It seems as though everyone believes they are the champions of making Mac and Cheese. This recipe is the champion because it has champignons! Creamy butternut squash sauce over rice noodles, infused with savoury shiitake broth, meaty mushrooms and fried leeks...you can't beat this one!
Serves 2 as a main dish or 4 sides
Ingredients:
3 cups elbow rice noodles
2 1/2 cups butternut squash, roasted
1 cup cashews
6 dried shiitake mushrooms (and 2 cups broth)
1 small leek, minced
1 crown of broccoli, chopped
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp onion powder
pinches of pink salt
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
juice of 1 lemon
Preparation:
Using a sharp knife, carefully cut approximately 4 inches off the long part of your freshly washed butternut squash. Cut this piece lengthwise into two. Place the two halves into your oven or toaster oven and roast for approximately 30 minutes, at 350 degrees. Remove and let cool.
In a small bowl, add 6 dried shiitake mushrooms to 2 cups water, and let sit for at least 1 hour. Remove the mushrooms, slice them and set aside. (Save the broth for this recipe!)
In a separate small bowl, add 1 cup cashews to 2 cups water, and let soak for 1 hour. Discard the water.
Directions:
In a large pot, bring approximately 8 cups of water to boil. Add a pinch of salt to the water.
Add the rice noodles and stir occasionally for approximately 8 minutes, or until the noodles are perfectly el dente. Strain the noodles and set aside, uncovered.
In the meantime, add 1 tbsp of coconut oil to a heated pan. Add the leeks and let them cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the turmeric, onion powder and dijon mustard. Add the sliced shiitake, then the broccoli, and stir fry for approximately 8 - 10 minutes. Add tiny splashes of the shiitake broth to prevent the pan from getting too dry.
While the veggies are cooking, peel the skin off the cooled butternut squash. Chop the cooked squash coarsely and place the chunks into a blender or food processor. Add the cashews, nutritional yeast, pinches of salt, and the shiitake broth, and mix into a smooth sauce.
Combine the cooked noodles, the stir fried veggies and the squash sauce in the same large pot you used to cook the noodles. Squeeze lemon juice over the noodles. Stir and simmer until everything is warmed and evenly coated in the sauce.
Plate and enjoy this nutritious and delicious Mac and Cheese!