PERFECT VEGAN & GLUTEN FREE PASTA CARBONARA

Mmmm cheesy carby Carbonara makes almost everyone's top ten favourite comfort foods list, but there's no denying it's a little bit naughty! I'm pretty excited about this vegan and gluten free version.  With a rich and silky sauce made from roasted leeks, garlic, zucchinis, cashew creme and smokey paprika; and your choice of quinoa spaghetti, zucchini noodles or kelp noodles, suddenly carbonara the 'sometimes treat' becomes a legitimate everyday option ;)

For the sauce
1 leek, top removed, white base halved and sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 large Zucchinis, halved lengthways
Olive oil
1 heaped tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
A pinch of nutmeg
1/2 cup raw unsalted cashews
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

For the pasta
Approx 100gm mushrooms, sliced
1 spring onion, sliced top to bottom
1 head broccoli, chopped into florets
1 packet Ceres organics quinoa pasta, or equivalent amount of  kelp noodles or zucchini noodles (zoodles)
Parsley

Optional
Liquid smoke, tempeh


METHOD
Preheat oven to 190 degrees celcius. 

Place chopped leeks and garlic in a roasting dish and cover with a single layer of zucchini halves (this ensures the leeks won't burn). Drizzle with olive oil and place in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until zucchinis are well roasted and very soft. 

Meanwhile, pan fry mushrooms and broccoli in coconut oil. If you love that smokey 'bacon' flavour, add a few drops of liquid smoke to the fry pan as well, and even some thinly sliced tempeh if you have it. Fry until golden, popping your spring onion in towards the end. 

Place the pasta/kelp noodles in a pot and cook as per instructions, or prepare your zoodles by spiralising and blanching. 

When the roasted zucchinis are ready remove and place all the contents of the roasting dish into your high speed blender or food processor. Blend until super creamy, adding white wine vinegar, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, nutmeg and cashews as you go. Add a glug of olive oil to get it really silky. Add salt and pepper,  to taste. 

When the pasta is cooked and the sauce is smoooooth as, you are done! Combine the pasta, pan fried veggies and pasta, plate up and garnish with copius amounts of parsley!

Serves 4