I’m always diverting from traditional pasta sauces because life is too exciting to do boring things. The method this recipe follows is the tried-and-true method I use for most of my pasta sauces, and it’s SO easy.

It requires the cooking of the star ingredient, in this case, beets, followed by the blending, seasoning and simmering. Not to mention the addition of coconut milk to make it extra creamy and delicious. That’s it! So easy. So good!

You can use whatever pasta you would like, but I prefer a rigatoni or tortiglioni as they have those gorgeous grooves to suck up and hold onto this vibrant sauce. My most favourite pasta to use can be found here.

It’s tortiglioni time to make this dish!

Simple Beetroot Pasta

Serving size: 4

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 red beets, peeled and quartered
• 450 g pasta (I prefer tortiglioni)
• salt
• pepper
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup canned coconut milk
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta or goat’s cheese, for topping (optional)
• 2 tbsp parsley, chopped, for topping (optional)

Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil and add the beets, cooking until fork-tender (about 25-30 minutes).
2. Use a wire spider (or a slotted spoon) to carefully remove the beets from the boiling water and transfer to a high-powered blender. Add the pasta to the same water the beets were cooking in and boil until ‘al dente.’
3. Blend the beets with the broth and a pinch of pepper, until smooth.
4. Add the olive oil to a large saucepan set over medium-low heat. When hot, add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds or until fragrant, being careful not to burn. Pour in the beet puree and simmer until smooth, stirring often. Pour in the coconut milk and let simmer until sauce thickens, approximately 8-10 minutes.
5. Transfer the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir to coat and finish cooking. Add more salt and pepper to taste. *If you salted your pasta water enough, you may not need to add more salt at this point.
6. Transfer pasta to a serving dish and top with the cheese and parsley, if using. Bon appetit!

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Now I love those little fungi so much. That’s why I had to dedicate this pasta to them – to say I’m sorry for a lifetime of neglect, and it won’t happen again.

One thing I never neglected – Rigatoni. Isn’t it such a great pasta choice? Those sweet little grooves that hold all the sauce? Yes, please! I love using spelt pasta, but any pasta works for this recipe. Make sure you cook it to al dente, as it will continue to cook once added to that creamy mushroom sauce!

The sauce – Simple, yet delicious. Creamy, but vegan. This easy-to-make sauce requires only a few ingredients:

• garlic
• mushrooms
• thyme
• white wine
• stock
• coconut milk
• vegan butter

Start by adding the mushrooms to some olive oil and salt in a pan. Cook them down and caramelize them up! Next, add in the garlic, thyme and white wine. Cook until you cannot smell the alcohol anymore and then add the stock and milk. Let simmer until it thickens up, and transfer the pasta into the sauce to finish cooking. Finally, add in some of the pasta water to bring everything together and you got yourself some mushroom pasta!

Let’s all show our love to mushrooms!

Creamy Vegan Mushroom Rigatoni

Servings: 2

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 200 g rigatoni
• 3 cups sliced mushrooms
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 sprigs thyme, stems removed
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 3/4 cup vegetable stock
• 3/4 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
• 1 tbsp vegan butter

Instructions:

1. Cook the pasta according to package instructions, in heavily salted boiling water. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water before draining.
2. Add two tablespoons of olive oil to a large saucepan over medium-low heat. When the oil begins to move easily in the pan, add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and thyme to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine and let simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the alcohol smell is gone. Pour in the vegetable stock, stir, and follow with the coconut milk. Let the sauce simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Finish with the butter and some cracks of fresh black pepper.
3. Transfer the pasta into the pan, pour in the reserved pasta water, and mix to coat with the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Enjoy!

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Pesto is a highly underused food, IMO. It is so versatile – from a sauce for pasta or pizza to a simple spread for toast, it is a complete flavour bomb!

Traditionally, pesto is made with five key ingredients: Basil, pine nuts, parmesan, olive oil and garlic (plus salt, but that doesn’t count). And, you want to know the greatest thing about pesto? The ingredients are easily adaptable. That is why turning it vegan is so easy to do.

The herbs – Basil is traditional in pestos, and I stick with it in this recipe as well. However, it can easily be swapped out for any leafy green such as parsley, cilantro, spinach or a combination of these. It depends on what you have, what you like and how adventurous you are!

The nuts – Pine nuts are typically what you find in pesto, but since one bag costs more than my monthly gym membership, I usually switch them for another type of nut. I love walnuts and I chose to use them in this recipe. Pecans would also be good for a sweeter turn-out. Toasting the nuts prior to using them in a pesto also adds another dimension of flavour.

The cheese – Pesto is made with a dry-aged cheese, like parmesan. You can, however, sub it for a cheese of your choice, like romano or even an old sharp cheddar. Since this recipe is vegan, I am using the cheesiest vegan ingredient I know of – Nutritional Yeast. Nutritional Yeast is an inactive yeast that is very cheesy in flavour and is packed with a number of healthy nutrients including: Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate and my favourite, Vitamin B12. I am almost positive it is the only vegetarian food you can find that has B12 in it, which makes me love it even more! The one I use can be found here.

The oil – Use extra virgin olive oil. There are no exceptions for this ingredient. Make it a good olive oil, too, like this one.

Garlic – Same.

Acid – I like to put lemon juice as well as the zest into my pesto. It gives it a ‘zip’ of freshness that adds brightness and vibrancy to any dish!

The process of making pesto can be completed in many ways. Traditionally, it is made by cutting all of the ingredients together with a sharp knife and then pouring the olive over them. It could also be made in a mortar and pestle. I like to use my food processor to save on time.

Whichever ingredients you choose to use and whichever method you bring them together in, I hope you get to enjoy pesto this summer. There is nothing better!

Lemony Vegan Basil Pesto

Serving size: Makes about 1/2 cup

Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2.5 cups packed fresh basil, washed and dried
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• zest of one lemon
• 1.5 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4-1/3 cup good extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1. To your food processor, add the basil, walnuts, garlic, salt, nutritional yeast and lemon zest. Pulse until the mixture has broken down into smaller pieces. Add the lemon juice and set your processor to blend. While blending, drizzle in the olive oil slowly. If you want a thicker pesto, add 1/4 cup of oil. If you are looking for a thinner sauce, continue to add more oil until you have reached your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings (salt, lemon juice) accordingly.

This is best used immediately, but can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

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Thaz right. The layers in this lasagne aren’t lookin’ like a sedimentary rock, nuh uh. They are more like a snail shell. Yah feel me?!

This is a lasagne revolution – the pasta sheet laid out, smothered with the toppings and then rolled up into a cute little present that takes a bath in squash. I mean sauce. I mean squash sauce. And, although I love the standard tomato sauce with all of my heart, squash sauce is my side piece and needs attention, too.

Okay, for reals – this lasagne dish is everything. It starts with the creamy sauce. Roasted butternut squash, pureed and then hit with some garlic, coconut milk and flavourful pasta water – an important ingredient for any great sauce. Nutritious kale and fluffy, whipped ricotta cheese on top of a perfectly cooked lasagne noodle, rolled up and finished off together in the oven with some extra parm on top for that nuttiness. DROOL.

This should be your next pasta night recipe.

Butternut Squash and Kale Lasagne Roll-Ups

Servings: Makes 10 rolls (feeds about 3 people)

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 large butternut squash, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• 5 large kale leaves, thick stem removed (I prefer Tuscan Kale)
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice + more for serving (optional)
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1/4 tsp fresh (or packaged) nutmeg
• 10 lasagne sheets
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup canned coconut milk
• 1 cup fresh parmesan or mozzarella cheese, shredded
• fresh basil for topping (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the squash onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1-2 tbsp olive oil and add a generous pinch of salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper. Toss with your hands until coated and roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, flipping once throughout the cooking time. Squash should be tender throughout.
3. Lower the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. While the squash is cooking, prepare your other ingredients. Chop the kale into small, bite-size pieces and massage with a little bit of olive oil. This helps to tenderize the kale.
5. Use an electric mixer to beat the ricotta with 1 tbsp of lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whip until smooth.
6. Add the cooked squash to a food processor with the vegetable stock, nutmeg, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Blend until smooth.
7. In the meantime, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil and add the lasagne sheets. Cook according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water before draining.
8. Set a large, oven-safe saucepan over medium-low heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Immediately add the squash puree from your food processor as well as the reserved pasta water and let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour in the coconut milk and stir until smooth.
9. Make the rolls by taking a sheet of the cooked lasagne, spreading the ricotta mixture on it, topping with a few pieces of kale and then rolling it up, starting at one end and working your way to the other. Tuck the roll into the squash sauce, placing the side with the seam down. Do this for all of the rolls.
10. Evenly distribute the cheese overtop of the rolls and sauce. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted. Remove and let cool a few minutes before serving. Top with fresh basil and a squeeze of lemon!

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“Tortiglioni” is really hard to say. It looks kind of like rigatoni, so I may just stick with that if I ever have to say it out loud. I use Molisana’s spelt tortiglioni. It’s a brilliant pasta with beautiful grooves meant for soaking up luscious sauces and thus, this roasted red pepper sauce is thick and creamy and suck-up-able. It’s also vegan.

Now, I’m not saying the jarred, store-bought sauces aren’t practical and quick, but they don’t even come close to being as tasty as homemade sauce. And, sometimes you need to treat yo-self! This sauce is not-at-all daunting and all delicious. It may take longer than twisting open a lid and pouring, but it’s worth it. Today’s your day.

You are going to start with your red peppers – cut them in half, remove the seeds and place them cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pop them into a 425 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes, flipping once, until their skin begins to blacken and they are completely soft throughout. Carefully peel the skin off and discard. Toss the peppers into your blender with some vegetable stock. To help thicken in a vegan-ified way, add half a cup of raw cashews as well. Season with some salt and pepper and blend up until creamy.

It a saucepan, heat up some olive oil and add a bunch of garlic. Add the creamy pepper sauce and thin it out with some of the water that the pasta has been cooking in. Let this simmer until your tortiglioni is done and then transfer the pasta right to the sauce. Giv’er a toss so that the pasta is completely coated, turn the heat off and add in some fresh basil and a little hit of lemon.

This pasta is so good the next day, too. If you eat dairy, I would also recommend dolloping some fresh ricotta on top while it is still warm. Drool.

I hope this recipe makes it to your kitchen. It is one of my absolute favourites. It’s also great for kids as the veggies aren’t noticeable and are blended right into the sauce. Any feedback is welcomed in the comment section below!

Tortiglioni in Homemade Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Serving size: 3

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 large bell peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeds removed
• 3 servings of tortiglioni (about 255 g)
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1/4 tsp salt
• a few grinds of fresh black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 9-10 basil leaves, ribboned or sliced
• squeeze of lemon (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the four pepper halves onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cut side down, and roast in oven for 30-40 minutes, flipping once. Peppers should have black areas and be soft throughout. Peel the outer skins off and discard.
3. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil and add tortiglioni. Cook according to package directions, until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water for the sauce before draining.
4. Place the roasted peppers, vegetable stock, cashews, salt and pepper into a blender and blend until smooth.
5. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the pepper sauce, stir and then add in the reserved pasta water. Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes and then add the cooked pasta, stirring to coat.
6. Turn the heat off and add the basil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve with more basil on top.

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They say you should wake up everyday and still make your bed and get dressed while in self-isolation. They say it helps individuals feel more accomplished and more productive. So I’ve been rising and shining. I get up, straighten out my duvet, pick up all of my little decorative pillows and arrange them at the head of my bed. I put on my yoga pants (better than pajamas?!), slip on a cozy sweater and wash my face. Later, I praise my ambition and appreciate my yoga pant choice because, pasta. THIS pasta. Lemon Caper Pasta. The best pasta in all the lands. And it pairs perfectly with my stretchy pants.

REASONS TO MAKE LEMON CAPER PASTA

This is a perfect dish to make if:

• you want a date night idea
• you need a quick meal
• you like flavour
• you like food
• you are quarantined
• you are a human

A luscious pasta coated in a white wine-butter sauce with melty parm, briney capers and fresh citrus.

The Pasta

For the pasta, you can really use whatever you have. Here, I’ve used a whole wheat semolina pasta. It’s a bit heartier and nuttier than white pasta. It’s also healthier and is usually my go-to, as well as any spelt pastas.

The capers give this recipe a delicious salty, briney punch. If you don’t want to venture off to the grocery store, you can buy capers here. You can also substitute them for green olives.

It has BOLD flavours. DELICIOUS flavours. CRAVE-WORTHY flavours.

Do you ever meet someone who is really attractive, smart AND kind? Yup. That is this recipe in pasta-form. It’s not impastable. It exists, right here.

Come and spaghet it.

OTHER IDEAS SIMILAR TO LEMON CAPER PASTA:

Simple Beetroot Pasta (for a fun, colourful meal)

Creamy Vegan Mushroom Rigatoni (a wholesome meal)

Butternut Squash and Kale Lasagna Roll-Ups (a great way to hide vegetables for the kids)

Tortiglioni in Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (Nonna will be proud)

Lemon Caper Pasta

Serving size: 2

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 servings of choice pasta (approx. 180 g)
• salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 shallot, diced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/3 cup fresh, grated parmesan, plus more for topping
• 1/4 tsp chili flakes (optional)
• 1/2 tbsp caper brine (optional)
• 2 tbsp capers
• zest of one lemon
• juice of half a lemon (approx. 2 tbsp)
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• fresh ground pepper

Instructions:

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Salt the water generously and add the pasta. Cook according to package directions, until ‘al dente.’ Reserve about 1/3 cup of the pasta water before draining.
2. Meanwhile, add olive oil to a large skillet over low heat. When pan is warm, add the shallot and stir for a few minutes until tender. Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour the white wine into the pan and increase the heat to medium-high. Let the wine reduce for about 5 minutes, or until you can no longer smell the alcohol. When reduced by about half, add the butter and stir to incorporate. Reduce the heat again to medium-low.
3. When the pasta is done, add it right to the pan along with the reserved pasta water. Add the parmesan and chili flakes to the pan and toss everything together.
4. Turn the heat off and add the caper brine, capers, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley and a few grinds of fresh black pepper. Toss to combine, dish onto two plates and top with more parmesan, if you would like.

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• Smooth and rich like an alfredo but without the dairy and calorie count
• Vegetable bonus blended right into the sauce
• A lot less fat content than regular alfredo
• Cloud-like whipped ricotta (okay, it’s dairy, but some things are just worth it)

That is all. Hopefully you are convinced.

This recipe starts like any good vegetarian recipe – with a few cups of roasted vegetables. So sharpen your knife and start cubin’ up that butternut squash, add a few sage leaves, do the drizzy with some EVOO and season with S & P! Pop it in the oven and forget about it (well, for 20 minutes, until you have to give ’em a toss)!

In the meantime, throw some fettuccine into a pot of heavily salted boiling water and cook until al dente.

When the squash is slightly caramelized and tender, remove from oven and let’s start the transformation from solid –> liquid(ish). Grab your blender – I use my Ninja for everything…it is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. – transfer the squash and some veggie stock and blend until smooth.

On the same sheet tray that you had the squash on, add two tablespoons of breadcrumbs and a quarter cup of chopped walnuts and put back into the oven to toast up. This only takes a few minutes, so watch carefully! When browned, remove from oven and toss in a few finely chopped sage leaves and some melted butter and set aside…YUM.

Let’s continue shall we…I’m drooling. Okay – grab a pan, heat some olive oil and saute some diced shallots until transparent. Add in a few cloves of minced garlic and it’s ready for the sauce. Pour in the butternut squash puree and add some more stock to the pan, cooking and stirring until smooth and combined.

Next, add half of a cup of canned coconut milk and simmer for a few minutes until sauce has thickened.

While the sauce is finishing, grab your ricotta from the fridge and beat with a hand mixer with 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Whip until it is smooth and creamy and spreadable and marvelous.

The Grand Finale: When the sauce coats the back of a spoon, it’s ready for it’s best friend – pasta – to join it in the pan. Toss the pasta around with a pair of tongs and be sure to coat every last strand with that velvety sauce. Turn the heat off and add a squeeze of lemon juice to bring it altogether.

Plating: Start with the whipped ricotta. Maybe even be fancy and make a little “swoop” on your plate!

Next, add the fettuccine, and then top with the bread crumb/walnut mixture. And now it’s time to manger, manger (that’s French, mmmm kay?!)!

One question – Are you a “use a spoon to assist in the delicate twirling of the noodles around your fork” kind of person, or a “shove noodles in mouth as quickly as possible, I’m not worried about whether they are hanging from my mouth” kind of person? Because I’m definitely number two.

^ A twirling attempt…strictly for pictures.

Easy Butternut Squash Fettuccine “Alfredo” with Whipped Ricotta

Servings: 4

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 3 cups of butternut squash, cubed
• 6-8 sage leaves, separated
• 325 g fettuccine (or 4 serving sizes)
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1.5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, separated
• 2 tbsp bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 cup vegetable stock, separated
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup canned coconut milk
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add squash, 1 tbsp olive oil, 3-4 sage leaves, a few pinches of salt and some fresh black pepper and toss to coat. Place in the oven and roast for 30-40 minutes or until you see slightly caramelized edges and squash is fork-tender.
3. Meanwhile, bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil and add fettuccine. Cook until the pasta is al dente (according to package directions…or taste one)! Reserve one quarter cup of the pasta water and then drain the fettuccine and set aside.
4. For the whipped ricotta: Add ricotta, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper to a medium bowl. Use a hand mixer and whip on medium speed until ricotta is smooth and fluffy – about 3-4 minutes. Place in fridge to keep cool.
5. For the crumb topping: On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, toast the bread crumbs and walnuts in the oven for about 5-8 minutes, or until golden brown. Watch carefully so they don’t burn. Remove from oven and add 3-4 finely chopped sage leaves and the melted butter. Toss and set aside.
6. When the squash is done cooking transfer to a blender (don’t discard the sage leaves, transfer to blender as well) and add 1/2 cup of vegetable stock. Blend until smooth.
7. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and saute for a few minutes until it starts to turn translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Pour the blended squash into the pan and add the quarter cup of pasta water and the other 1/2 cup of stock, stirring for a few minutes until smooth. Add the coconut milk and simmer until it thickens and coats the back of a metal spoon. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice overtop of the sauce and then add the pasta. Turn the heat off and toss the pasta around until coated with the sauce.
8. To plate, spread some whipped ricotta on the bottom of your plate. Add the pasta on top and then sprinkle with the bread crumb/walnut crumble. Bravo!

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