Thanks to Fit Approach and Bob’s Red Mill for sponsoring this post. All opinions (and the recipe!) are my own.
I am so excited to share this Zu-chini Alfredo recipe with you! I’ve been playing with the recipe for a few weeks, using cashews and Bob’s Red Mill Protein and Fiber as the base, and I finally hit the nail on the head.
My first recipes were good too, don’t get me wrong. I’ve made a variety of pasta dishes in the last weeks (which makes my husband very happy). We’ve had lasagna, spaghetti squash, and mac ‘n’ cheese, all using variations of this high protein sauce.
But with this Zu-chini Alfredo (pronounced like fettuccine) I know I’ve created the creamiest, richest, and tastiest sauce yet. And it’s still vegan and gluten-free! Plus, the Bob’s Red Mill Protein and Fiber adds 20 grams of plant-based protein and 12 grams of fiber (for the recipe)! Not to mention those probiotics.
Smoothie-a-Day with Bob’s Red Mill
Back at the beginning of the month (you couldn’t forget those amazing vegan and gluten-free protein pancakes, right?), I told you I was running my own smoothie-a-day challenge with Bob’s Red Mill Nutritional Booster protein powders.
The main reason was because they contain the probiotics that I feel that I’m lacking in my vegan diet. Not because it’s vegan, by the way, but because I simply don’t care for many of the foods that contain healthy probiotics.
I’m happy to say that I am on day 27 of my challenge and going strong! During that time I’ve made a lot of delicious smoothies, experimented a lot, and have tried all the flavors of the Bob’s Red Mill protein powder with probiotics. I’ve shared a few on Instagram (<– are you following me?).
This morning after we finished our very hot run, we refreshed with a Tropical Treat (serves two): 2 bananas, about a half cup fresh mango, 1/2 cup frozen pineapple, 16 ounces almond milk, and a heaping scoop of Bob’s Red Mill Vanilla. So good! (The photo is with the Chai Protein because I finished up the Vanilla with this smoothie.)
The results? Well, I really feel like I can tell a difference. Of course, many of the benefits of probiotics, like an immune system boost, preventing UT infections, and fighting food-borne illness, can’t be seen in a month. But, some of the issues I have with my digestion have definitely improved. So I plan to keep it up. Bob’s Red Mill with probiotics has definitely become a part of my nutrition plan.
Zu-chini Alfredo
When I decided I wanted to use zucchini noodles for this dish, I had planned to make regular old zoodles. However, I hadn’t used my spiralizer for a few years while, and apparently I’d forgotten how to use it correctly. I ended up putting on the wrong attachment, but when I saw how the noodles looked I decided that they were perfect for this recipe. Even Alan said that they looked more like fettuccine.
Of course, as I said above, this sauce is delicious on any kind of pasta, so use zoodles, macaroni, spaghetti, whatever. It’s going to work out just fine.
- ¼ cup onion
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- Olive oil for cooking
- 1.5 cups cashews, soaked for an hour, then drained
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1.5 cups almond milk
- ⅓ cup Bob's Red Mill Protein and Fiber
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 4-5 Medium Zucchini
- Parsley for garnish
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
- Cook the garlic and onion until soft, about 3 minutes.
- Put the drained cashews, lemon juice, almond milk, protein powder, nutritional yeast, basil, salt and pepper into a blender.
- Add the onions and garlic and blend until smooth.
- Use a spiralizer to make your zu-chini (zucchini noodles).
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat.
- Add the zu-chini and cook until hot, about 2-3 minutes. Don't overcook.
- Place the zu-chini in a large bowl and slowly stir in the Alfredo Sauce.
- Toss gently. Garnish with parsley and more pepper if desired.
Variations
As I mentioned, I played around a bit with this sauce. Here are some other delicious creations you can make.
Mac ‘n’ Cheese Variation: Add one large cooked carrot (steamed or boiled) before blending the sauce. Cook the macaroni according to package directions. Drain and pour into a baking dish. Stir in the sauce. Sprinkle with vegan bread crumbs and bake in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes.
Spaghetti Squash Variation: Omit the nutritional yeast. Slice the spaghetti squash in half and roast at 350 until tender, about 45 minutes (when you scrape it with a fork it shreds). Add a large spoonful of the sauce on each half and toss carefully. To be honest, mine is slightly overcooked in the picture above, so be careful you don’t do the same.
Lasagna Variation: Sorry, you’re going to have to wait for this one. It’s just too good, and more complicated. It deserves its own post.
Would you like to try Bob’s Red Mill Nutritional Booster? Here’s a coupon so you can save on your purchase! Do you use probiotics? Have you tried them in a smoothie? When was the last time you had Alfredo sauce?
My weekly linkups! Please stop by and check out all of the great recipes, workouts, and information that all these awesome bloggers share every week!
Sunday Blog Hop with Jenn
Meatless Monday with Sarah and Deborah
Meatless Monday with Annmarie
Inspire Me Monday with Janice
Weekend Snapshots with Erin
Anything Goes with Marilyn
Wild Workout Wednesday with Annmarie, Michelle, Sarah, and Angelena Marie
The Plant Based Potluck Party with Deborah
The Running Coaches’ Corner with Rachel, Suz, Lora Marie, and Me!
Giveaway Roundup and Try Out Thursdays with Smitha
The Blogger’s Pit Stop with Kathleen
Friday Fitness with Jill
Oh yum! I never thought to add Bobs Red Mill to the mix—I can’t wait to try this one!
I love it because it has no flavor, so I can add it, adding extra protein, without messing with the taste of the sauce.
What a creative way to use the protein powder!! Thanks so much for linking up with us for meatless Monday
Thanks, Deborah. I was looking for a way to use it that wasn’t in a smoothie or a baked good. It’s unflavored, so this worked perfectly.
This recipe looks delicious! I’d just have to modify it so there are no nuts. Can’t believe it took me until I was 38 to figure out I was allergic.
Can you eat beans? I would think that white beans would make a good substitute for the cashews. They would give it substance and good nutrition.
Genius! This sounds amazing- love versatile Bobs is! 🙂
I know! Bob’s is awesome!
This looks really good. I never would have thought to use the powder like this! Great idea.
Love zucchini noodles and this looks delicious. Thank you for linking up with us for Meatless Monday.
Finally making zoodles for the first time in a while reminded me how good and easy they are to make. Even my hubby liked them (and he’s not a vegetable lover!).
Look very nice
Thanks!
THIS recipe is insanely genius! I am SOOOO on board- minus the cashews. I hope they don’t make a huge difference. And I wonder if I could swap in flax milk instead of almond, since the last time almond milk slipped into my diet, I broke out in hives and insane allergies erupted!! I really need to get my hands on all these new Bob’s Red Mill Products!
I’m sure you can sub the flax milk, but I’m not sure that taking out the cashews would give you much substance for the sauce. If you can’t eat nuts, my first thought would be to use some white beans for a base, if you can eat those.
I really need to find these Bob’s protein powders. I haven’t seen them yet but they sound great.
Your recipe sounds so tasty! I’m going to have to try that. I have some zucchini in the fridge wondering what to do with it tonight so I’ll try a version of your sauce since I don’t have the powder yet.
Also, I co-host a link up on Fridays called Healthy Vegan Fridays if you ever want to join in – I think I lot of people would like your recipes. 🙂
Thank you Mary Ellen, I’d love to join your link up. I’m always happy to find vegan linkups! The sauce should taste fine without the protein powder. It is tasteless, and I just used it for the purpose of adding extra protein to a recipe that was a little low on it. I’ve made cashew based sauces and cheeses and they’re pretty much always delicious 🙂
Wonderful! We’d love to have you link up!
I have a go-to cashew alfredo that’s similar to your recipe but yours is looking so delicious I’m going to try yours tonight. 🙂
Our abundant crop of zucchini is about to come in and I am always looking for healthy new ways to use it. This looks delicious.
I am always looking for new ways to enjoy zucchini! I am so delighted that you shared your healthy and delicious Zu-chini Alfredo recipe with us at the Healthy Happy Green Natural Party! I’m Pinning and sharing this!
We do meatless Mondays and this looks delicious. We do not get Bills Sauce mix though so I will play around with some ingredients cant wait to try it out!
Honestly, the sauce is just as good without the Bob’s Red Mill. I just love the extra protein. You can skip it all together (maybe use a little less almond milk), or use another, unflavored, protein powder.
Awesome, I have almond milk and so it is this monday I trid it with coconut milk 🙂 Yummmm!
Debbie, congratulations this post was among the most clicked on the Bloggers Pit Stop, be looking for a feature on Friday.