I’ve had a lot going on in my life already this year and I have found myself yet again in a place where I haven’t got a good routine going! After a few weeks of grabbing food at lunchtime from various shops I got fed up and knew I had to start being more organised and pack a lunch. Not only for my waist line but also for my bank balance!
Pasta is a great convenience food because you can make it the night before and eat it cold or heat it up in an office microwave. I fancied something really creamy but since cutting out dairy a lot from my diet I mainly eat tomato based pasta sauces! Then I remembered my Vegan Creamy cauliflower sauce and so lunchtimes were back on track.
Plus for the price of a cauliflower this sauce tastes like it is gourmet! Add some artichoke hearts and a squeeze of lemon and you’ll be the envy of the office!
This sauce is similar to my Vegan Smoked Tofu and Mushroom Carbonara but slightly tweaked for a simple lunchtime pasta dish ๐ The cauliflower acts as a thickener for the sauce and the nutritional yeast gives it a rich flavour which matches the artichokes wonderfully.
Makes enough sauce for 5-6 portions (perfect for a week of lunch boxes!)
Vegan, Gluten Free, Healthy and Delicious!
For the sauce –
1 Head Cauliflower
300ml Unsweetened Almond Milk (or dairy free milk of choice)
2 heaped tblspn Nutritional Yeast
1 Garlic Clove (Crushed)
1.5 tspn Dijon Mustard
1 Lemon (Juice)
Salt and Pepper
To serve –
Approx 50g Dry Pasta per person (Use gluten free if required)
Handful Mushrooms (Sliced) per person
2 Artichoke hearts (I used canned) sliced in half per person
Lemon Zest
Chilli Flakes
Black Pepper
Break the cauliflower head into florets and place in a large saucepan with all of the sauce ingredients except the lemon and seasoning. Cook on a medium heat with a lid on until the cauliflower is soft.
Blend the sauce and add the lemon juice and seasoning to taste. If it is a little thick then add a splash more milk and stir until it is creamy but still quite thick. Put to once side. (This sauce will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days)
Boil the pasta until al dente and cook the mushrooms and artichokes (I gently stirfried them with a little seasoning). Mix the cooked, drained pasta into the sauce and then serve with the mushrooms and artichokes and then sprinkle over lemon zest, chilli flakes and black pepper for a kick!
Having this for lunch every day really made me feel a bit more back on track again with food and routine. It’s amazing how much food can change your perspective! After a few days of home cooked food again I started to feel so much better! I had a home made veggie chilli for my dinner every night which I will post this week ๐
I have shared this recipe with the fab Virtual Vegan Linky Potluck hosted by Annie at An Unrefined Vegan. Click here to check out the other great recipes.
This has all of my favorite flavors! I’m definitely going to have to try this. Thanks for the recipe:)
Thanks!! I really hope you enjoy it ๐ x
A lovely tasty good for you pasta dish,….Yum Yum Yummm..๐
Cheers Sophie ๐ I love convenience food which is good for you too! x