Macaroni Cheeze

Macaroni Cheeze

I’ll admit, I used to proclaim a strong love for cheese in all it’s forms of glory. Who wouldn’t? Salty halloumi grilled on the barbecue, warm slices of freshly baked bread dipped into oven baked camembert, those extensive cheese boards that get brought out on occasions with juicy grapes and crackers. So you know, it came as a surprise to me how easily I gave it all up without so much as a craving for a brie and bacon sandwich.

There is, however, just a small exception. Whilst I never miss the mozzarella on my pizzas, I can’t help but feel a little bit jealous whenever my Mum makes the dish I grew up devouring loving (and I’m convinced she only makes it to tease and taunt me). Macaroni Cheese. 

I call this dish Macaroni “Cheeze” because it simply isn’t cheese. 

I’m not going to lie to you, or fool you into thinking it’s going to taste like what it isn’t. 

This is wonderfully creamy, packed full of flavours, cashew nut sauce. (Not cheese). 

It’s pan-licking worthy with an aroma that sends those tastebuds into overdrive. (But not cheese). 

It resembles and tastes similar to a cheese sauce, but let’s just get this clear, it’s not cheese.  

Great. 

This recipe is dairy free and easy to make gluten free if you swap the pasta for a gluten free version. It’s nutritionally dense, delicious and boasts incredible flavour from the chilli, cumin and garlic.

| Serves 2 |

Diary Free - Gluten Free

140g Pasta/Gluten-free Pasta

1/2 Red Onion Diced

2 Gloves Garlic Minced

1/2 Cup Cashews (soaked over-night, or for 6-8 hours)

1 1/2 Cups Vegetable Broth

1/2 Tbsp Cornstarch

1/4 Tsp Cumin

1/2 Tsp Chilli Powder

1 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast

Red Chilli’s 

Method

Preheat your oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4

Begin by preparing your pasta according to instructions on the package. Drain and leave to the side once cooked.

Whilst the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a pan and fry the onions and the garlic with salt and black pepper until soft. 

Then blend down your onions and garlic with the rest of the ingredients until creamy and smooth. Depending on your blender you may have to stop a few times to scrap down the sides and add a tiny bit of water. 

Now heat your cashew cream mixture in a pan to allow it to thicken up. If you find your mixture particularly watery then add a little bit more cornflour. Once it is hot throughout, mix in the pasta and transfer into an oven-proof dish and place it in the oven until piping hot.

Serve and enjoy your Macaroni Cheese Cheeze. 

Kay's Kitchen Playlist

Homesick - Catfish and the Bottlemen

Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High - Arctic Monkeys

Vegan Chocolate Chip Oat Cookies

“Normal” people bake cakes with eggs and sugar. Where’s the fun in that? I like to play the fun game where I disguise odd fruits and vegetables in sweet treats, in an attempt to create guilt-free cakes/brownies. But when you can reach in for a second round without feeling too indulgent, can you really complain about my quirky habit?

These chocolate chip oat cookies are no exception, bursting with nutrients that love and fuel your body. They are sweetened naturally with maple syrup and have a rich chocolate taste from the raw cacao powder and a crunch from the cocoa nibs. But the hidden secret? Barlotti beans. 

Yeah, even I was a bit sceptical about this one too…

But these beans are sweet and creamy, binding the cookie together and adding a great source of plant-based protein. Packed full of fibre with a low GI, these cookies make a perfect afternoon snack with a cup of tea when those 4 o’clock munchies awaken to keep you full until dinner. They also make a perfect pre/post-workout snack.

vegan - refined sugar-free - gluten-free - nut-free 

Ingredients

Makes roughly 12 - 16 cookies

- 2 Cups Barlotti Beans (about two cans)

- 1 1/2 Cup Oats/Gluten Free Oats

- 1/4 Cup Maple Syrup (1/2 cup for those with real sweet teeth)

- 2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil

- 2 Tablespoons Raw Cacao Powder

- Large Handful Of Cocoa Nibs/Dark Chocolate Chips

Method

Preheat your oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4 and grease a baking tray with coconut oil.

Drain and rinse your beans before placing them into your blender along with the coconut oil, maple syrup and cacao powder. Blend until creamy and smooth, adding a small amount of water as you go if you're finding it difficult.

Once smooth, stir together your bean mix, oats and cocoa nibs in a bowl. 

Using about an ice cream scoop size per cookie, use your hands to mould the mix into small balls and push them down into thin circles on your baking tray.

Bake for twenty minutes and then eat the whole batch without regrets  allow to cool and enjoy.

Store in an air-tight container for up to a week.