Blog

Ultimate Vegan Mac and Cheese

Sweaters, darkness, cool air and excuses to be lazy – comfort food season is officially upon us. Get out your casserole dish and unleash your “cheese” cravings. Your omni family and friends will never guess what’s in this fresh take on an old classic. It’s creamy, satisfying and just plain delicious. Even better, Ultimate Vegan Mac and Cheese can be made ahead and baked the following day.

Ultimate Vegan Mac and Cheese
Serves 4 – 6

16 ounces brown rice pasta shells
2/3 C Earth Balance sticks
4 T shallots, peeled and chopped
2 C yellow potatoes, peeled and chopped
½ C carrots, peeled and chopped
1/3 C onion, peeled and chopped
2 C water
½ C raw cashews
4 t sea salt
½ t garlic, minced
½ t Dijon mustard
2 T lemon juice, freshly squeezed
½ t black pepper
¼ t cayenne
½ t paprika
10 ounces mixed frozen carrots, peas and corn (optional)

1. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain pasta in a colander and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
2. Prehead oven to 350 degrees. In a sauce pan, add shallots, potatoes, carrots, onion and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until veggies are very soft.
3. Meanwhile, add the cashews, salt, garlic, Earth Balance, mustard, lemon juice, black pepper and cayenne to a blender. Once cooked, add veggies and their cooking water to the blender and process until perfectly smooth.
4. In a large bowl, toss the pasta and blended cheese sauce until completely smooth. Add the optional frozen veggies to the mixture if desired.
5. Spread mixture in a 9 x 12 casserole dish and sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 30 minutes and serve.

 

This blog post was written by Healthy Living Taste Maker Mindy Elmergreen. Mindy teaches yoga at Tapna Yoga in Burlington. When she’s not in the studio, you’ll often find her in our cafe enjoying juices & smoothies with her adorable sons!