Vegetable “Cream” Sauce (Vegan)

Don’t let the word vegan fool you – it’s one of the creamiest sauces I’ve ever tried and it’s loaded with hearty vegetables! Which means there are so many added benefits to this dish. It’s not only delicious but also jam-packed with nutrients. Serve it over rice, pasta, quinoa, or (if not vegan) grilled chicken or seafood. Either way you enjoy it, you will not be disappointed at all!

Even my 3 year old, who commonly turns his cute little nose up at vegetables, loved it! I mean what's not to love? Anything with the word CREAM in it is almost a guaranteed delicious dish! With no dairy, soy eggs, artificial sweeteners, or gluten, this dish will accommodate almost any dietary need. 

The veggies soak up the flavors in the decadent cream sauce, creating a delicious mix of hearty and healthy!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 red bell peppers, diced (about 3 cups)

1 (8 oz.) package white mushrooms, chopped

2 bunches broccoli, chopped (cut off and use florets only [about 4 cups])

2 medium-sized zucchinis, chopped (about 4 cups)

4 tablespoons salt-free all purpose seasoning (The one I found and use is blend of onion, garlic, carrot, black pepper, red bell pepper, tomato, orange peel, parsley, bay leaves, thyme, basil, celery, lemon peel, oregano, mustard seed, cumin, marjoram, coriander, cayenne pepper, and rosemary)

1 teaspoon fine pink Himalayan salt

1½ cups coconut cream

½ cup nutritional yeast

1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half

2 cups cooked corn (frozen [cooked according to package directions] or canned, drained)

5 oz. package fresh spinach

1/3 cup fresh basil

Fresh parsley, for garnish

*All the ingredients I use are Organic, down to the seasoning

Method

1. Make sure all your vegetables are washed and prepared.

2. Heat a large stovetop pan (I used a deep 12” pan) over medium to medium-high heat.

3. Add olive oil, bell peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini, all-purpose seasoning, and salt to the pan and stir to combine.

4. Sautee for 10-12 minutes, or until the vegetables start to soften.

5. To the pan, add in the coconut cream, nutritional yeast, tomatoes, corn, and spinach. The pan will be quite full. Once the spinach cooks down, you will be able to fit everything in the pan. Continue to stir until spinach wilts down.

6. Decrease the heat to low and let sauce slow simmer for another hour, stirring occasionally.

7. When ready to serve (I served this with brown rice paste but have also served it over chicken, quinoa, and rice), stir in fresh basil and garnish with parsley.

Makes 10 servings

1 serving is about ¾ cup of sauce

Macros for 1 serving

240 calories, 7.1g protein, 20.4g carbs, 15.3g fat, 3.3g sugar, 5.3g fiber