So I, like all rational food loving people, LOVE mac n cheese. It's probably my favorite food. However, my life is plagued by lactose intolerance and some semblance of morals so I don't eat (much) cheese. I've made a handful of vegan versions of my comfort food favorite. When we were at Sarah and Al's house on Sunday she told me that there is an infamous VegNews vegan mac recipe, but apparently it's not infamous enough for me to know about it. Thus, I knew exactly what I wanted to make for dinner Monday night.
Even if you're not vegan, this is a really tasty dish and a great way for parents to hide veggies in their kids dinner, while cutting down on bad fats and cholesterol. This recipe has carrots in it, but another one that I've tried used roasted red peppers (from a jar, or you could make yourself) which I'm sure could also added or substituted. Next time I may even add some puréed chickpeas for added protein and fiber. (maybe Ill replace the potatoes with chickpeas)
So I made it and I seriously doubted it based off the recipe, but it ended up being really good and probably the healthiest and cheapest version of vegan mac that I've made so far, so I wanted to share.
I didn't follow the recipe exactly, and next time I'll probably make a few adjustments.
Adapted from the VegNews website:
1 Package of pasta - I used medium shells
Breadcrumbs
1 cup red potatoes
1/4 cup carrots
1/2 chopped onion
1 cup water
1/4 cup raw cashews
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Preheat oven to 350 F:
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| Cook pasta, strain and run under cold water and set aside |
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| Peel and chop carrots - I used 3, but use you discretion depending on their size |
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| Peel and roughly chop potatoes |
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 Boil veggies in 1 cup water until tender, 10-15 minutes |
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| Add cashews, spices, lemon juice and mustard to blender and blend |
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| Spoon veggies and water into blender and pulse until smooth and homogenous. Add salt and pepper or additional spices to taste. |
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| Pour cheese mixture over pasta in a casserole dish |
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| Liberally cover with breadcrumbs, homemade or lazy style like me
Bake for 30 minutes or until top is browned and bubbling. Enjoy!
Notes:
I forgot to buy shallots, which the original recipe calls for, so I added extra onions. Next time I'll definitely buy shallots, because I love them, but I don't think they are necessary. I also added a little sprinkle of nutritional yeast, but that's also unnecessary. This recipe seems pretty forvgiving, and most people can make it work in some way with whatever is in your fridge. Pair it with a salad with some great balsamic vinegar for an easy, happy belly dinner.
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