Saute onions and garlic with a drizzle of oil or broth until softened.
Add the tomatoes, beans, spices and salt and cook until bubbly.
Add the water and pasta, cook until the pasta is al dente.
Mix in the cheese sauce.
Serve and enjoy!
For crock pot version
Combine all the ingredients except the macaroni and the Macadamia Nut Cheese Sauce in a large slow cooker. Cover, turn it on high, and cook for 3½ hours.
Meanwhile, make cheese sauce. Drain and rinse the nuts. Add them to a high-power blender with the rest of the ingredients. Blend until smooth.
Add the macaroni and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pasta is done.
Pour in the cheese sauce and stir well.
Garnish with more paprika and chopped green onions, if desired, and serve immediately or refrigerate for later. This will keep in the fridge for at least a week. It can also be frozen for up to 6 months.
Notes
If you want some extra heat in this recipe, you can add ½ teaspoon cayenne or even some diced chile peppers.
If you forget to soak the nuts for the cheese sauce overnight, you can boil them for 30 minutes to soften. You can also grind them dry in a coffee or spice grinder.
This cheese sauce will last a couple weeks in the fridge. I store mine in a large mason jar. You can also freeze the sauce for up to 3 months.