Mac 'N' Cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut potato in half lengthwise and place cut side down on baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, or until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife.

Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add macaroni and salt and stir. Bring back to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and lightly boil for 6 to 8 minutes, until macaroni is al dente. Drain and rinse the macaroni and set aside.

In the same saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cashews and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, or until garlic is fragrant and nuts are lightly browned.

Pour 2 cups water into a blender jug. Peel sweet potato halves, discard skin, and add flesh to the jug. Scrape onion-garlic-cashew mixture into jug. Add yeast, vinegar, and sugar (if using). Blend on high for 1 minute, or until sauce is smooth.

Pour sauce into the same saucepan used to cook the onion. Add macaroni and toss to mix well. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and heat through (about 1 minute), stirring frequently.

To Serve

Spoon into six dishes and garnish each with 1 tablespoon vegan Parmesan cheese or ½ teaspoon paprika (if using). Add 2 slices vegan bacon (if using) to each dish.

YOU’VE GOT OPTIONS

If your comfort mac ’n’ cheese is a baked version with a crunchy top, we’ve got you covered: Preheat oven to 375°F. After step 5, scrape the macaroni into a large, lightly oiled 8-cup-capacity heatproof dish. Melt 2 table- spoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (you choose) and ½ cup panko or oatmeal. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Spread topping evenly over macaroni and slide onto the middle rack of the oven. Bake for about 7 minutes, or until topping is crisp and macaroni is bubbling.

Makes 6 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 medium sweet potato, unpeeled

• 3 cups dried macaroni (about 9 ounces)

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin avocado oil or olive oil

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• ½ cup raw cashews

• ¼ cup nutritional yeast

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar (optional)

Garnish (optional)

• 6 tablespoons Vegan Parmesan Cheese, or store-bought, or
  1 tablespoon smoky or sweet paprika

• 12 slices vegan bacon (optional)

From “The Reducetarian Cookbook: 125 Easy, Healthy, and Delicious Plant-Based Recipes for Omnivores, Vegans, and Everyone In-Between” by Reducetarian Foundation (Center Street, $21.99). Recipe developed by Pat Crocker. Photo by Ashleigh Amoroso.