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Cashew Alfredo with Grilled Lemon Caper Caesar Salad and Tofu Bacon Bits


If you’re in the mood for some amazing homemade comfort food I have you covered with this show-stopping meal that’s PERFECT for date night! Below you’ll find my recipes for a beautifully rustic grilled caesar salad (topped with tofu bacon bits, and lemon caper dressing!), oven roasted tomatoes, and cashew alfredo fettuccine!! Not only is this meal insanely drool-worthy but it’s also plant-based … and you would never know by its bold flavours!

If you want to get ahead of the game (aka give yourself more RosĂ© drinking time!) then I would suggest making a few things ahead of time! In order to speed things up, feel free to make the tofu bacon bits, lemon caper caesar salad dressing, and the cashew alfredo sauce and store them in the fridge until you’re close to having everything prepped. Just make sure to heat up the alfredo sauce while the noodles are cooking so it’s nice and hot by the time everything is ready! OR, if you have a Vitamix you can actually toss the sauce back in the blender and put it on the soup setting for a few minutes and it’ll heat it right up!!

Jillian Harris Cashew Alfredo Pasta Recipe Jillian Harris Cashew Alfredo Pasta Recipe

Before you get going on these recipes, I should mention here that if you prefer your cashew alfredo sauce and the lemon caper dressing to be more garlicky and/or zesty, don’t be afraid to add more garlic cloves and/or lemon juice! Personally, my sauces and dressings with a TON of garlic and extra lemon juice!

I should also mention here that I used Sandhill’s RosĂ© in the pasta sauce! This summery blend of Gamay Noir and Merlot pairs beautifully with this dish thanks to its off-dry (and refreshing!) fruity notes! Not only does it make the sauce extra delicious but it’s also STUNNING to have out on the table while serving dinner thanks to its gorgeous (brand new!) bottle style and label … it’s pleasing on the eyes and the tastebuds! I would recommend serving this French Provencal-style RosĂ© along with your date night dinner.

For those that may be familiar with Sandhill’s RosĂ©, while the bottle and label are new, the blend of grape varietals is not different or unique from last vintage!

ALSO – for the Sandhill wine lovers our there, you may want to check out my latest Instagram post (find it here!) as we have teamed up with Sandhill and we’re giving away a case (12 bottles) of Sandhill’s 2018 RosĂ© to ONE lucky winner!

Entrants must be over the age of 19 years and the giveaway is open only to residents of British Columbia, Alberta + Saskatchewan (due to Canadian wine shipping regulations, Sandhill is unable to ship to provinces outside of BC, Alberta + Saskatchewan). Contest closes April 15 at 11:59PM PST.

Jillian Harris Cashew Alfredo Pasta Recipe Jillian Harris Cashew Alfredo Pasta Recipe Jillian Harris Cashew Alfredo Pasta Recipe Jillian Harris Cashew Alfredo Pasta Recipe Jillian Harris Cashew Alfredo Pasta Recipe Jillian Harris Cashew Alfredo Pasta Recipe Jillian Harris Cashew Alfredo Pasta Recipe Jillian Harris Cashew Alfredo Pasta RecipeJillian Harris Cashew Alfredo Pasta Recipe Jillian Harris Cashew Alfredo Pasta Recipe

Cashew Alfredo with Grilled Lemon Caper Caesar Salad and Tofu Bacon Bits

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Recipe by From the Kitchen of Jillian Harris

Ingredients

  • Tofu Bacon Bits
  • 1 block smoked tofu

  • 2 tablespoons 2 canola oil

  • 1 tablespoon 1 soy sauce

  • 1 tablespoon 1 liquid smoke

  • 1 tablespoon 1 maple syrup

  • Lemon Caper Dressing
  • 1/2 cup 1/2 vegan mayo (my favourite is Hellman’s Vegan)

  • 1/2 cup 1/2 olive oil

  • 4 garlic cloves

  • 1/4 cup 1/4 nutritional yeast

  • 1/2 tablespoon 1/2 Worcestershire

  • 3 tablespoons 3 capers

  • Juice of 1 lemon

  • 1/4 cup 1/4 white wine vinegar

  • Cashew Alfredo Sauce
  • 1 cup 1 cashews

  • 1 tablespoon 1 olive oil

  • 4 cloves garlic

  • Dash of nutmeg

  • 1/4 cup 1/4 Sandhill RosĂ©

  • 1/4 cup 1/4 vegan melted butter

  • 1/2 cup 1/2 nutritional yeast

  • 1 teaspoon 1 onion powder

  • 2 tsp 2 of dry mustard or Dijon mustard

  • Juice from 1 lemon

  • 1/2 cup 1/2 of unsweetened original almond milk

  • 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper

  • 1/2 cup 1/2 veggie or vegan chicken stock

  • Fettuccini noodles

  • Vegan parm

  • 2 tbsp 2 finely chopped parsley

  • Grilled Caesar Salad
  • 4 romaine hearts

  • 1 tablespoon 1 olive oil

  • Salt and pepper to taste

  • Capers

  • Vegan parm for garnish

  • Tofu bacon bits

  • Roasted Tomatoes
  • 3 tomatoes halved

  • 1 tablespoon 1 of olive oil

  • Salt and pepper to season

Directions

  • Tofu Bacon Bits
  • Dice tofu into 1/2 inch cubes (the size of large bacon bits).
  • In a non-stick frying pan heat up 2 tablespoons canola oil on medium-high heat and fry smoked tofu until dry and crispy but not brown. Remove from heat when done.
  • In a small bowl combine soy sauce, liquid smoke, and maple syrup.
  • Pour soy sauce mixture over tofu, coating tofu and put the tofu back on medium-high heat.
  • Continue to stir on medium-high heat until most of the liquid has been absorbed into the tofu resembling large bacon bits.
  • Remove from heat and seat aside.
  • Lemon Caper Dressing
  • In your food processor or bullet combine mayo, olive oil, garlic cloves, nutritional yeast, Worcestershire, capers, lemon juice, white wine vinegar. Blend until smooth but still a bit chunky.
  • !For the Cashew Alfredo Sauce
  • Bring 1 cup of cashews to a boil on the stove in a deep saucepan (approx 10 mins).
  • Remove from heat and let the cashews cool in the water.
  • When the cashews have cooled down to room temperature, strain the water and add cashews to your blender.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to your saucepan and heat on stove on medium to low heat.
  • Mince garlic cloves and add to saucepan, heat until fragrant but do not let brown.
  • Once the garlic is fragrant (about 1 minute) add a small dash of nutmeg (go easy on this as the taste can be overpowering, you can always add more if you like).
  • Add in 1/4 cup Sandhill RosĂ© and 1/4 cup vean melted butter, stir and remove from heat to let everything melt.
  • In the blender add 1/2 cup nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 2 teaspoons of dry mustard (or 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard), juice from 1 lemon, 1/2 cup of unsweetened original almond milk, 1/2 teaspoon – 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper and 1/2 cup veggie or vegan chicken stock.
  • Add garlic and Sandhill RosĂ© mixture to the blender.
  • Blend sauce on soup setting (if you have a Vitamix) to heat up or, blend and add to pot on stove to warm up.
  • Cook Fettuccini noodles as per directions on the package.
  • Drain noodles.
  • Toss noodles in a bowl with Alfredo sauce and top with vegan parm, finely chopped parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve and enjoy!
  • Grilled Caesar Salad
  • Cut romaine hearts in half.
  • Put halved romaine hearts in a deep dish or bowl and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Turn your BBQ on high heat.
  • Once your BBQ is ready, place each halved romaine heart directly on BBQ.
  • Remove romaine hearts once slightly charred (this gives it that nice rustic taste).
  • Arrange romaine hearts on plates and drizzle with lemon caper dressing.
  • Top with tofu bacon bits, capers, and vegan parm.
  • Enjoy!
  • Roasted Tomatoes
  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Cut all of your tomatoes in half.
  • Lay out all of your halved tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • Drizzle tomatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and place in the oven to roast until they start to caramelize.
  • Pull out of oven and serve immediately.
Jillian Harris Cashew Alfredo Pasta Recipe
Jillian Harris Cashew Alfredo Pasta Recipe

There you have it! Make sure to let me know what you think of these recipes if you decide to whip them up! Don’t be afraid to pick and choose what items you make here as it doesn’t ALL have to be made together if you prefer only to make a few things for a light meal!

Enjoy!

xo

Jilly

Thank you Sandhill for sponsoring this post. All comments and opinions are my own.

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