Pasta with cashew cream sauce and spring veggies

It's everything in the fridge!

Prepped veggies:

Quartered mushrooms, ribbons of baby kale, slivers of red peppers

Sliced onion, chopped garlic and parsley

1. Soak 2 cups of cashews (roasted and salted pieces) in water for about 3 hours.

1. Heat about 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan, until oil is hot but not smoking
2. Add sliced onion, half of a medium onion (save the other half for tomorrow), sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions are soft and starting to become translucent.
3. Add quartered mushrooms and ribbons of baby kale. Stir occasionally, for another 5 - 10 minutes until the kale is wilted.
4. Add four cloves of chopped garlic and slivers of red peppers. Turn the heat down to medium low. Add a splash of vegetable broth to keep the veggies from sticking to the pan. 

Onions, kale and mushrooms sauté 

1. Boil water for the pasta and add about 1 tsp salt to flavor the pasta
2. Cook the pasta according to the directions
3. Meanwhile, drain the cashews and add them to a blender or food processor.
4. Add vegetable broth, about a cup or more until the cashew sauce is nice and creamy.

cashew cream sauce ready to combine with the veggies

1. Add about a teaspoon of smokey paprika, and sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
2. Combine the sauce with the veggies in the frying pan. Add the chopped parsley. Stir to coat the veggies and warm the sauce. Add a tablespoon of malt vinegar. I added the sauce in portions until it was enough for the veggies and pasta and held back about a third to use for another day. 
3. When the pasta is ready, drain in a colander and combine with the veggies and sauce (if there is room in either pan, otherwise serve the pasta directly in bowls and top with the veggies and sauce)
4. If the sauce is too thick once the pasta is combined, add more broth to thin it until the consistency is a nice smooth sauce.
5. Serve in pasta bowls and top with diced fresh tomatoes and toasty garlic bread on the side.

Finished pasta, ready for little eaters

clean plate (but not face) club!

Clean plate club!