Mushroom and Spinach Manicotti

Ingredients

• Rao's Marinara Sauce, 24 or 32 oz, or favorite spaghetti sauce
• 12 manicotti shells
• 1.5 cups raw cashews
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 cups of any variety of mushrooms
• 4 cups of raw spinach
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter
• ½ cup nutritional yeast
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons of each garlic salt, garlic pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning and dried basil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• One hour prior to making this dish, put cashews in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 1 hour. (This is to soften the cashews prior to food processing)
• Preheat oven to 350 deg.
• Chop the mushrooms finely.
• Melt 1 tbsp vegan butter in a Dutch oven or sauté pan; add mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Cook until the liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are done cooking.
• Roughly chop the spinach and add it to the mushrooms. Cook the spinach until wilted and turn off the heat.
• Boil the manicotti according to the package directions.
• Place the ricotta filling in a pastry piping bag or zipper gallon bag if necessary.
• To assemble, pour about ½ of the sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish.
• Pipe the ricotta filling into each of the manicotti shells