“Sometimes you just need a big bowl of comfort food,” writes Ella Woodward, founder and recipe-creator behind Deliciosuly Ella, in her brand-new cookbook: Deliciously Ella: Quick & Easy. It’s really true: Sometimes the act of self-care looks as simple warm bowl of mac and cheese. And with Woodward’s creamy turmeric pasta recipe in your back pocket, you’ll have an anti-inflammatory, high-protein version of the classic dish hot and ready in just 20 minutes.

Woodward’s mission for her latest cookbook can be boiled down to just three words: easy and delicious. “I love simple meals at the end of a busy day so I’m always looking for 10 minute, one-pot meals that pack lots of flavor in with minimal fuss and this pasta is such a winner for that,” she tells Well+Good. “The cashews make the sauce brilliantly creamy, while the garlic, onion, miso, chili, and lemon create such great flavor.” The cashews give the dish its creamy texture, and as a bonus, they’ll also provide about five grams of protein per serving.

Another ingredient that’s working magic in this recipe is turmeric, the golden spice most commonly used in curries as well as other savory and sweet dishes from South and East Asia. Studies have linked the anti-inflammatory spice to a variety of health benefits, from longevity and cognitive health to promoting better gut health, especially when you pair with black pepper to better absorb all of turmeric’s benefits. As luck would have it, Woodward’s recipe calls for both so the flavor profile is not only mouth-watering—it’s smart.

As if you needed any more incentive to get into the kitchen…the whole recipe takes 10 to 15 minutes to make, tops. If you have a teensy bit of extra time, Woodward suggests pouring the finished pasta in an ovenproof baking dish, topping with breadcrumbs, and baking at 400 degrees for five to eight minutes. But TBH…it’s pretty stellar as is.

Deliciously Ella’s Super Creamy Turmeric Pasta

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 12 oz of pasta
• 1 1/4 cups of frozen peas
• Olive oil
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2/3 cup of cashews
• 1 cup of unsweetened oat milk
• 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp of ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp of brown rice miso
• A pinch of chili flakes
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• Salt and pepper
• Cilantro, to serve
• Greens like spinach or kale (optional)

1. Cook the pasta following the package directions, adding the peas for the last few minutes of cooking. Drain and set aside.

2. While the pasta cooks, warm a skillet over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil and some salt. Then add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, until soft.

3. Place the cashews in a bowl of boiling water and let them soak until the onions are cooked.

4. Drain the cashews and add all the remaining ingredients to a blender, including the onions and garlic. Blend until smooth and creamy. Stir the sauce through the cooked pasta and peas.

5. If you want to up the greens then add some spinach in as you stir the sauce through the pasta and let it wilt for a minute or two.

6. Scatter with chopped cilantro before serving.

The above recipe was excerpted with permission from Deliciously Ella: Quick & Easy, published by Mobius. All rights reserved.

Looking for more intel on turmeric? Here are all the incredible health benefits of the star ingredient: