Pasta of Eden

With increasing knowledge of the health benefits of fruits and vegetables, we are beginning to better understand the joy of cooking more naturally. Vegetarian and vegan recipes are no longer frowned upon and considered as only a ‘side’ dish.  These delightful, well balanced and hearty meals pack a bunch on the nutritional value scale and can leave you feeling VERY satisfied.

In earlier years, there was very little emphasis on good nutrition in the North American diet. With most advertised foods containing high salt, sugar and fat content, we have become accustomed to a different taste pallet, not realizing that without making conscious decisions, these very same foods are causing devastating effects on our health.The tide is now changing as consumers are paying closer attention to their diet, decreasing or eliminating meat intake and relishing in the benefits of a plant based diet. Because of the increasing demand of healthier options, food manufacturers are finding new solutions to help bring some of our favourites to our dinner plates without compromising taste. If you’re like me and may have the DIY bug, continue to experiment as I did with the weeks’  recipe below.  Who knew that homemade cheese could be SO delicious?!

Ingredients for Pasta:

1. Brown rice pasta
2. Chopped asparagus,
3. Cherry tomatoes
4. Baby spinach,
5. Corn and green beans

Cheese sauce:

1. 1 yellow bell pepper
2. 1 cup of cashews
3.1/2 cup of nutritional yeast
4. 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
5. Chopped garlic, onions, jalapeños
6. A touch of water, and cumin

Directions:

In a large pasta pot, add water, a pinch of sea salt and teaspoon of olive oil to a boil (cook to desired consistency).

Chop all vegetables at once, however, be sure to separate the veggies for the cheese sauce (see ingredients) and those to be remain chopped for the pasta.

Lightly sauté chopped asparagus, cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, corn and green beans. Season to taste. (Dried herbs recommended)

Throw all ingredients for the cheese in the blender and whiz till smooth. Work the sauce into the pasta, add saute vegetables and enjoy.

By Melissa Smith for ReVitahealth

Follow me on instagram @eat2liveplantbased for more whole foods plant based meal ideas