Cashew Mac & Cheese

Method

1. Boil the 4 cups384 g pasta until just tender; reserve a cup of the water, then drain.
   • Whole-Grain Pasta4 cups384 g(384 g)(4 cups)
2. Meanwhile, warm the 1 tbsp14 g olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and soften the 1 cup160 g onion, diced until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peeled 2 cloves6 g garlic, 1 tsp2.3 g onion powder, 1 tsp2.8 g garlic powder, ¼ tsp0.7 g turmeric, and ¼ tsp0.5 g red pepper flakes and cook a full minute, until fragrant — that bloom is what makes the sauce taste cooked, not just smooth. Add the 1½ cups225 g potatoes, diced, 1 cup110 g carrots, diced, and 1 cup137 g cashews with water to cover and simmer until everything is very soft, about 12 minutes.
   • Extra-Virgin Olive Oil1 tbsp14 g(14 g)(1 tbsp)
   • Onion, diced1 cup160 g(160 g)(1 cup)
   • Garlic2 cloves6 g(6 g)(2 cloves)
   • Onion Powder1 tsp2.3 g(2.3 g)(1 tsp)
   • Garlic Powder1 tsp2.8 g(2.8 g)(1 tsp)
   • Turmeric¼ tsp0.7 g(0.7 g)(¼ tsp)
   • Red Pepper Flakes¼ tsp0.5 g(0.5 g)(¼ tsp)
   • White Potatoes, diced1½ cups225 g(225 g)(1½ cups)
   • Carrots, diced1 cup110 g(110 g)(1 cup)
   • Cashews1 cup137 g(137 g)(1 cup)
3. Tip the mixture into a blender with the 4 tbsp20 g nutritional yeast, 1 tsp5 g dijon, 2 tsp10 g apple cider vinegar, salt, to taste, and about 1 cup fresh water. Blend until completely silky, adding a splash more water if it’s too thick to move.
   • Nutritional Yeast4 tbsp20 g(20 g)(4 tbsp)
   • Dijon Mustard1 tsp5 g(5 g)(1 tsp)
   • Apple Cider Vinegar2 tsp10 g(10 g)(2 tsp)
   • Sea Saltto taste
4. Toss the sauce with the pasta, loosening with the reserved pasta water until it coats every piece.

Kids: blend the sauce extra smooth, skip the pinch of red pepper flakes, and stir in a little extra nutritional yeast — that’s the cheesy hit they’re after.