Vegan Chipotle Carrot Mac and Cheese

Even if I weren't omnivorous, I wouldn't be fooled into thinking that spiralized carrots were macaroni or that pureed cashews were a cheese sauce. I was a little skeptical as I put the pan in the oven--the natural yeast smelled funkier than cheese sauce usually does--but once I had some, I was pleasantly surprised. The smell of the yeast mellowed, and the chipotle does indeed give the sauce a nice kick; and now I'm tempted to put some chipotle in my next batch of actual mac and cheese. Once I realigned my expectations from "mac and cheese" to "carrot casserole with creamy nut sauce," I enjoyed this dish much better.