Sweet Onion-Petso Pasta & Garlic Sauteed Spinach

There are so many incarnations of pesto - I thought this sweeter, creamier pesto was satisfying and indulgent, and went perfectly with some simple, garlic sauteed spinach. As usual, I recommend getting your ingredients organic and as local as possible!

WHAT YOU'LL NEED (serves 2):

pesto pasta

• 1.5 cups fresh basil leaves
• 2 cups brown rice pasta
• 2 Tbs raw cashew butter (or 1/4 cup raw cashews)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 large yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 Tbs nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

spinach

• 3 cups fresh spinach
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 Tbs olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Chop the onion, crush 2 cloves of garlic, and bring a large pan to medium heat, and saute them in 1 Tbs olive oil until golden.
2. Pour in the wine and let the liquid reduce for about 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, put the basil, cashew butter, almond milk, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth.
4. Add the sauteed onions and blend. Set aside the pesto.
5. Boil the pasta until tender, and strain.
6. Pour the pesto onto the pasta and mix.
7. For the spinach, saute for 3 or 4 minutes on medium heat (in the same unwashed skillet you used for the onions) with the garlic and olive oil.
8. Use basil leaves for garnish, top with some black pepper and nutritional yeast, and serve!