Vegetable Mac ‘N’ Cheese

I definitely am a fan of one-pot meals, and this is one of my all time favorites: vegetable mac ‘n’ cheese. The perfect way to combine comfort food and healthy vegetables. Smother your elbow macaroni and colorful veggies in rich and creamy cashew cheese sauce! This really is a crowd-pleaser, so don’t count on leftovers! And psst …. don’t tell your non-vegan friends that there’s no dairy involved because they won’t be able to tell the difference!

Remember to soak cashews!

You will need:

• a high speed blender for the cashew cheese sauce

Ingredients:

For the cashew Parmesan (which is optional but so delicious)

• 1 cup (140 g) raw, unsalted cashews
• 1 tsp Celtic sea salt
• 4 Tbsp nutritional yeast:

For the cashew cheese sauce:

• 1 cup (140 g) raw, unsalted cashews, soaked in sufficient filtered water overnight or for at least 4 hours, drained
• 2 cups (480 ml) filtered water
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 cup (40 g) nutritional yeast

For the rest:

• One 12 oz (340 g) package elbow pasta (I used gluten free bionaturae)
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 8 oz (225 g) crimini mushrooms, depending on size halved or sliced
• 15 oz (425 g) broccoli florets and stems (stems peeled and cut into about 3/4 inch (2 cm) chunks
• 1 large carrot (mine was 5.6 oz/160 g), quartered lengthwise, then sliced
• 1 cup (125 g) frozen corn
• 1 cup (120 g) frozen peas
• 8 oz (225 g) fresh baby spinach leaves
• fresh parsley galore, minced

Preparation:

For the cashew Parmesan, place all the ingredients into your blender or food processor. Pulse until a crumbled-Parmesan-like texture is achieved. Transfer to a small serving dish.

For the cashew cheese sauce, place all the sauce ingredients into a high speed blender and blend for about 2 minutes until creamy. Set aside.

Follow instructions on package to cook elbow macaroni.

Wash and cut vegetables.

Preheat a large pot over medium heat. Add olive oil and diced onion, then sauté for 7-10 minutes until onion is soft.

Successively add mushrooms, broccoli, and carrot(s). Increase heat to medium high, and cook for about 15 minutes while stirring frequently.

Add frozen corn and peas, bring back to heat, then add spinach leaves. Cook until the spinach has just wilted. Stir in the cashew cheese sauce and cook over medium heat until sauce is hot and has thickened, less than 3 minutes. Now stir in elbow macaroni and bring once again back to heat. If necessary, season to taste with Celtic sea salt, but keep in mind that the cashew Parmesan will add some saltiness as well. Top with lots of minced parsley, and serve with (optional) cashew Parmesan! Enjoy!

Notes:

• As mentioned before, the cashew Parmesan is optional but adds even more cheesy flavor and some saltiness. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for at least a week (I always used it up before and you will probably too).
• Kids love this dish! The perfect way to serve them vegetables.