+GF
When you’re craving a creamy cheese sauce, this is your go-to recipe. We worked on this recipe over and over, until we felt it was as close to the real thing as we could possibly get. Put it in a baked potato with cooked broccoli and coconut bacon bits, or pour it over macaroni to make mac and cheese. The possibilities are endless. —LM + AM
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS (465 G)
1 cup (112 g) raw cashews, covered in boiling water and soaked for 1–4 hours depending on the type of blender you have (If you have a high-powered blender such as a Blendtec or Vitamix, 1 hour is sufficient. Otherwise, soak for 3 to 4 hours until they look bloated and are slightly soft to the touch.)
1 sweet potato
1 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp (10 ml) apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp (10 g) nutritional yeast (see Note)
1½ tsp (7 g) fine sea salt (you can adjust the amount of salt according to your dietary needs, but it will alter the taste)
½ tsp onion powder
½–¾ cup (120–180 ml) water (adjust the water to make it as thick or as thin as desired)
Soak the cashews, then drain and rinse well.
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Peel the sweet potato and wrap it in foil. Bake for an hour or until fork tender. When it’s cool enough to handle, measure out 1 cup (210 g) of the potato. You can also peel it and cut it into cubes and microwave it, about 15 minutes.
Put the cashews, potato, mustard, vinegar, nutritional yeast, salt, onion powder and water in the blender, and blend on high speed until the sauce is thick and creamy. You shouldn’t be able to see or feel any pieces of the cashews.
Note: We use Bragg’s nutritional yeast. The flavor of nutritional yeast varies from brand to brand, which can alter the taste of the cheese sauce.
*SEE PHOTO INSERT