Loaded Mac and Not Cheese

(Serves a Party of 6)

Everyone deserves the pleasure of some classic comfort food – so here I have a veggie and mushroom packed mac and cheese dish that will impress the entire family.

Made with a creamy and unique cashew cheese and topped with some crunchy bread crumbs, it will have the entire house smelling like a dream.

For the pasta, I used a chickpea Penne pasta for a healthy alternative loaded with protein and other essential nutrients to make your pasta night a bit more guilt-free.

Ingredients for the Mac:

  • 1 Box of Chickpea Penne Pasta
  • 1 Diced Red Onion
  • 1 Diced Bell Pepper
  • 1 Bag of Spinach (kale works great as well)
  • 1 Cup of Chopped Baby Bella Mushrooms
  • 1 Can of Chickpeas
  • 3/4 Cup of Panko Bread Crumbs
  • 1/3 Cup of Plant-Based Butter
  • 1 Teaspoon of Avocado Oil
  • Few Dashes of Dried Oregano
  • Dash of Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Ingredients for the Cheese:

  • 1 Cup of Soaked or Boiled Raw Cashews
  • 1 and 1/2 Cup of Soy, Oat, Almond, or Coconut Milk
  • 1/2 Cup of Nutritional Yeast
  • Few Dashes of Salt (to taste)
  • 1/4 Cup of Lemon Juice (or about 3 squeezed lemons)

Before you get started, go ahead and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Grab a large pot and a smaller pot to begin boiling some water for the chickpeas and pasta.

While the chickpeas and pasta are cooking, start to prep your veggies and mushrooms, then heat up a large saucepan with some avocado oil and drop in the onion and bell pepper.

Add some salt and pepper, then after a few minutes of simmering, drop in the bag of spinach and chopped mushrooms.

Allow the spinach and mushrooms to cook down a bit, then turn the heat off and set the mixture aside.

By this time, your pasta and chickpeas should be just about ready – so strain them both and add them into the large pot mixed around with the butter and set aside.

For the cheese, add in all of the cashew ingredients into a blender until it is super creamy – then fold everything into the large pot including the spinach and mushroom mixture and stir it all up.

Finally, lather up a few drops of oil on a 9 by 9 baking pan, pour the mixture in, sprinkle the 3/4 cup of bread crumbs and dried oregano, then bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes!