Vegan Pumpkin Sage Cream Sauce

I've used my got-to cashew cream in lieu of heave cream to make a rich, creamy pasta sauce that no one would ever know was dairy-free.  The sage makes this super savory but it can be strong so if you want to lighten up the intensity just simmer a couple whole leaves in the sauce, then remove.  Add in more pumpkin if you you like or even sub with mashed butternut squash.

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Makes enough sauce for 2 good-sized portions of pasta

Ingredients

1/4 cup raw cashews, soaked 4-8 hours (go with 8 if you don't have a high powered blender)

2/3 cup water

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 small shallot finely chopped

1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage

1 Tbsp vegan butter

1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree

Pinch of nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Add soaked cashews and 2/3 cup water to a blender.  Puree until smooth.  Should be the consistency of heavy cream and should yield about 1 cup of cashew cream.  Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add shallot and sage.  Saute a 3-4 minutes.

Stir in vegan butter, then pumpkin and add the cashew cream.  Simmer about 5 minutes or until it thickens slightly.  

Add in nutmeg, salt and pepper and serve over pasta.

Lemon Garlic Cashew Cream Sauce



Yep, I'm pretty obsessed with making creamy sauces out of soaked cashews.  It's just so amazingly rich you forget you're eating something vegan.  This is one of my simplest sauces that you can definitely build upon.  It's great on pasta as pictured but also good poured on veggies or salad or as a dip too.  You can even use a little less liquid to make it thicker as a spread which is really great on sandwiches or on pizza in lieu of cheese. Oh so many things you can do with this!

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Makes 1 cup

Ingredients

1/2 cup cashews, soaked overnight, water reserved

1/4-1/2 cup reserved soaking water or unsweetened almond milk

2-3 tsp lemon juice

2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Place ingredients in blender or food processor and blend until smooth and desired consistency is reached. 









Lemon Tahini Dressing (oil-free)

An easy to whip up oil-free dressing that goes great on salad, rice, veggies, baked potatoes, sandwiches, endless possibilities. I always have these ingredients on hand, even the lemon juice and garlic.  Buy a couple lemons, juice them and freeze it ice cube trays.  However, if you don't have the lemon juice, you can also use red wine vinegar but adjust the quantity to taste.  I always have garlic in the freezer too.  I peel the cloves, put them in a plastic bag, and toss in the freezer.  Then just grate a frozen clove on a microplane.  Make as little or as much of the dressing as you need.  Store in the fridge 2-3 days.

Makes 2-3 servings

Ingredients

2 Tbsp tahini paste
3 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp lemon juice (about half a lemon)
1 garlic clove, grated on microplane
Salt and pepper to taste (try pinch of white pepper if you have it)

Method

In a small bowl mix tahini and water until it comes together.  Add lemon juice, garlic, and stir.  Consistency should be like heavy cream or coconut milk, not too thin.  Add salt and pepper and make any adjustments to suit taste.