Life is a combination of magic and pasta.
And I get to pasta again… Why? Not because the day I post the recipe is the international day of pasta (October 25th), but because they are easy to prepare (normally it doesn't take more than 10 minutes to boil them, hahah). In addition, by cooking pasta you can unleash your imagination, creating different sauces and food combinations that you choose to add, to make them unique, tasty and, above all, healthy.
I discovered a vegan yum yum white sauce, super creamy , with a perfect consistency for pasta and a great taste. I'd eat it simple! And speaking of how you can serve it, I think this white sauce can also be used as a substitute for nachos cheese sauce , a slightly healthier option. Creativity has no limits here!
But, before I give you the recipe, I want to talk about cauliflower and why it should be used more often in our foods - at least for Romanians, where it is generally eaten pickled. And because many of us don't like the taste of boiled cauliflower, I give you some examples of dishes in which you can use it:
- pasta sauce - like this one, see below 😉
- vegetable cream soups - will give it creaminess and .. an intake of nutrients
- smoothie, 2-3 pieces of frozen cauliflower - you won't even feel it, along with some sweet fruit
- cauliflower "rice" - simply put it in a food processor and chop it, then add it in the pan with other vegetables
- veggie stir fry with Chinese sauce and some brown rice, etc.…
Why should we eat cauliflower?
Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com
- Cauliflower is a food rich in nutrients and low in calories . Yes, you heard right… it is a strong ally for those who want to lose weight in a healthy way! It is rich in vitamin C, K, B6, folates, potassium, manganese and has only 26 kcal / 100g .
- It contains fiber , around 3g / 100g, which is well known for its beneficial effects on digestion, colon health, decreasing inflammation in the body, lowering the risk of heart disease and obesity.
- Rich in sulforaphane , an extremely important antioxidant, which researchers advise us to consume daily . Studies have concluded that sulforaphane destroys carcinogenic cells , fights against colon and prostate cancer, but also other cancers: breast, pancreas and leukemia.
Recipe
Equipment
- Hand blender
Ingredients
- 1 small cauliflower
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 small onion
- 1 tbsp virgin olive oil or water
- 1 can coconut milk or soy / oat vegetable cream
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp salt up to your taste
- 300 g whole wheat pasta
- 200 g frozen edamame or other legumes / veggies
Instructions
- Bring some water to boil, add the pasta and follow the instructions on the package.
- In the same water add the frozen edamame beans (raw soybeans), to save time and another pot to wash - optional step. If you do not have edamame, opt for other legumes or vegetables.
- At the same time, boil the cauliflower in another container. Add them on boiling water with salt. It is ready in about 7-8 minutes, but I advise you to try it with a fork and check it when it is done (until you can insert the fork into it easily).
- In a pan, heat the olive oil (or water, for an oil-free version) and add the onion and garlic, which you fry for 5-7 minutes, until the onion becomes transparent.
- Drain the cauliflower and place it in a bowl with the onion and garlic, which are already cooked, add the coconut milk (or vegetable cream), turmeric, pepper, salt and nutritional yeast. Mix the composition with the blender until it becomes a creamy paste. Check it for salt.
- Add the sauce over the cooked and drained pasta, and edamame. Serve it with pleasure!
Sources:
- Dietary Sulforaphane in Cancer Chemoprevention: The Role of Epigenetic Regulation and HDAC Inhibition: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4432495/
- Multi-targeted prevention of cancer by sulforaphane: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2579766/
- The Top 8 Health Benefits of Cauliflower: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-cauliflower#TOC_TITLE_HDR_4
Lavinia Dinca
Nutritionist
English 
Română