With all this cold weather lately, anything cheesy sounds more desirable and I’m kind of sick of soup (I’m lying). And it’s amazing that Matthew is such a fan of my mac n cheese especially after the holiday’s when I made him and his coworkers a batch with bacon in it. So on the random day of the week when I ask if he has any requests for the week (yea, we do that in our house) he blurts out: MAC N CHEESE! Now, don’t even get me started on the amazingness of mac and cheese. There is something not only comforting but just absolutely warming about slurping down this cheesy dish. And who I am to deny myself this delightful opportunity to explore a healthier way to satisfy my craving?!

I kid you not, you won’t even realize you’re eating something that’s good for you. We ate this mouthwatering baby for a few days and did not feel one ounce of guilt because well, who the hell wants to feel guilty when you’re feeling so good about eating it?!

Alright, I’ve teased you enough. Here is your recipe baby 😉

What You Need:

• 1 box Conchiglioni (conch shaped pasta), feel free to get gluten free or any other shape
• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
• 2 cups water
• 3 roasted red peppers, jarred or made at home (liquid and seeds removed)
• 1 cup of kale, roughly chopped
• 1 cup of frozen peas, defrosted
• 1 cup of broccoli spears, chopped into a cute bite sizable er, size
• 4 cloves of garlic, 2 smashed & minced (we like it garlicky ya’ll) and 2 left whole
• 1 tbs raw organic coconut oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Sea salt, black pepper to taste
• Optional: 1 cup nutritional yeast OR 1 cup raw organic gruyere cheese mixed with 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs for added crunch

How You Make It:

1. Preheat your sexy oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Now, you want to make your pasta according to the package instructions. Just be sure to only cook to al dente (basically, it should still be chewy). Drain pasta once cooked and set aside to wait for the luscious sauce.
3. Let’s make our creamy red pepper sauce! In a high speed blender, add raw cashews and 2 cups of water and blend on high speed until creamy. Pop in 2 cloves of garlic and your roasted red peppers. Blend until creamy and delish. Set aside. 
4. In a saute pan, add coconut oil and remaining garlic. Let get slightly fragrant and add basil and oregano. Stir. Toss in kale, broccoli and peas. Cook for about 5 minutes or until kale is wilted. Season generously with sea salt and black pepper.
5. Now we want to combine our veggies, red pepper sauce and pasta. Mix and make sure the pasta and veggies are completely coated in sauce.
6. Pour into a 7×11 inch baking dish. Top with either nutritional yeast or gruyere-breadcrumb mixture.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly.
8. Serve with a sexy cocktail and get to cuddling.

Now, tell me what other favorite comfort food would you want revamped so you feel super nourished? Let me know!

Peace, love and no beef,

Guramrit

PS. In case you didn’t know, your homegirl (aka me) has her very first cookbook out. You can get all the deets and pick up your copy over on Amazon! Love ya!