Name: Zesty Smoked Mac N Cheese
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2/3 cup raw cashews (help save time by using pre-soaked cashews); 2 cups pasta shells (lentil or chickpea pasta for even healthier options); 1/4 cup loosely packed sun-dried tomatoes (no need to boil if using sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil/); 1/4 cup tapioca flour; 3 tbsp nutritional yeast; 6 basil leaves; 2 cloves garlic; 1 1/4 tsp sea salt; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

Add 8 cups of water to large saucepan, 3 cups of water to small saucepan and place both over high heat. Add Cashews to small saucepan and boil until softened for 10 minutes.
Once water is boiling in large saucepan, add the pasta shells, 1/16 tsp salt and boil according to the package instructions. Shortly passed al dente remove from heat and drain.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes to the boiling cashews with 2 minutes left. Once the final 2 minutes are up, drain and reserve the water.
Place 2 cups of the reserved water along with the cashew and sun-dried tomato mixture into high-powered blender. Add the yeast, flour, garlic, salt, basil, paprika and red pepper flakes and blend on high for about 2 minutes, until creamy or desired smoothness.
Place the pasta pan over medium-high heat. Pour the cheese mixture from blender into pan and stir for 2 minutes making sure to get all the sides and continue stirring until the sauce begins to thicken.
Pour pasta into cheese sauce mixture and continue stirring for another 2 minutes until desired thickness. Serve immediately adding in Sea Salt and Pepper to taste.

Zesty Smoked Mac N Cheese