Mango Basil Noodle Bowl with Smokey Cashew Cream Alfredo Sauce
Sometimes, you're just in the mood for noodles.
I know I crave the creamy, carb-loaded deliciousness that is a good pasta, but I like to minimize dairy because I find it really impacts my mood and my skin, particularly around my moon cycle.
And I'm gluten free - so finding a restaurant out that accommodates both of those things is near non-existent in the special part of the world that I live in.
I created this dish that's inspired by one that I found at a restaurant long ago and modified it to have it meet all my demands. It fits the bill in all the ways. It's creamy. Smoky. Sweet. Indulgent. Satisfying.
Gluten Free. Dairy Free. Vegan. Whole Foods Based.
This is a great recipe to make if:
- you've been craving an indulgent pasta dish but don't want to feel the effects of dairy;
- you're gluten free and miss eating pasta;
- you want to have a satiating, complete protein rich meal.
ingredients
Serves 2
Cashew Cream Sauce
- 1 cup cashews
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 lemon juice
- 1 tsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 heaping tsp smoked paprika
- pinch of red chili flakes (more to increase the heat)
- 1/4 tsp of Himalayan sea salt
- fresh ground pepper
Mango Basil Noodle Bowl:
- 350 grams rice noodles
- 1 cup tofu, cubed (alternative: sub free-range chicken if you eat meat)
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 cup spinach
- 1/3 cup ripe mango, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- pinch of salt and pepper
Directions
For the cashew cream sauce, combine all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. If you don’t have a powerful blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec, soak the cashews in warm water for 30min – 1hr prior to making the sauce, then discard the soaking water and blend with other ingredients.
Heat a pan on low-medium and saute the onions and garlic for 5 minutes. Add the red pepper and tofu and keep sauteeing for another 5 minutes, then add the spinach. Keep the pan on low and add half of the cashew cream sauce and the basil. Stir it in with the vegetables/tofu.
While the vegetables are sauteing, fill a medium pot with water, cover and bring to a boil. Add the rice noodles and reduce heat to a simmer for 5-7 minutes, or until desired tenderness. Drain the noodles of excess water, then toss with the remaining cashew cream sauce.You may need to add a bit of oil (like coconut oil) to separate the noodles before adding the sauce.
Plate the noodles then cover with the vegetable mixture. Top with mango and serve warm.