Packed with green goodness for a healthy, colourful twist on the traditional dish, this bake combines tenderstem broccoli, spinach and peas with macaroni in a super cheesy sauce with a crispy cashew-cheese-breadcrumb topping...
SERVES: 4-6 PEOPLE | PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES | BAKES IN: 10 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp garlic puree
1/2 leek, ends trimmed and sliced into 1cm rings
220g tenderstem broccoli, florets removed and stalks sliced into rings
2 tbsp rice flour
800ml oat milk
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 cup vegan cheese
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup frozen peas
Large handful fresh spinach
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
300g macaroni
Handful vegan cheese, to top with
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup cashews
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Pinch sea salt
Drizzle olive oil
LEMONY SHAVED FENNEL SALAD
1 bulb fennel
1/4 cup chopped dill
Zest & Juice 1/2 lemon
Drizzle olive oil
Pinch sea salt
Handful rocket
METHOD
1. Warm the oil and garlic puree in a large pan on a medium heat, then add in the sliced leeks and fry until softened. Next, add in the sliced broccoli stalks, reserving the florets, and continue to fry those together with the leeks for another couple of minutes.
2. Sprinkle in the rice flour, turn it through the vegetables to coat then pour in the oat milk. Stir until the milk begins to thicken, then add in the mustard, vegan cheese, salt and pepper. Continue stirring until it forms a cheese sauce, then turn in the spinach and frozen peas.
3. Using a hand-held blender, blend the sauce up until it's smooth and creamy, then add in the nutritional yeast and stir it through.
4. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees celsius, then place a large pan of salted water on to boil and once rolling, add in the macaroni. Stir once then leave to continue cooking until al dente.
5. Reserve a cup of pasta water, then drain off the pasta once cooked and add it into the sauce. Stir through well, then transfer to a baking dish. Blend together the breadcrumbs, cashews, nutritional yeast and oil for the topping, scatter over and place in the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes until golden in colour.
6. Serve hot with my Lemony Shaved Fennel Salad on the side. For this, remove the fronds from the fennel and reserve, slice the bulb and stalks thinly using a knife of mandolin then toss it together with the dill, lemon zest & juice, olive oil and salt, add in the fronds, then serve on a bed of rocket - enjoy!
