Spinach & Mushrooms with Cashew Cream (or full Moo!)
(Serves 2-3)
Enjoy as a decadent side dish or as a vegan main over pasta. This recipe calls for a non-dairy cashew cream sauce and we promise, you will not miss the real deal! BUT - we offer full dairy options in the notes below as well :). You can increase the quantity of mushrooms by 2 oz if a heartier vegan dish is desired.
6 oz Fresh Spinach - washed and dried, large stems removed, large leaves chopped
4 oz Fresh Mushrooms, sliced into strips (We used Black Pearl Oyster Mushrooms from Black Trumpet Farm - delicious!)
3 TBSP Olive Oil
½ Medium Sized Onion, very thinly sliced
½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Smoked Chili Flakes (or regular chili flakes)
TBSP Cumin Seed, roughly ground with mortar and pestle
(or a scant TBSP ground from a jar)
½ Cup Roasted Unsalted Cashews
Water
Heat 1 TBSP Olive Oil on medium heat. Once oil is hot, add Mushrooms, reduce to medium low and cover. Stir occasionally, cooking for 20 minutes until nicely browned adding more oil if necessary to keep from sticking. Remove from heat.
In a separate pan, heat 2 TBSP Olive Oil on medium heat in a large skillet. Add sliced onions and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring often. The onions should be translucent and lightly browning, but not charred.
Add Salt, Cumin and Chili Flakes and stir for 30 seconds, adding more oil if necessary to keep from sticking.
Turn heat to low, add the cooked Mushrooms and stir in the Spinach until it just begins to wilt.
Remove from heat and stir in Cashew Cream (see recipe below). Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to incorporate all of the yummy seasonings! Depending on the heat of the pan, the Cashew Cream may begin to “dry” and stick too quickly. Simply add more water and a bit more Olive Oil and stir well. We keep a kettle with hot water nearby just in case!
Serve as a side or serve over pasta noodles - pad thai noodles work really well.
Cashew Cream
Add 1/2 Cup Cashews to a liquid cup measure. Add Water until you reach 1 Full Cup. Blend in a Vitamix or good blender on high speed until very smooth with a cream-like consistency.
Full Moo Option
Combine 1/3 cup Heavy Cream, ¼ Cup Milk and ¼ Cup Parmesan and stir into pan after Spinach has lightly wilted. Continue cooking on low until cheese has melted into the sauce, about 5 minutes.