TYPE: Lunch, Dinner                                                    PREP TIME: < 15 mins

Goodies Needed

• Bartolini Whole Rye Organic Pasta (or another whole grain pasta of your choice)
• Green Onion (organic)
• Sesame Seeds (organic)
• Nutritional Yeast
• Raw Cashews (organic)
• Olive Oil (organic)
• Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice (organic)
• Water
• Sea Salt
• Black Ground Pepper
• *Other spices & herbs

* Quantities depend on number of people you are serving and portion sizes

Bob’s Red Mill T6635 Large Flake Yeast, 8-Ounce Packages (Pack of 4)

Price: $31.75

(30 customer reviews)

1 used & new available from $31.75

Klein’s Naturals Raw Cashews, Organic, 10-Ounce Container (Pack of 6)

Price: —

(9 customer reviews)

0 used & new available from

Zoe Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 25.5-Ounce Tins (Pack of 2)

Price: $39.95

(75 customer reviews)

2 used & new available from $39.95

Arrowhead Mills Mechanically Hulled Sesame Seeds, 12.5-Ounce Packages (Pack of 3)

Price: $12.99

( customer reviews)

3 used & new available from $12.99

Preparation Steps

• Cook the pasta according to the directions on the bag
• While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy sauce, which consists of: raw cashews, nutritional yeast, olive oil, lemon juice, herbs and spices
• I normally do not measure out the ingredients, just combine them from scratch and season to taste, the following is a guide of how to make the cheesy sauce

  A serving for roughly 4 would consist of:

• Add 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup of raw cashews to a blender, and blend (should crush the cashews into a powder)
• Add about 2 heaping tablespoons (or more depending on how strong you want the cheesy taste to be) into the powdered nuts
• Sprinkle in some pepper, sea salt and and some of your favorite herbs and spices (good ideas include any of the following: basil, oregano or cayenne pepper for spiciness)
• Squeeze in the juice of ½ or a full lemon (depending on how lemony you would like the sauce)
• Add in about ¼ cup olive oil (can add more later)
• Add in about ¼ cup of water (can add more later)
• Blend all these ingredients in the blender until a creamy consistency appears, if the mixture is too thick, add in more water, lemon juice and/or olive oil
• Keeping the cashews and yeast as the base, the trick to this recipe is to play around with it and make it suit your taste buds, there are numerous different spins on this recipe online, like this one
• Once the pasta cooks, drain and drizzle with a little olive oil to prevent it from sticking
• Rinse and chop up the green onions (can be substituted for fresh dill or parsley or neither for kids)
• Place a serving of the hot pasta on a plate, drizzle with the cheesy sauce, sprinkle with the onions and sesame seeds
• Best served with a salad to make it a balanced and complete meal
• This meal is vegan, and very nutritious, including the much needed B12 with the right nutritional yeast
• Enjoy and come back and let me know how you liked it!

Meal Nutritional Benefits

Whole Rye Pasta:

• good source of (in descending order): manganese, fiber, selenium, tryptophan, phosphorus, magnesium and protein
• helps prevent gallstones, helps promote weight loss, helps lower chances of diabetes type 2, promotes proper elimination
• for more information, visit the rye detailed overview from World’s Healthiest Foods

Nutritional Yeast:

• has a nutty, slightly sweet, cheese-like flavor
• is rich in protein (a complete protein), fiber, B vitamins, especially B2 (riboflavin), folate and B12 (but it depends on the brand)
• Approx. 2 tablespoons contains: 50 calories, 8 grams of protein, 5 mg of sodium, 5 carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber and less than 1 gram of fat.
• For more information on nutritional yeast see the Herbal Pharmacist

Green Onion:

• contain numerous flavonoids
• good source of (in descending order): chromium, vitamin C, fiber, manganese, molybdenum, vitamin B6, tryptophan, folate, potassium, phosphorus and copper

• helps lower blood sugar, enhances cardiovascular health, lowers high cholesterol, reduces risk of colon cancer when regularly consumed and protects against many other cancers like ovarian cancer
• boosts bone health, has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties
• for more information, visit the onion detailed overview from World’s Healthiest Foods 

Olive Oil:

• Rich in monounsaturated fat and polyphenols
• Protects against chronic degenerative diseases, increases life span, protects against heart disease, enhances healthy blood pressure, enhances proper gastrointestinal health and reduces breast cancer risk
• helps control proper blood sugar, helps prevent belly fat and insulin sensitivity, helps prevent bone loss, has anti-inflammatory benefits, helps protect from free radical damage, helps maintain healthy weight and protects against H. pylori
• for more information, visit the olive oil detailed overview from World’s Healthiest Foods

Lemons:

• Provide excellent source of vitamin C
• Contains valuable phytonutrients with antibiotic and antioxidant effects
• Offer protection against rheumatoid arthritis, help fight free radicals and thus reduce cancer risks and promote an overall healthy immune system
• For more information, visit the lemon detailed overview from World’s Healthiest Foods

Cashew Nuts:

• good source of (in descending order): copper, magnesium, tryptophan and phosphorus
• Rich in antioxidants and unsaturated fats, especially oleic acid like olive oil
• Promote good cardiovascular health, lower risk of coronary heart disease, promote healthy bone development, reduce risk of colon cancer, promote healthy blood vessels and joints and help prevent gallstones
• Lower risk of weight gain when consumed on a regular basis
• For more information, visit the cashews detailed overview from World’s Healthiest Foods

Sesame Seeds:

• good source of (in descending order): copper, manganese, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin B1 and fibre
• have cholesterol lowering effect, work to prevent high blood pressure, protect liver from oxidative damage and increase vitamin E stores in
• for more information, visit the sesame seeds detailed overview from World’s Healthiest Foods

About the author:
Evita Ochel, B.Sc., B.Ed., CHN - is a certified holistic nutritionist, biologist, educator, writer, researcher and speaker in the areas of health, science and holistic wellness. She is a nutritional science expert and her teaching and writing focus on natural, wholesome, plant-based and organic nutrition to achieve optimal health and longevity. Learn more about Evita Ochel or Follow Evita Ochel on Twitter.