Spaghetti "Carbonara" (Vegan)

Vegan Spaghetti "Carbonara"

ingredients:

• 1 cup cashews, soaked at least 4 hours
• 1 and 1/2 to 2 cups cold water
• 2 tbsps nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 package vegan canadian bacon, cubed 
• 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced fine
• 1/2 c vegan sour cream (optional)
• 1  pound thin spaghetti, cooked
• 1 package frozen petite peas, thawed
• 1 tbsp vegan butter
• 1 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• salt and white pepper to taste

preparation steps:

1. drain and rinse soaked cashews and add to high-power blender with water-blend on high until creamy cashew milk is formed-strain and set aside

2. heat skillet and brown vegan canadian bacon cubes in olive oil with minced garlic-set aside

3.  melt vegan butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat then add flour and whisk until well blended-add a small pinch of salt at this time

4. continue to whisk butter-flower roux until flower smell is gone (do not brown)- this will remove any flour taste from cashew cream sauce but keep your sauce creamy and white

5. add cashew milk to roux and continue to whisk often until thickened

6. remove sauce from heat and whisk in nutritional yeast, vegan sour cream, lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste

7. cook pasta as directed-adding peas at last moment before draining

8. add canadian bacon, garlic mixture to pasta and peas and toss

9. for best results serve creamy cashew  sauce over each portion of hot pasta

hint: I love mine with tons of fresh cracked black pepper