Cash-EW! "Bless You, Now Pass the Alfredo!"

I have never been an Alfredo fan, so it certainly wasn't something I was looking to replace in my diet. Still, if I had to make, or eat, one more vegan casserole I think I would have jumped ship.

I had heard tell of using cashews for cream sauces, but since I don't like cashews I figured I would certainly NOT like them on my noodles...how very wrong I was.

I hesitate to call this an Alfredo sauce. But it is white and creamy so I can see why folks refer to it as vegan Alfredo. Regardless of the moniker you choose, it is deeeeee-lish (and super easy)!

Ingredients
1 cup of raw cashews
1-ish cups of water
1 tsp. miso
2 tbs. nutritional yeast
1 tbs. olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 small onion
salt and pepper to taste

How To
Soak the raw cashews in a bowl of water for an hour then rinse well. Put all of the ingredients, except the water, into a blender and whirrr away. I have a Nutrabullet (a newer version of the Magic Bullet which will always sound like, ahem, the name of a vibrator to me.) Um, anyway...once the whole mix is pureed smooth slowly add water until it is the consistency you like. I didn't have the onion so I didn't add it, but it was still wonderful. Once it is the consistency you like, just warm it slowly on the stove, stirring it occasionally.

I can't say it tasted like Alfredo sauce exactly, but it had its own individual goodness, which is good enough for me.

I served this over GF noodles, but this would also be great over steamed broccoli or cauliflower.

Diners' reviews

I don't know what this guy is so happy about, but I want me some.

Grownups: Absolutely two thumbs up.

Kids: Loved it. Even Dane, who isn't a dinner guy, gobbled up his plateful.

What is nutritional yeast?

Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast, which means that it doesn't make things rise. It has kind of a nutty, cheesy flavor so it is used a lot by vegans when preparing cheese based dishes. I use it to sprinkle on salads and popcorn. I also use it when I make butternut squash macaroni and "cheese." Nutritionally, it is fabulous. In 2 tbs. there are 8 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, and 45 calories. One serving also provides all the niacin, thiamin, and vitamin Bs that you need for the day. It also provides over half of the RDA of folic acid. What's not to love?

This is what it looks like:

 I buy mine in bulk at Wegman's, but it is ubiquitous at health food stores. I am not sure I used the word "ubiquitous" correctly here, but I have always wanted to use it in a sentence, so there you have it.

Potato and Cheese Torta. What's not to love?

Its only Wednesday and I am staring into my fridge thinking "blech." What the hell can I make that isn't beans, rice, or pasta??? So I flipped through a cookbook called 1,000 Vegan Recipes and was almost to 999 when I happened upon a recipe for a torta. Torta is Italian for cake. Or pie. Or tart. Whatever it means it ISN'T Italian for vegetable! Anyway, I tweaked a few things ended up with a delicious cheese and potato torta that made everyone happy. (Vegan and GF.)

Las papas con queso y vegetables son delicioso!

(I am aware there is no relation between a 

potato wearing a sombrero and an Italian

savory tart.)

 

Potato and Cheese Torta

Ingredients:

6 red potatoes thinly sliced

2 cups steamed cauliflower, chopped

2 cups steamed broccoli, chopped

1 cup steamed carrots, diced

1 1/4 cups of rice cheddar or regular cheddar

1/4 cup olive oil

salt, pepper, garlic, and oregano to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Spray or oil a  large casserole dish to prevent sticking.

Use a mandolin (if you have one) to slice the taters. Don't peel them if you can help it (but use organic if you can.) Red potatoes work best because they hold their shape better when cooked.

Cover the bottom of the dish with the potato slices by overlapping them. Brush on a light coat of olive oil and seasoning to taste. Spread the chopped broccoli evenly on top of the first potato layer and top with about 1/2 cups of cheese. Repeat the overlapping potato layer and brush with olive oil and seasonings. Spread the chopped cauliflower evenly on top of the potatoes and top with the 1/2 cup of cheese. Top with the final layer of potatoes, cover with tinfoil, and bake for about 50 minutes then remove the tinfoil, top with the rest of cheese, and bake for 10 more minutes. Be careful and don't let it burn.

Reviews

Grown ups: We both loved it. I felt guilty feeding it to the kids as a main dish because basically it was potatoes au gratin with veggies. But it was yummy and nutritious and a keeper. It's also a great way to clean out the fridge or finish of half full bags of frozen veggies. I also served a side dish of amaranth, which I will talk about another time.

Kids: They absolutely loved it. Selah ate almost half the dish. Literally. Dane isn't a big dinner fellow, but he gave it two thumbs up anyway.

On Photobucket this is captioned as "fully belly frog." However, he rather looks like he's been shot. Or gigged.

The Big Cheese

If you use dairy cheese in this recipe you have an additional 33 grams of protein. However, you also have 44 grams of fat, 28 grams of which are saturated (which is 139% of your daily recommended allowance!) Also, you have the added benefits of 139 mg. of cholesterol (46% of the daily allowance), and 820 mg. of sodium (34% of your RDA.) Even divided by four people, these are some scary numbers.


 

Mmmmmm...Krispy Kream bacon cheese burgers.

Mochi is nice...mochi is rice.

Chewy Deliciousness!

What is mochi?

Mochi is a Japanese rice cake made of sticky brown rice. It comes in a hard flat vacuum sealed brick. I got mine from Whole Foods during a recent trip to the Big City. I think they were about $3.50 a package (they are in the fridge section.) I learned about them from a friend who suggested I try them as a gluten-free waffle alternative.

Mochi waffles (or "moffles") are incredibly simple to make. Here is the process: 

1. Open mochi package.
2. Cut into small squares (about 2" x 2").
3. Place in hot waffle iron for 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Remove and top with agave, cinnamon sugar, or whatever floats your boat. 

Tip*: The bricks are hard so put them on a firm surface and use a sharp knife to cut them. Also, I split each square (like a bagel) to make the mochi thinner. I liked the texture better this way and it let me feel like I was eating more. 

Here is a link to a step by step tutorial with pictures.

Alas, this isn't what the waffles look like. But aren't they pretty?

The final analysis.

Grown ups: My final analysis is that these are a keeper. I have had them several times for breakfast with sliced banana, a bit of peanut butter, and agave. Darin thought they were "fine" and not in a "Melissa, you are a FINE looking woman" kind of way.

Kids: Dane thought thought they were good but hasn't asked for them since his first taste. Selah, on the other hand, loves them. She has chosen them as a snack several times. Her favorite is the agave with cinnamon.

And just to clarify....

Mochi is apparently a highly popular pet name. Please be aware that these "Mochi" are not intended for the waffle iron (although I am pretty sure I had the second one down in a stew once...).