Vegan Column: The joys of mac and cheese
Some of my fondest memories as a child revolve around one after-school ritual. I would jump off the bus after a painstaking hour anxiously awaiting my stop. Then I would run inside, turn on the television, and start a pot of water boiling. All of this was done just in time to catch the start of my favorite PBS Kids show – Arthur. Next, I would head to the cupboard to find that iconic box of Mac ‘n Cheese that every kid grows up to know. By the time the noodles were strained, I had a small bowl of the pre-measured milk and margarine ready to plop into the piping-hot noodles. Then came the final step of adding the packet of processed cheese product. Finally, it was time to enjoy my concoction, preferably in a blue bowl to match the commercials. Every bite fed my young soul.
Fast forward to today, and new principles guide my food choices. I now follow a 100% plant-based lifestyle. One thing that has not changed is my love for a classic bowl of macaroni and cheese. The following recipe utilizes cashews as a source of healthy fat and eliminates the margarine/butter and, consequently, the unhealthy saturated fats. Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor while turmeric provides a natural yellow color. Lemon juice adds an acidic punch and complexity to the cheese sauce. In my view, we should let ourselves enjoy some of our childhood vices. This recipe allows one to do that without guilt.
Vegan Mac and Cheese
1 ½ cup raw cashews
8 oz shell or elbow pasta
2 tbsp lemon juice (~1/2 lemon)
¼ cup nutritional yeast
2-4 medium garlic cloves, or ½ tsp garlic powder. I like to include both!
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 large pinch black pepper
Place cashews in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak for 15-20 minutes, until very soft. Drain and rinse the cashews and set aside. If you have a Vitamix or another high-speed blender, you can skip this step.
Cook the pasta according to the box directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before straining the pasta. Drain the pasta and return the noodles to the pot. Turn off the heat.
After soaking, transfer cashews to blender and add remaining ingredients 1 cup pasta water.
Pour the blended “cheese” over the pasta and toss to coat. Add more pasta water as needed to thin the sauce. Optionally, you may add vegan cheese shreds at this point to increase the creaminess.
Gina Howe is a registered nurse, board member of Vegan Community of Eastern Iowa, and a vegan since 2011. Send questions or comments to veganeasterniowa@gmail.com. Visit the VCEI website at https://www.veganeasterniowa.org/ or join the group on Facebook or Meet Up.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Vegan Column: The joys of mac and cheese
