Pasta With Creamy Asparagus Sauce & Creamy Cauliflower

What great FOOD! The creamy cauliflower is a nice change to mashed potatoes and the whole casserole is only about 200 calories, that's the WHOLE casserole. It has a great kick from the cayenne Mmmmm.

Asparagus is one of my favourite veggies. This tastes so good!

Pasta with Creamy Asparagus Sauce

1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup dry white wine or vegetable broth

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp cayenne

1 cup cooked or canned Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

Plain unsweetened soy milk, as needed (I used almond milk)

1 lb penne or any pasta you have

Steam the asparagus until just tender, about 5 minutes. Rinse under cold water and set aside. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, cover, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until softened, 1 minute. Stir in the wine, basil, salt and cayenne and simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Add half of the steamed asparagus along with the beans and stir to combine.

Transfer the asparagus and bean mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth, adding a little soy milk if too thick. Transfer the sauce to a large saucepan and add the reserved steamed asparagus. cook, stirring over medium heat until hot. Taste, adjusting seasonings if necessary. Keep the sauce warm over very low heat.

In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain well and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the sauce and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.

CREAMY CAULIFLOWER

I medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets

1/4 cup soy milk

2 tbsp vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance)

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cayenne

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

2 tbsp minced fresh chives or green onions

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a casserole and set aside. Steam the cauliflower until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Rinse the cauliflower under cold water and drain well. Transfer the steamed cauliflower to a food processor. Add the soy milk and margarine and process until smooth. Add the salt, cayenne, nutmeg, and chives and puree until blended. Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole and sprinkle with paprika. Bake until hot, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.