So I had what I thought was a thrilling idea for a “three-way” salad showcasing an oft-maligned vegetable (using it raw, blanched/pureed, and roasted). Unfortunately my first attempt was a lot of work, and the payoff left something to be desired. This may be an apt metaphor for taking on too much at one time, so to speak. The fact is, it sounded a lot better on paper. And the end result turned out to need some textural healing. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it, I just couldn’t endorse it as something you’d all enjoy too. C’est la vie!

Instead this week I’ll give you a simple standby of mine that’s hard to ruin and is consistently satisfying. It’s my go-to when I have leftover crema (I always keep some of the faux parmesan in the fridge) and need something fast. Being a big fan of the mushroom, I always like to have a package on hand.

This sauce is great tossed with fettuccine, rotini, or penne. Here I’ve used some green pea spirals just to mix it up a bit. Sometime I may try it in a white lasagna.

Serves 2-3, but if you ask me this week three’s a crowd.

Ingredients

• 1 8 oz pkg white button or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
• 1 T olive oil
• About 2/3 cup Cream Your Cashews sauce, preferably made with lemon
• 2 T Nut Cheese Topping, more as desired
• Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper for seasoning
• Almond or other plant milk as needed to thin
• Cooked pasta for 2-3 (I’d use 8 oz dry)
• Parsley for garnish

Heat the oil in a large skillet on low-medium heat with a tablespoon or two of water until it sizzles, then add the garlic and saute a minute or two to soften. Add the mushrooms and more water as needed to lubricate. Give the garlic and mushrooms a healthy dose of black pepper (i.e. a few turns of the grinder) and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms release their liquid, soften, and reduce in size. Add the cashew cream and stir. The mushroom liquid may thin the cream a little, but you may need to add a splash or two of almond milk to make it just the right thickness. It should be like a creamy gravy. Stir in the nut cheese and any additional salt and/or pepper to taste, and cook until hot and starting to bubble. Toss the pasta with the sauce to coat it thoroughly before serving and top with a corona of parsley.