Thursday Recipe

I tried this recipe a little bit ago, it's from Oh She Glows and it was so so good.  I'm trying to stay away from dairy (cheese is so hard though, I LOVE cheese).  Anyhow, I've swapped out regular milk for almond milk and coconut creamer for half-and-half (sorry to burst your bubble folks but non-dairy creamer still has casein in it).  But cooking and baking has been a bit of a challenge.  This recipe uses cashews instead of cream.  Works like a dream!  It was incredibly tasty - I highly recommend it.

Ingredients (2-3 servings)

• 2 servings uncooked spaghetti
• 1 large ripe tomato or two smaller tomatoes (I used roma tomatoes)
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2-4 garlic cloves, minced (I used 3)
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 3-4 tbsp water or wine, (optional)
• 1-2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup packed fresh basil, finely chopped

Instructions

• 1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Chop tomato and add it to the blender (including skin and seeds). Now add the cashews, water, and tomato paste. Blend until smooth.
• 2. Add your pasta to boiling water and cook pasta according to package directions.
• 3. Meanwhile, add olive oil to a large skillet and heat to low. Add the minced garlic and sauté for a few minutes being careful not to burn it.
• 4. Pour the sauce from the blender into the skillet, stir, and bring to a simmer. Add the salt and let it cook for 4-5 minutes, watching closely. You may add water or wine to thin out the sauce to you desired consistency, but this is not necessary.
• 5. Remove sauce from heat and stir in the chopped basil and pepper. Once the pasta is done cooking, rinse and drain it. Add the drained pasta back in the pot and now gradually add pasta sauce until your desired amount is achieved. Stir and serve immediately. Makes 2 servings, likely with sauce leftover.