Mac and Cheese
Cauliflower cheese macaroni and cheese made with nutrient dense chickpea past shells.
Ingredients
- ½ large head of cauliflower
- 1 heaping cup raw cashews
- ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
- lemon juice
- 12 ounces pasta shells
- 2 cups cheddar cheese freshly grated
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 400°F and bring a medium size pot of water to a boil. Cut the cauliflower into large bite-size florets and season the boiling water with 1 tablespoon of salt. Boil the cashews and cauliflower until the florets are soft, but not extremely mushy, about 8-10 minutes.
-
Save 1 cup of the cooking liquid, drain the cashews and cauliflower, and place them in a blender. Add ½ teaspoon of salt to the blender along with a few cracks of pepper, 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 cup grated cheddar cheese, 1 teaspoons lemon juice, and ½ cup of the cooking liquid. Blend on high until very smooth. You will most likely need to add another ¼ cup of cooking liquid to loosen the sauce, maybe more. Check for seasoning as you may need more lemon juice or salt. Set aside.
-
Meanwhile, boil some water for the pasta shells and cook according to the box instructions. Save 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
-
In a large bowl, mix the pasta shells together with all of the cheese sauce and ¾ cup of reserved cooking water. Mix well and transfer to an 8x10-inch baking dish. If the mixture still looks dry, add another splash of water. Cover tightly with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and top with remaining 1/2 cup parmesan cheese and 1 cup cheddar cheese. Broil for a few minutes until the cheese is melted, but don’t walk away!
-
Allow to cool a couple of minutes,then enjoy!