*THIS RECIPE ISN'T MINE, BUT I DID ALTER IT SLIGHTLY*
One of my favorite meals before going vegan was mac and cheese. After going vegan, I quickly became hungry for this meal. However, I desired a healthy version of it. On the same day that I had a mac and cheese craving, I also wanted to use the spinach that I had in my fridge. After looking at a few recipes, I found this one below, but added a tiny spin. Hope you enjoy!
*Recipe from: http://www.loveandlemons.com/vegan-spinach-mac-cheese/What you need:- 1 shallot, chopped- 2 garlic cloves, minced- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked 3 to 4 hours, preferably overnight, and drained- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil- ½ cup water, more as needed- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon turmeric, optional- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper- 12 ounces macaroni or small shell pasta- 4 cups packed spinach
- 1 cup of Italian seasoned panko seasoning
- ½ block of vegan mozzarella cheese grated
How to make it:- In a small skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the paprika and balsamic vinegar and cook another 30 seconds.- In a high speed blender, puree the sautéed shallot mixture with the cashews, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the water, nutritional yeast, cayenne and turmeric (if using). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes about 1 ¾ cups of sauce.- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the pasta according to the instructions on the package, cooking until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain and return the pasta to the pot. Stir in the sauce, adding the pasta water as needed to thin the sauce and make it creamy. Add the spinach, stir until wilted, season to taste.
- Place mac and cheese into a tin and cover with mozzarella cheese and panko crumbs.
- Put the tin into a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 20 minutes
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