As the evenings are getting darker and a little colder, comforting dinners, such as this delicious green vegan mac & cheese, are perfect for tucking into. The addition of romanesco to this pasta dish adds extra flavour, texture, and colour, as well as lots of nutrient. It is part of the brassica family of vegetables and tastes like a cross between broccoli and cauliflower. This stunning vegetable is grown on the farm, so nutritionally it benefits greatly from the best of soil. It is rich in fibre, calcium, and iron, and also a good source of vitamins, such as A, C and K. This dish only takes minutes to prepare and is best served with a simply green salad and chunks of crusty bread.
Enjoy!
Nessa x
Green Vegan Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
- 120g cashew nuts
- 175g macaroni
- 250g romanesco, cut into chunks
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- 175ml pasta water
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 75g vegan cheese, grated
Method
- Place the cashew nuts in a heat-proof bowl. Cover with boiling water and leave to soak for 15 minutes.
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the macaroni according to the pack’s instructions. Add the romanesco to the pot for the last 3 minutes of cooking time. Drain the pot, reserving 175ml of the cooking water.
- Drain the cashews and add to a processor, with the juice of one lemon, nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, turmeric, the reserved pasta water and a little salt and pepper. Blend until combined.
- In a large casserole dish, combine the drained macaroni and romanesco with the sauce. Top with the vegan cheese and place under the grill for 5 minutes until golden brown. Serve straight away. Enjoy!
