Macaroni & Cheese Florentine

Found this in a crock pot recipe cookbook somewhere. It doesn't actually contain any cheese, but the sauce has the same consistency of homemade macaroni and cheese, so I think that's where the name came from. Pretty good recipe as is, but excellent with a container of cottage cheese mixed in!

• Ready In: 3 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 4-6
• Yields: 4-6

Ingredients

• 8  ounces elbow macaroni
• 10  ounces frozen spinach
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  onion, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup raw cashews
• 1 3⁄4 cups water
• 1 1⁄2 cups white beans, cooked
• 2  teaspoons lemon juice
• 1⁄4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1  pinch nutmeg
• 1  pinch salt
• 1⁄2 cup  breadcrumbs

Directions

1. Cook macaroni. Drain and toss with spinach.
2. Saute onion 5 minutes in olive oil.
3. Grind cashews to powder in blender. Add water and blend until smooth.
4. Add beans, lemon juice and spices and blend until smooth.
5. Pour sauce over spinch and pasta and mix well.
6. Transfer to slow cooker and cook on low 3 hours. (May also bake in a 350* oven until bubbly.)
7. Sprinkle with bread crumbs before serving.
8. If desired, add 16 oz of cottage cheese to the pasta and spinach mixture in the first step for a richer, creamer consistency.