What is it about serving your family sweet and savory meals? It’s beginning to be one of my favorite family moments where there is the sound of play with sibling banter, on the stove top, the bell peppers infused with cumin and basil fill the air as the day rolls into the evening. LOVE IT. The best part is I have set anything on fire in a while so my cooking skills must be improving and here is a new dish that I’ve perfected. You can make it sweeter or spicier too.
What I like about the dish is being able to make a triple batch and freeze the extras. The day I made it, my friend Catrina was over, we tend to make a HUGE mess in the kitchen but the results are fantastic. We have meals for both our clans. I’m currently working on a post full of freezer meals that you can cook in one day. Anyhow…..here’s the recipe!
- 16 ounces of fusili pasta (any pasta will do if you ask me)
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 red onion, chopped
- 1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped* (optional)
- 5 bell peppers chopped
- 2 to 4 tbsp taco seasoning mix to taste
- 2 can black beans (or 4 cups cooked), drained and rinsed
- 2 cups enchilada sauce (mild)
- 1.5 to 2 cups Vegan Alfredo Sauce (regular alfredo sauce is great too for those who can eat diary).
- 1/3 heaping cup raw cashews
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 3/4 cup almond milk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp non-dairy butter (I used Soy-free Earth Balance)
- 2 tsp organic Tamari soy sauce, or to taste
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp Tahini (sesame seed paste)
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1/2 tsp Paprika, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Add all ingredients except pasta into a blender and blend until smooth.
- 1 c. coconut milk [the canned kind]
- 1/2 c. nutritional yeast
- 1 medium clove of garlic
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
- 1. Preheat oven to 350F and grab a 9 by 13 casserole dish
- 2. Bring a pot of water to boiling, toss in some salt and cook pasta until Al Dente
- 3. In a large skillet, sauté the chopped onion, jalapeno, and peppers in the olive oil over medium heat for about 7-8 mins.
- 4. Combine alfredo sauce and enchilada sauce in a bowl and set aside.
- 5. Add the taco seasoning, drained and rinsed black beans, and 1 cup of sauce. Stir well and cook for another 5 mins.
- 6. Stir in pasta and chopped green onion. Season with salt and pepper to taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
- 7. Spread 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce over the bottom of the casserole dish. Scoop out the skillet mixture and spread evenly in dish. Spoon on the rest of the sauce on top.
- 8. Bake for 15-20 mins at 350F until heated through.
- Serve with shredded Daiya cheese (or other non-dairy cheese) and tortillas or chips.
- Notes: This is a great dish to freeze ahead of time.
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