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Creamy Vegan Vodka Pasta

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Creamy Vegan Pasta

Vegan Creamy Pasta

I LOVE this creamy vegan pasta dish, and so do does my family, but for a few different reasons. We all love it because it’s absolutely yummy, but I love it the most because it’s one of the easiest, quickest meals you can make! it’s one of my “go to” dinners, on those days when I haven’t had a spare moment to even consider what I’m going to cook, and it’s getting late.

Honestly, you can throw this filling, plant based dinner together in no time, and even the most die hard carnivores will go back for seconds and thirds. It has very few ingredients, and barely any prep, so it’s a busy mom’s dream.

This is a tweaked, vegan version of a Rachel Ray recipe, shared on Oprah’s show years ago. It was easy to veganize and tastes exactly the same, without the health harming effects of dairy. Plus, you get tons of muscle building protein and cancer protecting lycopene, from the cashew and tomato based vegan cream sauce. It’s a win, all the way around.

And don’t worry about the vodka content- there’s very little in my version, and you’ll be simmering away the majority of it anyway. It’s really just there to add depth and dimension to the flavor, and it aids in providing a “cheesy” quality to this vegan pasta sauce.

Low Carb Pasta Substitute

If you’re following a low carb diet, such as Paleo or Ketogenic meal plans, simply substitute the pasta with zucchini noodles. If you’ve never had them, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by their mellow flavor, and their really quick and easy to make (a lot faster than boiling spaghetti) with a cheap kitchen tool called a spiralizer.

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Creamy Vegan Vodka Pasta
Serves 6
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
30 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
30 min
Ingredients
  1. 3 Minced Cloves Garlic
  2. 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  3. 1 Tbsp Vegan Butter or Margerine (see notes)
  4. 1/2 C Vodka
  5. 3/4 C Whole, Raw Cashews (see notes)
  6. 1 1/4 C Faux Chicken or Vegetable Broth (see notes)
  7. 16 Oz Crushed Tomatoes
  8. Fresh or Dried Sweet Basil (optional)
  9. 16 Oz Whole Grain Spaghetti, Fettuccine or Linguine (see notes)
For The Cream
  1. Place cashews in a blender, and fill blender with enough filtered water, to cover approximately half of the cashews.
  2. Blend until smooth.
  3. If necessary, add more water in small increments, to reach the consistency of thick cream.
For The Sauce
  1. In a large saute pan or medium sized pot, saute minced garlic in olive oil and butter.
  2. Add vodka and simmer, allowing the vodka to reduce down by about half.
  3. Add broth and simmer, allowing to reduce down by about one eighth.
  4. Add crushed tomatoes, mix together, stir frequently and simmer until bubbling. Increase heat if needed.
  5. Add 1/2 cup cashew cream, mix together, stir frequently and simmer until bubbling.
  6. Using a ladle, scoop sauce into your blender and mix until well blended and smooth. Work in batches, if necessary.
  7. Sauce can be returned to the pan, to keep warm, or you can simply pour it over your prepared pasta, straight from the blender.
Notes
  1. For vegan butter or margerine, I recommend Earth Balance Buttery Sticks.
  2. Whole cashews are recommended, as chopped pieces are typically more dry.
  3. For broth, I recommend Imagine brand, Vegetarian No-Chicken Broth.
  4. For those with gluten sensitivity or Celiac Disease, I recommend rice based pastas. Be careful not to overcook it though- rice based pastas cook very fast.
  5. The pasta should be cooked simultaneously, while you're cooking your sauce.
  6. To avoid the hot liquid from blowing the lid off of your blender, place a towel over the lid, and hold firmly while blending. This is typically not necessary, when using a high speed blender, such as a Vitamix or Blendtec.
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Kick Ass Homemade Hummus

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Homemade Hummushummus,non-gmo hummus

After searching and searching and literally trying dozens of homemade hummus recipes, I gave up and decided to craft my own recipe. There were a few decent ones out there, but the majority were either too bland, too soft or too creepy ; ).

One great thing about hummus, is that you can really tweak it and make it your own, to suit your own taste. Having said that, remember, when it comes to preparing foods, you can always add, but you can’t subtract, so start with less and add more as you taste test.

The other things I love about hummus, is that it’s so versatile and easy to make, and it lasts for weeks in the fridge, so you can prepare it well in advance, for a party or other event. Try it as a dip for chips, breads, veggies or crackers, or use it as a spread in sandwiches and pitas. And if you’ve found a new and awesomely delicious way to use hummus, please leave me a note in the comments section, below this post.

Making your own hummus is incredibly simple and quick. You can literally grab all the ingredients and whip it up in less than 10 minutes.

Plant Based Non-GMO Protein

Although hummus is a great source of plant based protein, with a whopping 4 grams per 1/3 cup serving, many store bought hummus brands are not the healthiest option. Even some of the most popular and well known brands contain cancer causing GMOs, from genetically modified soybean oil and citric acid.

Preparing your own homemade hummus is the best way to ensure that you’re using the safest ingredients. I recommend using organic spices and seasonings, whenever possible, and beans that are not only organic, but are also packaged in BPA free cans.

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Kick Ass Homemade Hummus
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Prep Time
2 min
Total Time
10 min
Prep Time
2 min
Total Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 Cans Chickpeas (AKA Garbanzo Beans)
  2. 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
  3. 3 1/2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  4. 3 Garlic Cloves
  5. 1 1/2 tsp Salt
  6. 4 tsp Cumin
  7. 1/4 Cup Chickpea Juice (AKA Garbanzo Bean Juice)
  8. 2 1/2 tsp Paprika
  9. 2 Tbsp Dry Roasted Tahini (AKA Sesame Seeds)
Instructions
  1. Drain garbanzo beans, and retain 1/2 cup of the juice.
  2. Peel garlic cloves and add all ingredients, including 1/4 cup of the garbanzo bean juice, to a high speed blender or food processor.
  3. Blend all ingredients until the hummus is smooth. If the hummus is too thick, add in more garbanzo bean juice and blend, in increments, until it reaches your preferred consistency.
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Vegan Chicken Pot Pie With Cornbread Crust

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Meat Free Comfort FoodVegan Chicken Pot Pie With Cornbread Crust

Looking for a Meatless Monday recipe that is not only tasty, but satisfies your comfort food craving? Well look no further, because this is it! I mean, who doesn’t love chicken pot pie, right? And if you can sneak more veggies into your meals, without having to sacrifice flavor or texture, why would you ever choose the disease causing, fattening alternative?

Vegan Chicken For Meat Lovers

Although the original chicken pot pie recipe (by Cristina Ferrare)was made with real chicken and other animal products, you’ll never taste the difference, and you could easily fool your omnivorous and carnivorous guests with this vegan version.

The meat substitute that I prefer is the most authentic tasting meat-free chicken alternatives that I’ve ever seen or tasted. The company that makes it really has the texture, look and flavor down to a true science, and thanks to the non-GMO soy and pea protein in the product, you’ll get a whopping 20 grams of protein per 3 ounce serving.

This meal is nutrient dense and filling on its own, but you could pair it with a salad, to get some extra, raw greens into your meal as well.

Vegan Chicken Pot Pie With Cornbread Crust
Serves 6
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Total Time
50 min
Total Time
50 min
Pie Filling Ingredients
  1. 2 C Meat Free Chicken Chopped (I suggest Beyond Meat brand Beyond Chicken Grilled Strips)
  2. 1/2 C Frozen, Organic Sweet Petite Peas (standard organic peas can be substituted if necessary)
  3. 1 Organic Russet Potato Diced
  4. 1 1/2 C Organic Carrots Chopped
  5. 1 tsp Sea Salt
  6. 1/2 tsp Pepper
  7. 1/2 C Organic Onions Chopped
  8. 1/4 C Sprouted Organic Spelt Flour (for gluten free, try whole grain oat, almond or rice flour)
  9. 2 C Imagine Brand, No Chicken Broth
  10. 1 TBSP Organic Olive Oil
  11. 1 TBSP Vegan Butter (I suggest Earth Balance brand, Vegan Buttery Sticks)
Cornbread Crust Ingredients
  1. 3/4 C Organic Cornmeal
  2. 3/4 C Sprouted Organic Spelt Flour (for gluten free, try whole grain oat, almond or rice flour)
  3. 1 TBSP Aluminum Free Baking Powder
  4. 1 1/2 TBSP Organic Sugar
  5. 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
  6. 3/4 C Non Dairy Milk (I suggest soy, almond, cashew or flax milk)
  7. 1 TBSP Flax Seeds, Freshly Ground Into A Powder Like Substance
  8. 2 TBSP Organic Sunflower or Flax Oil
Pie Filling Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
  2. Boil diced potato and chopped carrots until slightly tender. Drain or remove from water and set aside
  3. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil and vegan butter on low. Add chopped onions and saute until clear, then add flour and mix together until well blended
  4. While onions are cooking, heat vegan chicken broth in microwave until hot, but not boiling
  5. Slowly whisk heated vegan chicken broth into onion and flour mixture and cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbling
  6. Add chopped vegan chicken, potato, carrots, frozen peas, salt and pepper to the saucepan and stir together
  7. Spray a 2 Qt oven safe, glass baking dish with cooking spray (I suggest coconut oil spray) and pour contents of saucepan into the baking dish
Cornbread Crust Directions
  1. Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside
  2. Combine 1 TBSP freshly ground flax seeds with 3 TBSP water and whisk until you have reached the consistency of an egg
  3. Combine non dairy milk, oil and flax seed mixture in a second bowl and whisk together
  4. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well
  5. Spoon or pour evenly over pie filling, then place in middle rack of oven to cook
Preparation Tip
  1. Chop, dice and boil your carrots and potato one day in advance, to save time
  2. If you can't prepare the potato and carrots in advance, I suggest that you use the boiling time to chop the vegan chicken and get all of your cornbread crust ingredients out and into their respective bowls.
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Awesomely Delicious Cream Of Asparagus Soup

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Authentic Cream Of Asparagus Soup Without The Cream

 OK, so the title of this recipe did not officially include the words, “awesomely delicious”, but that’s what my entire family thinks of this creamy and rich soup, so I’m sticking with it ; )

I hope that you’ll make it tonight, for a Meatless Monday treat that your entire family will love… even the sworn carnivores. It’s great served with sprouted, whole grain bread that’s toasted and buttered. I suggest Earth Balance spread, for an authentic “buttery” taste that’s completely vegan.

This recipe was adapted and shared via the Humane Society of the United States website, where you can sign up to receive weekly vegan recipes. The original recipe was created by Tal Ronnen, and published in his book, The Conscious Cook. The only alteration to the recipe that I would suggest, is to soak the cashews for only 1-2 hours before blending to make the cashew cream. The soup will come out thicker and more flavorful than when the nuts are soaked overnight.

(Awesomely Delicious) Cream of Asparagus Soup
Serves 6
A delicious and vegan alternative to soups that use heavy cream as a base. Your friends and family won't believe that there's no cream in it. A great way to satisfy your slightly sweet and salty cravings and the perfect comfort food!
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
40 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
40 min
Ingredients
  1. Sea Salt
  2. 3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  3. 1 Large Bunch of Asparagus, Ends Trimmed and Cut Into 2 Inch Pieces
  4. 2 Stalks of Celery, Chopped
  5. 1 Large Onion, Chopped
  6. 2 Quarts Faux Chicken Broth or Vegetable Broth
  7. 1 Bay Leaf
  8. 1 Cup Thick Cashew Cream, Plus More for Garnish
  9. Freshly Ground Pepper To Taste
  10. 2 Cups Fresh Baby Spinach
  11. Microgreens for Garnish (optional)
Instructions
  1. 1. Prepare the cashew cream and set aside (see prep and directions below)
  2. 2.Place a large stockpot over medium heat. Sprinkle the bottom with a pinch of salt and heat for 1 minute. Add the oil and heat for another 30 seconds, being careful not to let it smoke. This will create a nonstick effect.
  3. 3. Add the asparagus, celery and onion and saute for 6 to 10 minutes, until the celery begins to soften. Add the broth and bay leaf, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
  4. 4. Add 1 cup of the cashew cream and simmer for an additional 10 minutes, then turn off heat and remove and discard the bay leaf.
  5. 5. Working in batches, pour the soup into a blender, cover the lid with a towel (the hot liquid tends to erupt) and blend on high. Add the spinach to the last batch and continue blending until smooth. Pour the soup into a large bowl and stir to incorporate the spinach batch. Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish each bowl with microgreens and drops of cashew cream (optional)
  6. Cashew Cream Directions
  7. 1. Rinse 2 cups whole raw cashews (not pieces, which are often dry) very well under cold water. Strain and place the cashews into a bowl and add enough cold water to cover them. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.
  8. 2. Drain the cashes and rinse under cold water again. Strain the cashews and then place them in a blender with enough fresh, cold water to cover them just slightly. Blend on high for several minutes, until very smooth.
  9. 3. This makes about 2 1/4 cups of thick cream
Notes
  1. If you're not using a professional high speed blender such as a Vitamix or Blendtec, which creates an ultra smooth cream, strain the cashew cream through a fine-mesh sleeve.
Adapted from The Humane Society of the United States
Adapted from The Humane Society of the United States
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