Spicy Mushroom Rigatoni with Cauliflower Alfredo

Another great way to use cauliflower involves blending it down into a creamy puree to use in a vegan version of alfredo sauce without all that fat and calories a traditional butter and cheese filled sauce has. Serve this alfredo sauce over pasta on its own or combine with marinara like I did here for a super delicious cream tomato sauce.

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Creamy cauliflower alfredo sauce tossed with tomato basil marinara, green peas, crisp mushrooms and rigatoni for a full bellied spicy pasta dish you will make over and over again.

Spicy Mushroom Rigatoni
serves 4
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
8 oz cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tbl red pepper flakes
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 batch cauliflower alfredo
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup frozen peas
12 oz rigatoni

Over medium-high heat, saute the mushrooms in olive oil for 5-7 minutes until they start to brown. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, pepper and salt. Cook 5 minutes more until caramelized. Add the cauliflower alfredo, marinara and the peas. Simmer for 15 minutes over medium-low heat.
While the sauce is cooking, boil the pasta in salted water until al dente.
Taste and season with salt and more red pepper flakes if needed.

Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
2 cups of cauliflower florets (from 1 medium head)
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tbl nutritional yeast
salt and pepper

Combine the cauliflower, broth and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes until the cauliflower is very tender.
While the cauliflower is boiling, saute the garlic in olive oil until fragrant and lightly browned.
Transfer the cauliflower (with all of the liquid) and garlic with oil, almond milk and nutritional yeast to a blender and blend until creamy and smooth.
Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until the sauce has thickened. Taste and season with salt.

Caramelized Eggplant Calzone, Basil Marinara

After a short vacation to Southern California and a couple days back home to recoup and eat out, I finally had the urge to make dinner. Something quick(er) and hearty with tons of flavor.

Crusty calzones filled with caramelized eggplant, fresh basil, toasted walnuts, spinach, onions and creamy white beans served with basil marinara for dipping.



Eggplant Calzones
1 ball of fresh pizza dough
AP Flour for rolling out dough
6 tbl extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 yellow onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large eggplant, skin on, medium dice
2 tbl organic sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
8 basil leaves, torn
1c white beans, drained and rinsed
1/2c chopped toasted walnuts
2c fresh baby spinach
2c vegan mozzarella cheese

First you want to remove the dough from it's bag and let rest on the counter with a towel on top for 10 minutes. Once it has rested, divide it into 4 pieces and roll them out into circles. Your dough might want to shrink every time you try to roll it out! If that is the case, let it sit for 10 more minutes before trying again. This allows the gluten strands in the dough to relax and shrink back less. Roll out again into 4 circles and set aside.

In a large sauce pot, heat 2 tbl olive oil and saute the onions and garlic until they are soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the diced eggplant, 2 more tbl of oil and sugar and saute over medium high heat for 15 minutes. You want the eggplant to start to break down and get soft and caramelized. Add the salt and pepper, basil and white beans and saute 4 more minutes to warm the beans through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and place a pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven to warm up.
If you put a hot sheet pan in the oven while it is heating up, this will allow the bottom of whatever you are baking to crisp and brown without having to turn it over during the baking process!

To assemble the calzones, lay a pile of baby spinach in the center, 1/4-1/2 cup of the eggplant mixture and a sprinkle of walnuts and cheese. Brush the edges of the dough with water and fold the dough over, creating a half moon. Pinch the seal together and use a fork to prick edges. Prick some holes in the top to allow steam to escape.

Pull out the pizza stone and place the calzones on top. Drizzle with remaining oil and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and when tapped, the dough sounds hollow. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Basil Marinara
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped small
2 tsp organic sugar
1 tbl tomato paste
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
3 fresh basil leaves, torn
1- 15oz can crushed tomatoes

In a small stockpot heat oil and add the onion, cook until translucent and soft. Add sugar and tomato paste. Cook for a couple minutes. Add garlic, salt and pepper. Saute 2 more minutes. Add basil and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and partially cover and cook for 15 minutes. Puree sauce in a blender until smooth, return to heat and keep warm. Adjust seasonings.

Ratatouille Ravioli in Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce

The other week I bought wonton wrappers to make Fresh Corn and Scallion Wontons and it left me with alot of wrappers left over. Wanting to keep things slightly on the lighter side in comparison to fried wontons, I decided to make ravioli. Ratatouille is one of my favorite dishes to make because it involves some of my favorite fresh vegetables and a delicious slow roasted flavor without the long cooking time. Wanting both ratatouille and to use up my wrappers, I came up with this.
In my ratatouille, I use Mirliton. Also known as Chayote squash. You can get it in the specialty grocery produce section and most often at Mexican food stores. If you can't find it go ahead and use yellow squash.

Ratatouille Ravioli with mirliton, eggplant, zucchini, red peppers and purple potatoes served on top of a rich tomato basil sauce and Tofurkey Italian sausage on the side.

Ravioli
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 mirliton, peeled and chopped small
3 small purple potatoes, chopped small
1/2 zucchini, chopped small
1/2 small eggplant, chopped small
1/2 red pepper, chopped small
1/4 white onion, chopped small
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp creole seasoning
1 tsp thyme
2 tbl tomato paste
15 oz crushed tomatoes
2 tbl fresh parsley, chopped
wonton wrappers
Tofurkey Italian Sausages

In a large sauce pot, heat oil and add mirliton, potatoes, zucchini, eggplant and red pepper. Cook for 10 minutes or until soft. Add onion and garlic and cook 5 min more. Add salt, pepper, creole seasoning and thyme. Stir. Add tomato paste, stir and cook for 5 minutes to remove the raw tomato flavor. Add crushed tomatoes, partially cover pot and cook for 10 more minutes. Stir in one tablespoon of parsley and garnish the finished plate with the remaining parsley.
Let filling cool, lay one side of the wonton wrapper down and brush with water to act as a glue. Put a small spoonful of filling in the center and top with another wrapper. Seal edges. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add ravioli. Boil for 3 minutes. Drain (be gentle!) and serve immediately.
Brown sausages in a small amount of oil in a saute pan and serve on the side.

Tomato Basil Marinara
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/4 white onion, chopped small
2 tsp organic sugar
1 tbl tomato paste
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
3 fresh basil leaves, torn
1- 15oz can crushed tomatoes

In a small stockpot heat oil and add onion, cook until translucent and soft. Add sugar and tomato paste. Cook for a couple minutes. Add garlic, salt and pepper. Saute 2 more minutes. Add basil and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and partially cover and cook for 15 minutes. Puree sauce in a blender until smooth, return to heat and keep warm. Adjust seasonings.