Pasta With Creamy Tarragon Sauce

It's been cold here lately, and I was feeling like something warm and hearty for dinner. I imagined a warm creamy sauce atop pasta. This recipe made me feel like Julia Child...it was so delicious. The sauce was rich and creamy with the  distinct flavor of tarragon coming through. The bitter greens were the perfect balance for the savory richness of the sauce.

The swiss chard came from our garden and I think it is so pretty.

Pasta with Creamy Tarragon Sauce

Organic Swiss Chard

Ingredients:

8 oz pasta, I like tagliatelle nests

1 tsp olive oil
1/2 white onion, diced fine
2 garlic cloves, minced

Vegan protein (such as seitan, Gardein, or Boca)
1 bunch of swiss chard (or any other green)

1 tbsp flour
2 cups vegetable broth (Better Than Boullion)
1/2 cup Vegenaise
2 tsp tarragon
1 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste (I like about a 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper)

Directions:

Start a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, and reserve.

Heat a non-stick pan with over low-medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the diced onion and garlic and let them begin to soften. Add your protein (the picture is with Boca Crumbles, but I have used Gardein Beefless Tips, and seitan with wonderful results, too). Stir to heat through.

Wash and de-stem the chard and then slice it into thin ribbons. Place the chard in the pan with the onions and protein, and let it begin to cook down. When the greens are heated through, lower the heat and stir in the flour. Once the flour has coated everything, add the vegetable broth, Vegenaise, tarragon, parsley and cayenne. Stir to combine (the Vegenaise takes a little while to incorporate but it will by the end). Let it simmer on low for a few minutes.

You can also leave out the protein and the greens and just make the sauce, which is also very good.

I love this sauce over a long flat pasta. This meal will definitely be on permanent rotation and I am already looking forward to the leftovers tomorrow.

For 8 servings:
Nutritional info from caloriecount.about.com

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 167 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 248 Calories from Fat 96

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 10.7g 16%

Saturated Fat 0.8g 4%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 21mg 7%

Sodium 469mg 20%

Potassium 447mg 13%

Total Carbohydrates 22.2g 7%

Dietary Fiber 2.7g 11%

Sugars 0.6g

Protein 14.6g

Vitamin A 18% • Vitamin C 8% Calcium 6% • Iron 14%

Nutrition Grade B+

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet