I grew up as most Americans on the Kraft signature blue box of macaroni and cheese which translated to the Easy Mac microwavable version my freshman year of college. My husband recently brought home the macaroni and cheese box on his infrequent but dangerous grocery trip. After I freaked out about the ridiculousness of the majority of his purchases, a light bulb went off that I could make this comfort dish still comforting but also much healthier, hence the creation of this FODMAP macaroni and cheese.
I know the first question when you see the list of ingredients is what the heck is nutritional yeast?!
“It’s a deactivated yeast which is commonly used by vegetarians and vegans and is significant source of b vitamins. It has a strong flavor that is described as nutty, cheesy, or creamy, which makes it popular as an ingredient in cheese substitutes. It can be used in many recipes in place of cheese, such as in mashed and fried potatoes, and atop scrambled tofu. Another popular use is as a topping for popcorn.“-Wikipedia
Enjoy!
Vegan Mac n Cheese
Print RecipeIngredients
- 1 Cup Butternut Squash Puree-peeled, baked, and pureed (Trader Joes has prepackaged peeled, seeded and diced squash)
- 1 Cup Dairy Free Milk (you can also use soy/almond/rice milk)
- 6 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
- 1 Tablespoon Corn Starch
- 2 Teaspoons Dijon Mustard
- 1/4 Teaspoon Red Pepper
- 1 Package Gluten Free Elbow or Shell Pasta
- 1/2 Cup Fresh Spinach, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drizzle cubed squash with olive oil, salt, & pepper. Bake in a small baking dish for 60 minutes or until tender. Allow to cool.
In a small bowl, whisk corn starch and milk until combined. In a small saucepan on low-medium heat, add coconut oil and milk mixture and whisk. Add the remaining ingredients: nutritional yeast, mustard and red pepper. Continue whisking until thickened.
Add squash to the sauce and blend using an immersion blender. Set aside.
Cook your pasta in salted water until al dente and drain.
In a large bowl, combine sauce, drained pasta & spinach. Pour mixture into a large baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Inspired by: Ziziadventuures
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