Spiral Pasta with Chickpeas in Garlic Sauce

1 pound pasta, spiral
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1/4 cup green pepper, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
2 cups chickpeas, cooked
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, non-dairy

Bring a six-quart kettle of water to a boil. Add salt and dry, spiral pasta. Cook until it reaches the al dente stage, 12 - 15 minutes. If using gluten-free pasta, the time will be shorter.

Drain pasta (set aside 1/4 cup) and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

To prepare the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, walnuts, onion and green pepper. Cook for two minutes.

Add the garbanzo beans, salt and 1/4 cup of pasta water and simmer for another two minutes. 

Mix the pasta with the garlic sauce and add the diced tomatoes.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes.

Sprinkle with homemade, non-dairy Parmesan cheese (recipe below). 

Makes ten servings.

Non-Dairy Parmesan Cheese

1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 cup ground sesame seeds
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. chicken-style seasoning (Bill's Best or McKay's)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Mix ingredients together and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Use a small coffee grinder or seed mill to grind the sesame seeds.

Melty Cheese

Cheese --- delicious cheese --- high in fat, filled with cholesterol, difficult to digest. But oh, so hard to give up! Until now! How about a 100% plant-based cheesy sauce that helps to fill the gap? This recipe is for a savory and flavorful cheese-like sauce. Put it in a squeeze bottle to use like cheese whiz, use on chips for nachos, layer in lasagna, or stir into pasta for macaroni and cheese. Delicious!

Cheesy Sauce

1/3 cup raw cashews
1 1/2 cups cold water
4 Tbsp. pimientos
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Rinse cashews in a strainer using hot water. Drain and place in blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend until very smooth. Place mixture into saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Remove from heat. May be served hot or chilled.

*Notes*
 
Brazil nuts can be substituted for cashews if you have an allergy or difficulty finding raw cashews. Nutritional yeast is available at most health food stores. Happy experimenting! If you have never tried a cheese substitute, I recommend that you don't 'think' of this as cheese, but rather as a wonderful, savory sauce or dressing. It is real food, just not real cheese.

Cashew Jack Cheese

Cashew Jack Cheese

1 cup cashews
2 tablespoons onion chips or flakes (dehydrated)
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon honey or agave syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup water
1 tablespoon brewer's yeast

Whiz cashews in enough of the water to cover. Blend until smooth adding remaining water. Add remaining ingredients except oil and continue to blend. Add oil while blending.

Savory Sprinkles

Are you looking for a delicious, low-fat alternative to Parmesan? A friend made this dish for me when I was a guest in her home. It was so good and she was happy to share the recipe. Nutrient dense, this recipe is high in calcium and vitamins B and C. To serve, sprinkle on vegetables or pasta or pizza. You can also sprinkle on to your favorite crackers, toast, or sourdough.

1 cup toasted sesame seeds, unhulled and toasted (if preferred)
1 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 cup Bakon Yeast (a very flavorful plant-based seasoning)
3 Tablespoons chicken-like seasoning (McKay's or Bill's Best Chicknish)
1 Tbsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder

1. Blend sesame seeds in blender for several minutes. Use spatula to help blend evenly.

2. Pour into bowl and add remaining ingredients. Mix well and add 1/4 cup lemon juice and knead in with hands or pastry blender until little chunks have a nice, even, small size.

3. Store in refrigerator. Freezes nicely.

Savory White Sauce

This creamy white sauce is flavorful and delicious! It's high in calcium, protein, and B vitamins. The cashews make this thicken to a creamy smoothness. It can be served hot or cold. Use as a topping for baked potatoes, a creamy sauce for pasta, a dressing for potato salad, as a sauce for a 'white' pizza, or a raw vegetable dip.

2 cups hot water 3/4 cup cashew nuts
2 Tbsp sesame seeds or 1 Tbsp sesame butter (tahini)
1 1/4 tsp salt 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dill seed
1 Tbsp parsley flakes, dried
2 Tbsp lemon juice

1. Blend 1/2 cup water and remaining ingredients in blender until very smooth.

2. With blender still on, slowly add remaining water.

3. Pour liquid into saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. 4. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.

Cheesy Pimento Sauce

My cousin Carol is a fantastic cook! This recipe is from her and it's one of my favorites. Originally she developed it as a sauce for dairy-free lasagna and it's great that way! But I have taken to using it for other things as well. It's delicious served as a gravy, or as a creamy sauce for cauliflower or broccoli. Usually I prepare it as written, but for a little extra flavor, roast the raw cashews in a 350 F degree oven for a few minutes before adding them to the other ingredients.

1 cup water
3/4 cup raw cashew pieces
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1 1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup pimentos (undrained)
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dill weed

1. In a blender, combine water and nuts. Blend until very smooth.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend again.

3. Now your sauce is ready to be baked into your favorite cheese sauce recipe. You can also put the sauce into a pan over a medium heat and stir constantly until thickened.