Creamy Cashew and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

I found this recipe randomly on youtube and even though I was skeptical, it was delicious. My dad even liked it and he’s a very picky eater! I made this creamy sauce with lentil pasta (which has tons of protein) and tossed in a handful of spinach to add some greens to my meal.

 

I roasted my own red bell pepper while I soaked the cashews, but you can also use canned roasted red peppers.  I would recommend soaking the cashews for an hour, but as little as 15 minutes should be fine if you’re in a rush. This was my first time roasting my own bell pepper and it was actually really simple. I would definitely recommend trying it!

 

Servings: 4, Calories: 251, Fat 18g, Carbs 14g, Protein 9g

 

 What You’ll Need:

  • 1 1/2 cup cashews
  • 2 cups roasted red bell pepper, canned
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • salt & pepper, to taste 
  • optional: 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

 What to do:

  1. Soak cashews in a bowl of hot water for 1 hour.
  2. Drain the cashews. In a food processor blend all the ingredients with 1 cup of water. You can add more water or lemon juice depending on your taste, or how creamy you want the sauce.

To make your own roasted red pepper:  

Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush the 1 red bell pepper with a little bit of olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes turning over once halfway through baking. After 40 minutes, check that the pepper is soft and its skin is charred. Take the pepper out of the oven and wait until it’s cool enough to handle. Slice the pepper in half and take out the stem & seeds.