Dairy-Free Mac and Cheese

Is there anyone in the world who doesn't love macaroni and cheese?  It was a staple of my childhood, as I'm sure was the case for most of this country.  It was present at holiday dinners, as well as a side dish for regular meals at home, and no one ever turned it down.  When I decided to go vegan, I knew I'd have to find an alternative version, which wasn't hard.  There are SO many recipes for vegan mac and cheese online, and after trying several, this is one of the two go-to recipes that I developed.  This creamy, cheesy, garlicky goodness makes it hard to put the fork down. 

Vegan Cashew Mac and Cheese

1 package of pasta (I like brown rice spiral noodles for this recipe.)

1 cup cashews (preferably soaked 2 hours)

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/2 onion, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

1/2 - 3/4 cup water

sea salt and pepper to taste

Follow the package instructions for cooking your pasta.  To begin the sauce, start by cooking the onion and garlic over medium-high heat until they begin to brown.  (I don't typically cook with oil, but you can use a tiny amount if needed.  If my mixture sticks, I just add a tablespoon of water or vegetable broth.)  While the onions and garlic cook, add the soaked and drained cashews to a blender with the lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and 1/2 cup of water.  Blend on high until creamy.  Once the onion and garlic mixture is caramelized, add them to the blender and continue blending until creamy and smooth.  If you need to add water, do so a few tablespoons at a time.  You want the sauce to be thick, not runny.  Once blended well, add salt and pepper to taste.  Drain the cooked pasta well, and add it back to the pot.  Pour your sauce over the pasta and stir until well combined.  Serve over a bed of fresh greens and garnish with basil for a really nice touch of color.  It also goes well with a glass of organic red wine after a long work day.  ;-)