Cheesy(cheese-less)Penne Alfredo

Ingredients:


1 medium white onion chopped (11/2 cups)
2 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth, separated
1/2-3/4 teaspoon Celtic Salt
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3-4 large minced garlic cloves
1/2 heaping cup of whole cashews (2.6 oz)(soaked for 5 hours if you don't have a high powdered blender)
1 tablespoon lemon juice( I added more, so add to you liking, do not omit this)
1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast

Optional Flavoring:
Cayenne
Garlic Powder
1 Tb. butter

Directions:

Add the onion and only 1 cup of the broth to a large pan over medium-low heat. Cook for about 8 minutes until the onion is very tender. Add a tad more broth if needed so onions don't brown. After the 8 minutes add the garlic and cook until all the broth has evaporated. You don't want any liquid left once it is done cooking

Add the cooked veggies to a blender. Start out by just adding 3/4 cup more of the broth, and add all the remaining ingredients. Blend on high for a couple of minutes until very creamy and smooth. Add any more broth to reach desired consistency. Taste test. Add any salt and pepper if desired. I also add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, a sprinkle or two on cayenne at this point. If you want to add a tablespoon of butter at this point for extra richness go for it!

Add half of the sauce to preferred pasta and mix. I love Annie's Brown Rice Penne Pasta for this dish. I love to lightly steam broccoli florets and add to the pasta and top with grilled chicken if available. I then add extra sauce if needed. I keep the remaining sauce for when i re-heat leftovers. Add a a splash of chicken broth and mix to the left over sauce before heating. this will lighten the sauce after it has thickened overnight.

*vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, kid-approved