Cauliflower Fettuccine Alfredo with Homemade Cashew Cheese

(Listed amounts are per serving. MACs = Microbe Accessible Carbohydrates. Amounts of MACs, total polyphenols and phenolic compounds are shown in g for all recipes.)

Introduction

Even though this comfort food dish is 100% plant-based, you’ll feel like you’re having cream and cheese. It is loaded with MACs from whole grain pasta, cauliflower and peas.

This pasta is also chock full of polyphenols. Olive oil has a high amount of polyphenols and also provides us with healthy fats: the predominant fatty acid (about 73%) is a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid, and it also contains some omega-3.

Nuts are also a great source of polyphenols and monounsaturated fatty acids. Cashews were the winning choice for this fettuccine Alfredo because they have a lower overall fat content than most other nuts, and because 82% of their fats are health promoting unsaturated ones (and 66% of these are monounsaturated, like those found in olive oil). Plus, they contain a little omega-3, too. They also lend a nice opportunity to teach you how to make your own cashew cheese at home because while store-bought cashew cheeses can be so tasty, they can be really expensive. For a hefty dose of omega-3 fatty acids in this dish, sprinkle raw hemp hearts on your pasta – it’ll add some fun texture to this dish.