Currently, My Taste Buds Are Loving: Basil & Spinach Pasta (vegan)

In previous Taste Buds posts, I've mentioned how I've been experimenting with vegan recipes - and with making vegan choices when eating.  Lately in my kitchen, there have been a lot of nutritional yeast, cashews, dates, quinoa, coconut milk, and of course MANY fruits & veggies.

With all the fresh, healthy foods around, I've been making better choices in my diet - and the number on my scale is happier than usual!

But sometimes, even with all the hard work and sweat you've been dripping, you just really want to sit down with a cheesy bowl of pasta.  

So with the bounty of veggies, herbs, and nutritional yeast available at my finger tips, I quickly put together a meal for myself one evening - and of course I didn't write down any of the measurements for the ingredients. Why would I, it's not like I have a blog to maintain, right?

So with the best my memory has to offer, I give you - 

Ingredients - 

• pasta of your choice 
• I made a REALLY stupid mistake by using cheese raviolis.  Don't ask, I am blonde and have my moments.  If you feel so inclined to use the same, go for it.  Otherwise, see if you can find a vegan ravioli, or just use regular spaghetti noodles or rigatoni
• 1/2 C peas 
• I used frozen, but you could easily use fresh.  You know how I am - use what I have!
• 1/2 C olive oil
• 1 C spinach, chopped
• 1/4 C fresh basil
• 1/4 C nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• pinch of sea salt 
• go ahead and use regular salt if you don't have sea salt.  Although, I would suggest getting sea salt - it just adds a little more to a dish

Instructions - 

• Cook pasta according to directions
• When pasta is almost done, add in the peas
• Drain pasta - do not rinse pasta, as the carby water & heat will help form your "sauce"
• Dump pasta & peas into a bowl, add olive oil, spinach, basil, and dry ingredients
• Mix until the pasta is covered in all the cheezy, spinachy, basily goodness
• EAT

This was so easy to make on a lazy Sunday, or after a hectic weekday.  Brian, who is your typical meat & potatoes guy, thought the seasonings were amazing.  NEXT TIME, I won't be so stupid as to use cheese raviolis.

What's an easy & fulfilling recipe you always default to when you're pressed for time?