Two Made-Up Dishes

I mixed up a big batch of dry pancake mix the other day, so I thought Clint and I might have pancakes tonight. It's a quick and easy supper that can be quite healthy with the right ingredients. When Clint got home he wasn't hungry for pancakes though, so I had to come up with a Plan B. I wanted something green, vegan, and healthy. I also wanted to use up some produce, and suddenly things just started happening. I'm not sure exactly what happened and I'm not sure exactly how it happened, but I'm pleased with the results!

I made some Stinky Walnut Cheese Crumble from the YumUniverse Dairy Freedom eGuide. The recipe is as close as you can get to plant based, non-dairy, soy-free blue cheese. I'm not a big blue cheese lover myself, but for some reason I wanted a sharp taste, so I gave it a whirl. I topped a bok choy and arugula salad with that "cheese," some dried Michigan cherries, and a lavender vinaigrette from Vintage Remedies. There were a lot of strong flavors, but somehow they all worked together and suited my taste quite nicely! I think I'll have this salad again for lunch tomorrow.

Then I decided to make a sort of vegan basil alfredo pasta sauce. It was good, but not quite as good as I imagined, so the recipe posted below includes modifications I will try the next time I make it! If you try it, please let me know any improvements you would make.

Vegan Basil Alfredo
2/3 cups cashews, soaked
3/4 - 1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
Basil, however much you want

• Blend all in food processor or blender. Be careful if you use a food processor - the water will probably seep out! Pour over favorite pasta. I think it would be extra delicious with the addition of some sundried tomatoes . . .

A word of caution: This dinner is full of sharp and strong flavors, which can lead to some, ahem, strong breath. "Breath of a funk" as my dad would say :) I wouldn't recommend eating any of it before going out in public!