Ep 10 Pasta in Nutty Cream Sauce

The recipe calls for dehydrated pasta, not fresh ones. If using fresh pasta, you will need to increase the amount as dehydrated pasta expands when cooked. Wholemeal pasta will take longer to cook than normal pasta and may taste grainier and tougher than what you are used to. However the health benefits make wholemeal a better choice. The fibre content in wholemeal foods is significantly higher and helps to lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels.

Unlike traditional Chinese soy sauce, Tamari is thicker and less salty but has a richer flavour. It also contains very little wheat, which makes it easier to find gluten-free options.

When shopping for maple syrup, make sure you purchase pure maple syrup and not maple-flavoured syrup, which is cheaper and more commonly found. Pure maple syrup has a lower glycaemic index (GI) than white sugar, which means it has a less drastic effect on your blood glucose levels. It also has high quantities of minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. But while maple syrup has a few more health perks than ordinary refined sugar, it is still a form of sweetener and best consumed as a treat.

The beauty about this dish is it tastes just as great served cold, making it a fantastic option for lunch the next day.

Ingredients

1½ cups wholemeal pasta
½ cup canned white beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup vegetable broth
4 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp unsweetened peanut butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Japanese cucumber, sliced
8 cherry tomatoes, halved (or 1 tomato, cubed)

Optional:
Garnish with fried shallots & chilli flakes

Method

1. Cook pasta according to instructions on package. Drain and set aside.
2. Slice cucumbers and dice tomatoes, add to pasta.
3. In a blender, add beans, broth, nutritional yeast, nut butter, salt and pepper. Process until smooth.
4. Heat mixture in microwave or on stove top, then stir through pasta.