesto sausages, sliced
6-oz jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 C olive oil
1 tsp vegan margarine
Salt and pepper, to taste
Vegan Parmesan, optional

DIRECTIONS:
Cook the linguine according to package instructions. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, add the sausage and sun-dried tomatoes. Saute over medium-low heat, or until the edges of the sausage begin to brown.

In a small saucepan, heat the garlic, oil, and margarine to a low simmer, then remove from the heat. To serve, top individual servings of pasta with the sausage/sun-dried tomato mixture and drizzle with the garlic-oil sauce; top with vegan Parmesan and salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Spinach Linguine with Sausage & Sun-dried Tomatoes

I came across Tofurky's Spinach Pesto Artisan Sausage, but I didn't really have a recipe in mind; it just sounded like good and I wanted to give 'em a whirl. One sausage offers 29 grams of protein! only 11 grams of carbs and only 1 gram of saturated fat. And of course, you won't find any cholesterol in these sausages. Super tasty and paired with sun-dried tomatoes in a light oil and garlic sauce, it makes an excellent meal in very little time!

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 4

Ingredients

12-oz spinach linguine
2 Tofurky Spinach Pesto sausages, sliced
6-oz jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic, minced
⅓ C olive oil
1 tsp vegan margarine
Salt and pepper, to taste
Vegan Parmesan, optional

Directions

Cook the linguine according to package instructions.
Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, add the sausage and sun-dried tomatoes. Saute over medium-low heat, or until the edges of the sausage begin to brown.
In a small saucepan, heat the garlic, oil, and margarine to a low simmer, then remove from the heat.
To serve, top individual servings of pasta with the sausage/sun-dried tomato mixture and drizzle with the garlic-oil sauce; top with vegan Parmesan and salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Pasta with Creamy Coconut-Mushroom Sauce

December 11, 2015 by Epicurean Vegan

I struggled with what to call this dish. I used canned coconut milk for the sauce, but it doesn’t have a strong coconut flavor. I could have called it Pasta with Creamy, Savory, Flavorful-Mushroom-Olive Sauce That You Will Absolutely Love. But that was too long. I basically made a roux with coconut milk that turned out pretty damn tasty–and in less than 30 minutes. So this dish is also known as Pretty Damn Tasty Pasta Dish. Simple as that.

INGREDIENTS:
16-oz farfalle pasta
1 Tbs olive oil
16-oz pkg. baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
1/2 C green onion, sliced
2 Tbs vegan margarine
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 Tbs flour
1/4 C white wine
3/4 C vegetable broth
2 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried tarragon
2 tsp dried chives
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
13-oz can lite coconut milk
2.25-oz can sliced black olives

DIRECTIONS:
Boil the pasta according to package instructions. Once drained, return the pasta to the pot. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet and add the mushrooms. Cook for about 4 minutes over medium-low heat, or until they begin to soften and brown. Stir in the green onion and cook another 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit.
In a medium saucepan, heat the vegan margarine over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook 3-4 minutes. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour and combine well; whisk in the remaining flour. You’ll have a thick, paste-like consistency. Turn the heat down a little if it’s starting to stick. Next, whisk in the white wine.
Whisk in the vegetable broth a quarter cup at a time. Let it thicken each time before adding more.
Stir in the nutritional yeast, thyme, tarragon, chives, salt, and pepper. Whisk in about a 1/3 cup of the coconut milk, let it thicken, the add more coconut milk. Repeat until you’ve added all of the coconut milk.
Add the sauce to the skillet with the mushrooms and green onions. Add the black olives. Stir over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Combine the pasta with the sauce and enjoy!

Pasta with Creamy Coconut-Mushroom Sauce

I actually struggled with what to call this dish. I used canned coconut milk for the sauce, but it doesn't have a strong coconut flavor. I could have called it Pasta with Creamy, Savory, Flavorful-Mushroom-Olive Sauce That You Will Absolutely Love. But that was too long. I basically made a roux with coconut milk that turned out pretty damn tasty--and in less than 30 minutes. So this dish is also known as Pretty Damn Tasty Pasta Dish. Simple as that.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

16-oz farfalle pasta
1 Tbs olive oil
16-oz pkg. baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
½ C green onion, sliced
2 Tbs vegan margarine
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 Tbs flour
¼ C white wine
¾ C vegetable broth
2 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried tarragon
2 tsp dried chives
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
13-oz can lite coconut milk
2.25-oz can sliced black olives

Directions

Boil the pasta according to package instructions. Once drained, return the pasta to the pot.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet and add the mushrooms. Cook for about 4 minutes over medium-low heat, or until they begin to soften and brown. Stir in the green onion and cook another 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit.
In a medium saucepan, heat the vegan margarine over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook 3-4 minutes. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour and combine well; whisk in the remaining flour. You'll have a thick, paste-like consistency. Turn the heat down a little if it's starting to stick. Next, whisk in the white wine.
Whisk in the vegetable broth a quarter cup at a time. Let it thicken each time before adding more.
Stir in the nutritional yeast, thyme, tarragon, chives, salt, and pepper. Whisk in about a ⅓ cup of the coconut milk, let it thicken, the add more coconut milk. Repeat until you've added all of the coconut milk.
Add the sauce to the skillet with the mushrooms and green onions. Add the black olives. Stir over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Combine the pasta with the sauce and enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Pasta {Gluten-free}

December 7, 2015 by Epicurean Vegan

This is a keeper. Creamy and savory, it’s a satisfying dish that everyone at the table is bound to enjoy. Potatoes and carrots make an ideal sauce for pasta, as we’ve seen with this dish, so why not butternut squash and sweet potatoes? Plus, I had some leftover coconut milk from these aww-mazing vegan peanut butter cup cheesecakes, which was perfect for this dish that was ready in about 45 minutes or less. And did I mention it was gluten-free?! Yes, you may dig in.

INGREDIENTS:
3 C cubed butternut squash, peeled (medium-sized)
2 C cubed sweet potato, peeled (medium sized)
3 Tbs olive oil, divided
Salt & pepper, to taste
8-oz gluten-free elbow macaroni
2 C chopped onion (medium-sized)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 C white wine
1-1/2 C vegetable broth (plus more for thinning out the sauce, if necessary)
3/4 C lite canned coconut milk
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/3 C nutritional yeast
1 Tbs tamari

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400. In a medium bowl, combine the squash and sweet potato with about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, along with some salt and pepper (to taste). Spread out evenly on a large baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes.

About ten minutes into roasting the veggies, start the water boiling for the pasta. Cook it according to package instructions. I used Ancient Harvest quinoa pasta:

Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet and add the onion. Cook the onion for about 10 minutes, and once it starts to brown, add the garlic; cook another 2-3 minutes.

Transfer the squash, sweet potatoes and onions to a blender. Add the wine, broth, coconut milk, Dijon, lemon juice, paprika, salt, nutritional yeast, and tamari. Blend several minutes until completely smooth. You’ll probably need to scrapes the sides of the blender once or twice. If it’s too thick, thin it out with a little more broth. Once the pasta is done, return it to the pot and add the sauce. Heat over medium-low heat. Enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Pasta {Gluten-free}

This is a keeper. Creamy and savory, it's a satisfying dish that everyone at the table is bound to enjoy. Potatoes and carrots make an ideal sauce for pasta, as we've seen with this dish, so why not butternut squash and sweet potatoes? Plus, I had some leftover coconut milk from these aww-mazing vegan peanut butter cup cheesecakes, it was perfect for this dish, which is ready in about 45 minutes or less. And did I mention it was gluten-free?! Dig in.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

3 C cubed butternut squash, peeled (medium-sized)
2 C cubed sweet potato, peeled (medium sized)
3 Tbs olive oil, divided
Salt & pepper, to taste
8-oz gluten-free elbow macaroni
2 C chopped onion (medium-sized)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
¼ C white wine
1-1/2 C vegetable broth (plus more for thinning out the sauce, if necessary)
¾ C lite canned coconut milk
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbs lemon juice
½ tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
⅓ C nutritional yeast
1 Tbs tamari

Directions

Preheat oven to 400.
In a medium bowl, combine the squash and sweet potato with about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, along with some salt and pepper (to taste). Spread out evenly on a large baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes.
About ten minutes into roasting the veggies, start the water boiling for the pasta. Cook it according to package instructions. I used Ancient Harvest quinoa pasta.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet and add the onion. Cook the onion for about 10 minutes, and once it starts to brown, add the garlic; cook another 2-3 minutes.
Transfer the squash, sweet potatoes and onions to a blender. Add the wine, broth, coconut milk, Dijon, lemon juice, paprika, salt, nutritional yeast, and tamari. Blend several minutes until completely smooth. You'll probably need to scrapes the sides of the blender once or twice. If it's too thick, thin it out with a little more broth. Once the pasta is done, return it to the pot and add the sauce. Heat over medium-low heat. Enjoy!

Creamy Avocado Pasta

November 19, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

Avocados are incredibly versatile. They work in desserts such as mousses and cupcakes, in salads, dips, and spreads. Heck, you can make a facial out of it! Well, they also make the ideal pasta sauce. They’re very healthy too. Did you know they have more potassium than bananas? Yep, that’s 14% compared 10% in bananas. Another bonus is that they’re loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, as well as fiber. This meal came together in less than 30 minutes and feel free to add other veggies such as cherry tomatoes and zucchini.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 C cashews
2 cloves of garlic
2 avocados, peeled and pitted
1 Tbs lime juice
2 Tbs white wine
2 heaping Tbs nutritional yeast
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 C almond milk
1 tsp olive oil
3 C mushrooms, sliced
3/4 C green onion, sliced
16-oz fettuccine or other pasta of your choice

DIRECTIONS:
Soak the cashews in hot water for about an hour. While the pasta is cooking, drain the cashews and add them to the food processor with the garlic. Puree for a minute, scraping the bowl halfway through. Add the avocados, lime juice, white wine, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper.
Transfer to a small saucepan and heat over low to medium heat, stirring often. Stir in the almond milk if it’s a little too thick. In a small skillet, saute the mushrooms in the olive oil for just a couple of minutes—enough to just soften them. Once the pasta is cooked and drained, combine the pasta and sauce. Top servings with mushrooms and green onions. Enjoy!

Creamy Avocado Pasta

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

25 mins

Avocados are incredibly versatile. They work in desserts such as mousses and cupcakes, in salads, dips, and spreads. Heck, you can make a facial out of it! Well, they also make the ideal pasta sauce. They're very healthy too. Did you know they have more potassium than bananas? Yep, that's 14% compared 10% in bananas. Another bonus is that they're loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, as well as fiber. This meal came together in less than 30 minutes and feel free to add other veggies such as cherry tomatoes and zucchini.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 6

Ingredients

½ C cashews
2 cloves of garlic
2 avocados, peeled and pitted
1 Tbs lime juice
2 Tbs white wine
2 heaping Tbs nutritional yeast
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
⅛ C almond milk
1 tsp olive oil
3 C mushrooms, sliced
¾ C green onion, sliced
16-oz fettuccine or other pasta of your choice

Directions

Soak the cashews in hot water for about an hour.
While the pasta is cooking, drain the cashews and add them to the food processor with the garlic. Puree for a minute, scraping the bowl halfway through.
Add the avocados, lime juice, white wine, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper.
Transfer to a small saucepan and heat over low to medium heat, stirring often. Stir in the almond milk if it's a little too thick.
In a small skillet, saute the mushrooms in the olive oil for just a couple of minutes---enough to just soften them.
Once the pasta is cooked and drained, combine the pasta and sauce. Top servings with mushrooms and green onions. Enjoy!

Hearty Vegetable-Lentil Soup

September 11, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

So, I’ve been kind of mackin’ on lentils lately. If you’re a longtime reader, you may have noticed that I haven’t cooked with lentils too often. I bought some a couple of weeks ago because I wanted to give them a shot. I’ve had plenty of lentil dishes at restaurants, but for some reason, I just never introduced them into my kitchen—until now. This nutty, earthy legume is not only tasty, but it’s pretty healthy too: high in fiber which helps lower cholesterol, control weight and keeps things moving smoothly; high in magnesium and folate which promotes heart heath and improves blood and oxygen flow; and is an excellent source of protein. How ’bout that?! Add in some other healthy veggies and you have yourself a powerful bowl of vegan goodness. This soup started out with me scouring the produce drawers; not much there at the moment because I have to hit the grocery store tomorrow, so I wasn’t sure how prolific this soup would be, but I’m thrilled with the results. If you’ve fallen out of love with lentils, rekindle the magic with this hearty, comforting bowl of lentil love.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
9 C vegetable broth
1-1/2 C lentils (I used half green, half red)
1 C pasta (I used rotini, but any small pasta will do)
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
2 C mushrooms, quartered or chopped
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes, drained
4 C spinach (about 1 cup of that was kale), chopped

DIRECTIONS:
In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil and add the garlic; cook 1-2 minutes. Add the onions and cook until they soften and brown just slightly, about 10 minutes. Add in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the lentils, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover (I didn’t cover completely. I left a 1/2″ gap). Cook 40 minutes, but stir once in a while. Next, add the pasta and increase heat to medium. Stir occasionally.

Once the pasta is about halfway cooked–about 5 minutes–reduce heat and stir in the mushrooms.
Cook another 5 minutes, then add the tomatoes and spinach. Lower heat and cook until the greens have cooked down, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, serve and enjoy!

Hearty Vegetable-Lentil Soup

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

1 hour 5 mins

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

This nutty, earthy legume is not only tasty, but it's pretty healthy too: high in fiber which helps lower cholesterol, control weight and keeps things moving smoothly; high in magnesium and folate which promotes heart heath and improves blood and oxygen flow; and is an excellent source of protein. How 'bout that?! Add in some other healthy veggies and you have yourself a powerful bowl of vegan goodness. This soup started out with me scouring the produce drawers; not much there at the moment because I have to hit the grocery store tomorrow, so I wasn't sure how prolific this soup would be, but I'm thrilled with the results. If you've fallen out of love with lentils, rekindle the magic with this hearty, comforting bowl of lentil love.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 8

Ingredients

1 Tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
9 C vegetable broth
1-1/2 C lentils (I used a half green, half red)
1 C pasta (I used rotini, but any small pasta will do)
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
2 C mushrooms, quartered or chopped
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes, drained
4 C spinach (about 1 cup of that was kale), chopped

Directions

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil and add the garlic; cook 1-2 minutes. Add the onions and cook until they soften and brown just slightly, about 10 minutes.
Add in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the lentils, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover (I didn't cover completely. I left a ½" gap). Cook 40 minutes.
Next, add the pasta and increase heat to medium. Stir occasionally.
Once the pasta is about halfway cooked--about 5 minutes--reduce heat and stir in the mushrooms.
Cook another 5 minutes, then add the tomatoes and spinach. Lower heat and cook until the greens have cooked down, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, serve and enjoy!

Pasta with Mushrooms, Walnuts & Lemon-Chive Sauce

September 3, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

This dish is ready in the time it takes to cook the pasta; it comes together that fast. The flavorful sauce is creamy and delicious with just a hint of lemon and chives; nothing too overpowering. I also like to add a bit of crunch to an otherwise “soft” dish, so the walnuts are an ideal way to have it both ways. Enlist someone to make a salad and you have a complete meal in 15 minutes.

INGREDIENTS:
16-oz pasta of your choice
2 Tbs vegan margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 C walnut pieces
3 C mushrooms, sliced
1/2 C parsley, chopped
Lemon-Chive Sauce
1 clove garlic
1 box extra firm silken tofu
1 Tbs yellow miso
1/4 C nutritional yeast
2 Tbs lemon juice
2 Tbs chives, chopped
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Meanwhile, toss the garlic clove in the food processor and chop it up. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and blend for 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the processor bowl when necessary. Transfer to a small saucepan and heat over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through.

In a medium skillet, melt the vegan margarine and garlic. Add the walnuts and saute for 2-3 minutes, then add the mushrooms. Cook another couple of minutes, then remove from the heat.
To serve, top the pasta with some of the mushroom-walnut mixture, some sauce and parsley. Enjoy!

Pasta with Mushrooms, Walnuts & Lemon-Chive Sauce

Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

This dish is ready in the time it takes to cook the pasta; it comes together that fast. The flavorful sauce is creamy and delicious with just a hint of lemon and chives; nothing too overpowering. I also like to add a bit of crunch to an otherwise "soft" dish, so the walnuts are an ideal way to have it both ways. Enlist someone to make a salad and you have a complete meal in 15 minutes.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 6

Ingredients

16-oz pasta of your choice
2 Tbs vegan margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ C walnut pieces
3 C mushrooms, sliced
½ C parsley, chopped
.
Lemon-Chive Sauce
.
1 clove garlic
1 box extra firm silken tofu
1 Tbs yellow miso
¼ C nutritional yeast
2 Tbs lemon juice
2 Tbs chives, chopped
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Directions

Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
Meanwhile, toss the garlic clove in the food processor and chop it up. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and blend for 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the processor bowl when necessary.
Transfer to a small saucepan and heat over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through.
In a medium skillet, melt the vegan margarine and garlic. Add the walnuts and saute for 2-3 minutes, then add the mushrooms. Cook another couple of minutes, then remove from the heat.
To serve, top the pasta with some of the mushroom-walnut mixture, some sauce and parsley. Enjoy!

Pasta with Cashew Cream & Cheese

July 30, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

(Unfortunately) most of us probably grew up on the boxed mac and cheese stuff, and likely, so have our kids. And kids like their mac and cheese. Instead of giving them that nasty, chemical-filled boxed junk, try making this kid-pleasing version using grated vegan cheese and cashew cream. Not only is it creamy, but it actually tastes cheesy and pretty darn delicious. While this may not top the list of the most healthiest vegan dishes, it’s miles from the fat-laden dairy version. Cashews are loaded with heart-protective monosaturated fats, antioxidants, calcium and protein. You can use your favorite vegan cheddar such as Daiya, Follow Your Heart or even make your own. This is also an easy recipe that your kiddos can help out with too!

INGREDIENTS:
16-oz uncooked pasta, such as elbows, shells or spirals
1 to 1-1/4 C vegetable broth (it just depends on how thick you want it)
4-oz vegan cheddar, shredded (I used Follow Your Heart brand)
1/3 C nutritional yeast
1 C cashews, soaked for at least an hour in hot water (if you can; no biggie if you can’t soak them)
1/2 C water
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
2 dashes of nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional ingredients: sneak in those veggies by adding peas, carrots or broccoli. Or spice it up with green chilies or salsa.

DIRECTIONS:
Cook the pasta according to package instruction, or until al dente. Meanwhile, make the cashew cream. If you soaked the cashews, drain them and transfer to a food processor. Puree until finely ground, scraping the sides of processor bowl if necessary. Add the water, apple cider vinegar and salt. Puree 2 minutes, or until smooth. Drain the pasta, then return it to the pot. Over medium-low heat, fold in the grated cheese, cashew cream, broth and nutritional yeast. Combine well and continue to stir until the cheese is completely melted. Season with the nutmeg, salt and pepper. If using, add the optional ingredients and stir until heated through. Enjoy!

Pasta with Cashew Cream & Cheese

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

20 mins

(Unfortunately) most of us probably grew up on the boxed mac and cheese stuff, and likely, so have our kids. And kids like their mac and cheese. Instead of giving them that nasty, chemical-filled boxed junk, try making this kid-pleasing version using grated vegan cheese and cashew cream. Not only is it creamy, but it actually tastes cheesy and pretty darn delicious. While this may not top the list of the most healthiest vegan dishes, it's miles from the fat-laden dairy version. Cashews are loaded with heart-protective monosaturated fats, antioxidants, calcium and protein. You can use your favorite vegan cheddar such as Daiya, Follow Your Heart or even make your own. This is also an easy recipe that your kiddos can help out with too!

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

16-oz uncooked pasta, such as elbows, shells or spirals
1 to 1-1/4 C vegetable broth (it just depends on how thick you want it)
4-oz vegan cheddar, shredded (I used Follow Your Heart brand)
⅓ C nutritional yeast
1 C cashews, soaked for at least an hour in hot water (if you can; no biggie if you can't soak them)
½ C water
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp salt
2 dashes of nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional ingredients: sneak in those veggies by adding peas, carrots or broccoli. Or spice it up with green chilies or salsa.

Directions

Cook the pasta according to package instruction, or until al dente. Meanwhile, make the cashew cream. If you soaked the cashews, drain them and transfer to a food processor. Puree until finely ground, scraping the sides of processor bowl if necessary. Add the water, apple cider vinegar and salt. Puree 2 minutes, or until smooth.
Drain the pasta, then return it to the pot. Over medium-low heat, fold in the grated cheese, cashew cream, broth and nutritional yeast. Combine well and continue to stir until the cheese is completely melted.
Season with the nutmeg, salt and pepper. If using, add the optional ingredients and stir until heated through. Enjoy!

Lemon Garlic Orzo with Fresh Veggies {Gluten-Free}

July 22, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

This amazing dish will be ready in less than 30 minutes but will taste like you spent a good hour on it. I came across Viviana Foods gluten-free & vegan lemon garlic orzo and it looked pretty interesting, so I thought I’d give it shot.
The orzo is ready in about 7 minutes and all I had to do was just had to chop some veggies and herbs and saute some for just a few minutes. The flavor is fantastic; I only seasoned it with a tiny bit of salt and pepper. The only downside is that the orzo costs around $7! Yeah, it was a splurge. I guess I was so drawn to the cute little package. So it may not be something I’d buy on a regular basis, but it really was tasty!

INGREDIENTS:
1 8-oz pkg. Viviana Lemon Garlic Orzo
1 tsp olive oil
2 C mushrooms, sliced
1/2 C green onion, sliced
3/4 C fresh basil, chopped
1 C cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Cook the pasta in boiling water for 6-9 minutes. Test it for doneness. You’ll want to use a fine mesh strainer to drain the orzo, otherwise you’ll pretty much lose most of it down the drain. Rinse with hot water and return to the pan.

While it’s cooking, however, heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the mushrooms and green onion. Saute over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes—just until the mushrooms start to cook down. Fold the mushrooms and green onions into the orzo and season with salt and pepper. Top individual servings with some basil and tomatoes. Enjoy!

Lemon Garlic Orzo with Fresh Veggies {Gluten-Free}

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 3

Ingredients

1 8-oz pkg. Viviana Lemon Garlic Orzo
1 tsp olive oil
2 C mushrooms, sliced
½ C green onion, sliced
¾ C fresh basil, chopped
1 C cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
Salt and pepper

Directions

Cook the pasta in boiling water for 6-9 minutes. Test it for doneness. You'll want to use a fine mesh strainer to drain the orzo, otherwise you'll pretty much lose most of it down the drain. Rinse with hot water and return to the pan.
While it's cooking, however, heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the mushrooms and green onion. Saute over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes---just until the mushrooms start to cook down.
Fold the mushrooms and green onions into the orzo and season with salt and pepper.
Top individual servings with some basil and tomatoes. Enjoy!

Dreamy, Creamy Pasta Salad

May 28, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

This is the perfect picnic pasta salad . . . okay, perfect for any time. Summer is around the corner and chances are, you’ve got some get togethers on the horizon (the Fourth of July will be here before you know it), so this is a flavor-packed, crowd-pleasing salad sure to be gone in minutes. Note: One thing I’ve noticed, is that if I make it ahead of time and refrigerate it, the consistency loses some of its creaminess. If you are making this ahead, I suggest refrigerating the sauce separately, then stirring it in before serving. You may find that the sauce may need a tiny bit more liquid, so I suggest adding some almond milk or water first.

INGREDIENTS:
16-oz of pasta
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 C green onion, sliced
2 carrots, shredded
Sauce:
2 cloves of garlic
12.3-oz pkg. Mori-Nu Silken tofu, firm or extra firm
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbs yellow miso
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dill
2 Tbs vegan sour cream

DIRECTIONS:
Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Meanwhile, chop up the garlic cloves in the food processor, then add the remaining sauce ingredients. Blend until smooth, 1-2 minutes.

Add the veggies to a large bowl . . .
. . . add the pasta and then fold in the sauce. (Again, I suggest chilling the sauce separately until ready to serve. See my note above). Combine thoroughly; serve immediately, or chill in the fridge. Enjoy!

Dreamy, Creamy Pasta Salad

Prep time

20 mins

Total time

20 mins

This is the perfect picnic pasta salad . . . okay, perfect for any time. Summer is around the corner and chances are, you've got some get togethers on the horizon (the Fourth of July will be here before you know it), so this is a flavor-packed, crowd-pleasing salad sure to be gone in minutes. Note: One thing I've noticed, is that if I make it ahead of time and refrigerate it, the consistency loses some of its creaminess. If you are making this ahead, I suggest refrigerating the sauce separately, then stirring it in before serving. You may find that the sauce may need a tiny bit more liquid, so I suggest adding some almond milk or water first.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

16-oz of pasta
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 C green onion, sliced
2 carrots, shredded
Sauce:
2 cloves of garlic
12.3-oz pkg. Mori-Nu Silken tofu, firm or extra firm
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbs yellow miso
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp dill
2 Tbs vegan sour cream

Directions

Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Meanwhile, chop up the garlic cloves in the food processor, then add the remaining sauce ingredients. Blend until smooth, 1-2 minutes.
Add the veggies to a large bowl.
Add the pasta and then fold in the sauce. (Again, I suggest chilling the sauce separately until ready to serve. See my note above). Combine thoroughly; serve immediately, or chill in the fridge. Enjoy!

Creamy Kale & Mushroom Pasta

May 24, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

Kale and mushrooms. Two of my favorite veggies. Together with pasta: a new favorite meal! It’s incredibly easy to make and will be ready in no time.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C onion, minced
3 Tbs flour, divided
1 C vegetable broth
Salt and pepper
1 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 Tbs nutritional yeast
3/4 C unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp lemon juice
2 portobello mushroom caps, sliced, then cut in half
2 C kale, torn into bite-sized pieces
1/2 C green onions, sliced
Optional: 1/3 C Dairy-free sour cream
12-14 ounces pasta of your choice (I used rotini)

DIRECTIONS:
Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the olive oil and garlic over medium heat; cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions, and cook another 6-8 minutes, or until the onions are softened. Add two tablespoons of the flour and coat the onions well; cook 1 minute. Little by little, add the broth and whisk until the mixture is thickened. While I prepare the sauce, I had the kale and mushrooms in my steamer pot. They only need about 5-7 minutes to steam, so keep an eye on the pot; I find that kale can get bitter-tasting if it gets over-steamed. Once it turns bright green, it’s perfect—remove from heat.

Stir the nutritional yeast into the sauce, along with the salt, pepper, thyme and nutmeg. In a small cup, whisk together the almond milk with the remaining tablespoon of flour. Again, little by little, whisk it into the sauce until it has thickened. Stir in the lemon juice. Combine the cooked pasta with the green onions and the steamed kale and mushrooms.
Pour the sauce over the pasta mixture and combine well. If using, add the sour cream and mix thoroughly. Season with more salt and pepper if you’d like, serve and enjoy!

Creamy Kale & Mushroom Pasta

Kale and mushrooms. Two of my favorite veggies. Together with pasta: a new favorite meal! It's incredibly easy to make and will be ready in no time.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1 Tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ C onion, minced
3 Tbs flour, divided
1 C vegetable broth
Salt and pepper
1 tsp thyme
⅛ tsp nutmeg
2 Tbs nutritional yeast
¾ C unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp lemon juice
2 portobello mushroom caps, sliced, then cut in half
2 C kale, torn into bite-sized pieces
½ C green onions, sliced
Optional: ⅓ C Dairy-free sour cream
12-14 ounces pasta of your choice (I used rotini)

Directions

Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the olive oil and garlic over medium heat; cook for 3 minutes.
Add the onions, and cook another 6-8 minutes, or until the onions are softened.
Add two tablespoons of the flour and coat the onions well; cook 1 minute.
Little by little, add the broth and whisk until the mixture is thickened.
While I prepare the sauce, I had the kale and mushrooms in my steamer pot. They only need about 5-7 minutes to steam, so keep an eye on the pot; I find that kale can get bitter-tasting if it gets over-steamed. Once it turns bright green, it's perfect---remove from heat.
Stir the nutritional yeast into the sauce, along with the salt, pepper, thyme and nutmeg.
In a small cup, whisk together the almond milk with the remaining tablespoon of flour. Again, little by little, whisk it into the sauce until it has thickened.
Stir in the lemon juice.
Combine the cooked pasta with the green onions and the steamed kale and mushrooms.
Pour the sauce over the pasta mixture and combine well.
If using, add the sour cream and mix thoroughly.
Season with more salt and pepper if you'd like, serve and enjoy!

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