Cheesy Tofu Cashew Mac and Peas 

This is a great dish for kids (husbands too!) So Filling. Packed with plant protein and made with healthy whole fats for growing brains. Creamy and Delicious. True Comfort Food.

The vegan cheese sauce is made using coconut milk, cashews, and roasted garlic! Yum!

The tofu is baked with a cheesy seasoning. And peas added for even more protein.

And if that’s not enough, do what I did and use a pasta made out of the super- grain quinoa!

Pics and Notes:

Parchment lined baking tray with cubed extra firm tofu seasoned with nutritional yeast and sea salt. Ready to bake!

Oil FREE! roasted garlic. Tips cut off and wrapped in foil.

Wrapped garlic placed on tofu tray and baked all together

Baked til golden brown. About 40 minutes

Gluten free Corn and Quinoa Blend Elbow Noodles

Cold Mountain Mellow White Miso and Sari Foods Non-Fortified Nutritional Yeast

Coconut Milk (use LIGHT not full fat like shown) and The rest of the cashew cheese ingredients, blend until smooth!

Heat sauce on stove (careful not to burn bottom) but high enough heat to thicken. Salt to taste.

Toss in cheesy tofu cubes and coat with sauce

Enjoy!

If you like this plant- based family recipe, check out:

Vegan Mock Tuna Noodle Casserole

http://bellavirtue.com/eat/easy-low-fat-tuna-noodle-casserole-whole-food-plant-based/

Jackfruit Potato Southwest Casserole

http://bellavirtue.com/eat/jackfruit-potato-southwest-casserole-gfvgrain-free/

PB Asian Noodle Casserole

http://bellavirtue.com/eat/pb-asian-noodle-casserole/

Cheesy Tofu Cashew Mac and Peas

Serving Size: 5

Cooking Time: 50 minutes start to finish. *not including soaking the cashews.

INGREDIENTS:

Cashew Mac and Peas

• 3/4 cup raw cashews
• 5 cloves roasted garlic*
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (nooch)
• 13.5 fl oz can light coconut milk (has less coconut flavor than full fat)
• 1 Tbs lemon juice
• 1 Tbs sea salt
• 3 Tbs tomato paste
• 1 Tbs mild white miso
• 1 Tbs turmeric powder
• 1 Tbs arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 3/4 cup water
• 16 ounces of Elbow Noodles (I used gluten free organic Corn and Quinoa blend)
• 1.5 cups green sweet peas

Cheesy Tofu

• 1 package extra firm organic tofu
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 tsp sea salt

Notes

*if you aren’t using a high speed blender make sure you soak the raw cashews overnight in water until they swell up and are very soft. You can also soak them in boiling hot water if you forgot!

*if you don’t roast your garlic, use 1 tsp garlic powder instead.

*If you like your tofu very firm, you can use a tofu press to squeeze it more before baking.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cheesy Tofu: Preheat oven to 400°F
2. Drain and cube tofu.
3. Spread evenly on a parchment lined baking tray.
4. Season with nutritional yeast and salt.
5. Wait for the garlic to hitch a ride on your tray before you put it in the oven. Wrap the 5 garlic cloves together in foil with the skins on. Place on tray.
6. Bake for 40 minutes, until golden brown and firm.
7. Cashew Mac and Peas: Boil Elbow Noodles as directed on package.
8. In your blender, combine all cashew cheese ingredients including roasted garlic (remove skins first), nutritional yeast, salt, coconut milk, arrowroot, onion powder, lemon, miso, tomato paste, turmeric, water.
9. Pour cheese sauce on top of hot drained noodles and let it thicken (turn heat on simmer with lid if needed). Along with the peas and baked cheesy tofu.
10. Taste and Season with more salt as desired.
11. Enjoy!

Here in the Mama Bella kitchen we love hearing from you! Please leave your comments below! And let us know how our recipes turned out for you and your beautiful family.
You can also follow us at http://www.instagram.com/bellavirtueeat
Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/bellavirtueeat/
YouTube at the Bella Virtue Vegan Kitchen
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOmCEAQ54a5RIoVyGOa8pVQ