Mac and no-cheese!

This recipe is basic and yummy with a rich creamy texture and a bright yellow colour. While you’re probably not going to say, “I can’t believe it’s not cheese,” you will enjoy it as a yummy alternative. Whether you’re vegan, lactose intolerant, or just want a change from regular old cheese, this is a great dish to try out.

Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 12-15 minutes Difficulty rating: Easy

Ingredients

Makes 2 small servings

• 1 cup whole grain or gluten free pasta
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast (not baking yeast)
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• ½ tsp turmeric

Method

• Cook pasta as directed.
• In a small saucepan, mix coconut milk, nutritional yeast, turmeric, mustard and tomato paste.
• Simmer on low and stir until all of the ingredients have blended – around 3 minutes.
• Take off heat and let stand so that it can thicken – around 3 minutes.
• Add in drained pasta, toss, then salt to taste and serve.

Tips

• Nutritional yeast is not the same as baking yeast. Don’t get these two mixed up! Nutritional yeast is gluten free, dairy free and sugar free, and a high source of B vitamins and a complete protein. You can usually find it at any standard health food store. Sometimes in Australia it is referred to as “savoury yeast flakes.”
• If you want to sneak some vegetables into the recipe, you can add fried onions, peas, or sliced tomatoes with the other ingredients when you make the sauce.
• If you’re making the recipe for adults, sauté garlic and onions to add to the sauce. You can also add chilli flakes and pepper to taste.

Nutritional content

Nutritional analysis per serve:

References

1. Food Standards Australia and New Zealand. NUTTAB 2010 Online Searchable Database- Pasta wholemeal wheat based, dry. 2010. [cited 26 April 2013]. Available from: URL link
2. AusNut. Nutrient Database. 2007. (cited 27 April 2012) Available from: URL link
3. National Institutes of Health. Dietary Supplements Labels Database- Now Foods Nutritional Yeast. 2013. (cited 26 April 2013).l Available from: URL link