Not your normal Mac n’ Cheese

When my Aunt who is a vegan first made this recipe for us, I thought to myself “Oh no. This is going to be disgusting. Macaroni and Cheese with-out cheese? Come on. ” BUT, it really wasn’t that bad. And except for being a little dry, and not creamy like I was used to, I figured that I could eat it again. So with a couple alterations, this has become a favorite of mine. I like it better than regular Macaroni and Cheese (thats amplified by the fact that there is no dairy in it – dairy bothers me…). It is also cheap to make. With cheese here at 4 dollars a pound, this is much cheaper for us to make. Now not every one will like this recipe. There are some in my family who do not like it, but I am of the opinion that its just because they can’t bear the thought of Macaroni and Cheese without cheese. The other plus to this recipe is that it is so healthy. Hardly an ounce of fat! I beg you to be brave and try it and please leave me a comment and tell me what you think!

Mac n’ Cheese ~Vegnews Magazine

1 tablespoon sea salt

8 oz. macaroni

3 slices dried whole grain bread

2 tbsp. hard butter

2 tbsp. shallots, chopped

1 cup red potatoes, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup carrots, peeled and chopped

1/3 cup yellow onions, chopped

1 cup water

1/4 cup cashews

2 tsp. sea salt

A level 1/4 tsp. fresh garlic, minced

1/3 cup Earth Balance (may substitute regular butter if you desire)

1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/8 tsp. cayenne

Cook macaroni with 1 tbsp of salt, drain, and set aside. Place bread and 2 tbsp. of Earth Balance (or butter) in a processor and process until fine crumbs. In a sauce pan place the shallots, potatoes, carrots, onions, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes or until soft. While vegetables are simmering place cashews (grind these in the processor first before adding other ingredients), 2 tsp. salt, garlic, Earth Balance, mustard, lemon juice and pepper into the processor. Blend. To your sauce in the processor bowl add the cooked vegetables (do NOT drain) and blend until smooth. Pour the processed ingredients over pasta and blend until smooth. Place in lightly oiled casserole dish, sprinkle with reserved bread crumbs and sprinkle with cayenne. Bake 30-40 minutes. Serves six.

Now for the changes that we have made. We do not add the bread crumbs on top. Also, if you like a creamy macaroni and cheese, do not bake. Just pour the sauce over the macaroni and serve.

This recipe is also fantastic as a cheese dip. Just don’t pour the sauce over noodles! My mom adds Ro-Tell for a little bit of tomato and spice! My dad loves this cheese dip. He asks for it all the time!