Introduction: Perfect Purple Pasta

About: Healthy, vegan food does not have to mean bland, boring, or just salad! I want to show the world that delicious food can be good for you! Whether it be raw, cooked, or a bit of both! Vegan food can truly be am…

I had very colourful dreams last night. Bright purples, glowing reds, vibrant greens, and stunning yellows….

And when I awoke, I just knew that something had to be done about that colourful, vibrant dream..

I’d ended up making rather a lot of that Purple Goddess dressing
yesterday. So much, that I didn’t really think that I’d be able to use all of it to simply dress salad leaves.

And I don’t think I had enough crudités in the house to scoop even half of it.

The vague notion of an idea crept into my mind…. would it work? How
would it look? How would it taste? Will I wake from my colourful dream to cold reality and disappointment?

I turned the Purple Goddess salad dressing into a rich, creamy pasta sauce, and paired it with bright peas, jewel-like tomatoes, and gorgeous sunshine-bright turmeric-roasted cauliflower.

I honestly wasn’t sure whether my Purple Goddess sauce – originally intended for salads – would pair well with the pasta and cauliflower. But I needn't have worried. The flavours worked perfectly.

This dish has so many things going on it it, that you’d think they’d clash or cancel each other out. But they all seem to flow together into a wonderful, colourful symphony.

You get a creamy and vibrant element from the dressing, a hint of something garlicky, unusual yet addictive from the cauliflower, and wonderful pops of freshness from the peas, tomatoes and parsley.

You could use any vegetable in this dish. Sugar-snap peas would go especially well, as would sweetcorn. You could also leave the cauliflower uncooked, and serve this on courgette-noodles if you wanted to enjoy a raw meal.

I do hope you try this colourful creation. It certainly makes a change from the normal cream or red-coloured pasta dishes!

Pixie x

Step 1: Ingredients

250 grams Cauliflower Seperated into florets

1-2 cloves Fresh Garlic

1 heaped tsp Turmeric

1 tsp Coconut oil (melted)

1 tbs lemon juice

300 grams pasta (I used spaghetti, but any would work)

1 Handful Fresh Parsley (Roughly chopped)

1 cup Frozen Peas

2 tomatoes chopped

1 cup Pasta water (Reserve one cup when you drain the cooked pasta)

Salt

Black Pepper

Step 2: Step 1

Add the first 5 ingredients to a bowl, along with a pinch of salt, and
mix well. Get your hands in there and work that dressing in! You may want to wear gloves, but I didn't bother and my hands aren't yellow from it :)

Step 3: Step 2

Roast the cauliflower in a hot oven for 30 minutes, or until golden and
slightly crispy at the edges. Whilst this is cooking, prepare your pasta!

Step 4: Step 3

Add your pasta to a large pot of salted, boiling water, and cook
according to the instructions on the pack. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, add in your cup of peas. Once cooked, drain the pasta and peas, but making sure you keep one cup of the pasta water. You'll want this for your sauce!

Step 5: Step 4

Put the pasta and peas back in the pot, or a large serving bowl. In a
jug or container, mix the 1/3 cup of Purple Goddess dressing with 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Stir this through the pasta and check the consistency. If it seems a little thick, add more water. Give it a taste, and add salt and pepper if it needs it. Stir through the chopped tomatoes and parsley, and serve with a lovely fresh salad! This dish is equally nice warm or cold. Try it and let me know what you think! <3

Step 6: Step 5

If you did want a raw version, simply leave the cauliflower uncooked (or maybe dehydrate it for 8 hours, or until a little softened). Spiralise or thinly slice a courgette or two to use instead of the pasta, and thin out the dressing with a few tablespoons of water. Mix it all together, and top with fresh tomatoes and herbs. Enjoy! <3