Baked Gluten-Free Pasta in Creamy Leek Sauce
 
Ingredients
for the creamy leek sauce
  • 1 tablespoon neutral coconut or olive oil
  • 2 large leeks, white and pale green parts only - sliced
  • sea salt
  • 3 garlic cloves - sliced
  • 2 cups cooked millet
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1½ cups chickpea broth (from above)
  • 1½ tablespoons tamari
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon chipotle powder, or more to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon each dried marjoram and thyme (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric - for color (optional)
for the millet bechamel
  • 1 cup cooked millet
  • ½ cup almond milk
  • 1 heaping tablespoon flax meal
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • sea salt
for the pasta and assembly
  • 8-12 oz gluten-free pasta - cooked very al dente
  • 4 cups spinach leaves - chopped
  • 1½ cups fresh or frozen and thawed green peas
  • Creamy Leek Sauce (from above)
  • bechamel sauce (from above)
  • nutritional yeast mixed with any chopped nuts/seeds of choice - for garnish (optional)
Instructions
to make the creamy leek sauce
  1. Warm the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt and sauté for about 8 minutes, until the leeks are soft and begin to caramelize. Add garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
  2. Combine the sautéed leeks and the rest of the ingredients in an upright blender and blend until smooth. Taste for salt and spices and adjust if needed. Use right away or refrigerate in an air-tight container. Don't rinse the blender.
to make the millet bechamel
  1. Combine all of the ingredients in an upright blender and blend until smooth. Use right away or refrigerate in an air-tight container.
to assemble and bake the pasta
  1. Preheat the oven to 375° F (190° C).
  2. Combine the cooked pasta, spinach and peas in a 9" x 9" baking dish (or a dish of similar size) and pour the Creamy Millet Sauce over the pasta. Stir to coat and even the mixture out with a spoon. Pour the bechamel sauce over the top and spread it out lightly with a spoon to cover the pasta evenly.
  3. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the bechamel sauce on top is dry to the touch and golden in places. Sprinkle the nutritional yeast sprinkle over top, if using, and serve warm. Reheat portion by portion, in the oven or in an oiled, covered pan on the stovetop.
Recipe by Golubka Kitchen at https://golubkakitchen.com/plant-based-spring-meal-plan-part-2/