Summer Spaghetti with Zucchini-Cashew "Alfredo" Sauce (gluten free, vegan, dairy free, soy free)

Every summer, we are left with more zucchini than we know how to eat, and we tire of it. We roast it, we saute it, we steam it. We shred it, slice it, and puree it. We use it like pasta, we add it to breads, we use it as filler in anything and everything. I've started using it in smoothies to get a nice creamy texture. It shows up everywhere.

I like pureeing raw zucchini, cooking the puree, and using it as a milk substitute in baked goods. Then not long ago, it dawned on me that this creamy zucchini "milk" could be used in place of milk in other things - like creamy soups, smoothies, or sauces. The idea for an alfredo-style cream sauce was born. I've been kicking around that concept for awhile, and finally had the chance to give it a shot last weekend when I was home visiting my family. The secret ingredient is soaked cashews, which add a rich flavor and velvety texture to our perennial garden favorite. Soaked and blended cashew cream does something magical when you cook it: it thickens, just like dairy does. Perfect for making thick sauces.

Creamy and rich, my zucchini-cashew "alfredo" sauce was the perfect finish to al dente brown rice spaghetti and an abundance of fresh farmer's market summer vegetables and garden herbs. The sauce had a great thick texture, creamy white color, and an awesome flavor, and was a breeze to make. It totally passed the test with my parents, who both went in for second helpings. My mom enjoyed it as is, but my dad, a true Wisconsite, added a bit of parmesan cheese to his bowl. What can I say, the man loves his cheese.

Besides loving my "alfredo" sauce, they were both really impressed with the Tinkyada brown rice spaghetti. So impressed, in fact, that I left them the rest of the package. I'm always trying to get them to eat less wheat, so I was happy to support future wheat-free meals! After they both noticed that they did not slip into a wheat pasta-induced food coma or suffered heavy cream sauce-induced digestive troubles after our lunch, I think wheat free meals will become a bit more frequent. As for me, I was thrilled and thought the whole meal was fabulous. This was the first "alfredo" style spaghetti I'd eaten in probably more than five years. I'd given up

cream sauces and pasta ages ago because they made me feel so dreadful. It was wonderful to eat creamy pasta and feel great, instead of wanting to go curl up and die somewhere! We all finished lunch satisfied and happy, and with just a little leftover.

I can't wait to try variations on the sauce (see below for my ideas). I think the sauce should freeze well, so make big batches with all that zucchini from your garden, and throw some in the freezer for another meal. The pasta-alfredo-vegetable formula has endless opportunity for variation - I can't wait to try other combinations! Boasting with fresh flavors and rich textures, this spaghetti alfredo is done right, done light, and done darn delicious. Even the leftovers were good - I ate them cold, on the road, driving back from Wisconsin to Minnesota. As I went into a gas station that had a McDonald's attached, and saw (and smelled) what everyone else was eating as road food along Hwy 29, I liked my spaghetti alfredo even more.