Plant-Based Mac & Cheese Bites

Mac & cheese as a finger food is perfect to serve at dinner or lunch parties. Kids and adults will love these creamy, vegan ¨cheesy¨ bites. Completely dairy-free, can easily be gluten-free, made with fresh ingredients for a delicious party dish. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

For the sauce

• 3 tbsp. cashew butter made with the NutraMilk
• 2 cup butternut squash cubes
• 2 cups water for cooking butternut squash
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ cup yellow onion chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt

For the mac and cheese

• 1 cup macaroni pasta (gluten-free option)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. garlic minced
• ⅓ cup cashew milk or other plant-based milk made with the NutraMilk
• 11/2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp. salt or as required
• 1 tsp. whole black pepper crushed
• 1 tbsp. basil leaves fresh or dried

For cashew butter & milk

• 2 cups (300g) cashews
• 1/8 teaspoon Pink Himalayan salt (optional)
• 1 quart (946ml) water (for milk)

INSTRUCTIONS

Start by making cashew butter and milk

• Place cashews and salt in the NutraMilk container.
• Press Butter cycle, set for 5-6 minutes.
• Press Start.
• Open the container lid.
• If necessary, set for an additional 1-2 minutes for a creamier butter.
• Take out half of the cashew butter, use 3tbsp. for recipe and store the rest for later use and continue to make milk:
• Add water and replace lid.
• Press Mix (do not change the default Mix time).
• Press Start.
• Press Dispense.
• Press Start and open spigot to fill your storage container.

For the sauce

• Remove the skin of the butternut squash and cut them into small cubes.
• In a pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil. Then add chopped yellow onion.
• In low heat, sauté until it turns golden brown.
• Now add butternut squash cubes, salt and two cups of water.
• Cook until it turns soft and tender.
• Drain and set aside to cool down to the room temperature.
• In a blender add this mixture and cashew butter.
• Puree until it becomes silky in texture. And set aside.

For the mac and cheese

• Cook macaroni or gluten-free elbow pasta as per the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
• In the same pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil, minced garlic. Cook for 1 minute.
• Stir in the puree. And cook it until it thickens.
• Then cashew milk, cooked pasta, nutritional yeast, and salt.

• Cook it until it reaches desired consistency. Adjust the thickness with coconut milk if needed.
• Spoon the mac and cheese into the muffin pan.

• Bake for 15-18 minutes. After removing from the oven, let it cool for about 5 minutes so the bottom portion of the mac and cheese can cool down and bind to the top.

Prepared and photographed by NutraMilk nutritionist, Florencia Tagliavini.