Mac 'n Cheese

RAW . VEGAN . GLUTEN FREE . WHEAT FREE

A deliciously creamy, healthy version of a classic family favourite, without the heavy carb-laden pasta, gluten and cheese. This will leave you fully satisfied without the bloat!

There are some really popular cooked meals that never really excited me. Mac 'n Cheese being one of those that I always felt a bit "meh" about. I could take it or leave it. Probably because my childhood experience of it was out of a Heinz can, which we all know is not like the real thing!

But, it's a very common experience for me that, when I feel inspired to make a raw vegan version of something, I instantly fall in love with it! This Mac 'n Cheese is one of those love-at-first-bite recipes that I will make time and time again as a quick and easy go-to meal.

This healthy and tasty, raw mac 'n cheese is packed with protein, phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals, including B12. The cheesy flavour comes from adding nutritional yeast, which is now widely available in health shops and some supermarkets, and has some incredible health benefits. Check out this post on Medical News Today about the benefits of "nooch".

This dish is super creamy, cheesy, smokey, and always leaves you wanting more!

The spiralised courgette noodles are so much lighter on the belly than wheat based spaghetti, and has a good al dente bite to it that softens after several minutes of marinating in the sauce.

I've served this up dressed with fresh basil and a nice fresh green salad, but it's also insanely good with some roasted bell peppers and tomatoes if you don't mind a little cooked, or if you are serving this to non-raw food eaters.

This recipe will serve 2 full plates, or 4 if you are serving something else with it.

NOODLE INGREDIENTS

2 large Courgettes (or 4 small ones)

CHEESE SAUCE INGREDIENTS

1.5 cups raw Cashews (soak in water 2 hours, drain)

1/2 cup Water or Nut Milk

Juice of half a Lemon

3/4 cup Nutritional Yeast

1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika

1 tbsp EV Olive Oil

1/2 tsp Salt (Sea Salt or Himalayan Pink)

More water for blending if needed

GARNISH: 2 tbsp hulled Hemp Seeds (optional), fresh Basil leaves, extra Smoked Paprika

METHOD

1. Spiralise the courgettes into noodles and place in a large mixing bowl. You can peel them first if you wish, but I like to leave the skins on for additional fibre, nutrients and colour. If you don't have a spiraliser, you can use a hand-held veggie peeler to peel of long, tagliatelle-like strips.

2. After draining the soaked cashews, add them to a high speed blender with the other ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and add additional seasoning if needed.

Blending Tip: If you have a powerful blender, like a Vitamix, use the tamper stick to help the sauce to blend. Otherwise, add the cashews in smaller quantities and blend in stages. Add more liquid if required but don't let it get too runny. If it does get too runny, add in more nutritional yeast to thicken. You want to achieve a nice, thick and creamy sauce that will pour.

3. Pour the sauce over the courgette noodles and toss with spoons until the noodles are evenly coated. Sprinkle in the Hemp seeds at this stage, if you are using them.

4. Serve into pasta bowls and garnish with fresh Basil leaves, as much as you like, and an extra sprinkling of Smoked Paprika for colour and flavour.

NOTES:

You can make this dish ahead of time, but keep the sauce and the noodles separate in the fridge until you're ready to serve. If you mix them in advance the courgette will go watery. That said, left overs are still good the next day from the fridge, so long as you don't mind it a bit watery.