Macaroni with Walnuts

Ingredients:

2 cups walnuts

2 cups mini farfalle

2 oz. vegan butter

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla sugar

1 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

Blend the walnuts in the food processor until smooth. In a bowl, mix together walnuts, brown sugar, vanilla sugar and nutmeg. In a skillet, add the vegan butter. When it is done melting, add the mixture of walnuts and cook for about five minutes. Follow the package directions for cooking pasta. After pasta has cooked, gently add the pasta to the walnuts mixture and toss.

About Daniela

Follow her on Twitter @vegandishes365 and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/vegandishes365

Daniela was born and raised in Timisoara, Romania, where she spent her teenage years working as a fashion model for Elite. She has appeared in print ads and numerous television commercials in Romania and modeled for various brands in Germany and the U.S. These days, she's working behind the lens as a photographer's assistant and videographer. And when she's not hosting dinner parties for her vegan friends, Daniela dedicates her time to donating and participating in various fundraising events to benefit animals, in particular Last Chance For Animals (LCA).

Daniela is proud to be living and working in America, which in the years following the collapse of Nicolae Ceausescu's Communist regime seemed like only a dream. Despite living through such a difficult socioeconomic transition, Daniela recalls her childhood years spent with family in her grandmother's garden and kitchen as among the happiest of her life.

Long before "farm to table" was revived in America, Daniela was enjoying the culinary practice with her grandmother on a daily basis - growing, harvesting and cooking her own healthy and nutritious plant-based dishes. After moving to Los Angeles in 2010 and discovering the Hollywood vegan lifestyle, Daniela incorporated much of what she learned back home into dishes she cooks for her vegan friends.

Now, she's thrilled to be sharing her vegan recipes and cooking tips with HNGN's readers, who will be salivating in no time.