Mac n' Cheese

I have been wanting to try a Mac n' Cheese recipe that uses cashews for awhile, but I had no food processor. Since I have one now, when I came across this one from Veg News, I knew I absolutely had to make it. The sauce consists of cooked veggies and cashews to create a creamy sauce that tasted like...well, cheddar cheese! I don't know how it does it, nor do I care. I am just simply ecstatic that I had everything in the house to make it, and it couldn't have been simpler. So here are some photos and the recipe from the Veg News website. If you're not vegan, you're just going to have to trust me when I say this was the best macaroni & cheese I have ever had. Period. I also served this with some sauteed asparagus and a Crack Biscuit from Cupcake Punk's blog...and they are like crack! Check them out if you have a chance, THREE ingredients!



Serves 6
What You Need:
4 quarts water
1 tablespoon sea salt
8 ounces macaroni
4 slices of bread, torn into large pieces
2 tablespoons + 1/3 cup non-hydrogenated margarine
2 tablespoons shallots, peeled and chopped
1 cup red or yellow potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup onion, peeled and chopped
1 cup water
1/4 cup raw cashews
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon paprika

What You Do:
In a large pot, bring the water and salt to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until al dente. In a colander, drain pasta and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
In a food processor, make breadcrumbs by pulverizing the bread and 2 tablespoons margarine to a medium-fine texture. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan, add shallots, potatoes, carrots, onion, and water, and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft.
In a blender, process the cashews, salt, garlic, 1/3 cup margarine, mustard, lemon juice, black pepper, and cayenne. Add softened vegetables and cooking water to the blender and process until perfectly smooth.
In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta and blended cheese sauce until completely coated. Spread mixture into a 9 x 12 casserole dish, sprinkle with prepared breadcrumbs, and dust with paprika. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese sauce is bubbling and the top has turned golden brown.