Lately, in this In Season/Meatless Monday series, we're taking a look at what I take home from Crooked Sky Farms each week and see what I've done with my CSA share, or part share. This week I'm using swiss chard and spring garlic.
This recipe is all about my 4-year-old son. He's a mac and cheese fan, and this Oh She Glows cashew alfredo sauce totally fooled him into thinking he was eating dairy.
I know that my son digs swiss chard; I had some and tossed it in the pasta pot toward the end of cooking. He's really into mushrooms thanks to Super Mario, so they went in, too. This was one of those trifectas where it's good for you, tastes good, and was so super easy. You might have to look to your hippie neighbor's cabinet for some nutritional yeast (which is great on popcorn, by the way), but it's fairly easy nonetheless. I find my nutritional yeast in the bulk bins at Sprouts. Creamy Cashew Alfredo Pasta with Swiss Chard and Mushrooms Serves 2-4
Ingredients 1 batch of Oh She Glows Creamy Alfredo Sauce which includes: 1/3 heaping cup raw cashews 1 garlic clove 3 tbsp nutritional yeast 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp almond milk 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp non-dairy butter, Earth Balance is tasty 2 tsp soy sauce 2 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp Tahini Pinch of nutmeg Kosher salt, to taste (I used 1/4-1/2 tsp I think) 1/2 tsp Paprika, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 oz of pasta (I used the quinoa pasta in the blue box)
1 bunch of swiss chard
1 cup of mushrooms, chopped (I reconstituted dried submerged in hot water for 20 minutes) Green garlic, 1 head/stalk (or a few cloves of garlic minced)
Method Put a pot of water on to boil and once boiling, season with enough salt to make it taste delicious. Dump pasta into pot, give it a quick stir.
If you're using dried mushrooms, microwave a cup or two of water and submerge the mushrooms in the water so that they're covered. Let it sit while you find your blender.
Dump all ingredients in the alfredo sauce into your blender and blend for a minute or two until completely smooth.
Once the mushrooms are soft and pliable, heat a smallish pan over medium heat and give it a small swirl of olive oil. Add the minced garlic or green garlic to cook the rawness out -- just 30 seconds or so. Don't let it burn. Add the mushrooms and cook the until they are are brown on the edges. Set aside.
Once your pasta is almost done, drop in your chopped swiss chard or whatever green you have. Drain all together once tender and then combine the sauce, pasta and mushrooms back in the cooking pot to warm through together.
Grab a plate, give yourself a heaping portion and enjoy.