Fettuccine Alfredo Primavera (Vegan and Gluten Free)

Today's Epic Workout* has been delayed by rain.  I'd planned to be on the road by 7am. I even went to bed on time last night.  But, alas, my iPhone armband case thinggy is not waterproof - and so I wait.

In the meanwhile, here is a recipe for vegan and gluten free Fettuccine Alfredo Primavera.  I think the kids would call this a "mashup". It really doesn't take as long as it looks.  I'm a little chatty.  Read the recipe through first before following the steps.

I have used peeled almonds for the sauce although I really prefer (and suggest) cashew nuts.  Cashews were (significantly) out of my price-range this week so I have improvised.

Preparation begins the night before.  I prefer to peel the almonds and the best way to get that to happen is to soak them.  In fact, I end up soaking something every night - including my steel cut oats (YUM!!!).

Top: Steel cut oats, Middle: Almonds, Bottom: Pinto Beans

I soak everything on the counter rather than in the fridge.  Peeling the almonds is really easy and can be a lot of fun.  Be careful, though.  They tend to pop out of the skin and go flying.

Peeled Almonds

Ingredients: 

Gluten Free Rice Fettuccine (2 servings worth)
Olive Oil
Salt

Sauce:

Almonds (a small handful)
1 teaspoon Tahini (optional)
2 medium sized dates
1/2 cup of water (next time I'm trying coconut milk)
Salt to taste
1 wedge lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil

5 Kalamata olive, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped

Primavera

4 medium-sized carrots, peeled and sliced
1 medium-sized zucchini, washed and sliced
(You can add a cup or so of broccoli as well - I just didn't have any)

2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
4 large cloves of garlic, smashed and sliced
1 tablespoon fresh jalapeno pepper

Preparation:

1. Set the water for the Fettuccine to boil.  The sauce is for two servings, so cook two servings of Fettuccine or increase the proportions to make more sauce.

2. Wash, peel and slice the carrots.  Place them in a pot.  Wash and dice the zucchini.  Place in the same pot. Add salt to taste and enough water to cover the bottom of the pot well.  Set on a medium-high flame until the water just begins to boil then lower to a simmer so the veggies steam. Add olive oil just as they begin to be cooked.  Then turn off the flame and let them sit in the pot.

3. Peel and dice the onion. Heat some olive oil in a skillet.  When the oil is hot (never smoking) add the onion and season with salt.  Toss (if you can do this safely) and set to a low simmer so the onions caramelize.

4. Peel and slice the garlic.  As the onions get brown on one side, toss once then add garlic on top.

5. Slice the mushrooms. As the onions get brown on the other side, toss (so the garlic is now on the bottom) and put the mushrooms on top.

6. After about 3 minutes, add the jalapeno pepper and toss the mixture.  Allow it to cook, tossing occasionally, until the mushrooms are cooked.

Stir in the steamed vegetables.

At some point during this process, the water for the Fettuccine will start to boil.  Add the Fettuccine to the water, stir until the water starts boiling again, then lower the flame so the water simmers vigorously (but doesn't boil).  Cook with the lid partly off the pot.  I cooked it for about five minutes then turned off the flame and allowed the Fettuccine to sit in the water for another five minutes or so until done.


While the Fettuccine, onion and mushroom mixture and veggies are cooking (watch the veggies carefully), place the following ingredients in a Vitamix or blender:

Handful of peeled almonds
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp Tahini (optional)
1/2 cup water
2 medium sized dates, sliced
Salt to taste
Juice of one wedge of lemon

Blend until smooth.  Pour the mixture out into a bowl.  It should look like this:

Vegan Alfredo Sacue

Drain the Fettuccine when it is ready.  Top it with the cilantro, dill and Kalamata olives.  It should look like this:

Naked Fettuccine with Cilantro, Dill and Kalamata Olives

 Pour the sauce over the Fettuccine and mix.  It should look like this:

Dressed Vegan Gluten Free Fettuccine Alfredo

Of course, you could serve the Fettuccine Alfredo just like this.  But why do that when you can have a ton of wonderful fresh veggies to go along with it? The end result should look something like this:

Fettuccine Alfredo Primavera

Et voila!  Yum! This makes about two servings. The sauce is pretty high in calories, by the way.  But it is packed with awesome good fats that fight all kinds of evil nasties. Pile on the veggies but use the sauce in moderation.


*The Epic Workout is an outdoor approximately hour-long journey into masochism that involves a lot of stair climbing over about four miles total.