Happy Friday, Love!
How was your week? What have you been eating?👀
I hope you managed to slip in some healthy meals, but if you didn't, no worries. I've got a healthy quick and easy vegan pasta that will save you from takeout, tonight or any night of the week/weekend. It's a winner-winner-almost-feel-guilty-but-it’s-healthy dinner! It's Rasta Pasta!
This week's recipe is good vibrations on a plate. So our playlist is Vibrations, a reggae-filled feel good moment waiting for you in your kitchen.
Turn on the chunes and let's get pumping!
Press Play
What is Rasta Pasta, you ask?
I originally encountered Rasta Pasta at a popular Caribbean restaurant in Brooklyn, NY. over a decade ago. Since then, I've eaten and cooked it a million times. It is a favorite when I'm short on time. The non-vegan version is a cream-based pasta sauce with veggies, cheese, a pasta of your choice and jerk seasoning. It was one of the easiest recipes to veganize when I first went plant-based, two years ago and it’s super versatile.
Here's what you'll need...
200ml of coconut milk
3 Roma tomatoes diced
2 large sweet peppers (any colors you like)
1 large clove of garlic grated
1 medium sized onion
1 pack of pasta
Nutritional yeast
Spicy mustard
Badia's Sazon (your fave salt-free multi-spice)
Paprika
Ground clove
Ginger (fresh or ground)
Cinnamon
All spice/five spice (optional)
Brown sugar
Dried Thyme
Cayenne pepper
Red chili flakes
Garlic powder
Salt
Black pepper
Or prepared jerk seasoning**
**If you have prepared jerk seasoning— wet or dry —you can skip a lot of the seasonings listed above. I made my dry jerk seasoning myself using those. Either way, it's delicious, but when you make it yourself you can control both the heat and sodium levels.
What you'll need to do...
#1 Get your water boiling.
Put a pot of salted water on for your pasta. I like to add a few drops of olive oil to the pot to keep the pasta from sticking or getting clumpy. However, some people don't like to add oil. It's a personal preference do what suits you.
#2 Make sure to get those veggies cleaned and cut.
Wash all of your veg.
Dice your tomatoes.
Julienne your onions and peppers
You can add any other veg you like here. Eggplant, carrots, zucchini, squash, broccoli, and cauliflower would all make great additions. I was short on produce the last time I made it so I stuck to the basics. Your water will probably start boiling at some point during this process. Add your pasta to the water and cook it just one or two minutes before the package says it will be al dente. Set aside with 1/4 cup of pasta water.
#3 Make your jerk seasoning.
If you have prepared jerk seasoning you can skip this step.
You know I don't usually give measurements because the amounts can vary based on your taste preferences and how much food you are making. Listed below are approximations based on what I did.
In a container or small bowl, add a heap of paprika (about two tablespoons), half that amount of cinnamon, about a a teaspoon of clove, garlic powder to taste, red chili flakes, cayenne pepper, black pepper, sazon, ginger, brown sugar and mix well.
Adjust seasonings based on your personal taste preferences.
#4 Season and sauté your veg.
In a large pan, add a drizzle of oil or water, if you're not cooking with oil. Add in all of your chopped veg. Add your jerk seasoning in and sauté until the seasoning is fragrant and the onions are translucent.
#5 Make your sauce.
Lower your fire. On top of your veg add your coconut milk, a good amount of nutritional yeast, a tiny squeeze of mustard and adjust the seasoning based on your taste.
The mustard and nutritional yeast will give your sauce the cheesy flavor that regular cheese offers in the original recipe.
#6 Everybody's invited.
Add your pasta to the large pan with your sauce and toss well. Adjust seasoning for spice, salt, etc. again. Let simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until the pasta is tender and the flavor of the sauce is infused.
#7 Serve it up!
On it's own or with a green salad, this is a fabulously quick and tasty meal. It smells so good that even my partner who was on a juice cleanse at the time, had a small bowl. He just couldn't resist it! And, neither will you and your family! Enjoy!
We kept it spicy and light this week. Thanks for inviting me into your kitchen for yet, another cooking session. I hope you take a little time to make this quick meal and enjoy it with a person that you love—even if that person is you!
If you liked, loved, or were just intrigued by this recipe, don’t be stingy! Share it with your friends and family. If you know someone who’s trying to get healthy and looking for plant-based options, give them the gift of Recipe’d premiere. With Mother’s Day on the horizon, you’ll get 25% off when you buy a new sub before May 9th. Spread the love!
Until we cook together again, love yourself and your life—do you!
XOXO
Mel
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