vegan | wfpb | gluten-free option | oil-free | dairy-free  | refined sugar-free | 30 minutes or less

SAM TURNBULL

I've been a fan of Sam Turnbull's cheery, fun style and yummy recipes for awhile now.  She's the genius behind the popular blog, It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken.  So I eagerly dug into her new cookbook when I received it to review:  Fuss-Free Vegan:  101 Everyday Comfort Food Favorites, Veganized. 

Sam does it all.  No, literally.  All!  Not only did she create all the delicious recipes in this book, she shot all the photos (even the selfie on the cover!), and even made her own font for it!  She knows her stuff and is passionate about it. 

And guess what?  Sam is sharing one of the recipes from the book with you guys so you can try it:  Lighter (and Better That Way) Cauliflower Fettuccine Alfredo.  Talk about comfort food!  This dish is flavorful, rich, creamy and really easy to make.  She's right:  it's better that way.  I just feel good after eating this instead of that heavy, uncomfortable feeling I'd get back in the day when I ate traditional fettuccine alfredo.  And to me, it tastes better! 

LIGHTER (AND BETTER THAT WAY) CAULIFLOWER FETTUCCINE ALFREDO

I like to use gluten-free noodles, but my local store only had linguini, not fettuccine.  The photos below show the linguini, which worked fine.  Quinoa-based noodles like those I used can get pretty sticky, so I find the key is to stir them frequently as they cook, and then to eat them immediately.

There are a couple recipes from the book that are referenced in this alfredo recipe:  Heavenly Heavy Cream and Parmegan.  While you can substitute coconut milk or other non-dairy milk for the cream, as stated in the recipe, and nutritional yeast for the Parmegan, I highly recommend just getting the book to do it the way Sam intended.  The Heavenly Cream calls for the cashews, which add a richness without steering the flavor.  And the Parmegan?  Well, you can see in the photos below that it's totally worth getting the book just to have that recipe. 

Fuss-Free Vegan is truly that, full of recipes that are easy to make yet totally amazing.  (Poppin' Jalapeno Poppers - with coconut bacon - are you kidding me?!)  So many fun classics-gone-vegan are here for everyone to enjoy, like layered dip, nachos, fried rice, grilled cheese, banana bread - the list goes on (to 101!).  This is one of those cookbooks you'll want to have on your shelves to use on repeat. 

Lighter (& better that way) Cauliflower Fettuccine Alfredo recipe

From the cookbook, Fuss-Free Vegan:  101 Everyday Comfort Food Favorites, Veganized by Sam Turnbull

Serves:  4-6

Prep time:  10 minutes (+ 10 minutes for the heavy cream and parmegan)

Cook time:  10 minutes

Total time: 20 minutes

Cool Tip:  For an even lighter version, swap the Heavenly Heavy Cream or coconut milk with your favorite non-dairy milk.

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INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAULIFLOWER ALFREDO SAUCE

• 1 cauliflower, roughly chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, peeled

• 1 cup vegetable broth

• 1 cup Heavenly Heavy Cream (from the book, page 206) or full-fat coconut milk

• 2 teaspoons white miso paste

• ½ teaspoons salt

FOR THE PASTA

• 1 lb fettuccini (gluten-free, if preferred)

• Parmegan (from the book, page 204)

• Handful of parsley, chopped

• Black pepper

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METHOD

1. For the Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce, place the cauliflower, garlic cloves, vegetable broth, and Heavenly Heavy Cream in a large frying pan or saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the cauliflower is very soft and falls apart when pierced with a fork.

2. Add the white miso paste and salt. Using an immersion or stand blender, blend the cauliflower and its cooking liquid. If you use a stand blender, do this in batches, being careful not to fill the blender too high, so the hot liquid doesn't explode out the top.

3. In the meantime, cook the pasta according to the package directions, then drain.

4. Return the pasta to the pan, then pour the cauliflower Alfredo sauce over top. Toss to heat through. To serve, garnish with a sprinkle of Parmegan and parsley, and freshly cracked black pepper.

Excerpted from Fuss Free Vegan: 101 Everyday Comfort Food Favorites, Veganized. Copyright © 2017 Samantha Turnbull. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.