Creamy Rigatoni with Lentils & Fresh Oregano – Vegan!
Creamy Rigatoni with Lentils & Fresh Oregano – Vegan! was so freakin’ good that my kiddo housed it like a drunken frat boy chowing down on pizza after a wild night out. 😉 … Yeah, so that statement just produced a litany of SUNY New Paltz memories racing through my brain. Ahh… the good ole days. When livers were strong, friends were family, stoners still laughed when they got high, cigarettes were cheap, the walk of shame was lived by all – every weekend, and life was… well… fucking great! THAT’s how unbelievably awesome this pasta dish is.
This Creamy Rigatoni with Lentils & Fresh Oregano – Vegan! is made with a cashew and pesto based sauce. It’s loaded with vitamins, omega 3, iron, and all things good for your mind, body, soul, and of course, your tastebuds. 😉 This dish talks the talk and walks the walk. I have a load of oregano and basil pumpin’ in my garden. I dried the oregano the night before to use for this meal. I had to stop myself from over-carbing, as usual.
Since I hadn’t written a post in ages until my previous gyoza post, I totally forgot to do my new thanggg. Music! I’m super into adding some good tunes to every post. I always cook with music. If you have my e-cookbook, you’ll know that each recipe has a link to a song that accompanies that specific dish. Enjoy the dope tunes and grub! Mangia!
- 1 lb rigatoni pasta - cooked
- 1 C cooked lentils (I used 1/2 a pack of Trader Joe's Steamed Lentils)
- 1/4 C fresh oregano that has been dried - this will taste very different than dried oregano in a store
- 1 1/2 C basil leaves - loosely packed
- 1 & 1/2 C cashews - raw & unsalted
- 1/2 of a large red onion - diced
- 3 Tbs nutritional yeast
- 3 Tbs ground flax seed (I add this solely for health purposes - omegas!)
- 2 cloves garlic - chopped
- 1/4 C pine nuts
- 1/2 of a lemon - squeezed
- 1 1/2 tsp Better Than Bouillon Seasoned Vegetable Base
- 1 - 2 C unsweetened almond milk or soy milk (depends on how thick you want your sauce)
- 2 Tbl olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Heat pan on medium with olive oil
- Add onion and salt - cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes
- Add garlic and cashews - cook, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes more
- In a high powered blender (I used my Vitamix), blend all of the ingredients, except the lentils and oregano, together until smooth and creamy - adjust salt, pepper, and milk as necessary
- Pour sauce over warm rigatoni and sprinkle with oregano
- Done!
- White - oaked chardonnay, soave, chablis
- Red - teroldego, pinot noir
G’s Creamy Veggie Sauce (no cream)!
G’s Creamy Veggie Sauce (no cream) was created for my lil’ man, G. He is now officially two years old and killin’ it everyday! Keeping him strong and healthy is obviously my mama priority. A few months ago I made this sauce for him and quickly took some pics. Again, not back on the food photography band wagon yet, as I simply do not have any time for that, however, I decided I can’t let this deter me from posting on my blog! G stopped eating most vegetables in whole form for a bit but I wasn’t willing to cut them out of his diet. I thought if I pureed them into sauces, soups, etc that he may hop back on the veggie ship and sail back into veggie love. Alas, it worked! Frankly, I adore this sauce myself. It most certainly was created for my toddler, however, it is a perfect sauce for adults alike. Use whatever you’ve got leftover in your fridge and toss it in. This recipe can serve as your guide or you can follow it completely. If you’re looking to pack your wee one (or yourself) with a protein/vitamin flavorful punch, then this is the sauce for you! Veggies galore, beans, tofu, tomatoes, herbs, parmesan (optional for vegans or sub vegan parm) make up this burst of deliciousness and health that will make your taste buds dance for more! Easy, healthy, delicious and done in only 5 minutes! This G’s Creamy Veggie Sauce (no cream) is a must-add to your recipe repertoire.
- 1/2 medium head of broccoli
- 1/2-1 cup red & yellow peppers
- 1-2 cups spinach
- 1/2 brick firm tofu (drained)
- 1/2 can of cannellini or small white beans (keep some of the juice to throw into the blender)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 small onion (optional)
- 1 can of good tomatoes in Italian herbs if you have it OR the equivalent in marinara sauce
- 3-5 Tbl of pesto sauce (green or red)
- parmesan cheese to taste (optional for vegans or sub with vegan parm)
- oregano to taste (fresh oregano if you have it)
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste (I don't use pepper when making it for my toddler)
- Add all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Done!
- Makes approximately 3 pints of sauce
- Feel free to get creative in your sauce making and add the leftover veggies in your fridge
- I serve this over whole wheat rotini noodles
- Red: Cabernet Sauvignon
- White: Pinot Grigio
