Vegan Mac & Cheese
YESSS!!! I honestly thought that giving up cheese was going to be the hardest part in going plant based. For years, I always thought, well what about my cheese?! That was my main and BIGGEST excuse for avoiding what I know I needed to do. I have discovered the beauty in nut based “cheeses” and damn, life as I know it has changed, evolved, & I don't even miss the dairy. Cashews have so much healthy fat, protein, they're rich in iron AND magnesium. Cant forget, I add butternut squash for a sneaky veggie, nutritional yeast for vitamin B12 & turmeric for all the anti-inflammatory goodness. Superfoods turned into “cheese”? Im here for it!
A big challenge with making any pasta dish gluten free, is finding the right pasta. Something thats not overly processed, not full of simple carbs, tastes great and has some sort of nutritional value. I know this seems like a lot to ask, but I found it, and I'm incredibly stoked on it. Delallo gluten free pasta is made from brown rice and it’s texture is absolutely amazing and it holds up for leftovers.
This recipe takes about 30 minutes to make and will leave you wondering why you waited so long to make the switch! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
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The Goods:
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and seeded
2-3 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt, divided
1 cup soaked cashews (overnight or 15 min in hot water)
1/2 cup unsweetened plant milk
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 lemon squeezed
2 tsp miso paste
2 tsp turmeric
1 box cooked GF pasta shells
The Method:
Preheat oven to 400 and start boiling water for the pasta shells. Cook pasta to package instructions and set aside.
Cut up your peeled and seeded squash into small cubes.
Toss onto a sheet pan with granulated garlic and 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Cook for about 20-25 minutes or until the squash is fork tender.
Combine the cooked squash and all of the other ingredients into a food processor or high powered blender and blend on high for 1-2 minutes until smooth. If your mixture is a little too thick, add a bit more plant milk until you get the consistency you like.
Pour the cheese into a large soup pot and heat up on medium heat until it is hot.
Add the cooked pasta into the cheese and reheat everything for about a minute while stirring consistently, and then remove from heat. Serve immediately!
Tip: Enjoy with mushrooms carnitas!
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