Spicy Cashew Cream Penne with Kale

Kale is a nutritional powerhouse

Love the slightly crunchy texture and delicate nutty flavor. It's mildly spicy in a subtle way. It delivers on taste, nutrition and is quick to make. 

Healthy benefits
Kale has fantastic health benefits: it lowers cholesterol, reduces risk of heart disease and has Vitamins A, K, C, and phytonutrients … it's good for skin, hair and nails.

Nutritional yeast is an excellent vegan source of protein and vitamins especially the B-complex vitamins and is a complete protein. It is naturally low in fat and sodium and is free of sugar, dairy and gluten, and fortified with Vitamin B-12 ... important for red blood cell formation and nerve cells development.

Cashews have the heart-healthy monounsaturated fat that promotes good cardiovascular health.

Ingredients (serves 2 – 487 calories per serving)

8 ounces penne pasta (vegetable)

Sauté Kale

2 tbsp. olive oil

1/4 shallot (or onion) chopped

1 clove of garlic

3 large handfuls of kale (about 3 branches)

Creamy Cashew Sauce

3/4 cup cashews

2 tablespoons salsa

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

1/2 cup unsweetened almond (or soy) milk

1/2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. chili powder (on top when done)

Preparation

- Cook pasta first

- In a large pan, warm a 2 tbsp of olive oil

- Sauté chopped onions, garlic and kale until kale has cooked down completely

- In a blender, add cashews, nutritional yeast, spices, salsa and almond milk (or soy)

- Blend until you have a creamy consistency 

- Add pasta to cooked kale and toss with cream sauce briefly
- After plating, sprinkle with a dash of chili powder

Note to vegan chef

The creamy sauce can be thin or thick with a slightly crunchy texture. Add more milk or water to thin it out to your liking. I choose the vegetable penne for the color and added nutrition. I prefer shallots over onions for a sweeter taste.

Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 487
Total fat: 23.6 g
     Sat fat: 3.5 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 272 mg
Carbohydrates: 54.7 g
     Fiber: 11.5 g
     Sugars: 5.3 g
Protein: 13.8 g

Modified from CheapandSimpleVeganRecipes.com:

http://www.cheapandsimpleveganrecipes.com/vegan-spicy-creamy-kale-pasta/