‘Wine’ not, ‘sprout’ to the challenge and put together this creamy vegan pasta tonight?

GARLIC AND WHITE WINE PASTA WITH BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Vancouver, after a week of gorgeous sunshine, is forecasted to be dipping back into its usual “wet-coast” behaviour this evening. With rain clouds on the way, why not try some comfort food, with a twist (a twist of the cork that is…).

Rich in vitamin C, Vitamin K, folate, and fibre, brussels sprouts come with their benefits!

Starting from childhood however, we often assign these green leafy vegetables, a bad rap for their bitter taste. This recipe cancels out the bitterness wonderfully, with a smooth,(surprisingly Vegan) “Cream” sauce. The touch of white wine and 30 minute prep time, also makes this healthy dish a fantastic candidate for an at-home date night.

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

BRUSSELS SPROUTS

  • 16 ounces Brussels Sprouts (halved)
  • 1-2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 pinch each sea salt + black pepper

SAUCE + PASTA

  • 3 Tbsp olive oil or vegan butter
  • 4 large cloves garlic, chopped (yields ~3 Tbsp as original recipe is written)
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, + Sauvignon Blanc, are best)
  • 4 Tbsp arrowroot starch (or cornstarch)
  • 1 3/4 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
  • 4 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • Sea salt + black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
  • 10 ounces vegan, gluten-free pasta* (brown rice pastas are readily available – or this penne from Bionaturae)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and add Brussels sprouts to a baking sheet (use more baking sheets, as needed, if increasing batch size). Drizzle with oil, and season generously with salt and pepper and toss. Arrange in a single layer and set aside.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil (for cooking the pasta) and salt generously (~1 Tbsp). Set aside while preparing sauce.
  3. Heat a large rimmed skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil and garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes or until fragrant and very slightly golden brown, then add wine (see photo). Be careful – it may flame, but only briefly. Stir and sauté for 2-4 minutes, or until the wine has reduced by about half.
  4. Add arrowroot and whisk, then add almond milk and whisk. At this point, it will be very clumpy – this is normal. Transfer to a high-speed blender and add nutritional yeast, salt + pepper, and vegan parmesan cheese. Blend on high until creamy and smooth.
  5. Taste and adjust flavour as needed, adding more vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast for cheesiness, or salt and pepper for more overall flavour.
  6. Transfer sauce back to the skillet and warm over medium-low heat until bubbly while whisking. The sauce should thicken, at which point you can lower the heat to low and simmer until pasta is cooked. If it looks too thick, thin with almond milk. If too thin, increase heat to medium to encourage thickening.
  7. Add Brussels sprouts to the oven and cook for 12-15 minutes or until slightly golden brown and tender, stirring once at the 10-minute mark to encourage cooking.
  8. Around this time, add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package instructions (mine took about 7-10 minutes, so I did that last. You want the pasta and Brussels to be done around the same time).
  9. Once cooked, drained pasta and add directly to the sauce, along with half of the Brussels sprouts and toss to combine. Season with a bit more vegan parmesan cheese (optional) for extra flavor.
  10. Serve with remaining Brussels sprouts and additional vegan parmesan cheese for flavor. I also like a bit of red pepper flake, but this is optional.  (Best when fresh, though leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave for best results.)Recipe FromThe Minimalist Bakerhttps://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-garlic-alfredo-pasta/

    Other resources:

    https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/brussels-sprouts/

    https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2014/13_0390.htm

    https://www.theweathernetwork.com/ca/weather/british-columbia/vancouver