Plant-based Mac & Cheese

RECIPE BY ALINA FROM @PLANTBASEDALINA

Un-cheat your favourite cheat meal with this easy plant-based recipe! It's still as creamy and tasty without all the guilt! 

serve 4-5

INGREDIENTS

• PASTA
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tsp olive oil or coconut oil
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 large potato
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1-2 tbsp tahini
• juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp miso paste (optional)
• 3 tbsp pasta water
• 4-5 servings of pasta
• TOPPINGS
• hemp seeds
• fresh thyme
• cayenne pepper

METHOD

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
2. Soak cashews in water for 1-2 hours. Drain, rinse, and place in a high-speed blender. Set aside.
3. Place two cloves of garlic (with the skin still on) as well as half a tsp of oil, into a piece of parchment paper or foil. Wrap tightly and place in the oven for approximately 30 minutes until soft and slightly golden.
4. While the cashews soak and the garlic roasts, prepare the carrot and potato by peeling and chopping them into quarters. Sauté in olive oil for a couple of minutes. Add about an inch of water to the pan and cook with the lid on for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and cooked through.
5. Add the roasted garlic, softened carrot, and potato to the rinsed cashews in a high speed blender with the cashews.
6. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 4 - 5 servings of your choice of pasta.
7. Add the salt, turmeric, tahini, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, miso paste (optional), and pasta water (as necessary) to the blender, and blend on medium-high speed until smooth.
8. Drain the cooked pasta and stir in the sauce.
9. Top the pasta with hemp seeds, fresh thyme, cayenne pepper, and additional sea salt as desired.
10. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days.