Cashew Cream Alfredo Pasta with Shitake Bacon

This sauce uses creamy, sweet cashews to create a rich sauce that provides tremendous flavor with a dose of good fats and minerals. The sauce is delicious on its own, but the roasted shitake mushrooms add a pop of flavor that should not be missed!

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Cashew Cream Alfredo Pasta with Shiitake Bacon

Author: Adapted from a recipe by fellow Natural Gourmet Institute graduate, Chloe Coscarelli
Makes approximately 2 cups sauce
Time: 30 minutes plus cashew soaking time

Ingredients:

1 lb of your favorite pasta*
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1 4-oz package shiitake mushrooms
1 cup raw cashews, soaked**
1 large onion, large dice
3 cloves garlic, large dice
1 cup hot water
1 tsp salt
1 - 1½ Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 - 1½ tsp miso (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:  

1. Place your cashews in a bowl of filtered water and let sit for 6+ hours. Drain and rinse before use. 

2. Prepare the Shitake: Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and set them aside for another use.  Cut the remaining caps into ¼ inch strips. Toss the strips with 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the mushrooms on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes or until the mushrooms are browned and crisp. Stir once during baking. 

3. While the mushrooms are baking, cook the pasta according to the package instructions and prepare the pasta sauce.

4. Prepare the Alfredo: Heat a sauté pan over medium high heat. Sauté the onions and garlic with 1 Tbsp of olive oil until they start to soften and become transparent, about 5-7 minutes.

5. In a blender, combine the sautéed onions and garlic along with the cashews, hot water, lemon juice, miso and seasoning. Run the blender on high until the mixture is smooth. Adjust the flavor by adding additional lemon juice, miso or salt and pepper as desired. 

6. Toss the pasta and sauce in a pasta bowl and garnish with the mushrooms.  Serve. while hot.  

* I prefer chickpea pasta for added protein and fiber in the meal.  

** If you forget to soak the cashews you can pour boiling water over the nuts and let them sit for as long as you have. 

Nutrients per ¼ cup sauce: Calories 132; Fat 11g; Carbohydrates 7g; Fiber 1g; Protein 3g