Pasta With Almonds

No, Not Sweet

Nuts are somewhat underrated in our daily diet. In plant-based cooking, cashews or other seeds are often used as substitutes for yellow or white cheese. But apart from such niche recipes and desserts or cakes, nuts, or other seeds, are rarely seen on our tables.

In traditional cuisine (not folk, more like the cuisine of the old 1%), almonds and nuts, alongside fruits like figs or apples, were staple ingredients in savory dishes, such as in old Polish cuisine. Functionally, nuts are a decent meat substitute, being a source of protein. Unfortunately, they are rich in fats, making them high in calories, but this also mirrors the function of meat, which is primarily a source of protein and fat.

In nuts, these are unsaturated fats rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are necessary and good for our health.

Ingredients:
- 50 g chopped almonds
- 30 g oil from sun-dried tomatoes
- 50 g sunflower seeds
- 100 g (drained from oil) sun-dried tomatoes
- 50 g capers (plus some of the brine)
- Balsamic vinegar
- Basil

Preparation Method:
1. Drain the sun-dried tomatoes from the oil and cut them into strips.
2. Chop the almonds.
3. Drain the capers and keep the brine.
4. Fry the almonds and sunflower seeds in the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes for a few minutes. 
5. Add the tomatoes and capers with a spoonful of brine and a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar.
6. Crush a few basil leaves with a bit of oil and add to the pan. Pour in 2–3 tablespoons of broth (or water as a last resort) and simmer on low heat until evaporated.

Variations:
- Instead of almonds and sunflower seeds, you can use other seeds or nuts like cashews or walnuts, or even peanuts.
- Basil adds a wonderful aroma, but you can do without it or replace it with wild garlic, for example.

Serving:
While preparing the dish in the pan, cook the pasta, drain it so it’s still moist, and add it to the pan, mixing thoroughly. You can garnish the plate with basil or mint leaves. Mint is another underrated ingredient in savory dishes.

Of course, you can serve this with potatoes, rice, or groats. I used soy protein ribbon pasta because that’s what I had on hand.

This dish represents my favorite among world cuisines, which I call “Lego style” or “al puzzle,” meaning a mix-and-match approach. Take a look in the pantry, grab what you have and need to use up, and see what you can create. A puzzle, but without a picture to follow.

I usually start with one or two ingredients I find in the cupboard or fridge. Here, I started with the idea of using almonds unexpectedly as a protein source. This is somewhat my dietary quirk. I am a big proponent of a protein-rich diet, with protein in every meal (even in ice cream). I want to write more about this concept of “protein leverage.” This relatively new concept in nutrition, well-supported by research, suggests that we feel full when we consume enough protein. Protein also keeps us fuller for longer.

In summary, a protein-rich diet helps reduce calorie intake (though this might not work for kebab enthusiasts). If we want to maintain our weight and shape (and we should all strive for this), we need to ensure that each meal contains sufficient protein.

This is especially important on a plant-based diet to avoid the common mistake of combining carbs with carbs. I did this myself as a teenager when I stopped eating meat. Often, we remove meat, fats, and animal products from our diet and recipes without understanding their role and how to replace them.

At most, we care about visual and taste aspects, replacing a protein-rich, meaty cutlet with a carbohydrate-rich millet or beet cutlet. If you want to make such a carbohydrate cutlet, serve it with a salad of roasted nuts and almonds, preferably with hemp seeds (a phenomenal source of all essential amino acids). And not necessarily with a carbohydrate side like groats or potatoes. Or products like jackfruit.

Another important aspect is our approach to cooking and plant-based equivalents of traditional meat dishes. For me, the key is not just replicating the taste and texture of meat but making the dish as delicious as possible. This is also more interesting.

Instead of restricting ourselves to:
“I must find the closest meat substitute for this dish,”
we open up new possibilities:
“I want to find the most interesting form and best taste for this dish, with at least the same or better nutritional values.”

Here’s a little pro tip for you: if you replace meat in a dish with a plant-based protein and ensure this protein is properly incorporated, the nutritional and health benefits of the dish will be greater.

This is another topic for a separate article, covering several issues like nutrient density, dietary fiber, saturated and unsaturated fats, and much more. Generally, replacing meat with good plant protein in your diet benefits your health. And it can also taste great if prepared well. This can be done easily and cheaply, alongside being tasty and nutritious — three essential components of modern cuisine. Cuisine for millions, not millionaires!

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