Whole Wheat Vegetable Mac and Cheese
This mac and cheese is made with a healthy twist, utilizing your Vitamix to create a delicious cheese sauce with little effort.
Ingredients
- For the Red Pepper Cashew Cheese Sauce:
- 1¾ cup (420 ml) water
- ¾ cup (105 g) raw almonds
- ¼ cup (15 g) nutritional yeast
- ½ cup (65 g) raw cashews
- 1 (150 g) red bell pepper, stemmed
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, optional
- For the Vegetable Mac and Cheese:
- 1 pound (454 g) whole wheat pasta
- 2 cups (300 g) butternut squash, cut into small chunks
- 2 cups (300 g) red bell pepper, diced or cut into strips
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x13 glass baking dish.
- Place a large pot of water on the stovetop over high heat.
- While the water is heating, place all ingredients for the Red Pepper Cashew Cheese Sauce into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure the lid.
- Start the blender on its lowest speed, then quickly increase to its highest speed. Blend for 5 minutes 45 seconds; or select the Hot Soup program and allow the machine to complete the programmed cycle.
- Once the water is boiling, add the pasta noodles and cook ¾ of the way, until the noodles are almost tender. Drain the water from the pot and add the squash, cut bell pepper, and cheese sauce to the cooked pasta, stirring to combine before pouring mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Place into the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender and the dish is golden brown on top.
Chef's Notes
- The vegetables in this recipe can be switched up if desired--if using harder vegetables, cut them slightly smaller so they roast quickly in the oven. Try this with cauliflower, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts.
- Nutritional yeast is not only a "secret" vegan ingredient that adds a cheesy nutty bite to a dish, but it's also an excellent source of protein, fiber, minerals, and vitamins, including B vitamins that can be lacking in a traditional vegan diet.
Ingredients
- For the Red Pepper Cashew Cheese Sauce:
- 1¾ cup (420 ml) water
- ¾ cup (105 g) raw almonds
- ¼ cup (15 g) nutritional yeast
- ½ cup (65 g) raw cashews
- 1 (150 g) red bell pepper, stemmed
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, optional
- For the Vegetable Mac and Cheese:
- 1 pound (454 g) whole wheat pasta
- 2 cups (300 g) butternut squash, cut into small chunks
- 2 cups (300 g) red bell pepper, diced or cut into strips
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x13 glass baking dish.
- Place a large pot of water on the stovetop over high heat.
- While the water is heating, place all ingredients for the Red Pepper Cashew Cheese Sauce into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure the lid.
- Start the blender on its lowest speed, then quickly increase to its highest speed. Blend for 5 minutes 45 seconds; or select the Hot Soup program and allow the machine to complete the programmed cycle.
- Once the water is boiling, add the pasta noodles and cook ¾ of the way, until the noodles are almost tender. Drain the water from the pot and add the squash, cut bell pepper, and cheese sauce to the cooked pasta, stirring to combine before pouring mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Place into the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender and the dish is golden brown on top.
Chef's Notes
- The vegetables in this recipe can be switched up if desired--if using harder vegetables, cut them slightly smaller so they roast quickly in the oven. Try this with cauliflower, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts.
- Nutritional yeast is not only a "secret" vegan ingredient that adds a cheesy nutty bite to a dish, but it's also an excellent source of protein, fiber, minerals, and vitamins, including B vitamins that can be lacking in a traditional vegan diet.
Ingredients
- For the Red Pepper Cashew Cheese Sauce:
- 1¾ cup (420 ml) water
- ¾ cup (105 g) raw almonds
- ¼ cup (15 g) nutritional yeast
- ½ cup (65 g) raw cashews
- 1 (150 g) red bell pepper, stemmed
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, optional
- For the Vegetable Mac and Cheese:
- 1 pound (454 g) whole wheat pasta
- 2 cups (300 g) butternut squash, cut into small chunks
- 2 cups (300 g) red bell pepper, diced or cut into strips
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x13 glass baking dish.
- Place a large pot of water on the stovetop over high heat.
- While the water is heating, place all ingredients for the Red Pepper Cashew Cheese Sauce into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure the lid.
- Start the blender on its lowest speed, then quickly increase to its highest speed. Blend for 5 minutes 45 seconds; or select the Hot Soup program and allow the machine to complete the programmed cycle.
- Once the water is boiling, add the pasta noodles and cook ¾ of the way, until the noodles are almost tender. Drain the water from the pot and add the squash, cut bell pepper, and cheese sauce to the cooked pasta, stirring to combine before pouring mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Place into the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender and the dish is golden brown on top.
Chef's Notes
- The vegetables in this recipe can be switched up if desired--if using harder vegetables, cut them slightly smaller so they roast quickly in the oven. Try this with cauliflower, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts.
- Nutritional yeast is not only a "secret" vegan ingredient that adds a cheesy nutty bite to a dish, but it's also an excellent source of protein, fiber, minerals, and vitamins, including B vitamins that can be lacking in a traditional vegan diet.
