I don’t know about you, but I love me some pasta, especially mac-n-cheese. For years it was my go to, my favorite was the stuff in the blue box if you know what I mean (kraft)!
But then, I started my health and fitness journey and became afraid of carbs and dairy. I started to think that they were bad and cut them out of my diet as much as possible. I went years without having any pasta. One day however, I came to the realization that carbs aren’t bad especially in moderation. So, I renewed my love of Mac-n-cheese.
However, I wanted a healthier version that didn’t make me feel bad inside after I ate it. I also wanted a quick version I could make whenever. So many gluten free, dairy free, vegan versions of Mac-n-cheese see pretty labor intensive and have a lot of ingredients that I either don’t have in my house or don’t eat very often, like squash or white potatoes.
This version is just a pot, a pan, and some simple ingredients. I literally makes 10 minutes to whip up!
Mac-N-Cheezy Vegan Pasta
Ingredients:
- 1 box of pasta ( I prefer Banda chickpea pasta)
- Veggies of your choice (I use approx: 1 cup of peas, I package of mushrooms, and a few handfuls of spinach)
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1-2 heaped tablespoons of tahini
- 1/3-1/2 cup of almond mill
- 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
- 2-3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp powdered garlic or one cloves of garlic
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1-2 tbsp almond flour or arrow root powder
Step 1: Boil a pot of water and add noodles once boilinf
Step 2: Heat a large pan medium to high and add 1tsp coconut oil (or olive oil) *note add garlic here if you are using a clove
Step 3: Add in vegetables except spinach and sauté until just cooked through
Step 4: Drain noodles and add to pan. Turn heat to low
Step 5: Make sauce. Poor tahini and almond mil in pan. Mix until creamy and everything is well coated. Add lemon juice, nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper. Let it simmer for a few minutes
Step 6: Add in almond flour a little bit at a Rome until sauce thickens and becomes the consistency you want.
Step 7: Stir in spinach until wilted
Step 8: serve and enjoy!
This recipe is one of my got to recipes and makes about 4 servings or maybe 2 if you’re like me and just can’t get enough. I love this recipe because it satisfies my craving for Mac-n-cheese, but is full of healthy food and doesn’t leave me feeling weighed down or groggy.
