WIAW Healthy Fall Foods: Gluten Free/Vegan

Since I haven’t been running and my focus is on eating healthy I’ve been menu planning and experimenting with new dishes. I’m a little obsessed with Pinterest! Anyone else have 1000s of pins that will never lead to anything?

My latest favorite foods have been fall related:

• Pumpkin Chia Pudding
• Cuties
• Apples with Almond Butter
• Lots of Root Veggies with Spinach Hummus
• Spaghetti Squash with Black Beans and Veggies

Some of my latest eexperiments

Based on this recipe from Minimalist Baker

Vegan Lemon Garlic Sauce with Roasted Asparagus

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bunch asparagus trimmed and washed
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 2 lemons (or 1 lemon and ¼ lemon juice)
• Olive oil
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• Pasta or Gnocchi
• 2 cups unsweetened plain almond milk
• 2 Tbsp corn starch
• 8 ounces silken tofu
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (or parmesan cheese if not dairy free)
• 1 Tbsp oregano

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add asparagus to a baking sheet and toss with 1/2 Tbsp olive oil and a pinch each salt and pepper. Top with several thin slices of lemon and bake for 20-25 minutes. Once finished cooking, remove from oven and roughly chop into thirds.
• In the meantime, bring a pot of water to a boil.
• Add 3 Tbsp olive oil and garlic to hot pan. Whisk and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes or until garlic is just starting to brown.
• Add corn starch and whisk. Cook for 30 seconds, then whisk in almond milk 1/2 cup at a time. Add a healthy pinch salt and pepper and whisk. Lower heat and continue cooking to thicken, stirring occasionally.
• Make sure pasta or gnocchi is in pot now
• Add Silken tofu and use immersion blender to smooth sauce
• Add oregano, nutritional yeast and another pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
• Once your sauce has reached desired thickness, add the juice of one lemon (or ¼ cup juice) and stir.
• Add the chopped asparagus and the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to coat.

I topped with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Yum!

Now on the planning for Thanksgiving…we are heading to my in-laws but always need to make sure O and I have healthy and safe options to eat. What is on your Thanksgiving menu?

Check out other great food ideas at What I Ate Wednesday