Mother’s Day Lunch: Spaghetti with Kale, Ramps & Peas in Cream Sauce

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The perfect lunch for me on Mother’s Day!

serves 1

1/2 package gluten-free spaghetti
2 curly kale leaves
6 ramps
1/4 cup frozen green peas
1/4 cup cashew cream *
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon nutitional yeast (nooch)
Salt, to taste
Olive oil

Get the spaghetti going.

Very thinly slice the kale and ramps. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a pan and cook the kale and ramps until bright green, about 2 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the cashew cream, lemon juice and nooch. Season with salt and then taste and adjust.

Throw the peas in with the spaghetti to quickly defrost them.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the peas and toss them in with the kale and ramps. Add the cashew cream and mix together.

Lift out the spaghetti with tongs and add it to the vegetables. Add as much pasta water as necessary to get the consistency of cream sauce that you like. I like the sauce on the thick side.

Enjoy!

* Cashew cream
My cashew cream sauce has evolved since the early days of the blog. When my son was a little baby, I would place cashews, olive oil, water and lemon juice in the food processor and then add it to my lunch. This was the fast and easy way to have a gourmet lunch between naps and nursing. Now, I make a batch of plain cashew cream and keep it in the refrigerator.  It can be sweetened for dessert or jazzed up for pasta.

To make cashew cream, soak cashews overnight and then drain the water. Add to the Vitamix or blender with enough water to cover the cashews. Let it go until the cashews become creamy. Add more water, if necessary.

Ramps: The “In” Vegetable

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Ramps are in season right now! What are ramps you ask? Also known as wild leeks, they are in the same family as scallions, shallots, leeks, onions, and garlic. I have never cooked with them myself so I could not resist this bunch I saw today at the farmer’s market in Union Square.

First things first: clean the ramps. Run under cold water and lay on a kitchen towel. Gently pull back and peel off the translucent skins and cut off the hairy root. Place in a plastic storage bag with a damp towel and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Note: the entire ramp is edible. That is the bulb, stalk, and green leaves!

Tonight’s ramps adventure: a simple sauté in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Delicious! Sort of like an onion but not nearly as sharp. Not really like garlic but definitely strong flavor. Sort of like a leek but not as mellow. They are truly unique. I love them! New favorite vegetable. Will be cooking all week with what I have. I don’t know how many dishes I will get out this bunch but I am thinking soup, pasta with sautéed ramps in cream sauce, scrambled tofu with roasted potatoes and ramps, ramps with asparagus and pistachios…

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