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+ servings

Sunflower Mac

Mac ‘n cheese was a big favourite of mine as a kid, when I lived in Canada: the Kraft kind, from a box. Of course my parents never bought that stuff, I’d get it as a treat once in a while when I visited my best friend next door. And a few months after I moved back to South Africa, I received a big parcel in the post with a dozen boxes of Kraft mac ‘n cheese – best surprise ever!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium carrot diced
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups vegetable stock
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 3 tsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp miso
  • 1/2 tsp mustard
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • elbow macaroni pasta for 4

Directions

  • Soak the sunflower seeds in hot water for about 20 minutes.
  • Prepare the vegetable stock, and prepare the pasta according to package directions.
  • Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat, and add the carrot and onion.
  • Cook, stirring, until soft, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
  • Drain the soaked sunflower seeds, and add them to a blender along with the carrot mix, vegetable stock, cornstarch, nutritional yeast, tomato paste, lemon juice, paprika, chilli flakes, miso, mustard and turmeric.
  • Blend until very smooth.
  • Once the pasta is ready, drain the cooking water, and pour the sauce into the pasta.
  • Mix it in, and serve.