Spaghetti with Silverbeet and Cauliflower Grematola, Vegan parmesan and Vegan MoFo Quicklinks

So I have mentioned that I am not participating in Vegan MoFo for the first time in four years.  I miss it a little but I also know I just don't have the time to commit this year.  It doesn't mean I can't be sharing excellent vegan food and excellent links to other Vegan MoFo blogs.  Which is exactly what I am doing in this post.

The recipe comes from Joanne's amazing Eats Well With Others blog.  As a good Italian girl, she posts fantastic pasta and pizza recipes.  With lots of vegetables.  I really loved her idea for using cauliflower rice and finely chopped silverbeet for grematola which is normally lemon zest, garlic and parsley.  She also used lots of parmesan cheese.

I had everything on hand except the parmesan cheese.  It seemed silly to run out to the shops for parmesan when I had plenty of ingredients to make vegan parmesan cheese.  I have tried vegan parmesan before but I was still amazed at just how good I found some ground up nuts and nutritional yeast flakes with a little seasoning.  (And it looks really cute in my retro salt and pepper set with the mushroom mustard pot.)

As always, a truckload of vegies seemed to disappear into the tangle of pasta.  Yet I felt pretty good eating this pasta because I knew there were lots of greens and vegies in it.  E was not overly keen because he missed seeing the parmesan when I left the pasta for him for dinner.  The parmesan really does make a difference.

Vegan MoFo Quicklinks
As I mentioned above, I have been enjoying watching Vegan MoFo from the sidelines.  This year the organisers have imposed themes.  It has been interesting to see how various bloggers have responded.  I have particularly loved the day when everyone gave kitchen tours.  As always, it feels impossible to get around to every blog.  Below are a few favourite recipes and fun posts:

Apricot chickpeas with spiced coconut rice - Vie de la Vegan
Tempeh cheatballs with marinara sauce - Little Vegan Bear
Caribbean vegetarian rundown - Allotment to Kitchen
Green energy bowl - Rock Your Vegan Socks
Tourlou Tourlou - The Elizavegan Page

A Smith and Deli sandwich a day - Quince and Kale
Marinated eggplant sandwich - Seitan is My Motor
Not Quite Costanza’s Calzone - Veganopoulous
Crisp sandwiches - Flicking the Vs
Meatloaf igloo - Chunky on Chia

Waffle doughnuts - Hasta La Vegan
Healthy choc chip corn muffins - Veg Fiend
Stuffed french toast - Spade and Spoon
Peach whiskey upside down cake - Sprouts and Chocolate

I am sending this post to Kimmy for Healthy Vegan Fridays, Helen, Michelle and Katie for Extra Veg, and Shaheen for Eat Your Greens.

More vegan pasta recipes on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
Avocado pasta
Cheesy peas pasta
Fennel and lentil lasagne 
Hurry up pumpkin alfredo
Risoni with chickpeas, lemon, and mint 
Soy bombs and tomato sauce on top of spaghetti
Spaghetti hoops

Spaghetti with Silverbeet and Cauliflower Grematola
Adapted from Eats Well With Others
Serves 4-6

500g spaghetti
1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
1 bunch silverbeet (chard), stems removed
¼ cup olive oil
8 garlic cloves, crushed
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp of lemon zest
½ - 1 tsp chilli paste (or chilli flakes)
salt and black pepper, to taste
I quantity vegan parmesan (as below) or use 1/2 cup dairy parmesan

Finely chop cauliflower into 'rice' and then finely chop silverbeet.  I did this in blender.  (This is the time to prepare everything to make sure the vegies can be prepared while the pasta cooks.)

Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to instructions on packet. 

Meanwhile .... Heat oil in a large frypan and fry the garlic briefly (30 seconds) until they smell fragrant.  Add cauliflower and silverbeet and fry for 6-8 minutes.  Add lemon juice, lemon zest, chilli paste and seasoning to taste.

When pasta is cooked toss with vegetable mixture.  Serve warm.

Vegan parmesan cheese
Slightly adapted from Minimalist Vegan

1/2 cup cashews
2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 tsp salt flakes
1/8 tsp garlic powder

Blend until ingredients are blitzed to a powder.

On the Stereo:
You Can't Hide Your Love Forever: Orange Juice