Thanksgiving

Butternut Squash Alfredo Sauce

karenwpullen Main Dishes, Pasta, Recipes, Soups and Stews , , , ,
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
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Butternut Squash Alfredo Sauce

Course: Main Course, Sauces and dressings
Servings: 8

Equipment

  • blender

Ingredients

  • 1 butternut squash medium size
  • 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
  • 2-3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup miso white or yellow
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1 teaspoon sage leaves

Instructions

  • Cut the squash in half length-wise and scoop out the seeds. Place cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400° F for 40-50 minutes until soft. Let cool, and scoop out the cooked squash.
  • If you don't have a high-speed blender, soak the cashews in hot water for an hour or longer to soften them.
  • Combine the cashews, 2 cups broth, cooked squash, miso, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice in a blender. Blend until the sauce is completely combined. If needed, add additional broth so that the sauce is creamy and pourable.
  • Sauté the onion, stirring, for 5-7 minutes until golden and soft. Sprinkle with sage. Add wine if it starts to stick. Add all the wine and let it simmer for a couple of minutes.
  • Serve the sauce over cooked pasta, garnished with the sautéed onion.

Notes

This delicious sauce also makes a fine soup, when diluted with additional broth. Mix equal parts sauce and broth and stir well.
Freezes well.

Plant-Based Green Bean Casserole

karenwpullen Recipes, Side Dishes , , , , , ,
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Print Recipe

Plant-ified Green Bean Casserole

Crunchy onions atop creamed green beans makes a great addition to any table.
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Vegan
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 pound green beans rinsed, trimmed and cut in half
  • 1 medium shallot minced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup finely chopped mushrooms button or cremini
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • ¾ cup vegetable broth
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 ½ cups crispy fried onions read the ingredients label; French’s is OK
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt well. Add green beans and cook for 5 minutes, then drain and place in an ice water bath to stop cooking. Drain again and set aside.
  • Start preparing sauce. In a large skillet, sauté shallot and garlic with a tablespoon of water, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes more or until lightly browned.
  • Sprinkle in flour and whisk to stir and coat the veggies. Cook for 1 minute, then slowly add in veggie stock, whisking to incorporate.
  • Add almond milk next and whisk to stir again. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low to thicken. Cook for 5 minutes more, or until thick and bubbly.
  • Remove from heat and add 1/3 of the fried onions (half a cup) and all of the cooked green beans. Toss to coat well, and transfer to a baking dish. Top with remaining fried onions. At this point, you can set it aside if you have other dishes to prepare.
  • Bake in a preheated at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, or until warmed through and bubbly and slightly browned on top. Serve immediately.

Notes

Leftovers store well in the fridge for up to a few days.

Plant-Based for the Holidays

karenwpullen Blog , , , , , ,
Plant-Based for the Holidays

The holiday season can present challenges for those of us who eat plant-based. Those challenges come from two directions.

First, there’s the food. Traditional foods—turkey, eggnog, cheese trays, cookies, giblet gravy, dairy-based pumpkin pie—are off our menus. That’s actually the easier of the two challenges to solve, and below I’ll share my ideas for a plant-based holiday meal. Read more