By Julia Dzurillay
Columnist
I’ve been on a YouTube kick lately, specifically for videos about vegan cooking. It always baffles me how a diet that can be so restrictive can be approached with such enthusiasm and creativity. My favorite vlogger is Caitlin Shoemaker, who focuses not only on healthy vegan meals, but themed meals for vegan chefs on a budget.
My favorite recipe that she’s made is a fettuccine alfredo bowl that costs less than $2 per serving. Instead of using cheese and traditional milk, Shoemaker uses nutritional yeast, soy milk and zucchini to achieve that classic, creamy alfredo taste. She tops it off with mushrooms, but I added peas and onions to my version of her recipe to give this dish a splash of color and a little more flavor. Non-vegans can substitute whole milk for Shoemaker’s suggested soy milk and add parmesan cheese on top for extra flavor.
Makes: Three servings
Ingredients:
6 oz. dry fettuccine
1 large zucchini
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
1/4 19 oz. block firm tofu
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 cup baby bella mushrooms
1/2 cup sweet peas
1/4 cup onions
3 tbsps vegetable broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook fettuccine according to package instructions. If peas are frozen, add them to boiling water. Once cooked, drain both peas and pasta and set aside.
2. Peel and chop the zucchini into small chunks. In a small pan with 1 tbsp of vegetable broth, add the zucchini with salt and pepper. Cook until translucent and soft, about 5-10 minutes.
3. In a blender, combine the zucchini, soy milk, tofu, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper. Blend until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.
4. Wash and slice mushrooms. Cut onion into very small chunks.
5. In a large pan, add 2 tbsps of vegetable broth and bring to medium heat. Add minced garlic, onions and sliced mushrooms to the pan and sauté for about five to seven minutes.
6. Pour the alfredo sauce and add in pasta and peas. Stir until pasta is evenly coated with the sauce.
7. Top with pepper before serving.
8. Enjoy!
