My go to Vegan Mac and cheese

My actual picture!!


Ingredients
1 small box 8 to 16 oz macaroni noodles, cooked (use gluten-free, if required)
1 cup raw cashews
1 + ¾ cups almond or soy milk- I used Cashew milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1.5 tbsp cornstarch
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 tbsp light (yellow or white) miso paste
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
1Tbsp Tahini
a few squeezes of mustard
1/2 tsp of smoked paprika
1 tsp truffle oil (optional, but highly recommended)
pepper, to taste
1/3 cup of vegan butter ( just put this on pasta after taking it out the water) 

Instructions
Soak Cashews preferably overnight
Cook pasta and when done drain off the water and put butter on pasta and stir.
Place cashews in the food processor and finely grind Set aside.
In a heavy saucepan, combine milk, oil, and cornstarch. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Decrease heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, or until cornstarch dissolves.
Using a whisk or large fork, stir in the ground cashews, and all the other ingredients until well combined.
Add the cashew cheese to the macaroni noodles, drizzle with truffle oil (if using) and serve. I also sprinkled smoked paprika and parsley on top.

I then placed in a baking dish put in the oven on 350 until the top got a lil brown and bubbly!!

ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH TOMATOES, PINE NUTS AND BASIL

YIELD

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1. • 1/4 cup olive oil
   • 1/2 cup pine nuts
   • 4 garlic cloves, minced
   • 2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
   • 2 6-ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained
   • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
   • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried, crumbled
   • Salt and pepper
   • 9 ounces angel hair pasta, freshly cooked
   • Grated Parmesan

PREPARATION

1. 1. Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add pine nuts and garlic and sauté until light brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and next 3 ingredients and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over pasta and toss thoroughly. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve immediately, passing additional Parmesan separately.

Vegan mac ‘n’ cheese WITH A CRISP HERBY TOPPING

“This cheat’s vegan mac and cheese is just like the real thing – proper comfort food. ”

Pasta, Dairy-free, Vegan, Vegetarian

SERVES 6     COOKS IN40 MINUTES     DIFFICULTY  SUPER EASY

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups  dried macaroni
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 onion
• 1 liter or 4 cups  unsweetened organic soya milk
• 7 Table Spoons of Dairy-free margarine
• 3/4 cup plain flour
• 1 heaped teaspoon mustard
• 1½ tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
• 1/2 cup vegan cheese , optional (available from specialist stores)
• 5 cloves of garlic
• ½ a bunch of fresh thyme
• olive oil

• 1/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs Method Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Cook the macaroni according to the packet instructions in a large pan of salted boiling water. Meanwhile, peel and halve the onion, then place in a small pan over a medium heat with the milk. Slowly bring to the boil, then remove from the heat. Pick out and discard the onion, then set aside. Melt the margarine in another pan over a medium heat, then add the flour, stirring continuously until it forms a paste – this is the roux. Gradually add the warm milk a little at a time, whisking continuously until smooth. Bring to the boil, then simmer for around 10 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in the mustard and nutritional yeast flakes, grate and stir in the vegan cheese (if using), then season to taste with salt and pepper. Drain and add the macaroni to the sauce, then toss to coat. Transfer the mixture to an ovenproof baking dish (roughly 20cm x 30cm), then set aside. Peel and finely slice the garlic, then pick the thyme leaves, discarding the stalks. Add to a medium pan over a medium heat with a splash of oil. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden, then transfer to a food processor with the breadcrumbs and a splash of oil. Blitz until combined and roughly chopped, then sprinkle over the pasta. Place the dish in the hot oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and bubbling. Leave to stand for around 5 minutes, then serve

SUN-DRIED TOMATO, MUSHROOM & CASHEW RICOTTA PASTA

Vegan Tomato Pasta & Cashew “Ricotta Cheese”- serves 4.

Ingredients:

•       1 can of diced tomatoes

•       2 tbsp of tomato paste

•       1 onion diced

•       2 cloves of garlic minced

•       2 cups of sliced mushrooms

•       1 tbsp dried Italian herbs

•       1/2 cup of chopped sundried tomatoes

•       1 tbsp olive oil

•       1 tsp chili flakes

•       a packet of spaghetti or fettuccine pasta

•       salt and pepper to taste

•       fresh basil

Cashew Ricotta Cheese:

•       1 cup of soaked raw cashews in water (minimum 2 hours- best overnight)

•       1/2 cup of water

•       2 tbsp of nutritional yeast 

•       1/2 tsp of salt

•       1/2 tsp of garlic flakes

Instructions:

1      Boil some water and cook your pasta following the packet instructions.

2      Cook the onion and garlic in a pan with olive oil.

3      Add in the mushrooms.

4      Add the chili flakes, dried herbs and cook until mushrooms and capsicum are cooked.

5      Add in the sundries tomatoes and the can of diced tomatoes and simmer on low heat.

6      Once the pasta is cooked, drained and mix with the sauce. 

For the cashew ricotta:

1      Rinse and drain the cashews. 

2      Mix the cashews in a blender with the water, salt and nutritional yeast until creamy.

3      Serve a large dollop on each pasta bowl to add a cheesy creamy factor!

VEGAN TOMATO PASTA & CASHEW "RICOTTA" CHEESE

• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 red capsicum diced
• 2 cups of sliced mushrooms
• 1 tbsp dried italian herbs
• 1/3 cup of sundried tomatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp chilli flakes
• a packet of spaghetti pasta
• salt and peper to taste

Cashew Ricotta Cheese:

• 1 cup of soaked raw cashews in water (minimum 2 hours- best overnight)
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 tbsp of nutritional yeast 
• 1 tsp of salt

Instructions:

1. Boil some water and cook your pasta following the packet instructions.
2. Cook in a pan with olive oil the chopped capsicum and minced garlic.
3. Add in the mushrooms.
4. Add the chilli flakes, dried herbs and cook until mushrooms and capsicum are cooked.
5. Add in the sundries tomatoes and the can of diced tomatoes and simmer on low heat.
6. Once the pasta is cooked, drained and mix with the sauce. 

For the cashew ricotta:

1. Mix them in a blender with the water, salt and nutritional yeast until creamy.
2. Serve a large dollop on each pasta bowl to add a cheesy creamy factor!
3. Once cashews are soaked, discard the water and rinse them.

Hope you enjoy this healthy vegan pasta with the cashew Ricotta.