This was a tasty version of vegan mac n cheeze that’s plant based and didn’t include any vegan cheese. I try not to use a lot of vegan meat and cheese replacements because they’re not very healthy. They’re better for you than actual meat and cheese, but they’re still full of oil and things I don’t eat a lot of. I use more whole foods when I can and cut back on processed stuff. Occasionally, mostly for holidays and parties when around others, we eat some of it for convenience, but mostly we try to stick to whole food plant based. This was super creamy, and looked just like mac n cheeze. Don’t expect it to taste like cheese, or else you’re going to set yourself up for failure. It’s made from vegetables, so it won’t taste like fat. Not how it works! It does however give you the same texture as traditional mac n cheese and the same look. It’s filling and satisfying, and a great way to sneak in veggies for those picky eaters! I served it with some roasted green beans. I just had french style green beans on parchment and sprinkled them with some garlic powder and salt and pepper then roasted on 400* for 20 minutes.

Vegan Mac N Cheese

1 box whole wheat penne

1 large russet potato, peeled and cut in chunks

1 cup carrots, in chunks

1 yellow onion, quartered

1/4 raw cashews

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp ground mustard

1/4 tsp turmeric

3/4 cup almond milk

1 cup water from the boiled veggies

dash of soy sauce

juice of one lemon

1. In a large pot, boil the potatoes, carrots, onion, and cashews until soft, about 10-15 minutes.
2. In a high speed blender, add cooked veggies, cashews, spices, water, almond milk, soy, and lemon juice and blend until smooth. (I had to do two batches in my Nutribullet.)
3. Boil pasta until al dente, drain, and add back to the pot. Add veggie sauce and combine.
4. Serve with a side of veggies or chickpea loaf.