Ingredients (2 – 4 servings)

4 strips of bacon, sliced into small strips ( I prefer nitrite-free bacon like Maple Leaf Natural)
1/2 small yellow onion, cut into thin slices
2 cups shredded brussels sprouts*
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
seasoned salt (or salt and pepper), to taste
1 cup cashew milk

2 heaping cups of cooked penne, or amount to preference (Rummo makes amazing gluten-free pasta)

Method

1. If your penne is not already cooked, cook it al dente according to package directions.
2. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat.
3. Add bacon slices to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is pink but has not developed any colour yet.
4. Add sliced onions to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are slightly softened and translucent.
5. Stir brussels sprouts in with the bacon and onions, then sprinkle over with seasoned salt. Allow to cook, stirring infrequently, so that the sprouts and bacon start to develop colour (and therefore flavour!).
6. Stir in garlic. Once garlic is fragrant (~1 minute) add in cashew milk and stir to deglaze any flavour that has stuck to the bottom of the pan (known as fond).
7. Add in cooked penne and stir to coat in creamy sauce. Add seasoned salt to taste. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has slightly thickened with the starch of the cooked pasta and coats all of the components.
8. Serve immediately.

Notes:

1. *You can buy brussels sprouts pre-shredded, or shred yourself by cutting of the bottoms, removing any spotty outer leaves, then shredding with a food processor shredding blade, a mandoline, or thinly slicing with a knife.
   I also like to wash and dry my sprouts in a salad spinner after shredding, as this make it easier for the water to get into the nooks and crannies.
2. To make cutting bacon easier, you can use kitchen shears to cut into small slices directly into your pan, or place your bacon into the freezer 5 minutes before it is needed (ex. while pasta is cooking) to make it easier to slice with a knife.
3. You can use other non-dairy milks for this recipe, but they may not thicken into a creamy sauce the same way that homemade cashew milk does. If you use a different non-dairy milk, I recommend using only 1/2 cup of an unsweetened, unflavoured milk to start and then add more if needed.