Sareta Puri’s macaroni and cheese

Packed with vegetables in a creamy, cheesy sauce, this macaroni and cheese recipe uses carotenoid-rich sweet potatoes and carrots. You have the option to add peas for a protein hit plus other greens to up the vegetable content and create a beautiful and colourful dish.

Serves: 3-4 

Preparation time: 30-40 minutes 

If you can, use organic ingredients for this recipe. Although we are unsure whether eating organic food reduces breast cancer risk, organic food contains less pesticide residue. We know that certain pesticides are linked to breast cancer risk, so we recommend eating organic food whenever possible. Read more on pesticides here.
 

Ingredients:  

250g wholewheat macaroni pasta (any short wholewheat pasta will work)

400l water

100g organic sweet potatoes, peeled

50g organic carrots, peeled

125g organic tomatoes

50ml plant-based milk (e.g. oat or soy)

20g nutritional yeast (sold in many supermarkets & health stores)

40g cornflour (or substitute for plain flour)

10ml soy sauce or tamari

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon English mustard (optional)

50g frozen peas

50g greens e.g. spring greens, kale, spinach, sliced (optional)

Equipment:

Large pot

Medium pot

Any blender or food processor

Chopping board & knives

Instructions

• Cut the sweet potatoes and carrots into equal-sized pieces. Halve the tomatoes.
• To start, place in a medium pan and add just enough water to cover everything. Add a pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Then reduce to a simmer and cook until the carrots and potatoes are soft.
• Meanwhile, put the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water and cook until the pasta is almost cooked.
• As the pasta nears completion, stir the sliced greens and frozen peas into the pasta water.
• After cooking the pasta and softening the vegetables, drain the water. You can rinse in a little cold water here so the pasta doesn’t stick. Head back to the pan, mix in some olive oil, and allow it to sit until the sauce is ready.
• Back to the sauce. Once the veg is cooked, keep the water in the pan and use a stick blender to blend down (or transfer in batches to a food processor).
• Add the rest of the ingredients and continue to blend until you have a thick, creamy sauce. If it needs to be thicker, add more flour. If it needs to be thinner, add more milk. Taste and adjust the seasoning if required.
• Slowly pour the sauce over the pasta and veg until you have your desired sauce to pasta ratio.
• Enjoy as is or transfer to an ovenproof dish and sprinkle with the additional breadcrumbs and nutritional yeast and grill for about 5 minutes for the top to crisp up.

Why this is good for you  

The wholewheat pasta used in this macaroni and cheese recipe has a higher fibre content than normal pasta. Studies have shown that a diet high in fibre is associated with a decreased breast cancer risk.

Carotenoids, found in sweet potatoes, carrots, and tomatoes, contribute to the vibrant colors of fruits and vegetables and have also shown a connection with a reduced risk of breast cancer, especially when consumed in large quantities.

Enjoyed this macaroni and cheese recipe and are craving more recipes like this? Breast Cancer UK’s brand new recipe e-book Download (for free) ‘Organic Flavours’ and Sareta Puri’s website have got you covered! What are you waiting for? Get cooking. 

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