I’m going to say it: PASTA is making a comeback! She’s back; stronger, better and healthier than ever before. A new breed of pasta products is taking the health foods market by storm; giving it a fresh new rep and the best taste experience for people who are looking for low-carb, high-protein, and most importantly of all- REAL food ingredients. My kinda meal, if you know what I mean! 😉

Gone are the days when all you could find in your friendly neighborhood grocery store was pasta made from white, bleached flour that offered little, to no nutritional value. We can now readily find pasta made from chickpeas, lentils, brown rice, buckwheat, edamame, quinoa etc. Pasta that’s heavy on the protein from the get-go; even before we get to the toppings piece. How’s that for a win and a cost-effective meal that’s got a ton of plant-protein? I am talking 12-15 grams per/serving!

This is one such pasta and I am proud to partner with a brand like Explore Cuisine to bring you this easy, summer recipe. Their red lentil penne boasts ONLY 2 ingredients; yes- you read that right. How refreshing it is to pick up a box that reads: organic red lentil flour and organic brown rice flour. C’est tout. That’s it. A bit mind-boggling at this day and age- but this is exactly what we need; food that’s made using simple and familiar ingredients that will nourish our bodies.

What I also like is the unparalleled texture! It’s not soggy or mushy and it reheats so well! Pretty perfect I’d say if you want to meal prep a big batch for lunches or dinners to eat during the busy week ahead! This recipe is inspired by a summer Ratatouille or Caponata; and loads up on seasonal veg and produce like no other.

I added garden zucchini, bell peppers in every color, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, eggplants and onions. The vegetables are slow roasted and then stewed in a creamy, dreamy rosé sauce made from none other than cashews that have been pre-soaked. I love the rich dairy-like feel, without any of the heavy cream that typically goes into this sauce.

So go ahead and give this unassuming, but delicious little recipe a try! You’re going to LOVE it as much as we all do! It will undoubtedly become part of your weekly dinner rotation.

For the Ratatouille-like Vegetables

• 1 cup of chopped/washed mushrooms of your choice
• 1 cup of cherry tomatoes; halved
• 1 medium zucchini (stems off) sliced in rounds; and then cut each in half
• 1 white or red onion finely diced
• 2-3 small bell peppers in any color, sliced into thin strips
• 1 eggplant cut into 1-inch pieces
• sea salt and coarse pepper to taste
• ~2 tablespoons of good quality extra virgin olive oil

 For the Pasta

• 1 box of Explore Cuisine Red Lentil Penne Pasta
• 2 cups of fresh, chopped organic tomatoes (don’t use canned ones)
• 1/2 cup freshly chopped white onions or shallots
• 2 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1-2 tsp of red chili flakes
• pinch of fresh oregano, bay leaves and basil (add great depth and taste!)
• 2 tbsp of low-sodium Tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
  * You’ll need a food processor or high-speed blender for the sauce

       For the Cashew Alfredo Rosé Sauce

• 1 + 2/3 cups raw cashews soaked (for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt (or more, to taste)
• 3 large cloves of garlic, finely minced
• 3 tbsp of nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 + 1/4 cup water or bone broth (bone broth adds the best flavor!)

Instructions

1. Turn your oven on to 400F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Toss and coat the vegetables with the extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and pepper and bake for ~30 mins.
2. Once nicely roasted and softened, set aside in a bowl or leave on the tray. While the veggies roast, bring a large pot of water with a pinch of sea salt to a boil and add the pasta. Cook for about 8-10 mins, I like it a bit “al dente” and then drain. I often add a pinch of chili oil to the pasta after draining, it keeps it from clumping together and infuses flavor.
3. In your food processor, throw in all the sauce ingredients and process until it’s smooth and creamy. If you feel it’s too thick, add a pinch more water or bone broth and then blend again. Also, test-taste and adjust salt and pepper to suit your palate.
4. In a skillet or large sauce pan, warm up the extra virgin olive oil. Add the onions, tomatoes and mushrooms and allow them to soften and brown a bit while stirring often. Add the tamari sauce, stir well, then throw in the spinach or arugula.
5. I then add the roasted veggies, cooked pasta and cashew sauce to the pan and give it a good toss. The soft, blistery tomatoes (along with the resulting veg juices will tint your sauce red). Serve immediately.
6. Top with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, coarse black pepper, hemp hearts for protein and fresh basil or oregano. Enjoy!! x

Notes: the sauce will be mostly absorbed by the pasta- but it’s so dang tasty! You may also leave some sauce and roasted veggies aside to top the pasta right before serving. IF you want the sauce to be fully blended with the tomatoes as opposed to having tomato chunks; simply blend the sautéed tomatoes, onions (or shallots) and mushrooms into the creamy, cheese-like sauce.

By: Aleyda/ The Dish On Healthy for Explore Cuisine.