Cauliflower Asparagus Pasta Sauce

This is a lower-cal alternative to your usual pesto or cream sauce that relies on the texture and body of cauliflower and the flavour of asparagus to pull it all together, rather than refined oils. It's also super easy to make. I served it on whole wheat spaghetti this time, and it clung to the pasta beautifully.

2 cups cauliflower, roughly chopped
1 bunch asparagus, tips reserved, trimmed, and roughly chopped
1 small white onion
6 cloves garlic
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup vermouth or dry white wine
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp dried basil
red chili flakes, to taste
black pepper, to taste

Steam or boil the cauliflower and asparagus stems until soft. Meanwhile, cook onion in a touch of oil or a non-stick pan until starting to turn golden. Add garlic, toss once, and immediately turn off the heat. Add to a food processor, along with all the remaining ingredients, and process until smooth, adding water if necessary to make a soft paste. To serve, cook pasta and drain all but about 1/2 -1 cup of the cooking water, add sauce and reserved asparagus tips to the pan and cook until warm through. I added a couple of handfuls of baby spinach, and topped with a sprinkle of pine nuts and nutritional yeast to serve, but you can use whatever veggies you want.