Eric, Steve, Dan, Shayne, and Steve worked on the deck this weekend and they got so much accomplished!
It almost looks like a deck now. :)
The weather was what the boys called, ‘Deck Building Weather’. Sunny and just warm enough to be comfortable.
The workstation Eric set up…heh
View from other end:
This is the view from our back door:
Our old deck didn’t extend this far, but we thought it would be really nice to walk straight out onto the deck so we extended the deck about 7 feet or so. I’m very happy about this extension because it will be much easier for me to carry my camera and food to the deck!
If you recall, it used to look like this…
On Sunday night, I treated Eric to a fancy smancy dinner as a thank you for all his hard work- Vegan Yum Yum’s Tomato Basil Cream Pasta dish that I have been meaning to try for a while now. This dish tastes so much like a traditional cream pasta, you could fool even the toughest critic!
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Easy Tomato Basil Cream Pasta
Yield
2-3 servings
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
This is one of the best creamy pasta sauces I have ever tasted, vegan or otherwise. It is right up there with 15 minute Creamy Avocado Pasta! This was also one of those moments when Eric and I looked at each other and said, ‘Can you believe this is vegan?’ I find that cashew cream sauces can be a bit bland, but this one was fantastic (probably due to the basil, tomato, and garlic trio adding so much flavour). Lightly adapted from Vegan Yum Yum.
Ingredients
- 2 servings uncooked spaghetti (I used Kamut)
- 1 large ripe tomato or two smaller 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
Directions
- 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.
- Add your pasta to boiling water and cook pasta according to package directions.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
I love making pasta sauces because with just a few ingredients you can create something that tastes so gourmet and special.
And this was one of the best creamy pasta sauces I have ever tasted, vegan or otherwise. It is right up there with 15 minute Creamy Avocado Pasta!
This was also one of those moments when Eric and I looked at each other and said, ‘Can you believe this is vegan?’ I find that cashew cream sauces can be a bit bland, but this one was fantastic (probably due to the basil, tomato, and garlic trio adding so much flavaaaa).
Time to get to work and then I’m off to another Moksha hot yoga class at lunchtime. Ange took me to my first hot yoga class on the weekend and I loved it. Many of you have been telling me for a long time now that a class is so different from a DVD and I must say you are 100% right! I will give a recap of my experience on the blog shortly.
Have a great day 
This is a wonderful sauce! I’ve been looking for a creamy sauce that isn’t too “nutty” tasting or without adding Nutritional Yeast (sometimes I just tire of that flavor). This one definitely hit the spot! I didn’t even have tomato paste, but this came out great…I used veggie broth instead of water to give it some extra flavor.
I was trying to use up the fresh veggies I got in my CSA from the Farmer’s Market this week, so I actually paired this recipe with your Eggplant Parmesan. I made the eggplant cutlets, then put this sauce over them. Delicious!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I am staying away from dairy for some weeks (just want to see how that goes), so this is just genius. I also tried an dessert recipe from your page, a chocolate cake with an almond crust an an coconut-dark chocolate filling. Was great, too!
wow! we tried this tonight, and this is one of very few recipes that has received rave reviews on my first try! Both my husband and my daughter loved this! My dairy-intolerant daughter asked if I was sure there was no cheese in it :). Thank you, this one’s a keeper!
This was surprisingly delicious, creamy, and SUPER EASY TO MAKE! I am new to this vegan lifestyle and your website has really helped make it a smooth transition for a mom of 2 boys & husband that are not vegan. Thank you!
Just made this for the non-vegan boyfriend! Delish :]
Hi Angela,
Thank you for the wonderful recipe. I was wondering if you had any suggestions for cashew substitutes in recipes like this, though. I’m somehow allergic to all nuts except peanuts and almonds, so unfortunately, cashews are off-limits for me. I would love to try making this pasta but I’m just not sure what to use in place of the cashews.
You might be able to get away with using soaked almonds? I would try soaking them for 10 hours or so, pop the skins off (Or simply used blanched almonds from the get go) and then blend as usual. Almonds might not get as smooth as cashews though, so that’s something to keep in mind. Let me know how it goes if you try it out!
I made this tonight. It is so creamy and delicious. I didn’t have tomatoe paste and it was great with out it.
I just made this tonight for dinner! Such amazing flavours and texture! Thanks for the recipe!
I know that this comment is not very timely; I’m not even sure if you will ever read it. I have had this recipe in my to-do box for a long time now. Although it is winter time and not the best time to buy tomatoes and basil, I made this last night and it was so good. It tastes like summertime. I was eating the sauce with a spoon. I do not have a blender and did it in the food processor. I’m sure it was not as smooth as was intended, but it was really really delicious. It is a dish I will make again and again.
Hey Johanna, So happy you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for your feedback.
WONDERFUL!!! I LOVE YOUR SITE!! I doubled the garlic and added 1/4 cup if pinot gris wine and a pinch of red pepper flake. Thank you!! EXCELLENT!!!
I am so happy I found your website! I made this recipe yesterday…..SO GOOD! Being a huge garlic fan, I doubled the garlic and added a pinch of red pepper flake. (the only deviation from your recipe). I thinned the sauce down a little with about a 1/4 cup white wine. I will be making this again soon. I have your website bookmarked now. I am now referring to myself as oh HE GLOWS! I also loved your tahini-lemon dressing!!! Thank you so much!!!
I just made this. Easy, rich tasting without making one feel heavy. I used a ready-made spaghetti sauce instead and added the cashew to that. I sauteed the mushrooms and onions and added the sauce to that. Excellent recipe! Thank you.
This is so incredibly simple and delicious that I can’t wait to make and enjoy it again! I LOVE it!!
I made this last night for friends; it was ridiculously easy to make (with my brand new Vitamix!), and it was SO delicious! Plus, my friends could not believe that there was no cream or butter or cheese in the sauce! Oh, and I used your suggestion, mixing lots of julienned squash and zucchini into the warm pasta to make it even healthier. Incidentally, I also got your cookbook this week; I can’t wait to keep trying more of your creations!
This is similar to the recipe you have in your cookbook. It’s has a few more ingredients but that’s ok because it was amazing! This is the best pasta dish to whip up in 20 mins that I have ever had! Even my kids liked it and that’s good news to me. Thank you so much for such a great easy recipe.
Hi – No soaking the cashews on this one?
Just made this recipe tonight from the cookbook and holy vegan sticks, it was AMAZING! Thank you so much
Oh my goodness. This sauce is amazing. Made a double batch and am going to have it for lunches all week! Delish!
Just made the Luxurious Tomato-Basil Pasta from the OSG Cookbook. Dreeeeamy, addictive, easy and quick – thanks!
I made this for dinner last night and it was AMAZING!
Fairly quick and easy too!
Definitely will make it again!! :)