Creamy Mushroom Asparagus Pasta

This recipe turned out a lot better than I thought it would. I used the leftover cream from the fridge, and it worked much better in this dish! This sauce is also simple and fairly quick to make.

Ingredients:

• 5 medium portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 1 bunch of asparagus
• 1/2 cup vegan cream
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 1/2 cup veggie stock
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• 1.5 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tbsp canola oil
• 1/2 tbsp Nuttelex 
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tsp lemon juice (divided into two lots)
• salt
• pepper
• 1/2 pack of the long pasta of your choice (I used spaghetti but linguini probably would have been better)

First, get your pasta on to boil. If you're using a long pasta, remember to stir it with a fork as frequently as you can so it doesn't stick together while cooking.

Now, cut the ends off of the washed asparagus and then cut the stalks into five sections. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the asparagus pieces for about 5 minutes on med-high heat, adding a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper and half of your lemon juice. Remove from heat and set aside.

Next, heat the Nuttelex in the pan and add the garlic. Before the garlic turns brown, add the mushrooms and cream. As the cream melts, stir it to distribute it around the pan. Add half of your soy milk, the sour cream and the stock. Slide your mushrooms to the outside of the pan and add your cornstarch to the centre, stirring into the liquid until it is dissolved.

Add the rest of your soy milk and some salt and pepper. The sauce will start to thicken, though it may seem quite soupy at this point! Add the asparagus and the rest of your lemon juice and cook until the sauce has the perfect amount of sauciness - not too soupy and not too thick. (You can always add more stock or lemon juice as necessary.)

Your pasta should be cooked by now, so drain it and pour it into the pan with the sauce. Fold until combined and served with fresh pepper and maybe some Murray River salt flakes.