Grown-Up (or not) Mac & Cheese
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THE WHY BEHIND THIS RECIPE
This is some grown-up feeling mac & cheese, but honestly I’m sure kids would love it to. If you do kid-test it, please let me know!
I grew up on Annie’s mac and cheese, like I think my body comp was 50% Annie’s mac and cheese. This is my 30-something, blood sugar friendly, metabolically healthy remake.
The sauce is dairy free but it’s so good you could serve it and not say anything and no one would notice. Nutritional yeast, I love thee. The other secret ingredient in the sauce is cashews. The metabolic punch is packed in with a few simple swaps and addition. I swapped refined grain pasta for a lupin bean pasta from Chef’s Kiss. I’ve tried ALL of the alternative and low-carb pastas on the market and Chef’s Kiss is truly the best. It has the best texture and does not get mushy (as long as you don’t overcook it). Use code SONJA for 10% off.
I added in some roasted cauliflower and broccoli, chicken sausage (but you could use rotisserie chicken, really any kind of chicken or other protein, or leave out the meat entirely for a vegetarian dish) and of course PEAS. You were either the person growing up who put peas in your mac and cheese, or you were…idk…confused about the best way to eat mac and cheese? The peas add in a bit of nostalgia.
The best part of this recipe is it can be largely whipped up from pantry staples or things in your freezer. Just be sure to keep frozen veggies on hand, cashews, and some lupin bean pasta and you’ll be ready to make this truly anytime.
For me, this recipe just hits on a Monday night. Hope you feel the same.
Serving size: Serves 4-5.
Total Time: ~45-55 minutes
Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Cook time = ~30-40 minutes
WHAT YOU NEED
1 box Chef’s Kiss Lupin Bean pasta or another low carb nutrient dense pasta
You can use code SONJA for 10% off Chef’s Kiss
1 small head of cauliflower or ~2 cups (can use frozen!)
1 small head of broccoli or ~2 cups (can use frozen!)
1 cup peas (I always use frozen here)
1 1/2 cups raw cashews
2 cups water
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup parmesan + more to top to your liking for topping (optional, recipe would be vegan without this)
Optional: Chicken sausage, rotisserie chicken, any kind of chicken! Leave out if you want to keep this vegetarian.
I most commonly use 4 organic pre-cooked chicken sausages.
Optional: Some gf breadcrumbs or lupin flakes to top!
HOW TO DO IT
PREP OVEN, PASTA WATER and CASHEWS1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Put 1 1/2 cups of cashews in a bowl with 2 cups of warm water. Let sit and soften while you do the rest of the stuff.
3. Bring a medium pot of salted pot of water to a boil.
CHOP STUFF UP AND ROAST4. Chop up your cauliflower and broccoli into bite sized florets. Toss with oil and salt and roast until a little al dante (like 10 minutes before you’d think they are done). I did mine for about ~12 minutes. Roast the stems as well, we can use those in the sauce and then have less waste! You can also do this with frozen cauliflower and broccoli - just throw it on a pan and put it in the oven!
5. Cut up your chicken sausage or chicken into bite sized pieces. Cook chicken if you are not using a pre-cooked chicken sausage or pre-cooked rotisserie chicken.
ASSEMBLY6. After your veggies have roasted, combine cashews plus their 2 cups of water, nutritional yeast, mustard, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, cauliflower stems if using, and a pinch of salt into a blender and blend until smooth.
7. Cook pasta according to package directions but remove a few minutes early so it’s a tad underdone!
8. In a large baking dish, combine pasta, cauliflower, broccoli, chicken, and sauce together. Mix in 1 cup of frozen peas. Top with some graded parmesan or gf breadcrumbs, if using. If you need to use two baking dishes because you don’t have one large enough, do it!
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes until top is golden brown! ENJOY!!!
SWAPS, TIPS & TRICKS
Fresh or frozen: This works just as well with frozen cauliflower, broccoli and peas.
Switching up the veggies or protein: This recipe is flexible - use any veggies or protein you want to mix in!
Nutritional Info
Nutritional info was calculated assuming 2 cups of chicken or chicken sausage was included.
Per serving, makes about 4 servings
Calories: 630
Total Fat: 32g
Carbs: 38g
Fiber: 25g
Net Carbs: 13g
Protein: 44g - NOT EVEN KIDDING!! This pasta is so protein rich!
Sugars: 4g
