Angel Hair Pasta In Creamy Spinach Sauce

Carmella · #1 04-03-2008, 06:15 PM

Dinnertime was approaching quickly the other day, yet I was still clueless as to what to make. So I did what I often do, I turned to my dear friends on RFC who suggested pasta. But of course! What was I thinking? (Actually, that was part of the problem... my brain wasn't functioning properly! lol)

All I had to whip up was a sauce to serve it with. As we had tons of spinach in the fridge, my original idea was to make a pesto. However, it evolved into a delicious creamy sauce with a hint of nutmeg and thyme. In fact, it was so good, it inspired me to also make a batch of Pine Nut Parmesan which I thought would complement it beautifully.

Don goes to me: "I like this sauce better than the one you usually make" (referring to this sauce.) Having yet to take a bite, I looked across at him in disbelief. He had a point; the result was deeeeeelish! Although I must say, I still have a weak spot for my Spinach & Cream Pasta Casserole.

Angel Hair Pasta In Creamy Spinach Sauce

Serves 4

Angel Hair Pasta
Zucchinis, peeled and spiralized using the smallest setting

Creamy Spinach Sauce
4 cups spinach
1 small garlic clove
1/2 cup cashews
1/4 cup water
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp thyme

Blend in high speed blender until very smooth.

Pine Nut Parmesan
1/2 cup macadamias
1/2 cup cashews
2 Tbs pine nuts
1 Tbs lemon juice
1Tbs flax meal
1 clove crushed garlic
1Tbs nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp salt

First process macadamias and cashews until ground. Then add the pine nuts and process briefly. Follow with the rest of the ingredients and process until well mixed.

Carmella's Note: You don’t want to overprocess the pine nuts as they release a lot of oil.

Assembly
Toss the noodles with the sauce. Top with red bell pepper cubes. Sprinkle with Pine Nut Parmesan and serve.

Pictures below showing before and after mixing the sauce. Oh, and in case you're wondering, the second pic is a single portion which explains why it seems to have shrunk so much.

aisah · #2 04-03-2008, 06:27 PM

*gasp gasp gasp*.... I bow down to thee.. I bow down to thee.... zzzzzzzzz oops sorry I have been awake for more than 24 hours now and I am wide awake!!!

This looks really good Carmi!! I will have to have a detailed planned menu once i get off my fast and trust me this will be one of it... for I love spinach and angel hair pasta

Thank you and good mornite!

Carmella · #3 04-03-2008, 06:39 PM

Good mornite?

Sounds to me like you need some serious zzzzzz dear Aisah Tweety!

Methought you'd been around when you were supposed to be 'down under'. Now, off you go catch some rest or I'll send the RFC mounted police after you.

aisah · #4 04-04-2008, 01:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carmella

Good mornite?

Sounds to me like you need some serious zzzzzz dear Aisah Tweety!

Methought you'd been around when you were supposed to be 'down under'. Now, off you go catch some rest or I'll send the RFC mounted police after you.

I am curious to know how does an RFC Mounted police look like?? Hmm are they in shiny leather uniform... complete with whips and handcuffs...?? If so then send them over please... and oh, please do not forget to hand some of those yummy looking Angel Hair Pasta In Creamy Spinach Sauce.... looks too good to pass... yumm yumm yuum!! This will definitely be in my list jajaja!! *nodding head*

chasmyn · #5 04-11-2008, 12:54 AM

I made this for dinner Wednesday night. It was AMAZING! My husband and I were both really surprised at how much we really liked it, and we almost couldn't finish it - those last two bites were tough to get in! But it really made just enough. And WOW. It was SO good!

We're both fairly new to raw food, so we're learning all of these new and amazing recipes - we will DEFINITELY be making this again - we LOVED it! And it was SO easy! Thank you so much for the recipe, yum yum yum!

Eva · #6 04-11-2008, 06:33 AM

Wow, this looks reaaaaallly good!

I have GOT to get through some of the food in my fridge -- but I'm thinking I'll make this on Sunday or Monday... And maybe if it's as good as it looks then AGAIN on Wednesday when my husband returns home from Brazil.

Carmella · #7 04-11-2008, 09:48 AM

chasmyn,

I'm sooooo glad you enjoyed this dish so much. We, too, were surprised at how well it turned out. (Especially since I didn't feel very inspired that day! lol)

Oh, and welcome to RFC!

Raw blessings,
Carmella

chasmyn · #8 04-11-2008, 01:08 PM

Thank you

I look forward to preparing more of your recipes, too

Eva · #9 04-13-2008, 09:36 AM

Hey Carmella (or someone else who has made this lovely pasta dish) -- Any thoughts on subbing all cashews for macadamia nuts? I do have a store nearby where I can get "raw" cashews, but I recently got a large order of macadamia nuts in the mail and would love to use what I have if possible.

I'm buying the remaining ingredients I'll need a little later today, but I likely won't have this until lunch tomorrow as I already have some goodies in the D!

Carmella · #10 04-13-2008, 12:05 PM

Eva,
Absolutely! I often use a mixture of half cashews/half macs when I make sauces or cheesecakes as I find the two have a very similar texture/creaminess.

Out of curiosity, where do you order your macs from?

Eva · #11 04-13-2008, 12:33 PM

Re: Where I get my macs: www.mac-nuts.com (vendor in Hawaii) Theirs end up (w/ shipping) about $10/lb -- which is less than some stores, more than others... But they are the best I have tasted anywhere! (I did try caromacs and was really dissatisfied even though they were about $5/lb. and at my local grocery store I can get them for about $18/lb. in small quantities, which are nearly as good as the HI ones if I'm in a pinch).

And thanks for getting back to me on the cashews... I left for the store before I heard back, so I got the cashews in a small quantity but -- assuming this is fabulous -- I'll sub macs for them next time.

Carmella · #12 04-13-2008, 12:42 PM

Thanks for the feedbacks re: your supplier. Will check it out. My latest batch from Caromacs are quite nice and fresh as they just got the new crop in but the one before that was not very good.

Hope you enjoy the dish!

Eva · #13 04-13-2008, 12:45 PM

Ooooh, Carmella that's good to know!!! I might have just gotten a bad batch... but I have been SO happy with these, so I don't think I can go back anyways!

Eva · #14 04-14-2008, 03:45 PM

All right! I just had this... I had a very long day with mucho work crapola to do. And none of it was fun... My excuses for not doing the parmesan along with the creamy sauce.

The sauce was divine!!! I do think that next time I might use more nuts so that it's even creamier (or maybe I won't need to if I do the parmesan?!). But I don't know. It was really lovely -- presentation and taste.

Thanks for posting it!!

And I may just make this again on Wednesday when Carlos is scheduled to return home!! I think he would enjoy it. And a nice crunch bar for dessert if there are any left by then.

Eva · #15 04-17-2008, 08:04 AM

Allllll right -- the hubby arrived yesterday. I'm feeling so great to have him back.

I did make this for dinner last night -- parmesan and all. It took maybe 15-20 minutes start to finish, then about 10 minutes for clean up. Not bad.

He loved it -- and he's been eating pork, sausage, rice and beans for most of his meals for about 2 months.

But hey -- I'm not trying to convert him. Not exactly. But I do have almond mylk in the fridge, made him a cacao mylkshake, wooed him with the pseudo Nestle Crunches and this... But he can eat whatever he wants!