Peanut Butter Pasta Shells *

I love vegan mac & "cheese" but I try not to eat it too often because it doesn't have very much protein. Anyone who has looked through the rest of my recipes will know that I also like peanut butter with pasta. This recipe, unlike my previous recipes combining peanut and pasta, is more of a comfort food with the smooth, creamy texture of the peanut butter sauce, the slightly salty flavor, and the pleasant chewiness of shell pasta. For me it is the next best thing to eating a big bowl of vegan mac & "cheese" while being much more nutritious (see note below). This recipe is gluten and soy free.

8 ounce box gluten free corn/quinoa pasta shells, cooked and drained
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (1 cup if you like a thinner sauce)
1/8 to 1/4 tsp salt (use the 1/4 if your peanut butter is not salted)
1/4 tsp garam masala

Combine all ingredients except the pasta in a pot as large enough to hold the pasta. Whisk together over medium-low heat until the sauce is smooth, creamy, and warm. Add the shells and stir together until they are coated evenly and there isn't too much extra sauce left at the bottom. Serve immediately. My family likes this paired with peas or beets.

NOTES: If you do not need to be gluten free you can substitute wheat pasta shells. The 1/4 tsp of garam masala makes a mild sauce so you may wish to add more; I am serving this to a 5 year old to whom anything beyond very mild seasoning is "too spicy" and so I keep it to a minimum. If you want to be adventurous, try adding some soaked raisins, currents, or sweetened dried cranberries. This dish is best right after it is made so if you will not being able to use it all at one meal you may want to consider cutting the recipe in half.

Nutritional Note: I calculated the nutrition in this dish with an online recipe calculator and, assuming 4 servings, there is about 14 grams of protein per serving. Obviously, if you use different ingredients the protein content may be different and it was just an online calculator not a lab analysis or anything.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake *

This recipe is gluten-free and optionally soy-free.

1/2 cup chocolate vegan ice cream *
3 TBSP smooth peanut butter (or more if you want a creamier shake)
2 tsp cocoa powder
2 tsp vanilla agave **
1 cup unsweetened almond milk

Place the ingredients in your blender - the cocoa should not go in first or last - and blend until smooth according to the directions for your blender. If you do not have directions try pulsing a few times, blending on low for 15 seconds, and then medium until it looks smooth and creamy.


* I use So Delicious coconut milk chocolate ice cream to make mine soy-free. You could use any kind you like but if it is very sweet you may want to omit some or all of the agave.

** The vanilla agave I used is Wholesome Sweeteners brand. If you cannot find vanilla agave regular agave, or another sweetener of your choice, will be fine but you may wish to add a few drops of (gluten-free) vanilla extract.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting *

I wanted to make a cake that my Grandfather, a big fan of peanut butter cups, would enjoy so I whipped up some chocolate peanut butter frosting. This recipe only makes just enough to spread on the top of an 8x8" cake so if you want to frost the sides or are making a larger cake you will want to at least double it. Because of the peanut butter this won't be as light in texture or get as stiff on the outside as most frosting.

3 TBSP smooth style peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar *
3 TBSP vanilla or plain almond milk
1 TBSP cocoa powder

Combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl and cream together with a fork or spoon. It may help to add 1/2 the sugar and stir it in before adding the second half. You can use a hand mixer or stand mixed instead if you like.

* If you are concerned about finding powdered sugar that was definitely not processed with bone char you can order it on Amazon or try a natural foods shop or Whole Foods.

NOTE: I use gluten free/alcohol free vanilla and smooth "natural" peanut butter with a tiny bit of palm oil in it. I don't know if using alcohol-based vanilla or true natural peanut butter (ie peanuts & salt) will alter the texture or flavor of the frosting.

Peanut Butter Cookies

With only 6 ingredients, these cookies are extremely easy to make. They're a bit fragile until completely cooled but after that it is safe to drizzle them with vegan chocolate.

Peanut Butter Cookies


¼ cup soy margarine, softened
1 cup natural creamy peanut butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup agave nectar
1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda


Cream together the margarine and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl, then add the sugar and agave until . In a measuring cup or small bowl, blend together the baking soda and flour. Add the flour mixture to the large bowl and mix thoroughly. Place TBSP size balls of dough 1 ½ inches apart on a cookie sheet sprayed lightly with nonstick spray (or lightly greased). Use a fork to flatten them to just under ½ an inch thick and leave a criss-cross pattern on top. Bake the cookies at 375 degrees for about 11 - 13 minutes; they should look like cookies instead of dough but not be browned and will be still soft to the touch. Allow the cookies to sit on the tray for a moment to firm up before moving them to a cooling rack.

Creamy Peanut Sauce *

Unlike the sesame peanut pasta which I make in large batches to use as leftovers, this sauce should be made in small enough amounts to be used right away. It has a more delicate texture and flavor that goes very well with rice noodles.

Ingredients:
2 TBSP sesame oil
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
¾ cup plain soymilk
¼ tsp ginger

Put the sesame oil in the bottom of a small saucepan and add the peanut butter and soymilk. Heat the mixture over medium low while whisking the ingredients together with a small whisk. Once the sauce reaches a smooth, creamy consistency add the ginger and stir well with whisk.

Makes enough sauce for 2 – 3 cups cooked rice noodles. To keep the noodles from sticking together, toss with a tsp of sesame oil before adding the peanut sauce.

Sesame Peanut Pasta **

As much as I love to cook and bake, sometimes I just need a to make something simple that will be quick, easy, and give me plenty of leftovers for days when I have no time. Of course, it also has to be delicious and nutritious! This recipe for Sesame Peanut Pasta is one that meets all those needs.

You'll need a small frying pan, a saucepan, and a VERY large pot for this!

Ingredients:
1 lb of pasta (spaghetti or bowtie or macaroni)
Water to cook the pasta
1 to 2 cups of frozen peas
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped scallions
4 tsp sesame oil
1 jar chunky peanut butter
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
3 TBSP toasted sesame seeds
Cooking spray or oil

In your large pot, begin cooking the pasta according to the box directions. Coat the bottom of your frying pan with oil or nonstick spray and sautee the scallions until just slightly cooked. When the pasta is almost cooked, turn the heat up and add the peas to thaw them(a minute should do); don't overcook the pasta to avoid having it fall apart once the peanut sauce is added. Take the pasta off the stove and drain it with a colander as soon as it is done.
Using a small bowl or custard cup, combine the ginger and garlic. Put the sesame oil in the saucepan and stir in the garlic/ginger mixture; a small whisk will work best but if you don't have one just use a spoon. Add all of the peanut butter and place on the stove. Heat it over medium-low, stirring with a spoon, until the peanut butter melts. Return the pasta and peas to the large pot and add the scallions. Pour the peanut sauce over the pasta and stir it through quickly to coat the pasta before it thickens. Finally, stir in the sesame seeds.



This dish can be served hot or cold, though I prefer hot. It goes well with sauteed red bell peppers. To add extra nutrition, use 2 cups of peas and try whole wheat pasta. For more protein, stir-fry tofu and add it to the noodles before stirring in the peanut sauce.

*** If you have only un-toasted sesame seeds, try toasting them in the frying pan before cooking the scallions or placing them on some foil in a toaster oven (watching carefully to be sure they don't burn).