Fettuccine in a Creamy Basil Alfredo Sauce

  Spinach Fettuccine in a Basil Alfredo Sauce with Marinated Portobello Mushrooms

This recipe is super easy, quick, and yummy! The sauce is cashew based and requires no oil.   I just recently discovered  how awesome cashew "cream" is.  It thickens on its own without the need for corn starch, and it can also be used as the base for many other sauces and gravies!

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz.) box of fettuccine
1/2 cup of cashews
1 1/2 cups of water
2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed or minced
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt (adjust if using table salt)
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons of nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons of white wine
2 teaspoons of fresh basil, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg (optional)

Servings: 3-4
Cook Time: Approx. 15 minutes

Procedure:

1) Set a large pot of water to boil for the pasta.  While the water is boiling, you can prepare the ingredients for the sauce.

2) Create a cashew cream by processing the cashews and water in a blender on high until completely smooth, and the water had turned a milky white color. The mixture will be watery but will thicken upon cooking.

3) Add the cashew cream mixture and all other ingredients (minus the fettuccine) into a small/medium saucepan.

4) When the water in your large pot is boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package directions.

5) While the pasta is cooking, turn on the heat for the sauce.  Cook the sauce on medium heat.  Stir occasionally with a whisk until the mixture is thick and bubbly.

6) Drain pasta, coat with the sauce, and serve immediately!