Macaroni Cheese

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings people

Calories 382kcal

340 g pasta*
1/2 large cauliflower including stalk (approx. 420g) + 2c pasta/cauli cooking water
2 large onions diced
6 cloves garlic sliced
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 c cashews
1/4 c nutritional yeast
1 tbsp white miso
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp turmeric
2 c fresh parsley packed

Boil the jug with water and preheat the oven on fan bake at 200°C (390°F), then chop your cauliflower into bite-sized pieces.
Put the pasta in a pot and cover with boiling water, then place the cauli on top in a steamer attachment (if you have one). Cook both for 5-7 minutes. If you don't have a steamer you can cook the cauli in a separate pot with 1/2 cup of extra boiling water.
While these steam, heat the oil in a large flat pan (oven-proof if possible), and saute the onion and garlic for five minutes until light brown and caramelised.
Blend all the topping ingredients in a blender until they form a crumb but still with some texture - set aside.
Drain the pasta and cauliflower reserving 2 cups of cooking water. Pour the pasta into the pan with the onions while still on a low heat.
Meanwhile, put the cauli in your blender with the 2 cups of cooking water and all remaining sauce ingredients (cashews, nutritional yeast, mustard, pepper and salt) except parsley. Blend until super creamy then pour into your pasta pan, adding the parsley, and stir while still on low for 2 minutes until everything heats through and the sauce begins to thicken.
Pour over the sunflower seed topping, then bake in the oven for 10 minutes until golden and crunchy on top.
Serve with a simple garden salad and get in quick if you want any chance of seconds!

To make this soy free, simply omit the white miso and double the amount of nutritional yeast you use.
To make this nut free, simply use watermelon seeds in place of the cashews.
Use an oven proof pan, that way you can transfer straight from the hob to the oven to bake it off at the end.
Make sure you use all your cauli water if cooking separately - it's packed full of nutrients and we don't want to lose those.
Check your pasta cooking time - mine were 5-7 minutes, but if they need longer add your cauli halfway through as needed.
A cup of frozen peas would also work perfectly in this if you're a fan of the greenies. Yes peas and mac and cheese is amazing!
This dish is so delicious the next day. I simply let it cool and placed it in the fridge with the pan lid on until the next day, then reheated in the same pan.
A note of caution - you are going to want to make this recipe every night for dinner, so buy extra ingredients!