Recipe: Creamy vegan "cheese" sauce

If you want more plant-based meals on your menu, try this recipe for vegan "cheese" sauce. 

It's not real "cheese" because the recipe doesn't call for any dairy. But the bright orange/yellow color makes it look like cheese. The texture and consistency are also similar to traditional sauces.

Spice it up, depending on what you like with seeded jalapenos or up to a can of green chilis or red bell peppers. In addition to using this sauce over veggies, it also makes a nice thick, creamy soup. 

Serves 24

Ingredients:

• 3/4 – 1 pound sweet potato/yams, peeled or roasted butternut squash
• 1 large carrot, peeled
• ½ large sweet or yellow onion
• ½ cup raw unsalted cashews
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 clove of garlic, minced/pressed
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 bay leaves, optional
• 1 bunch of scallions, as a garnish

Directions:

Boil peeled and chopped sweet potato/yam, carrot, onion and bay leaf until able to pierce with a fork. 

If using butternut squash instead, place halved butternut squash on lined baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees for 15-30 minutes until fork tender. Boil onion, carrot and bay leaf on its own in this case.

Presoak cashews in water for up to 24 hours. Combine the drained raw unsalted cashews, garlic powder, fresh garlic, onion powder, salt and 1 ½ cups of vegetable water in a food processor (May need to add additional vegetable water to thin to desired consistency). Add the boiled sweet potato (or roasted butternut squash), carrot and onion, removing the bay leaf. Process all ingredients until smooth (consistency of a sauce). Note: If you like it spicy, consider adding seeded jalapeno, chili pepper and red bell pepper.   

Use the sauce to top steamed and/or roasted vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower and asparagus). Or serve over your favorite noodles, spaghetti squash or as a dip with homemade tortilla chips.

Nutrition information (made with yam): 70 calories, 2.5g total fat, 210 mg sodium, 11g carbs, 2g protein, 2g fiber

Nutrition information (made with butternut squash): 60 calories, 2.5g total fat, 200 mg sodium, 8g carbs, 2g protein, 2g fiber

Recipe from Cecelia Jacobson, Registered Dietitian for the Oregon Heart and Vascular Institute at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend.