Tomatillos with Creamy Cashew Sauce

Serves 4 / This rich and flavorful sauce is delicious atop any simple grain dish, including brown rice or noodles. Blended cashews add a creamy, satisfying binder—plus protein—to the overall dish.

1 pound tomatillos, shelled and halved
7 cloves garlic, peeled
1 small Thai chili pepper, left whole (remove after cooking if desired)
3/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, divided
3/4 cup roughly chopped yellow bell pepper (about 1 ounce)
1/2 cup roughly chopped red bell pepper (about 1/2 ounce)
1 tablespoon corn oil
1/4 teaspoon herb salt or sea salt

Cashew Sauce
2/3 cup cashew pieces
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon herb salt or sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350º. In a 2-quart baking dish, place tomatillos, garlic, chili pepper, half the cilantro, and bell peppers. Drizzle with oil and rub with your hands to distribute oil evenly around vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and toss. Cover and bake for about 1 hour. Remove dish from oven. There should be lots of liquid.
2. In a blender, pulse cashews until they are the texture of cornmeal. Add wine, water, and salt and blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir cashew mixture into vegetables; cover and return to oven for 10–20 minutes. Before serving, remove Thai chili pepper, if desired, and garnish with remaining cilantro.

PER SERVING: 202 cal, 58% fat cal, 14g fat, 2g sat fat, 0mg chol, 6g protein, 17g carb, 3g fiber, 292mg sodium