Vegan Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

1 potato, peeled
1 large carrot
1/4 onion
elbow pasta
1/2 cup coconut milk (optional)
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked
1 clove garlic
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
a pinch of nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon paprika
juice of 1 small lemon
1/4 cup panko (optional)
meltable cheese (optional)

Cut potatoes into chunks and boil in water. Add carrots and boil another 5 minutes. Add onion and continue to cook for another 7 minutes.

Meanwhile cook pasta until al dente and set aside.

In a blender, combine the vegetables and 1-1/2 cup of their water (or 1/2 cup coconut milk and water), cashews, garlic, nutritional yeast, cayenne, nutmeg, salt and pepper. When the sauce cools, stir in the lemon juice.

Stir mixture into pasta. If desired, transfer to a casserole dish and sprinkle with meltable vegan cheese, panko, and more paprika.