Mac and Cheese over Romaine lettuce topped with Chickpeas –
what??? Sounds like a crazy
combination but it is fantastic!
The Chickpeas are nice and crispy and very flavorful. Put the Chickpeas on the top of creamy,
cheesy noodles, which are on top of a cool, crisp crunch of Romaine and it’s
dinner in a bowl!
Buffalo Chickpea Mac
‘N’ Cheeze
Vegan Bowl Attack Cookbook by Jackie Sobon
Buffalo Chickpeas:
1 can
(15 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup
of your favorite vegan Buffalo Sauce, plus 1-2 tablespoons
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with
parchment paper.
Toss the chickpeas with the 1/4 cup Buffalo Sauce until they
are evenly coated and spread them out on the baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes and then carefully
roll them around with a spoon to get the other side crispy. Bake for another 12-15 minutes and then
place them back in the bowl and
toss with the remaining 1 – 2 tablespoons Buffalo Sauce. Set aside.
Mac ‘n’ Cheeze.
2.5 cups
shell or other small pasta
2 cups
Cheezy Cheddar Sauce (below)
pinch
of salt
1 tablespoon
vegan butter (optional)
unsweetened
nondairy milk, if needed
2 cups
chopped romaine lettuce
1 stalk
celery (optional)
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package
and then drain and rinse with cool water.
Place the noodles back in the pot and set the heat to medium-low. Add the Cheezy Cheddar Sauce, salt and
vegan butter (if using) to the pot and stir until the pasta is evenly
coated. Add more nondairy milk if
you’d like a thinner sauce and season with more salt if necessary.
Cheezy Cheddar Sauce:
1 cup
raw cashews, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes
1 cup
water
1/4 cup
nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon
tapioca starch (or other starch)
1 tablespoon
tomato paste
1 tablespoon
apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoon
onion owder
1.5 teaspoons
Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon
sea salt
pinch
of ground turmeric
Drain and rinse the cashews and place them in a blender
along with the remaining ingredients (I used our Bullet vs. a big
blender). Blend until completely
smooth, adding more water if the sauce seems too thick. Transfer to a saucepan over medium-low
heat, bringing it to a low simmer and stirring frequently to prevent
clumping. Once the starch has
broken down and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 3-5 minutes, remove
from the heat.
Transfer to an airtight container and store in the frig for
up to 2 weeks.
We assembled by putting a layer of chopped Romaine at bottom
of dish, then Mac and Cheese and topped with the Chickpeas. Sprinkle with more hot sauce and Ranch
Dressing.
