Chicken and Veggie Alfredo (dairy free)

Though I'm a full-blooded Italian, I didn't grow up eating Alfredo sauce.  The only "white" sauce I remember my mom making was what she termed a "White Clam Sauce".  It was white in the sense that it wasn't tomato based, but it wasn't a cream sauce. 

Well, authentic or not, this Alfredo sauce is delicious.  It's creamy without being heavy or greasy.  As I've mentioned in previous posts, I use Pecorino Romano cheese frequently as we all tolerate it well.  Our pediatrician told us that goat and sheep's milk cheeses are some of the easiest to digest. 

Chicken and Veggie Alfredo (dairy free) 

Ingredients:
1 gluten free rotisserie chicken, boned and shredded (I use Harvestland found at BJ's - it's gluten and casein free)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced

16 oz. white or baby bella mushrooms, washed and quartered

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
1 large head broccoli, cut into small florets (about 4 cups)
1/2 cup white wine

1 tablespoon ghee
1 1/2 cups cashew cream
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated 

Instructions:

Heat large frying pan over medium heat.  Once hot, add olive oil and onions and saute for about 5 minutes.  Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and saute a few more minutes.

Add carrots, broccoli and white wine.  Give a stir and then turn heat up and cover.  Steam for several minutes until broccoli is bright green and just barely getting tender.  Remove lid and turn heat down.  Add chicken to just heat through.

Meanwhile, make Alfredo sauce - don't start too soon or it will thicken too much.  Heat saucepan on medium.  Once hot, add ghee and garlic.  Stir for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add cashew cream and whisk until hot.  (It should only take a few minutes.)  Add Romano and continue to whisk, until steaming and cheese is melted.  Add dash of pepper to sauce and pour over chicken and veggie mixture.  

Take off heat (so as not to overcook veggies) and stir to incorporate sauce.  Adjust seasonings.  Enjoy!