{Meatless Monday} Pumpkin Harvest Alfredo Pasta
(are you all, “meatless monday? What? why?” click here to catch up)
Vegan & Gluten-free Pumpkin Harvest Alfredo!
That’s right, we’re showing the love for fall by uniting Pumpkin + Alfredo in tasty matrimony and celebrating with a flavor party in your mouth! Adapted from Manifest Vegan‘s pumpkin alfredo recipe, we’ve made some simple alterations that pack a perfect punch. Its super simple and incredibly decadent, even though its healthy. There’s practically no telling its dairy-free! I made it this weekend, and it was a culinary epiphany. We absolutely LOVE IT!
Ingredients:
- A pack of your favorite pasta, 12-16 oz. (We used Trader Joes Brown Rice Pasta Spirals – mmmmm!)
- 1/2 bag fresh baby spinach
- 1 carton mushrooms (we used crimini), sliced
- 1/2 bag frozen peas
- 1/2 tsp. garlic salt, or 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
- Toasted walnuts (optional)
For the sauce:
- 1 container (12 oz.) silken tofu, drained
- 1-1/2 cup pumpkin puree (we roasted/pureed a pumpkin, but you can also use a canned variety)
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast (find this at natural food stores. Its got a mild nutty, parmesan-like taste and is uber rich in vitamins)
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseed, aka flaxseed meal (find this in the baking section)
- 1-1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Steps:
Get your water boiling for the pasta. Always toss a healthy hit of salt into your pasta pot for flavor. Cook the pasta according to the directions. Set aside.
Meantime, put all sauce ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth and incorporated. Try to not eat it all straight out of the mixing bowl!
Sauté mushrooms and peas with garlic until the mushrooms begin to brown…
Then add the sauce from your blender. Gently warm the sauce, but not to boil. Once it’s heated through, fold in the spinach and turn off the burner. The warmth from the sauce will wilt the spinach juuuust right. If the sauce looks too thick, stir in a bit of water until it reaches your preferred consistency.
Pour the sauce over your pasta in each serving bowl, and top with toasted walnuts, if you like it like that. Oh, we likes it like that! (To toast raw walnuts: spread ‘em on a sheet pan and roast at 350 for 8-10 minutes, but watch them closely so they don’t burn! No one likes burned nuts, hehe.) The trick to this one is that the sauce is so creamy and packed with veggies that you really only need a handful of pasta to fill ‘er out. That keeps the carbs and cals lower – cha ching! Double bonus!
Voila! A rich, creamy, and cozy autumn meal that’s way healthier than your average alfredo, and cheaper than dinner out… amped up with the power of pumpkin and fresh veggies! Even our non-vegan pals adore it. Last night, our die-hard carnivore friend said “Dana, whenever you make this, I will come eat it.” ‘Nuff said, yo! So don’t be scurred of something new. Whip up a batch and let me know what you think!
What do you think? Will you give it a try?
Got a recipe you want us to try? Hit me up in the comments, and maybe your recipe will be featured on Meatless Mondays!
{Don’t forget to check out this week’s Bargain Bash! Get a Gobble Green vegan or gluten-free home meal delivery starter kit at 44% off!}
I'm a big fan of both Meatless Monday AND pumpkin … so this recipe is going right on my to-try list! I made pumpkin mac 'n cheese a few weeks ago and it was awesome (I'm sure you could use Daiya and soy milk instead of the regular stuff). Can't wait to see what other recipes you post!
Hi Anna. Thanks for being a loyal reader, but there's no need to be disappointed.
1) No one is trying to make anyone else vegan. It's a suggestion to try one day, or even just one meal without meat.
2) Being a loyal reader I'm sure you have read all about Dana's eye disease and glaucoma pressure (which could not be cured by medicine), which has improved drastically since she has taken on a Vegan diet. However, I imagine we may have to agree to disagree regarding the "Science and Emotional Propaganda"
3) No one here is against supporting our farmers. In fact, we are strongly for it. We try to make it a point to shop at our local farmers markets at least once a week, where the dollar goes straight to the farmer, and the food goes straight from the outdoors to our plates. Vitamins, flavor and sending money to the folks that make this country grand all sound grand to us.
4) My wife may be Vegan but I am a meat eater. However, I don't find it necessary to eat meat every single day. As we grow as a populace the earth remains the same size. When meat became such a large part of the american diet there was more land to go around than human population. While our population has multiplying on ourselves the land stays the same size. So maybe just maybe we should think about taking one meal off.
5) 1lb of beans = $0.99,1lb of beef = $5.29 You just saved 4 bucks and change. Broke-Ass Baby!
One meal. If ya like it have another. If not, there will be a lot more fun posts to read while munching on a steak.
Yum! Can't wait to try it!
I have been a faithful reader but was terribly disappointed to see this post. America's farmers and ranchers work tirelessly to take care of their animals so that the world has a safe, affordable, and abundant food supply. I appreciate your right to make a choice, but denying yourself animal based sources of protein will affect your health in years to come.
Please read the science, not the emotional propaganda of groups that claim to help puppies and kitties, but instead are taking your donations for the betterment of their pension funds. I wish you the best.
Look at you skinny-mini! You look great Dana! Thanks for the recipe!
Also, as a geek RN, I am always interested in holistic, helpful things I can tell patients, family and other RNs might make a positive difference in their lives– so I'd love to hear more about any documented signs/symptoms you've seen a decrease in since you have converted to your vegan diet. Have you seen a difference in your glaucoma pressure? Do you feel a difference? It is truly amazing how much diet affects us.
I have no complaint against ranchers or farmers, however I myself do not really care for the taste of meat, and although I LOVE LOVE LOVE cheese, there is a noticeably positive difference in my body when I have the self discipline to cut dairy back or completely out of my diet. Again, everyone is an individual, but if someone is hurting, recommendations that work for someone else just might have a positive effect!
In any case, great job Dana, and thanks again for the recipe!
This sounds great, but I'm not supposed to eat yeast. Any suggestions for alternatives to it? Thanks!
As a practically lifetime vegetarian (14 years and counting), this recipe looks amazing! I actually made it tonight – I used it as a base and then supplemented what I didn't have on hand – for the yeast and flaxseed meal, I used wheatgerm – definitely not the same, but it is still de-lish! Also, I didn't have the veggies on hand that you used, so I used an onion and a zucchini, and voila! For weight watchers point, it's a 4, which is something else I can get on board with! Keep 'em coming, looking forward to more meatless mondays!
The Nutritional Yeast is mainly for flavor, so you can make the recipe with out it or try Erica's idea of wheat germ or experiment with your own flavor additions. My taste buds are wondering what will taste best. Hit me back with your discoveries.
as a proud carnivore….THAT LOOKS FREAKIN' AMAZING AND DELICIOUS
I want to try to make it this weekend!
I have to admit – Vegan & Gluten-free totally turned me off at first but the end result looks so delicious my mouth is watering.
Oh my goodness – I logged in to find this recipe that I saw you post a few weeks ago – and now just sobbed my way through your wedding video! My goodness! Y'all are the cutest ever on earth!
xxoo!
Amber Moon
America's farmers also grow vegetables, so you aren't unpatriotic if you don't eat meat-jesus. What an overstatement. And for ONE meal you can't imagine not having meat? Now THAT is unhealthy. The American diet is overly saturated with processed foods, including meat, and there are dozens of other thriving countries and peoples whose focus was never on the meat of animals. The food pyramid officially changed lady, jump on the band wagon.