Itz Holistically Wholesome

I am sure that most people will agree that Mac and Cheese is an all-time favorite dish of many people. And reasonably so because it is delicious and even picky, children will eat it. Unfortunately, traditional mac and cheese is unhealthy because it contains high amounts of saturated fats and sodium from butter, cheese, and milk. It is calorie-dense and not, if not careful, will cause you to gain weight and lead to other health complications such as high cholesterol and blood pressure.

Not to be dismayed, because if you are a mac and cheese lover, there are ways to make this dish more wholesome and temple (body) friendly. First, let me also say that even among vegan / plantbased people, Mac & Cheese is loved and enjoyed. I am not a big pasta fan simply because I did not grow up on it. However, a little here and there is fine, I believe.

It has been a while since I made plantbased Mac & Cheese, and I thought it would be a good time to do so since I already had pasta and cashew at home. Besides, my family would appreciate it. When I make “mac and cheez,” I prefer to use whole natural ingredients because while I aim for a delicious and flavorful taste, I want it to be healthy and nutritious. Some things that are a must in my recipe are cashews, mushrooms, and jalapeno (not too much). The mushrooms complement the meal well and are a family favorite, while the Jalapeno picks things up a notch. However, I will not add Jalapeno to this recipe because I plan to introduce this meal to my now 1-year-old baby. Another thing about this meal is that it is relatively quick and easy to make.

So how do I Make it?

Remember, I do not measure as I go, but it is not difficult, so you need not worry. Besides, except for making your cheese sauce, it is relatively similar to regular mac and cheese preparation. 

1. The first thing I did was to soak 2 cups of raw whole cashews in water. I will use this to make the “cheez” sauce.
2. Next, I placed a pot of water on the stove to boil. I added a bit of pink salt and the pasta once the water started boiling.
3. While the pasta was cooking, I sautéed my pre-washed and chopped onion, garlic, and mushrooms.
4. I then placed the soaked cashews in the NutriBullet and blended until smooth. I used 2 cups of water and 2 cups of cashews because I wanted the sauce to be thick. I stirred the sauce into the skillet and allowed it to simmer on low heat. I added cumin, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, a vegan bouillon cube, and pink salt.
5. Next, the cooked pasta is added and stirred into the sauce🙃 and then simmered for a few minutes on low heat. At this point, taste to ensure you have achieved your desired result. If you like your Mac more saucy, add water or do not simmer too much. 
6. Garnish with fresh scallion and bell peppers or any herbs of your liking.
7. Remove from stove and serve.

This meal came out excellent, as always. I love the fresh, healthy taste, and my son, who generally does not like to repeat his meals, ate twice at dinner and requested more the next day for dinner. Thankfully, we had a left-overs.