Penne Alla Vodka Recipe (Vegetarian, Pescetarian, Vegan)

Eating fresh food and more vegetarian options can help those who want to loose weight or those who are thin, but they want to be healthier. I am thin, but I used to get sick all the time with respiratory infections until I started eating more vegetarian. However, meals must be very balanced with vegetables and protein totaling in proportion to the carbs to loose weight or to get nutritional value.

I made Penne Alla Vodka last night, and I didn't have heavy cream, so I substituted shredded vegan cheese as soy or rice milk would not be creamy enough. You can also use shredded cow's milk cheese if you are a lacto-ovo vegetarian. I am a pescetarian, meaning that I still eat some seafood, such as mollusks and shellfish, and occasionally fish. I was a lacto-vegetarian before, but I got very anemic (black and blues all over my body) because I am susceptible to it as I was born anemic. I made a whole pot for the rest of the week. If you have time, it is a good idea to make tomato sauce from scratch and freeze it as all natural is always better as well as use fresh shrimp and clams. However, I was out of tomatoes and too hungry to go to the grocery store and deal with the lines.

Total time (preparation + cooking): 25-35 minutes
Cooking level: Easy
Total servings: 8 servings equivalent to 2 cups of cooked pasta each

Ingredients

• 1 4 oz.can Snow's chopped clams in their own juice (reserve juice)
• 1 10 oz. can Geisha whole baby clams (discard juice as it is mostly salt water)
• 1 4 oz Bumblebee's baby shrimp
• Vegan alternative: 2 links Tofurkey or 1 can of mock duck in place of clams or shrimp
• 1 28 oz can Tuttorosso crushed Tomatoes (4 fresh chopped tomatoes preferred, but I ran out)
• 1 14 oz can Dole stewed tomatoes (A 6 oz can of tomato paste is  preferred)
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, shredded (frozen carrots is fine as they retain the nutrients)
  
• 1 small bunch of broccoli (frozen broccoli is fine as they retain the nutrients)
  
• 1 lb whole wheat penne
• 1/1 lb semolina penne (you may omit and use all whole wheat, but I ran out)
• 1 hot red cherry pepper, crushed (red pepper flakes also good)
• 1/4 cup Vodka (the cheapest Vodka you can find will do)
• Vegan or Cow's milk cheese (1 inch x 2 inches x 2 inches), shredded
• 1 tbs fresh minced basil (I keep my herbs in the freezer to keep them fresh and readily available.)
• 1/2 tbs fresh thyme
• 1/2 tbs fresh oregano
• 1/4 tsp sea salt, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp fresh peppercorns, grated, or to taste 
  

Cooking Directions

1. Put a pot of water to boil.
2. On medium heat, fry garlic in 2 tbsp of olive oil until lightly browned. Add crushed red pepper and saute another 30 seconds.
3. Vegans: slice Tofurkey or mock chicken and fry for 5 minutes. Skip steps 4 and 9.
4. Add clam juice
5. Lower heat and add vodka
6. Add broccoli and shred carrots with a potato peeler and add as you go. I do this to save time on preparation and to eliminate too many dishes to wash.
7. Simmer for 1 minute, then add crushed and stewed tomatoes.
8. Add thyme, basil and oregano. They wilt too fast and loose flavor if you add them too early.
9. Add salt to taste and grate black peppercorns on top to taste.
10. Add clams and shrimp. 
11. At this time, your pasta water should be boiling, so add pasta and a dash of salt.
12. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. 
13. Remove pasta and drain in a colander.
14. Turn off the sauce. Plate pasta and add sauce on top. Bon apetit.