Vegan, Low Fat Alfredo Sauce
2 heads garlic
2 blocks Mori-Nu soft silken tofu, drained and patted dry on paper towels
3 Tbs. olive oil (more or less if you like)
Some parsley, chopped (optional)
Salt
Pepper
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Cut off the tip-tops of the garlic heads, set on squares of aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap and roast in the oven or toaster oven until fragrant and easily pierced with a knife. [The cheater’s way to do this is to at least start the garlic off in the microwave for a few seconds - no more than 20 seconds at a time - until slightly soft. Then either finish off in the oven or call it good enough.]
Meanwhile… You need to be draining your tofu blocks. Just set them on a couple thicknesses of paper towel and that should do the trick. They don’t need to be dry as a bone, just not dripping wet.
Oh, and start your pasta. This recipe is the perfect amount for 1 lb. (a normal box) of fettucine.
Chop up a bit of parsley. To be honest, I don’t really know what this ingredient adds to the dish (except an odd greenish tinge). You might do fine without it. Let me know how it goes. :)
When your garlic is roasted, drop the tofu into a blender or food processor, glug a bit of olive oil on top, then add the garlic cloves. (Be careful taking them out of their little “husks” - they’ll be quite hot.)
If you aren’t a garlic lover like me, start with just one head of garlic in the mix. You can always add more later.
[I smashed my garlic up with the edge of a knife before I dropped it in the blender. All my cooking shows say this helps enhance the flavor. Besides, it’s kind of fun. If you’re in a real hurry (or don’t want your hands to smell like garlic all next week), skip this step.]
Blend blend blend. It’ll get a bit frothy.
Throw in some salt and pepper. Parsley, if you want it.
TASTE A LOT AS YOU GO. - This is the key to all my culinary successes: Mess around a lot. When it tastes good, stop fiddling with it.
When your sauce is all blended up, pour it into a saucepan and heat it over medium-low heat until it’s warm enough not to cool off your nice hot pasta.
Dump the drained (but not rinsed!) fettucine into at serving bowl. Pour your warm Vegan, Low Fat Alfredo Sauce on top. Thar she blows!
Variations/Additions
- Use this as a less heart-stopping base for a gorgonzola cheese sauce. Just add a coupla handfuls of crumbled gorganzola cheese into the mix as you’re heating it up.
- Slice grape tomatoes in half and edge your serving bowl with them.
- Roasted red bell peppers might be nice
- Leslie suggested adding some green tabasco to give it a kick
- Snip some basil leaves on top, or add fresh pesto as a garnish
- Add crisp-tender vegetables for a pasta primavera
- Or cook some spinach right into it!
- Add artichoke hearts and serve warm with chips like a dip
