Spaghetti Marinara with Roasted Vegetables and Tofu "Ricotta"

This pasta is lightened up with zucchini noodles and roasted vegetables, but the creamy tofu "ricotta" and whole wheat pasta sing the song of comfort food to my happy belly.

Spaghetti Marinara with Roasted Vegetables and Tofu "Ricotta"

Servings: 4
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Total Start-to-Finish Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 package whole wheat or gluten-free pasta
• 1 12 oz. jar fat-free marinara or pizza sauce or plain tomato sauce or whatever sauce you like
• 4 medium zucchini
• 2 lbs frozen or fresh broccoli chopped into small florets 
• 1/8 cup finely chopped parsley and/or basil (optional)

Tofu Ricotta:

• 1 lb extra firm tofu
• 1/4 c nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tsp yellow miso (or other white miso for more subtle flavor)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or more to taste
• 1/8 tsp mustard seed powder OR 1 tbsp very finely chopped fresh kale/cabbage/broccoli for the enzymes
• black pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp salt or more to taste (optional)

Directions:

1. Put water for pasta on to boil
2. Spread out broccoli florets (or other vegetables) on a silicone mat or parchment paper and place in the oven. Set it at 350F for about 15 minutes. Keep an eye on them, you want the edges to be crispy and ever so slightly blackened, but mostly unburnt.
3. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, add miso and lemon juice and stir to dissolve the miso.
4. Place block of tofu in a clean cloth and squeeze out as much moisture as you can, then crumble into the mixing bowl with the miso.
5. It's probably about time to add your pasta to the boiling water with a pinch of salt. Cook according to package instructions, stirring every minute or two to keep it from sticking.
6. Add the rest of the spices to the tofu mixture and stir to combine well. Taste, and add more nutritional yeast and miso if you want it more cheesy, and more Italian seasoning and garlic powder if it tastes too bland. You want it to be pretty strongly flavored.
7. Stir the pasta. I know you forgot.
8. Spiralize zucchini into a separate bowl. You can do this using a a thing that looks like a giant pencil sharpener, a hand cranked machine, the grater attachment to a foot processor, or with a knife just thinly julienne (make tiny match sticks). Although that last option sounds like a lot of work, so if that's your option, I recommend you just use more broccoli and forget the zucchini.
9. When the pasta is done, drain it in the sink, then dump back in the pot (with the stove off), add the jar of marinara, and stir to coat. If you used a sauce that isn't seasoned, go ahead and add a teaspoon or more of Italian seasoning, and stir that in as well.
10. You can go ahead and add the veggies and "ricotta" into the pot and mix them, or plate them and mix at the table to better adjust for portions. Half your plate should be covered in veggies, the other half with pasta, with a bunch of the tofu "ricotta" on top.
11. Top with fresh parsley and/or basil and enjoy!