SPINACH & MUSHROOM PASTA
(Or just spinach!)
Vegan/Gluten-Free

Preparation time: 30 to 40 minutes
Serves 4 to 6

You could top this pasta dish with vegan parmesan. Though I’m not a fan of vegan cheeses myself, you might want to add some nutritional yeast for a hint-of-cheese flavor. For me, the pine nuts are the perfect finishing touch.

Cook’s Tip: 1. If you wish, roast the pine nuts for 3 or 4 minutes in a rimmed pan at 350°F. 2. Gluten-free pastas made from quinoa do not have to be rinsed after cooking the way that all-rice pastas do.

8 to 12 ounces gluten-free fusilli pasta
5 to 10 ounces of shiitake mushrooms
1 large leek bulb plus an inch of the light-green shank
2 tablespoons avocado oil
½ to ¾ cup sherry or wine
1 pound fresh baby spinach
5 ounces arugula (optional)
3 cloves garlic
1 or 2 handfuls of fresh basil
2 cups plain unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk, divided
1 tablespoon arrowroot
1 to tablespoons of olive oil
1½ to 2½ teaspoons mineral salt, divided
¼ cup or more pine nuts
1 or 2 grinds of black pepper (optional)

1. Fill a large stock pot about ⅔ full with water, add 1 teaspoon salt, cover, and heat on medium heat until it comes to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and follow directions on the package. Quinoa pasta will take 11 to 13 minutes to become al dente and digestible.

2. While the water is heating, rinse and slice the mushrooms or mince them by pulsing them in a food processor. Wash and thinly slice the leek. Heat a large frying pan or soup pot on medium- l heat. Add the avocado oil to the pan with the sliced leek and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until it turns golden.

3. Add the mushrooms with the sherry or wine and let the liquid simmer uncovered until it cooks away. While the mushrooms are cooking, rinse the spinach and arugula (if necessary). Peel the garlic for use in a garlic press (or, if you prefer, finely chop the garlic). Chop the basil fairly finely.

4. Once the liquid has cooked off the mushrooms, add 1 cup of the vegan milk into the pot and turn the heat down to warm. Add the arrowroot to the second cup of almond or coconut milk still in the measuring cup and whisk this until the mixture is completely smooth—no lumps at all. Then add the milk/arrowroot mixture to the pot along with the pressed or chopped garlic and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Increase the heat to medium low while you stir in the spinach and arugula. Cover the pot and cook the greens 3 to 5 minutes until they are wilted.

5. When the pasta becomes tender enough to pierce with a fork, pour it into a colander, straining off the cooking water. Transfer the cooked pasta to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle it with olive oil, sprinkle on ½ teaspoon salt, and lightly toss the pasta. Add the vegetable mixture and toss the pasta again. Add the basil and toss once again. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve, sprinkling the pine nuts on top of each serving.

Ayurvedic Note: Mushrooms are not included in traditional Ayurvedic cuisine; however, modern practitioners respect their health benefits. Mushrooms increase vata because they are so chewy, so they should be cooked well until tender.