Mac n Cheeze + Roasted Broccoli

Difficulty: BE IN A COOKING MOOD (also, overnight cashew soaking required)

Mac n Cheeze
1 lb box elbow macaroni
3 potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1/2 red pepper, cut into large chunks
1 large carrot
1 onion, cut into large chunks
1/2 c raw cashews, soaked overnight, then drained
2 T lemon juice
1 t miso paste
5 roasted garlic cloves*
1/2 t mustard powder
1/2 t paprika
1 1/2 t salt
1 T nutritional yeast
dash of vegan Worcestershire

preheat 400
*wrap peeled garlic in foil, and add a bit of water or broth to the packet.
stick in oven for about 25 minutes to roast garlic.
Leave oven on to roast broccoli

Boil a large pot of salted water.
boil potatoes, pepper, carrots, and onion until soft, then fish out veggies with a sieve and put aside in a bowl.

Keep water boiling and use the same water to cook elbow macaroni according to box instructions.

While mac cooks, whir soaked cashews in food processor.
add cooked vegetables and whir until smooth and kinda sticky.
add remaining ingredients, including garlic, and add cooking water if thinning is needed.
drain cooked pasta and combine with sauce. You may not need to use all the sauce.
Remaining sauce can be stored in zip bag in the freezer. To use later, thaw, then mix with hot pasta and hot water to make it saucy again.

Roasted Broccoli
1 lb fresh or frozen broccoli
olive oil to drizzle
Trader Joe's Everyday seasoning (or other favorite seasoning)
Penzey's Mural of Flavor (or other favorite seasoning)

salt and fresh ground pepper

spread broc on foil lined cookie sheet, drizzle with oil.
generously sprinkle with herbs and spices, toss.
roast for 10 minutes, stir, then continue to roast until tasty brown edges appear.

Ritz cracker topping
1 T buttery spread
1/2 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed in a baggie
Pinch garlic powder

Heat butter over medium high heat, toss garlic powder into cracker crumbs, then toast in hot butter until golden and crisp.
Stir often and don't walk away (burns easily).

If you try this recipe, I would love feedback! leave me a comment and tell me how it went.