Linguine with Clam-Free Sauce

When I saw this recipe in the December issue of Vegetarian Times, I knew it wouldn't take long for me to make it!  It looked delicious, but as a former linguine and creamy clam sauce lover, I was quite skeptical!  I am happy to say this recipe met all my expectations with the exception of one - it didn't make enough for leftovers!  The recipe says it serves 6, but four of us made quick work of it.  (Morgan abstained - she has decided she doesn't like mushrooms.  Blasphemy, I say!)

Linguine with Clam-Free Sauce

14 oz. uncooked linguine

2 tbsp arame (I couldn't find this particular sea vegetable in my local grocery, but they DID have generic "dried sea vegetable" sheets in addition to the nori sheets, so I tried it and it worked quite well.  I found it in the Asian section of my grocery store.)  

2 tbsp olive oil

6 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and cut into 1/2" cubes (I just sliced mine)

1/2 cup dry white wine (or you could use veggie broth or just water - I used wine because I had some opened for another recipe)

1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

1 1/2 cups unsweetened soy, rice, or macadamia nut milk (I used soy)

3 tbsp nutritional yeast

2 tbsp Earth Balance margarine, optional (I used it)

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (I didn't want the flakes, so I subbed 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper)

3 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

4 tsp pine nuts

Cook pasta in salted, boiling water according to package directions.  Drain.

While pasta is cooking, soak arame in 1/2 cup hot water.

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add mushrooms, wine, and lemon juice; saute' 5 minutes adding up to 1/4 cup water (if needed) to prevention sticking.  (I sauteed the mushrooms for a few minutes before adding the wine and lemon juice.  I wanted them to have a little color and caramelization on them first.)

Add soy milk, nutritional yeast, margarine (if using), red pepper flakes, and arame with soaking liquid; season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Divide linguine among four plates; top with sauce; garnish with parsley and pine nuts.  

Per 1 1/2 cup serving:  

386 calories

16 g protein

9 g total fat (1 g sat fat)

65 g carbs

0 mg cholesterol

114 mg sodium

5 g fiber

7 g sugars

I'm Back, Y'all!

I have been busy moving the Vegan Cajuns across the country.  We relocated from Cajun Country to the Pacific Northwest!  We are enjoying Seattle, especially the weather that any Cajun would pay good money for in the month of August - 60s and 70s, breezy, beautiful, and sunny, sunny, sunny!  

It's also nice to be in a place where good vegan cuisine is easy to find and people don't look at you like you have two heads if you don't eat meat!  Supper tonight was a remake of an old Pampered Chef favorite, Brown Butter Tortellini.  

"Brown Butter" Ravioli

20 oz vegan ravioli or tortellini (I used Rising Moon Organics Butternut Squash Vegan Ravioli)

1/4 cup vegan margarine (I used Earth Balance Buttery Sticks)

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 bunch fresh baby spinach (about 6 oz)

2 Tbsp nutritional yeast ("nooch")

2 links vegan sausage, sliced or broken apart (I used Field Roast Sage and Apple Sausage)

Cook ravioli according to package directions.  Add spinach to a colander and drain ravioli over the spinach to slightly wilt it.

In a large skillet, melt margarine and toss in the nooch and whisk around.  This gives a nuttiness that you would otherwise get browning regular dairy butter.  Saute' sausage and red bell pepper until the sausage is browned and the pepper is just starting to soften.  Add ravioli and spinach and toss, adding salt and pepper to taste.  

Super quick recipe and VERY tasty!