Food

Nacho Average Cheese Sauce

April 7, 2020 /

When you think you’ve seen every imaginable combination of cauliflower gnocchi, you haven’t. And I’m not cheesin’ around with this one – it’s a “cheesy” sauce that does triple the work as the base for 3 recipes: a fully loaded cauliflower gnocchi bowl, broccoli mac ‘n “cheese” sauce and a creamy nacho cheese dip. Best thing about it? This sauce is plant-based, highly nutritious (thanks to sweet potato and nutritional yeast), plus you know it tastes legit when it passes the test of this cheese state native. With everyone sheltering, I know you’ve got time to cheese around, so let’s get cookin’!

What do you mean there’s no cheese in the cheese sauce?

If there is any food that could unite the world, it might be cheese. But, after sheltering in the place during this wild pandemic, I found myself in a horrific situation: no cheese. And, my husband and I just made a pact to try to tough it out an entire week without visiting the grocery store to work through our inventory of canned and frozen foods. Now a week might not seem like a lot for most people, but I am a grocery shopping, fresh food fanatic. So, rather than fret, I decided to get creative with what I had on hand. And voila, this “cheesy” sauce was born.

So what kind of witchcraft creates cheese out of, no cheese?

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5 Simple Ingredients

  • Sweet Potato
  • Cashews
  • Nutritional Yeast
  • Broth
  • Apple Cider Vinegar

The real star, is the nutritional yeast, which provides the savory cheesy flavor. It gets its name from all the protein, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins it contains. Nutritional yeast is actually a complete protein because it contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a good source of protein for vegans. It also contains two carbohydrates – alpha-mannan and beta-glucan, which support the immune system. And we can all use as much help as possible in that department right about now!

This sauce couldn’t be easier to make, but here are a few helpful tips. 
Tips ‘n Tricks
1.) Split Up the Meal Prep: Make the sweet potatoes in advance to cut down on the time. I like to roast a few sweet potatoes at the beginning of the week and use for a variety of recipes.
2.) Soaking Cashews: You can either soak the cashews in water overnight OR, if you forget (like I often do) you can “quick soak” them by placing the nuts in boiling water for 30 minutes. This allows the cashews to soften.
3.) Get Creative: What I love about this sauce is the versatility! Feel free to add in some chipotle seasoning for a southwest vibe, or use regular potatoes if that’s all you have on hand. Want to add carrots? Go for it!

Ready to ladle this cheese sauce on everything in sight? Me too. 


Loaded Cauliflower Gnocchi Bowl
Serves: 4
img_7686Ingredients:
“Cheese” Sauce
– 1 sweet potato
– 1 C soaked cashews
– 1/4 C nutritional yeast
– 1/2 C broth
– 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
– 1/2 tsp salt
Gnocchi Bowl
– 2 bags of Trader Joe’s frozen caulflower gnocchi
– 12 slices of bacon, crisped
– 1 bunch of chives, thinly sliced

Directions: 
Step 1: Cut the sweet potato in half and pierce with a fork on all sides. Spray with cooking spray or rub oil around the entirety of both halves. Then, choose your method for roasting: oven or microwave. If baking in the oven, set the temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and placing on a baking sheet lined with tin foil. Bake for 40 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Alternatively, microwave on a microwave-safe dish for 5-7 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, peel off the skins. 
Step 2: Make the “cheese” sauce by placing all of the ingredients in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Add enough salt for you taste. 
Step 3: Place the frozen gnocchi in a microwave-safe dish and thaw for 1-2 minutes in the microwave. Then, spray a frying pan with oil, heat to medium and crisp the white portions of the chives, reserving the greens to top the bowls at the end. Once crisped, add the thawed gnocchi to the pan in a single layer and saute for 2-3 minutes with stirring. Flip the gnocchi once browned on the first side and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes on the other side. Turn off the heat. 
Step 4: Assemble the bowls! Add the “cheese” sauce to the frying pan and mix to cover the gnocchi (you may have extra sauce). Distribute in individual bowls. Crumble the bacon on top and finish by topping with the greens of the chives.
 
Broccoli Mac ‘n “Cheese”
Makes: 4 servings
img_7969Ingredients:
“Cheese” Sauce
– 1 sweet potato
– 1 C soaked cashews
– 1/4 C nutritional yeast
– 1/2 C broth
– 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
– 1/2 tsp salt
Macaroni Bowl
– 1 box of your favorite pasta
– 2 cups of frozen broccoli

Directions: 
Step 1: Cut the sweet potato in half and pierce with a fork on all sides. Spray with cooking spray or rub oil around the entirety of both halves. Then, choose your method for roasting: oven or microwave. If baking in the oven, set the temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and placing on a baking sheet lined with tin foil. Bake for 40 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Alternatively, microwave on a microwave-safe dish for 5-7 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, peel off the skins. 
Step 2: Make the “cheese” sauce by placing all of the ingredients in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Add enough salt for you taste. 
Step 3: Make the noodles, following the directions on the box. Simultaneously, warm the broccoli by either placing in the microwave for 2 minutes in a covered bowl with a touch of water or, place it in the boiling pasta water for the last minute that the pasta cooks. Drain the pasta. 
Step 4: Assemble the bowls! Add the “cheese” sauce to the noodles and stir to combine. Distribute evenly in individual dishes and top with broccoli.
 
Nacho “Cheese” Dip
Makes: 1.5 cups
img_7756Ingredients:
“Cheese” Sauce
– 1 sweet potato
– 1 C soaked cashews
– 1/4 C nutritional yeast
– 1/2 C broth
– 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
– 1/2 tsp salt
Nachos
– 1 poblano pepper, diced
– 3/4 – 1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle seasoning
– your favorite chips!

Directions: 
Step 1: Cut the sweet potato in half and pierce with a fork on all sides. Spray with cooking spray or rub oil around the entirety of both halves. Then, choose your method for roasting: oven or microwave. If baking in the oven, set the temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and placing on a baking sheet lined with tin foil. Bake for 40 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Alternatively, microwave on a microwave-safe dish for 5-7 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, peel off the skins. 
Step 2: Make the “cheese” sauce by placing all of the ingredients in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Then, add the chipotle seasoning in 1/4 teaspoon increments, blending after each addition until you reach your desired level of spice. 
Step 3: Place the “cheese” sauce in a bowl and add the diced poblano peppers, mixing with a spoon. Enjoy with your favorite chips!


Time to get “cheesy”! Let me know what other ideas you have for adapting this sauce to everything and anything!

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