We have a love hate relationship with cheese and dairy. We love it just as much as you, but it absolutely wreaks havoc on acne-prone skin.
We are constantly searching for cheese and dairy alternatives that will satiate our craving but won’t cause cysts to start forming.
When we talk to our younger clients, they can’t imagine life without pizza, mac and cheese, and ice cream. And our more mature clients mourn the loss of cheese with their wine.
This week one of our fabulous moms, Jen, kitchen-tested this dairy-free mac and cheese recipe and received a full stamp of approval from her daughter Kylie.
A key ingredient in vegan mac and cheese is nutritional yeast, and when Jen went looking for it, she found that many brands included B12 in their formula. Jen is now a bonafied acne detective and knows that B12 and her daughter’s skin do not mix, so she had to seek out a nutritional yeast that wasn’t fortified with B12.
So what the heck is nutritional yeast?
It’s grown specifically to be used as a food product. It’s a complete source of protein, and it has a cheesy, nutty and savory flavor…perfect for vegan cheese dishes.
There are two types of nutritional yeast — unfortified and fortified.
Unfortified does not contain any added vitamins or minerals. It only contains the vitamins and minerals that are naturally produced by the yeast cells as they grow.
Fortified contains synthetic vitamins added during the manufacturing process to boost nutrtient content. If vitamins have been added to the yeast, they will be listed in the ingredient list. Avoid using a yeast that contains B12.
Fortified nutritional yeast is the most common type available for purchase.
Nutritional yeast is sold as flakes, granules or powder and can be found in the spice section or bulk bins of health food stores.
Jen found this non-fortified nutritional yeast at Mother’s Market.
It’s also non-GMO, vegan, gluten free and Kosher. You can’t go wrong with this cheesy substitute!
Okay…let’s get to it and cut the cheese!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups raw cashews (soaked in water for 2 hours, if desired)
3 TBSP fresh lemon juice
3/4 C water
1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 unfortified nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon tumeric
pinch of cayenne (optional)
1/2 teaspoon mustard (dijon or yellow)
16 ounces elbow or shell pasta (gluten-free if desired)
freshly ground black pepper
paprika for garnish
Instructions:
1. Prepare the pasta according to package directions. Drain the cashews if you soaked them (This makes them easier to blend.)
2. While the pasta is cooking, combine the cashews, lemon juice, water, salt, nutritional yeast, chili powder, garlic, turmeric, cayenne (if using) and mustard in a high speed blender and blend until silky smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add 2-4 more tablespoons of water and blend again.
3. Once the pasta is tender, drain and rinse it, then return the pasta to the pot and stir in the cheese sauce. Season to taste and serve warm.
Nutrition:
Calories: 350 kcal| Carbohydrate: 50g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 11g | Saturated fat: 2g | Sodium : 449mg | Potassium: 313 mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g |
Recipe courtesy of Detoxinista.com