Vegan Cashew "Cheese" Sauce or "Queso"

A couple times a year or so, I like to do my version of a less restrictive Whole 30 type of deal (That’s for another post). Just to reset things. One thing I do during that time is cut out all dairy. This is a recipe I like to go to during that time. Also, maybe for times when I’m just trying to pump the breaks on my cheese game. Everything in moderation right? I really can get after some cheese if given the chance. (“Workin’ on my night cheese!”). The original recipe this was based on was for a vegan “queso”, but I found that the first half of it could make for a really tasty "cheese" sauce with a tweak. Like one you would do for a broccoli cheese sauce to put over a potato for example. Below I specify in the recipe how to do it both ways, and you can take whatever fork in the road you fancy. I also have another recipe I use the base for. “Vegan Broccoli Mac and ‘Green Stuff’ Cashew “Cheese” Casserole.” It's kinda out there, but so good.

Ingredients: 
For the "cheese" sauce base:

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 1 medium carrot, cut in large chunks (about 3/4 cup)
• 1-1/2 cups unsweetened cashew or almond milk
• 1-1/2 cups cold water
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast seasoning
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon of of kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar.
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

To make it “Queso"

• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 15 oz can Fire-Roasted Tomatoes
• 1 large jalapeno, diced.
• 1 teaspoon (or more) hot sauce to taste. (I like Valentina or the Organic Jalapeno Hot Sauce from Whole Foods.)
• Chopped Cilantro 
• Lime wedges
• Pico de gallo (optional)

Equipment:

• Medium sized saucepan
• Large spoon
• Blender
• Chef’s knife

Directions:

1. Add the cashews and carrot to a medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Cook until the carrot is tender. About 15 mins. 
2. Drain and add the cashews and carrot to the blender. 
3. Add the nut milk, cold water, nutritional yeast, white wine vinegar, and cornstarch. 
4. Blend until smooth. 
5. In the same sauce pan you cooked the cashews and carrot in, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. 
6. If making just the cheese sauce skip to step 10.
7. Add the onion and cook for a couple mins, occasionally stirring to keep it from burning. 
8. Add the chopped jalapeno and cook for another min. 
9. Stir in the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and cook for 30 seconds until the garlic and spices are aromatic. 
10. Add the cheese sauce and salt to the pot. (If making Queso, also add in the fire roasted tomatoes and hot sauce)
11. Cook, stirring regularly until thickened. It should be about 10 mins. If it’s still not thick, turn up the heat a little. Make sure to continuously stir to keep it from getting stuck to the bottom of the pot. 
12. Remove from the heat. If using as a cheese sauce it’s ready to go. If making queso, stir in the cilantro, and the juice from a couple squirts of lime. Top with the pico for an extra touch of freshness. Serve with tortilla chips, corn or flour tortillas, or in any way you would use queso.

Vegan Broccoli Mac and ‘Green Stuff’ Cashew “Cheese” Casserole.

Sometimes I like to smash recipes together like a food ‘Large Hadron Collider’ and see what comes out of it. While looking at recipes on the interwebs, I came across a recipe for a vegan cashew "cheese" sauce mac and cheese casserole. I thought that the cheese sauce base from my Vegan Cashew "Cheese" Sauce or "Queso" recipe might be good for something like that. Then I thought, maybe I could throw some broccoli in with that since the cheese sauce goes so well with it. I had also seen a chili mac casserole recipe using queso, and thought, maybe going the “queso” route would be interesting. But, then the broccoli might be a little weird.... Then I asked myself, what if instead of using the regular queso ingredients, I used the roasted jalapeno and garlic hot sauce (The Green Stuff) from my Instant Pot Chicken “Carnitas” Tacos with ”The Green Stuff” post to spice it up? Thinking about it, those flavors would go great with the broccoli, and this crazy ass thing was born. It is way better than it should be allowed to. I made my own bread crumbs because I didn’t have any, but panko would be excellent with this. I also used a lentil rotini I found at Whole Foods, because I had that on hand, but you can use any appropriate macaroni or pasta for a mac and cheese type dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 full recipe of the "Cheese" Sauce base from the "Vegan Cashew "Cheese" Sauce or "Queso" recipe, here. 
• 1 box of elbow macaroni or any pasta good for mac and cheese.
• 1 bag of frozen broccoli. 
• 1 cup (or more if you like more) breadcrumbs, store bought or homemade
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the roasted jalapeno and garlic "Green Stuff" hot sauce from my post here.
• Vegetable or olive oil

Equipment:

• 13 x 9 baking dish
• Large spoon or rubber spatula
• Pot for cooking pasta
• Strainer

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees
2. Make the recipe for the cheese sauce if you don't already have it. Or warm up the "cheese" sauce if it was pre-made. Add 1/4 cup of the hot sauce to the "cheese" and taste to see if it's to your liking. Add more if you want more of that flavor or if you like the spicy. Remove from the heat and cover it with a lid to keep it warm.
3. Cook the macaroni or pasta to al dente per the instructions on the package. 
4. Drain and briefly rinse with cold water quickly to stop the cooking. 
5. Lightly grease the baking dish with oil.
6. Combine the pasta, frozen broccoli, "cheese" sauce base in the baking dish. Stir to incorporate using the rubber spatula or spoon. You might not need the whole recipe of the cheese sauce. Add enough until everything is well covered but not to the point that it's soupy. Smooth out with the rubber spatula in a uniform layer. 
7. Toss the bread crumbs in a bit of vegetable or olive oil to lightly coat them. Sprinkle a generous layer of the bread crumbs over the top of everything. 
8. Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 - 30 mins until the top is brown and you can see the sauce bubbling. Check it about 15 - 20 mins in and make sure it's not browning too quickly. If so, reduce the heat to 375. 
9. If it's bubbling after the 25 or so, and the top is not browned to your liking, broil it briefly on the second from the top rack position. Watch it carefully so it doesn't brown too much or burn. 
10. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 mins before serving.

Finished casserole. Careful.. Hot dish!