Spicy Tomato Alfredo Pasta {Tex-Mex Style}

I do not know if you are a little sugar-ladened with all the sweets being posted as ideas for Valentine's Day but I thought it was time to post a meal idea for those staying home for Valentine's Day.


Lindsay over at Cook.Vegan.Lover posted a great contest challenging her readers to come up with a special dish in either the appetizer, entree, or dessert category. Not only were we to come up with an idea, but it had to be Fiery and Vegan! Fiery? I thought of  the word spicy, so I quickly had to come up with something.


Well I sure did wait to the last minute because tonight is the deadline! What is a girl with a day job have to do to get things done around here?? Do not answer that. he he he.

Ryan mentioned to me last night that it had been quite a while since we have had Mexican fare, so after he said that an idea came to mind. All I kept on thinking were nachos, which was not a logical Valentine's dinner but then I kept on thinking about the fake cheesey Velveeta I used to eat as a younger adult.

Did I use to eat that stuff? Yes. I know there are still many that eat that now but if you look at the ingredients, you will realize that there is a lot of fake stuff in that. Anyway, we would eat it on Sunday evenings over nachos. Why the heck did this come to mind? Why was I craving this cheesy crap?

I created a creamy tomato alfredo with a hint of cheeziness that quickly became like Mexican queso but more in a pasta sauce form. I normally added a can of Ro*tel to the Velveeta along with some green chilis so this is exactly what I did with the sauce. I blended up cashews and coconut milk to make the alfredo base and then added spices.


Do not be afraid of the spice factor. I do note how you can decrease the spice for those with sensitive palates but for those who still want to enjoy a Tex-Mex dish. How about stirring up the heat on the dinner table?  {Get your heads out of the gutter} I meant, how about make each other's noses run as you enjoy this delicious dish?


I really like brown pasta but if you or your loved one is like my Ryan, you can always substitute for a different non-gluten-free pasta. Make sure to add a big green salad to this dish. I also add 2 options for more protein to this dish but if you want simple, here you have it.  Thanks Lindsay for a great contest!

Please go and vote for my recipe at Lindsay's site Cook.Vegan.Lover  Thanks!




Spicy Tomato Alfredo Pasta {Tex-Mex Style}


print recipe

serves 4-6


Tomato Alfredo sauce
1 cup raw cashews
¾ cup So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk, or non-dairy milk
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes (about 6 pieces)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
½ cup nutritional yeast
3 garlic cloves
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons miso paste
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper*
2 teaspoons Ancho chili powder, or regular chili powder*

Additional Ingredients12 ounces Lundberg brown rice penne pasta, or other pasta
½ cup cilantro, chopped
4 ounce can green chilis, chopped
12 ounces Ro*tel Original Tomatoes
1 10-ounce can blackbeans (optional)


*This amount of spice was spicy but bearable. This is perfect for those who like spicy! If you want a medium spice, then reduce the cayenne pepper to ⅛ or ¼ teaspoon.


Preparation
Cook pasta according to packaged directions. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce.


Add all the sauce ingredients to a high-powered blender (Vitamix or Blendtec) and blend until all the ingredients are blended and smooth.


Drain pasta, placing the pasta back in the pot . Add the sauce, the green chilis, the can of Ro*tel and cilantro. Heat on low until the sauce has heated properly so that this will prevent from pasta sticking to the bottom of the pot.


Enjoy with a big green salad.