High-Protein Vegan Mac & Cheese - Fun, SASSY & Gluten-Free

High-Protein Vegan Mac & Cheese

This High-Protein Vegan Mac & Cheese is DEFINITELY SASSY ~ Super Affordable, Simple, Satisfying & very Yummy!  I randomly found the Zenb Cavatappi Pasta, made with 100% yellow peas, on a rack in the back of our local Fresh Thyme store.  Unfortunately items on this rack are usually being discontinued, The last thing I needed was another box of pasta, but being that these were only $1.99 per 8 oz. box, and may not be around long, I decided to give it a try. Bean-based pasta options tend to be pricier than whole wheat pasta I mostly purchase, however, they contain a few grams more protein per ounce, which may be important to some people who track their macros.  Each 2 oz. serving of the noodles contains 12g of protein.

I happened to have some already baked, deep orange-fleshed winter squash on hand, so I decided to make a High-Protein Vegan Mac & Cheese, something I don't typically make.  Especially from scratch.  

The squash, along with soaked cashews, a little red pimento pepper, and nutritional yeast created a nice cheddar cheese color, with a super creamy texture.  I was really wanting to make something fast, and thankfully, the sauce came together quickly.  

Actually, I'm such a wing-it cook.  I love reading cookbooks, yet I rarely follow recipes when preparing our daily meals.  Our everyday fare is always enjoyable and healthy.  It's just not always that 'I have to drop everything and write a blog post' level of awesomeness.  At least not lately as I'm in hyper-focus mode, completing edits for The Macrobiotic Action Plan that I intend to publish by November 15.  It's already getting late, and I am hoping to get further on the book, plus begin prepping an appetizer and dessert for a 60th birthday party Don and I are attending this weekend.  

It's been an overcast, windy and somewhat rainy day.  A good day for a creamy comforting meal like mac and cheese.  As I didn't plan to write a blog post, please pardon the pictures which aren't in the best lighting.   

All that said, time to discuss our  SASSY High-Protein Vegan Mac & Cheese recipe! 

To get started with the High-Protein Vegan Mac & Cheese Sauce, pre-soak cashews ahead of time for at least one hour if using filtered room temperature water, or 30 minutes if using boiled water.  Be sure to cover with enough water to allow for the cashews to expand a bit.

High-Protein Vegan Mac & Cheese Recipe

INGREDIENTS & STEPS 

1 box Zenb Cavatappi Pasta - or sub chickpea, red lentil, or whole wheat pasta of choice (I really liked the larger swirly noodles for that extra sassy look and texture)

NOTE:  High-Protein Vegan Mac & Cheese Sauce Ingredients are close estimates, adapt as needed to taste, using what you have on hand.

A full 1/4 cup cashews, soaked first to soften (pour boiling water on top for shorter soak time, otherwise, let soak 1 hour or more

Juice of 1/2 lemon

About 1/2 cup mashed baked winter squash - choose a squash variety with a deep orange flesh, like kabocha, buttercup, honeynut, or hubbard; butternut will work as well if that's all you have

1/4 cup+ nutritional yeast (My favorite is Terrasoul with a great profile of natural versus synthetic B vitamins)

1/4-1/2 cup or more plain oat milk, like Foragers, which is made with just oats, water, and salt, or other plain, unsweetened non-dairy milk of choice

1/4-1/2 cup water

1 small garlic clove or a sliver of a larger clove

Small chunk of red pimento pepper, or red bell pepper, cut into a few smaller chunks 

2 tsp. onion powder 

Pinch cayenne pepper 

1 Tbsp. liquid lecithin

Drain cashews, and place in blender with remaining ingredients.  Blend at a higher speed until very creamy.  It should be fairly thick.  Add just enough water and oat milk or other nondairy milk to blend, and get the desired thickness and creaminess.  

Cook noodles according to package directions.  I let my noodles cook 9-10 minutes.  Drain, reserving some of the cooking water.  Add noodles and sauce back to the pot, and turn to low.  Stir to combine.  Add  cooking water a couple tablespoons at a time as needed to coat the noodles.  While it heats, it will thicken, so add just enough, without thinning it out too much and diluting the flavor.   

Serve, as is, or garnished with chopped fresh parsley, or a sprinkle of smoked paprika.  

High-Protein Vegan Mac & Cheese Notes

• Sub 1/2 a baked or steamed orange-flesh sweet potato for the squash
• Liquid lecithin is the perfect golden-orange color to add as an emulsifier, and to boost the choline content.  You can sub it out for lecithin granules, a different oil, or possibly a little tahini.  You'll have to experiment if not using and see what works best for you.  
• This could probably be baked as well.  I didn't want to take the time.
• Adjust seasonings to taste.  

Macros for High-Protein Vegan Mac & Cheese made with Zenb 100% Yellow Pea Pasta

I put the recipe on Cronometer, and divided the recipe into 4 servings, as per the box of pasta.  Don and I ate most of the entire box, which is 4 servings, at 2 oz. of noodles per serving, or 226g of pasta in the entire box.  Here are the macros plus a few additional nutrients of note.

Per serving (2 oz. pasta):  

• 15.9g protein 
• 46g carb, 9.5g fiber
• 5.3g fat
• Using Terrasoul Nutritional Yeast provided most of the RDI for all the B vitamins
• 640g potassium
• 3.1g iron

Look for an updated copy of The Macrobiotic Action Plan, Your MAP to Greater Health & Happiness, available in paperback by the middle or end of November.  I have an ebook version without all the latest updates available on my website at www.tracymatesz.com.  Click here to read more about it.

The Macrobiotic Action Plan, originally published in 2016, on left, new cover, on right, available 
by mid to end of November, 2024.