Pasta with Cashew and Vegetable Stir-Fry with Flaxseed

I am a fan of alfredo / white sauce in its original recipe which calls for butter, heavy whipping cream and cream cheese. Pizza smeared with the sauce, topped with mushrooms and pineapples, or simply alfredo pasta is heaven for me. But if there is an alternative to enjoy a much more nutritious white sauce, and it tastes as good, I am running to try it. This cashew-based sauce recipe is created by Minimalist Baker, and it is super creamy. You can add nutritional yeast / vegan cheese if you prefer a more cheesy flavor. Minimalist Baker also has another version (much lighter version) of Alfredo Sauce, milky without any dairy and it also contains no nuts - delicious. Please, head over the website and try it.

Our last lunch menu includes a plate of cashew pasta (I added mushrooms, peas and a lot of black peppers) with a warm bowl of quickly stir-fried vegetables: tofu, shitakee mushrooms, broccoli bean sprouts, spinach and kale. This is a recipe I have learnt from Dr. Michael Greger in his book How to Not Die. We always love it in the house, it tastes nutty and oriental and the recipe can be experimented even further. 

Stir Fry-ing with Flaxseed

how to make the sauce / ingredients

bring in any vegetable you have, but mushroom, broccoli and sprouts go really well with this.

1 1/4 cup of water

2 tbs of ground flaxseed (it's important to ground to reap its health benefit)

1 tbs of tahini

2 tbs / to taste of your favorite sauce (I used soy-free Teriyaki Sauce)
black pepper (to taste) 

Sweat the mushrooms and broccoli (or any vegetable available) for a few minutes, put the tofu and cook for another minute, then pour in the sauce that you have mixed together in a bowl. Add the green leaves and the sprouts last. 

I imagine only adding soy sauce would do just fine. The flaxseed does magical thing to the cooking - it thickens up the sauce as if you have put corn starch / arrowroot powder into it. 

Did you know?

Cashew nuts is derived from a type of tropical evergreen tree native to Brazil until it is brought into Africa and India. Image Source: Mebo Farms

You see the funny fruit and the nuts? Both are apparently edible and taste delicious roasted, curried or eaten raw. And as you guess it from the shape, the cashew nut is the one hanging at the bottom of the fruit and it is being protected within its shell, like any other nuts. In Indonesia, both cashew and peanuts are highly popular and loved to be consumed when it is roasted, salted or honey-ed. My grandmother loves it when someone brings it for her as a souvenir.

Cashew contains Lectins that may contribute to weight gain and health problems. While I believe everything must be consumed in moderation, there are ways to reduce the anti-nutrient within the cashews (and other nuts) that is through proper processing - one of the ways is by soaking them overnight or at least 8 - 12 hours.

Wishing you a blissful day and eat well,