Long day at work today ... I arrived home tired and hungry and needed a quick meal. I've been craving mac and cheese but since cheese and I don't exactly get along, I thought I'd try a cheese-free version. If you have a Vitamix it takes no time at all to prepare. I used quinoa elbow macaroni to keep it gluten free. The flavor is very good. Next time I think I'll mix in some roasted broccoli, or sauteed mushrooms or spinach ... and/or bacon! Feel free to experiment!
Recipe
10 oz. macaroni (cooked per package instructions)
1 c. Yukon gold potatoes, diced
1/2 c. onion, chopped
1/4 c. carrot, diced
3/4 c. water (from the boiled veggies)
1/2 c. raw cashews
1/4 c. coconut milk
2 T. nutritional yeast flakes
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
2 garlic cloves
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
Freshly ground pepper to taste
*Garnish with chopped chives or parsley
Cook macaroni (takes about 8-10 minutes), drain and return to the warm pan.
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the potatoes, carrots and onion and cook until soft (about 10 minutes). Transfer cooked veggies to Vitamix with a slotted spoon. Save 3/4 c. of the veggie water and add to the blender, along with the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth.
Pour sauce over the cooked noodles, adjust salt and pepper if needed. Best served hot.