Christmas Fettuccine Alfredo

My mom gave me a cookbook for Christmas called "Vegan on the Cheap" and it's my newest obsession.  The main reason I created this blog was because I could never find a single recipe for the meal I wanted to create.  Many vegan recipes I come across include "imitation non-vegan" replacements, which to me is like cheating.  Others include fancy spices or other ingredients which I have never even heard of, let alone can find in my mountain-town grocery store.  I always end up taking pieces from various recipes and mushing them together in hopes that they turn out yummy.  This recipe for is pretty much by the book and I loved how it came out! Happy cooking, tasty eating.

Blushing Fettuccine Alfredo

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced *
• 1 small yellow onion *
• 2 Tbs dry white wine
• 1/3 cup unsalted raw cashews
• 1/2 cup silken tofu, drained
• 2 Tbs nutritional yeast
• 1 1/2 cups soy milk *
• 1/2 cup marinara sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt *
• 1 lb fettuccine
• 2 tbs fresh parsley, minced *
• black pepper
• 1 cup spinach, chopped
• 3/4 cup whole grape tomatoes

* I omitted these ingredients and used instead 1 tsp garlic salt, spinach and garlic marinara sauce which had parsley in it, and unsweetened almond milk

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion & garlic, cover and cook until soft.  Stir in wine, remove from heat, and set aside.
2. Grind cashews in a blender to make a powder.  Add the onion/garlic mixture, tofu, & yeast and blend until smooth.  Add the soy milk, marinara sauce, & salt and blend smooth.  Add mixture to sauce pan with spinach and tomatoes over low heat, stirring occasionally, keep warm. 
3. Cook pasta according to package, drain, and toss with sauce mixture.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve!

Ridiculously Awesome Lasagna

Just one piece is never enough!  This spin-off of a classic Italian dish is jam packed with amazingness in the form of kale, eggplant, and "ricotta cheese!"  Feed this to anyone who "doesn't like tofu" and I swear they will never know the difference... 

Ingredients:

•  Lasagna pasta (enough for 3 layers- I used 9 pieces)
• 1 eggplant
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1/2 lb firm tofu, drained/pressed
• 2 cups chopped kale
• 1/3 cup almond milk
• 1 Tbs sugar
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1 Tbs lemon juice
• 1-1 1/2 Tbs basil
• Optional: 3/4 cup fresh copped tomatoes

Directions:
Preheat oven to  350°. 
Drain tofu and press excess water out using towels and an unplugged panini press or try this.  
Chop off the ends of the eggplant and slice into long, thin pieces.  In a skillet, brown the eggplant with a small amount of olive oil.  Once finished, set eggplant aside.
In a large sauce pot, bring water and some salt to a boil.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.
Wash kale and chop into 1" squares, removing the thicker parts of the stems.  Blanch kale, bringing water to a boil, then cooking on medium for a few minutes.  Drain the kale and set aside.
In a blender or food processor, blend tofu, almond milk, lemon juice, garlic salt, basil, and sugar.  The consistency should resemble ricotta cheese- stickyish without being wet or crumbly.
In a medium sized, lightly oiled, casserole dish, place a layer of pasta.  Add eggplant to the pasta and cover with as much tomato sauce as you please, spreading sauce evenly with the back of a spoon.  Add another layer of pasta, followed by a generous layer of kale.  Top the kale with the "ricotta" mixture and another layer of pasta.  Spread another layer of tomato sauce and/or a layer chopped tomatoes to finish it off.
Bake for 45 minutes and allow to cool for 5-10 before enjoying.  


*more of a spinach fan? replace kale with spinach if it suits you!  Feel free to add any other veggies like carrots, broccoli, peppers... whatever you like!