Fettu-Z-ini Alfredo! (Gluten Free & Vegan)

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ALSO! A huge thank you to the reader who ordered a TV through my Amazon link! I got $10 through that purchase, which will go towards the blog! And while I do not see who orders what, I am incredibly grateful to everyone who has been doing their Christmas shopping by going through my link. It’s totally free for you, and your support allows me to continue bringing you BBB every week!

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OK — BRING ON THE FOOD!

Pssst……

OK guys, I have a serious secret to share with you….I mean, serious.

And that is the extraordinary awesomeness that is SOAKED CASHEWS.

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OK, pause. Before you scratch your head in confusion, let me explain.

I love cashews. I really do. But I always just buy them raw, grind them up in my food processor and fuggeduhboutit. I mean, I had always seen the recipes that call for “soaked cashews,” but I never had the time or patience to plan ahead, and figured…how much of a difference could it really make? I mean, come on!

The answer? A LOT.

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Yesterday, I knew I was going to have some time on my hands today. I booked a shoot coming up at the beginning of next week here in Ohio, so I’ve extended my trip until then. So I decided to create a little somethin’somethin’ extra delicious. And I figured, what the heck, might as well try out this whole “soaked cashew” phenomenon.

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You. Guys. What happened to these raw cashews was nothing short of amazing. I took a picture to show you.

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I soaked them in water for 24 hours. The right cashew is what they started out as. And here they are on the left, TRIPLED IN SIZE!

I couldn’t believe it. They absorbed the water and became creamy and soft – seriously like the consistency of cream cheese or butter.

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I’ve seen the light. I’m converted. 😉

Anywho, given this revelation of the soaked cashew glory, I decided that it was time to tackle one of my former all-time favorite foods: Fettuccini Alfredo. Only this version would be Specific Carb Diet friendly and Vegan!

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To all you who are shakin’ your head, or “SMH” as the youths today so eloquently put it, just hear me out: this dish was incredible.

And there’s a super secret ingredient here, folks. One that transforms this into a creamy and rich alfredo sauce. And it’s none other than….

CAULIFLOWER.

Yep! This alfredo sauce is Gluten and Grain Free, Vegan, Specific Carb Diet friendly, AND Paleo!

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So then…it must taste like sawdust or cardboard, right?? —- WRONG! It was superb!

Don’t believe me? I dare you to give it a try! 😀

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Here’s what you need: (Serves 2)

1/3 cup raw cashews, soaked in water overnight, or for 24 hours
1 cup cauliflower florets, roasted in 1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup cauliflower florets, steamed
1/2 vidalia onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
salt and pepper
1 grate (or pinch) of fresh nutmeg

Optional: Unsweetened regular almond milk – room temperature

2 zucchini, made into noodles (OR noodle of choice)
Fresh basil, chopped – garnish

TOOLS

Baking Sheet
Tin Foil – I use Non-Stick, and it is seriously a game changer!
Steamer Basket
Food Processor
Veggie Spiralizer – (This is the one I use (just about every day) and LOVE)
Good Chef’s Knife

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

On a tin-foil lined, olive oil – sprayed baking sheet, toss 1 cup of your cauliflower florets with 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), and bake for 25 minutes, stirring once, halfway through.

Meanwhile, steam the other cup of cauliflower florets in a steamer basket, (or in the microwave) until very tender.

Also, sauce your onions and garlic in 1-2 Tbsp of EVOO, salt and pepper, over medium heat until the onions are soft and beginning to caramelize. This will take about 8-10 minutes.

Put your soaked and drained cashews in the food processor and process them until they form a smooth paste. Add your roasted and steamed cauliflower, onions and garlic to the food processor, and process until smooth. It will be thick and creamy. You may need to scrape the sides. I find it best to do this when it is still hot, as the steam helps the sauce “come together.” You may add 1-3 Tbsp plain almond milk if it is too thick. I did not. You may also add a grate of fresh nutmeg if desired.

Finally, with either a spiralizer, mandoline, or sharp knife, make your zucchini into noodles. You may also use any noodle of choice.

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To plate, either top your zucchini noodles with the sauce and garnish with chopped fresh basil, or toss your noodles with the sauce and plate.

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My goodness, you guys. What a TREAT! Back in my gluten-consuming days, Fettuccini Alfredo was my favorite “special occasion” dinner. And this brought me right back to that “happy place!”

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The sauce was so creamy and rich from the cashews. And the combination of the nuttiness from the roasted cauliflower with the onions and garlic made for just a remarkable flavor.

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It’s hard to believe that this dish is healthy because is tasted so darn decadent!

So, it may not be the belle of the ball as far as appearances go, but what it lacks in color, it definitely makes up for in flavor.

I will DEFINITELY  be making this again!

What’s your favorite dish to make for special occasions?

For more recipes, you can get my e-cookbook here, or visit my food blog, GlutenFreeHappyTummy!

***THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS ORDERED MY BOOKS, BLOOM: A JOURNAL BY BEAUTYBEYONDBONES AND “MY BLOGGING TIPS“***

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR COPY!

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49 responses to “Fettu-Z-ini Alfredo! (Gluten Free & Vegan)”

  1. “it may not be the belle of the ball as far as appearances go” I don’t know what pictures your looking at but these look DELICIOUS to me. After wrappping my head around all the ingredients, it sounds like it would be delicious too. :):)

    Reply

  2. Oh that sounds yummy. Like you, I’ve been turning up my nose at soaked cashews. Yuck. But I’m going to try it. I’ll let you know next week or so when I get the ingredients and get around to cooking again.

    Reply

    • thanks friend! yes! it was seriously delicious. the texture was so creamy! have a great night! hugs x

      Reply

  4. I’ve never tried these noodles, seems like they would be good for everyone, maybe cut the starch content way back. the dish looks yummy! 😬

    Reply

    • Thanks John! Yes! Oh yeah – they cut the starch, AND boost the nutrition factor! Hope you’re having a great night! Hugs and love xox

      Reply

  5. You do cashews grow here on my island? Lol oh and boy how do we love it here! We take the seeds off the cashew and put it to dry in the sun and then we roost them on an open fire in our backyards or on the beach or wherever the sun, sand and breeze is! I really enjoyed reading this scrumptious recipe made by you! God bless you and happy consuming lol! 😊😅😋💚xx

    Reply

  7. Wow, I practically drooled just reading the recipe! I don’t care for the tomato-based sauces with the spaghetti squash, but I bet this sauce would be fabulous with it! This is a must-try.

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  9. MMMMMMMm mmmmmm! I just clicked on that Amazon link and bought that spiralizer within .0000205904 seconds. Ugh, Amazon Prime.. gets me every time. You have sold me for sure- I’ve always been hesitant about the “Soaked Cashews”.. but you are very convincing, and I’m definitely giving it a try! Thank you for sharing this phenYUMenal recipe (dad jokes)! XOXO. Have a great rest of your week, beauty!

    Reply

    • Thank you so much Mackenzie! Awesome! Oh girl you are going to LOVE IT. I’m tellin’ ya – the things you can do with it! I can’t eat an apple the normal way again! Haha oh my gosh that Dad joke … the best!! You too! Have an awesome week! Hugs and love xox

      Reply

    • Thanks Ian! Yeah, the cashews are a delicious and nutritional twist on a classic! Hugs and love xox

      Reply

  13. That’s incredibly inspiring for a dish, thanks for sharing. 🙂 Btw I use the WordPress app and no longer see the option to comment from there – you might be getting less comments cause of that (or maybe I need to update my app lol)

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    • hey friend! Thank you! and oh no! gosh, thanks for the heads up! that’s definitely concerning! i’ll look into it! big hugs to you xo

      Reply

  15. Love your post and the pictures are so vivid and beautifully taken. For an upcoming blog post I want to share about a Tapas (or small plate) get-together I’m planning with a few close friends. Little do they know it will be a test run for new recipes I want to try out for my Christmas Eve family dinner. I hope I can write about it as creatively as you.

    Reply

    • Thanks so much!! Oh that sounds like so much fun! Tapas parties are so great. Glad you stopped by! Hugs and love xox

      Reply

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