I woke up this morning and I had no idea what day it was!
The holidays will do that to a person I guess. I also forgot that today is a day off work for many people because Jan 1st fell on the weekend. I guess I don’t really keep up with these things being self-employed, but perhaps I should start!
Also, I can’t believe we don’t have a lick of snow left…
On New Year’s Day, it was a warm 10C and all of our snow melted. I don’t think I can ever remember a Jan 1st when we didn’t have snow. It is so weird.
Yesterday, I felt quite run down and I started to feel like I was getting sick, but after a good 8 hours of sleep, I am feeling much better today.
In the past week, I have amped up the following:
- Get enough sleep– I am often guilty of not getting enough sleep, but I have been making an effort to get 7.5-8.5 hours.
- Fluids– I have been drinking a lot of Hot lemon water, Echinacea tea, wheatgrass juice, and Sencha tea.
- Moderate exercise– I’ve been keeping my workouts to about 30 minutes- just enough to reap the benefits of exercise, but not wear my body down or compromise my immune system.
- Think Positive– I always tell myself that I will not get sick. I learned in my psychology courses that a positive disposition reduces the chances of catching colds.
- Healthy Fuel– I have been fueling my body with a wide variety of healthy foods. This ensures that my body has the right fuel to do the job and fight off any illness.
- Washing Hands Frequently– I cranked my hand-washing into overdrive. They say it is the #1 best thing you can do to prevent a cold!
Because there is no ice on the roads (huge benefit of no snow!), I braved the chilly air this morning and had a beautiful + sunny 3 mile outdoor run followed by 5 minutes of plank exercises. After showering and eating breakfast, I set into the kitchen to cook.
I also used something I have never used before…
Brown Rice Pasta!
The thought of having pasta made from brown rice appeals to me, so I thought I would check it out. I wasn’t sure how it was going to cook or taste, but I was so surprised to find that it tasted just like whole wheat pasta! The texture was even the same too. If you are looking for an alternative to wheat based flour, I highly recommend it.
This recipe is so easy to make. I think I was done in 20 minutes.
Note: I only used 1 garlic clove, not 4!
You take all of the ingredients and dump them into a blender.
Then, blend until smooth!
It makes a heaping cup’s worth of the Alfredo Sauce.
I adapted the recipe ingredients and I found my sauce was a bit thin, so next time I would probably use 1 cup Almond milk minus 2 tablespoons to thicken it up a bit more.
Drain and rinse the pasta and then add it to the pot.
Pour on your desired amount of cheese sauce and heat over medium heat, stirring frequently to thicken.
Mmmmmm. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Garnish with herbs and additional paprika and serve.
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Quick & Easy Vegan Alfredo
Adapted from Vegan Yum Yum Cookbook.
Yield: 1 heaping cup of sauce (enough for about 4 servings)
Ingredients:
- Pasta, of your choice (I used brown rice shells)
- 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 (I used Soy-free Earth Balance)
- 2 tsp organic Tamari soy sauce, or to taste
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp Tahini (sesame seed paste)
- 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
- Herbs or veggies to add into Alfredo, if desired (I used Broccoli, Peas, and Spinach)
Directions: Cook your pasta until al dente (about 7-8 minutes) and then drain, and rinse with cold water.
While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce: Add all ingredients except pasta into a blender and blend until smooth.
Add the drained pasta back into the pot and pour on your desired amount of sauce into the pot. Heat over medium stirring frequently. Add in vegetables if you desire and cook until heated through.
Makes ~1 heaping cup of sauce, or enough for about 4 portions.
Note: Pasta (mixed with the Alfredo sauce) does not reheat in the microwave very well. It dries out a bit, even when mixing with a bit of milk before heating. My suggestion is to serve the mixed portion fully & immediately after heating and then reserve the leftover sauce in a separate container and make a fresh batch of pasta if you will have it on another occasion. The sauce should keep in the fridge for a few days.
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This vegan Alfredo is absolutely delicious and very similar to the Vegan Mac ‘n Cheese sauce, but a bit more Alfredo-like in taste.
If you really want to pump up this dish, add some GREEN POWER!
I added some sautéed broccoli, spinach, and frozen peas into the pot and heated it all together for about 5 extra minutes.
It was awesome both ways and I am sure you could get really creative with your mix-ins.
A fun way to sneak in some vegetables.
I learned this trick from my mom…she used to always mix in some frozen vegetables into our Mac ‘n Cheese when we were kids.
She made it much more difficult for me to feed our dog vegetables under the table…!
You may be surprised to know that as a child, I was really not a big vegetable fan at ALL and I would sit at the table forever in a Vegetable Show Down with my parents. Broccoli was one of my most despised vegetables of all. Oh how things have changed!
Look at me now mom, there was hope all along.
That looks so delicious. Fresh, easy – can’t ask for much more!
Hi Angela,
I’ve read you for a while and you sound delightful and would make any mom proud. I’m old enough to be your mom, plus some.
Even though I am not vegan, I do enjoy your recipes and would love to be able to adapt them to my needs.
Unfortunately I have several severe allergies. Shellfish; peanuts; tree-nuts; nut oils and extracts; coconut; lentils (yes, lentils)……So any ideas on how to sub nuts and such in your raw desserts and sauces? Any ideas would be helpful.
Thanks, Meryl
Hi Meryl, thanks for your kind wrods! I’m not sure about subbing the nuts…I will give it some thought and let you know if I think of anything. If any others readers have any ideas, please chime in too.
All the best!
HI Meryl,
Can you tolerate seeds? Sunflower seeds and hemp seeds are particularly good at getting that creamy texture that nuts give. Sesame seeds are also good!
those are great ideas!
My mom added frozen peas to our mac-n-cheese. I did the vegetable show down with my parents whenever they forced me to eat canned spinach. Oh the torture!
Okay, that’s my kind of pasta sauce. Any sauce you can make in a blender will work for me.
AND it’s made of stuff that I have in my pantry! Bonus!
Angela..brilliant recipe!
And I love nooch so the sauce looks delish!
I love the things you’ve amped up…handwashing, yes!! As the mother of a preschooler, YES this is sooo key! It really does cut down on the sickies.
And sleep, water, and exercise but not overdoing it and wearing yourself down- so important and true!
:)
I will have to try this!
I am desperately searching for a garlicy, creamy, non-dairy, buttery alfredo sauce for pasta. This recipe looks a little watery, so maybe I will adjust and see how it turns out. Mmmm…
10!! on the PLUS side?!?! HOLY COW, i can’t believe it, Saskatchewan is definitely not like that haha its been -30c windchills lately, so our snow is going no where
I enjoy brown rice pasta, its way healthier and doesn’t seem very different. I never eat pasta though, maybe a couple times a year, but otherwise I would definitely buy that stuff.
Where did you get brown rice pasta? Whole Foods?
ontario natural food coop :)
Oh my gosh this looks amazing Ange! I have just vowed to STOP eating dairy (it hurts my stomach after all) this year and I needed this so bad. I’m making it ASAP!
xoxo
This looks delicious!
Ohhhhh. I thank you for this recipe! Well done Angela~
:)
:)
:)
I have a weird question. I often make recipes from blogs and cookbooks, but almost every time I adapt them in one or more ways. I blog about the recipes. I always cite where the recipe originated from. What are the “rules” when it comes to this kind of thing? I know that if a recipe is from a book and you don’t have the author’s permission then you cannot reprint the recipe even with a citation. I also know that if you adapt a recipe enough, you can print it on your blog. But how much is enough? Just wondering–I have a feeling you know the answer to this!
Thanks,
Wendy
There is a great article on this exact question from David Lebovitz….check it out: http://foodblogalliance.com/2009/04/recipe-attribution.php
Thank you Angela–much appreciated!!!!!!!!!!
I usually would pass on alfredo because the idea of something that thick and creamy sort of grosses me out, but I’d be so on-board with something light and healthy! Yum!
thanks for the GF recipe! we love to put broccoli and other greens in our pasta. adds more nutrition and they taste good with sauce on them.
I am allergic to gluten and rice pasta is a great invention…but even more so: quinoa pasta! The texture and flavors are much better. It’s a little more expensive in way of gluten-free pasta, but worth it. I am going to try this sauce recipe asap…thanks!
Looks excellent! My mom and I are always looking for new pasta ideas, this seems like a nice easy/tasty option :) I’ve always loved broccoli in cheesy pasta dishes… broccoli smothered in any sauce makes it about 100 times more delicious, and I like it to begin with!
This is one our staple recipes in our house and it tastes fantastic with some roasted and chopped red bell peppers tossed in. Mmmm!
Growing up, I liked broccoli but I had to put melted cheese over it in order to eat it. Thankfully I’ve rid of that habit. :-)
If I can get my husband to stop eating all the nuts in the house–you would think he’s part squirrel the way he hoards them–I’ll have to give this a try. I have never been an Alfredo sauce type fan, but it doesn’t hurt to to try the vegan version of it. thanks!
Have you tried rooibos tea? I think you might like it. It’s also caffeine free and full of nutrients. I’m not the hugest fan of it plain but the flavoured varieties can be quite nice… Stash has a seasonal cinnamon vanilla rooibos that is delish.
You need your own show or something with all these delicious -yet vegan- recipes!
Today I tried brown rice pasta for the first time and I’m OBSESSED!! It’s not the same brand as you though, I forgot what mine is called but it had some bunnies on the wrapper :) The whole time I was eating dinner I kept saying “this is my new favourite meal! I’m going to eat this every day for the rest of the year! Yes, this is my 2011 resolution” Lol… What can I say :P
Where would we be without nutritional yeast, eh? A friend of mine calls it “hippie dust” lol
This dish looks fabulous!
Ok, I got a little creative today….I didn’t want the carbs in the pasta. So, I made the sauce and poured it over a big bowl of steamed broccoli. It was perfection! :-)
I just bought brown rice pasta for the first time – eager to give it try… maybe dinner tonight!?
i love brown rice pasta! it’s funny because i hated all kinds of pasta growing up.
Yummy pasta!
Also, the little red spoon is precious.
I haven’t been able to keep track of what day it is for a long time now. Yesterday I thought it was Monday, today I thought it was Tuesday and then Wednesday for a while. The holidays can really throw you off!
The pasta sauce looks delicious! Cashews make such creamy sauces.
That looks delicious! I love your recipes, Angela.
Oh my, brilliant! I think I’ve only had real alfredo once in my life (because it made me feel ill), but this is so full of ingredients and flavours that I love. Thank you so much!
I couldn’t NOT make this for dinner tonight… I made it with rice pasta fettucini noodles, cauliflower and spinach and it was AMAZING!! I can’t wait for my leftovers for lunch tomorrow :)
And then I followed it up with a bowl of chocolate pudding…aka the filling for the chocolate torte. I may have to ban avocados from my house for a bit ;)
I am in NH and most of our snow has melted as well. It’s so weird to be in January already and it’s really only snowed here once! Great looking recipe.
WOW. That is all I can say about this post. Just. WOW. ;)
ps. So totally making this in the future. :)
This looks incredible AND it’s gluten free. I’m going gluten free for a while so this is perfect! Now I just gotta get me some cashews!
im glad you can try it out too! being GF must be tough
It’s easier than you may think…..just tons of fruits and veggies! Tons of your foods are gluten free! I just haven’t had pasta in SO long so this seems incredibly enticing. haha
That looks amazing! I absolutely LOVE alfredo!
This looks so yummy :)
Every morning when I boot up my computer with a cup of tea, I check Oh She Glows to see if there is anything new!
I have a rally quick question for you: I know that mustard adds a wonderful flavor to sauces like this, but it causes an anapylactic reaction (for me). What can I use as a substitute so I’m not losing any flavor?
Thank you for your blog!
Ah typo! I ment really quick, not rally ;D
I’m not sure, sorry about that! Maybe try looking it up online to see if someone else has your question?
Geeze, I can’t believe how incredible that looks! Especially once the broccoli was added in. Oh lord. I could do some serious work on that!
This looks amazing. My husband and I aren’t big pasta eaters primarily because it always leaves my tummy feeling a bit bloated. This however looks fantastic…I just told him was ingredients were in the sauce and he said “I think I want you to make that”.
haha cute!
I’ve made sauces with cashews and almond flour before. I find the almond flour thickens up nicely, no idea why it works better than cashews ;) I’m going to try your recipe the next time I have a craving for mac’n’cheese!
almond flour sounds great!
This looks amazing! I love how creamy the sauce is.Do you have a favorite pasta sauce made sans the cashews (or any other nut)? I’m in love with this dish and will make it soon though. Thanks for the inspiration :)
Im trying to think if I have a tomato pasta sauce recipe on my blog right now…if I think of it, I will let you know!
I use rice pasta all the time due to my gluten intolerance and I too was surprised the first time making it. Unfortunately, they aren’t very good the next day.. I find the pasta gets hard and dries out.
The alfredo sauce looks divine. CAn’t wait to try it myself.
Mmm my favourite is buckwheat pasta – so good! This looks so yummy Angela :)
I love seeing cashews used to make creamy dishes! My boyfriend is lactose intolerant but loves rich, creamy (ie – lactose ridden) dishes, so I am going to have to give this a try!
Mmm this looks delicious! I am not a vegan, but I would definitely eat this pasta. Not being a huge fan of cheesy cream sauces, this sauce sounds absolutely perfect!
Hi Angela! This is a very timely post because I just made your Vegan Mac n’ Cheese for dinner last night. I am not vegan, but lactose intolerent and have really missed the creamy goodness of cheesy pasta, so I was excited to give this a try. I must admit, I was a tad skeptical because I had never used nutritional yeast before, and my husband was definitely rolling his eyes as I pulled the recipe together. However, the dish turned out AMAZING! I was shocked at how creamy and cheesy it tasted – just like the real thing. It was absolutely delicious and a real treat for me! Even my husband loved (not just liked…but loved!) this dish, and treated it just like KD by smothering in ketchup, lol. Thanks for a great and easy recipe! This alfredo sauce looks very similar so I’m sure it would turn out just as great.
haha that is great! Eric covers his in ketchup too! lol
If you want snow, you should come to London. I just woke up to a fresh blanket of snow this morning! ;)
This recipe looks amazing, as always. I love how you can manage to lighten up even the richest of meals!
I just saw this and made it for lunch immediately! Delicious! And a great way to get some xtra veggies in. I love that it’s so simple, quick and made with ingredients that I have always on hand! The only thing I did differently was to briefly saute/roast the garlic before blending it up with the rest, otherwise I find the garlic taste to overpowering (I do that almost always when a recipe calls for garlic). Another winer :-)
I’ll put some clementine segments in the freezer now and will make your Flu-Buster Smoothie later today. BF felt like he was coming down with something and I am sure he’ll love it too. It looks outrageously creamy and delicious!
“winner” obviously…not winer…sorry ;-)
As usual this recipe made my mouth water! I’ve never tired a vegan cream sauce recpie… mostly because after a decade of being dairy free I’m never in the mood for a cream sauce but I think I’ll have to give this (and or the vegan mac and cheese) a try!
This recipe looks awesome! I think I might challenge myself to try at least ONE vegan recipe every month…. this one I’ll definitly try in January!
Can you write a post on how to learn (er force..) yourself to begin eating/liking more veggies? I know I need to stop being fussy and eat more vegetables and need help!
I just picked up a bag of brown rice pasta at Trader Joes over the holidays and have really enjoyed it. This sounds perfect! :)